bunny health question

[jamiec]

Hey everyone.

I’m new to this forum but I have some questions about my rabbit. She is only 7 months and is incredibly friendly and wonderful. I love her to death. However for some reason a few months ago she stopped drinking water out of her water bottle. I tried getting her different kinds, new one after new one but nothing worked. She wouldnt use it. Thank god she started drinking out of a bowl or who knows what would have happened. Everything had seemed fine for a couple months but lately her pee has been really thick and darker brown, and she has even been pooping less than her usual crazy large amounts….

Is it because of the water out of the bowl? maybe she isnt hydrated enough??

Should i take her to a vet?

Any ideas on how to get her to drink out of the water bottle again???

 

Also, When she hops lately, she’ll twist her hips a lot like she is trying to feverishly shake something off of her. IT just isnt normal and i’m afraid these all might be related.

 

ANY help would be so helpful. I’m in the dark and need some guidance. THank you.

[GrammyB]

Hi star & welcome,
You have come to the right place. Binky Bunny is the best site, with a lot of caring bunny lovers.

This doesn’t sound good, I would get her to the vet today!
Do you have a rabbit savvy vet?
Try giving water through a syring or eye dropper, squeeze just a little at a time & don’t tilt head back.
Try giving her favorite vegies very wet.
We use both bowls & bottles, they will drink more from a bowl
Is she in pain, is she restless, can’t relax?
How is she eating? Hay?

Here’s some info from my files.

SIGNS OF ILLNESS IN RABBITS:

**Looks rumpled/disheveled and not grooming self
**Lethargy
**Not eating
**Abnormal potty habits (straining, not producing fecal pellets or urine, diarrhea, suddenly not using litterbox any more, urine looks sludgey or has a lot of sediment when it is still in puddle form)
**Noticeable amounts of jelly-like mucous in stools
**Excessive amounts of cecotropes, or loose or mushy stools
**Any of the signs of pain—there is an underlying cause
**Fever, or Low Body temperature (rabbits’ normal temp is between 101—103º).
don’t take temp. unless vet shows uou how

CONDITIONS REQUIRING TREATMENT:

~ See SIGNS OF PAIN

~ Not eating, or just eating favorite things only—- If rabbit is still producing fecal pellets, and eating some things, but not hay, it could be tooth problems—make vet appointment SOON. If he is NOT producing fecal pellets, and NOT eating anything —-SEE A VET IMMEDIATELY. See article on ‘Ileus—the Silent Killer’

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html (Read and be familiar with this article)

http://www.rabbitcare.org/ileus.pdf (this is the version for vets—not all vets are knowledgeable about successful treatment protocol for stasis/ileus. Please share with your vet.)

This is a lot of stuff, but buns can go south so fast.

[JK]

Yes get her to the vet immediately!  We have a new member that is a vet who just joined so hopefully she can advise you in the meantime. Good luck!!!

[Beka27]

welcome here. i’m sorry it’s under less than desirable circumstances. i agree that she needs to be seen by a vet.

some buns like water bottles, some bowls, some both. i do recommend that in any case, you make sure the veggies have some water on them… i think since this has been going on for awhile it is a sign that something is not right, and you need to act on this as soon as possible.

please keep us updated.

[Sarita]

I think if she wants to use a bowl, let her use a bowl.

As for the urine, rabbit’s urine can sometimes be brown – it could be thicker because she is excreting calcium.

Not sure about the hip thing though – I cannot tell if you are trying to describe a binky or not. Does she seem in pain? Is she eating or pellets, hay and veggies?

[JK]

If we knew exactly what you are feeding her it would help.  What is her diet?  What greens is she getting because if she does have a lot of calcium in her pee, you need to cut out those greens that are high in calcium such a spinach, broccoli, collard greens, kale, dandelion etc. See link below for list.

http://www.carrotcafe.com/f/calevel.html

 

[bunnytowne]

hmm that sounds like sludge or a bladder infection of some sort. the crock water bowl is fine. the thick stuff could be sludge from too many calcluim rich foods. oh when you bring her to the vet have a fresh sample of her urine so the vet can test to see if is an infection and treat accordingly. she sounds like she is in pain with the funny hopping movements she could die quickly too once they show they are in pain means they really really hurt bad. cuz they hide their illnesses so well is their instinct to do so. so off to the vet ASAP

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Hi Starj any update on how she is doing?

[jamiec]

Hey everybody!

Thank you all for your help I really appreciate it. I took her to the vet a couple days ago and he said that he couldnt find anything wrong with her. My vet wasnt very up on rabbits tho so i am hoping that he just isnt missing anything.

However she is doing better. I have been feeding her the vegetables very wet and changing her water as much as possible to make sure its cold and clean all the time.

 

 

.Her hips are better too. I dont know hwat it was that was making her hips tweak like htat but she isnt doing it anymore.

I’ll keep you all updated if anything changes 🙂

But thanks for everything and i’m glad to be part of this forum now.

 

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