Grotty Blossom Bottom

[Roberta]

Young Blossom has a dose of poopy butt. It’s not diarrhea and its something she had since she was little which is one of the reasons I kept her.

Every now and then she has a couple of mushy cecals, not sloppy or runny just softer than usual and she manages to get it all over her bottom. The staining is horrible but usually fades after a few days.

Blossom behaved very well despite being bunrito’d and having our bottom held under a gently running faucet in the kitchen sink (oh the indignity!)

We then returned to the lounge for a gentle dry off and to have a few little knots clipped off. Dainty bits checked, all healthy with no inflammation.

Any ideas on what I can do to limit this and the best way to clean it, I generally use clean water without any soap of any kind. I have started to limit their breakfast greens as they were getting quite a bit but their big green feast is in the evening. They have been having a lot more sweet basil lately could excess of that bring on the mushy cecals ?

[MimzMum]

Yes, sometimes even the herbs and other foods they like can cause this. Fiver loves canned pumpkin but I can’t give it to him because he’ll be sitting in mess next day and he is not happy to be handled.

If it becomes chronic a hay only diet is the best way to clear things up. Sometimes dandelion (if harvested in a pesticide free area) can help. It’s what I used for Fiver and Mimzy, but Pip gets poppy butt from it so it doesn’t work for everybunny.

You can also get Benebac from your vet to help balance your bunny’s gut. Might be a more reliable treatment.

[Roberta]

Benebac, I will have to check that out. We can get a lot of those kind of treatments without scripts. I save a fortune on flea and mite treatments for cats and buns buying online. As pretty as Bloss is I often wish she hadn’t inherited her daddy Piglets angora coat. This morning she was wearing poo pellets like cornroll beads. urgh! But, I have to get her tummy sorted and Blossom loves her greens, loves food in general, but LURVES her greens.I might cut back on the evening carrot treat too, the staining is very orange and there have been times she has stolen everyone elses portion and had an orange face for days afterwards.

[bunnygirl]

Aww poor Blossom! hope she gets better, little greedy guts will have to leave off the carrot (s if she steals everyone else’s!) and certain greens for a while. So, let me get this right, you have Nermal and Pip and Pepper and Blossom and….?

[Roberta]

Hi Bunnygirl, Going across my sig from left to right we have Nermal Nomnoms, Daddy Piglet, Daddy Piglet and Mummy Pepper, Mummy Pepper and then Pipi (rear right of bottle) and Blossom (left front of bottle).

[sleepy538]

when cosie was in diapers she required a lot of butt cleaning! the vet said i could use baby shampoo and kids’ detangler…worked perfectly!

[Roberta]

Hmmm, Baby shampoo… Worth a try for the really bad days when she gets it every where. Hopefully I can isolate the cause and prevent it happening to begin with.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I found this link helpful when I was trying to help Stormy keep clean:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/buttbath.html

 

I used all-natural, unscented soap. “Nature Clean” brand.

[jerseygirl]

Blossom (and maybe you…) would be mortified, but what about a sanitary shave? Cutting the long fur right back around her back side. Not a long term solution but it might save getting the rest of the angora fur wet or even having to do full butt baths. Until you can work out the cause for the messy poos.

[Roberta]

Hi LPT, I’ll check that one out. JG the shave sounds good if I could get her to co operate.
Piglet had a brush and gland clean last night and had forgiven me within the hour, Blossom however is still holding a grudge and looks at me as if I am a starving raptor about to swoop her up in my claws. She may be half right
Bloss had poop stuck to some of her toehawks last night but wasn’t letting get near enough long enough to get rid of it.
I am going to have to improve my grooming arsenal for both Piglet and Blossom. The others thankfully all have the shorter hair.

[lmais]

If you do end up trying baby soap I would recommend Dr. Bronners in the mild baby solution – it’s completely organic so it should be safe if you can’t find an alternative other than soap.

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