Need advice/Suggestions-Poopy butt episode

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Hi all

  Well, getting Rupert was awesome-but other then that it’s been a terrible week at my place…. Kokanee was having some loose poop, something that has happened in the past and we had her checked with the vet…. The vet said she’ll get over it by increasing her hay etc. etc. Kokanee never stops eating when her poops get loose and is otherwise fine. Probably on Wednesday was when it got bad, she’s been super wet all up her bum, tail, feeties…It’s terrible!! I’ve been dosing her gently with Ovol (semethicone gas stuff) and gave her one dose of benebac (probiotic), and been providing pedialyte (grape flavoure-she really seems to like it); We removed kibbles and there’s been no veggies at all. All she has is timothy hay cubes and orchard and timothy hay. She’s starting to get over it, I’m seeing better formed (still soft and dark) poops coming from her etc. etc. She’s of course the whole time been eating fine, drinking, and generally being Kokanee (except for friday I saw some indication of gas pain, that’s when I picked up the semitheicon stuff and gave it to her, and she’s been good since)

 

My problem is we’ve been having bum baths every day and then spending forever towel drying and blow drying (she hates the blow drying-too noisy-don’t worry low heat setting and using my hands to fluff so I know the heat is OK). Today I tried a ‘dry bath’ with cornstarch and it seemed to work OK (my hallway and outfit are white now….)

I just feel terrible about her little wet bum. Is there any better way to get her clean and dry? She’s getting really frustrated with all of this stuff (STOP touching my bum mommy-Leave me alone!!!) but I just can’t leave her wet…It must be terrible for her skin!!!

 

 

 

[kimberleyanddarren]

well it has to be done i guess.. how about when u feed her you could try her at the same time that way she will be concentrating on her yummy dinner and not what u are doing?

[RabbitPam]

When Spockie was incontinent I couldn’t keep him dry either, despite regular bum baths. I did buy some super absorbent rug pieces from Palace Pet Beds (online. They delivered.) that helped. I got the extra large ones and cut them to cage bottom size with a matte knife. They are for post-surgical animals, elderly ones, or new untrained puppies. They wick away the moisture so at least your pet isn’t sitting in wetness. He loved them and I think they prolonged his life. You could place one under her until she is better. It might dry her more when she moves, like a towel would. They are machine washable and can even go in the dryer. Then stash it for future use when needed. I’d cut a piece to fit his carrier so he’d have a soft place to sit when we traveled to the vet, too. Really nice email from their rep who told me about a sale so I didn’t have to pay full price.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hey K & K! Oh dear a bad case of poopybutt. Poor Kokanee and poor you. I think I would try placing some more liquid absorbing things as footing in the cage too, that and do dry baths with the corn starch. Do you think maybe that she is upset with another rabbit in the house?

[Gravehearted]

my first thought was if there have been no dietary changes that it may be related to Rupert moving in.

I’d also recommend the corn starch method instead of traditional baths, since it doesn’t require drying.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I for sure would relate it to Rupert if it hadn’t started a bit before…It just got super bad this week. I think a few weeks ago she started to have gross darky soft poopies, and this week has just been terrible. What I think has happened was we were doing training with raisins and I think that it was just too much for her. I’m starting to see real improvement in her poops although we are still far from perfect hard circle poopies…The cornstarch seems to be a life saver -that many baths was hard on both of us!! I’ll have to check out that pet bed stuff, well for next time I guess, I hope we are over this by the time it comes!! Thanks everyone-I”ll keep you posted!

[BinkyBunny]

I have found two things that work well to dry. After I rub off excess water with a soft washcloth, I then use paper towels – I hold the paper towel with my hand and rub the fur gently between my fingers. I don’t know if I am explaining this really well, but it this really helps soak up excess moisture. So that she’s only slightly damp and and the rest dries up rather quickly on it’s own. I also have bath mats now in her pen, and they seem to do a good job of soaking up moisture, and then drying quickly.

[babybunsmum]

oh dear that sounds upsetting!  glad you got some good advice here.  i got some of that cornstarch for baby since we were having troubles relitter-training and she had pee-pee paws & butt a lot.  it worked pretty well to clean things up but i never figured a ‘quick & efficient’ way to get the job done.  how are things today?  any further progress?

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Thanks everyone!! I think we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now!! She wasn’t wet today so we had a real bath to get the yuckies out…She has a bare spot now ( I think she pulled some hair out, god knows why…but) so I put neosporin and a mositurizer on that skin. Her poopies are looking much better and no longer liquid…Such a relief, poor girl! I like the papertowel idea too, thanks!

[Scarlet_Rose]

That’s great news!

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