New bunny – Runny poo.

[Algie]

 After settling in our new bun today, a 5-yr old neutered male, holland lop, we noticed he’d done a runny poo on the floor of his cage.

I’m not too worried, I think I know what the diagnosis is based on two things his former owner told me: 

-She fed him on Alfalfa hay, not a grass hay

-She gave him yogurt drops as treats.

I’m guessing that these things are the reason he’s got runny poos, although they aren’t really poops, just unformed cecos. 

Also, the fur on his bottom and back legs is very yellowy-brown. I’m thinking he’s no stranger to poopy butt. 

Should I take him to a vet straightaway, or get him on a better diet and wait to see if it clears up?

I’m inclined to think the second should do alright.

What does simithecone do, and should I pick up some of that?

[Miyuki]

I would take him to the vet for a checkup just to be sure nothing is seriously wrong. Do you know what kind of pellets and veggies did he used to get? Dana Krempels’ article on rabbit poop says unformed cecos are due to low fiber and high carbs.

Not sure how much help I am but I just thought I’d add in my two cents .

[Sarita]

I think you are correct about the diet but it wouldn’t hurt to get him to the vet as well for an exam just to be on the cautious side. I’m sure changing the diet will help tremendously though.

[Beka27]

It is a good idea to take any new bunny to a vet for a general check-up. They will do a fecal test to rule out parasites. This is especially important if he will be coming in contact with other bunnies. As always, better safe than sorry. That being said, it’s not uncommon for a new bun to have some runny poops when they get to a new home, even small changes in diet can have an affect on their system. As you transition him to a better diet, things should improve, assuming there are no health reasons for the runny poop.

[KatnipCrzy]

  Although I would definitely recommend having a vet check out any new bunny- you should have a stool sample checked as soon as reasonable.  Your vet will most likely be able to check a stool sample (take a relatively fresh sampling) and let you know if the bunny has any intestinal parasites- even before you are able to take the bunny in for an appt.

  Bunnies can have worms but also coccidia- and if coccidia is caught early it is very treatable and the bunny should never have any ill affects- but if it conitnues it can destroy the lining of the intestines.  And since it is contagious to other pets (not humans) it is a good idea to have any new bunny checked.

  When I adopted my bunny from the Humane Society this year- he had recently been neutered and was healthy- but that was the one thing that he needed before I was able to let my other pets interact with him.  He was negative for intestinal parasites- and he did have the typical soft stool from stress of a new home, swtiching to new food,etc- but I felt a lot better knowing that it was a “normal” response as opposed to an early warning sign of a problem.

  SImethicone is used for gas- so I don’t think it would be beneficial at all.  Gassy bunnies act uncomfortable, don’t want to eat as usual, not as active as usual and just seem a little off- and sometimes you can hear their tummies gurgle.  So even thought it is great to have on hand- it does not sound as though it would be helpful in this case.

 

[ZooLady]

I would definately recommend taking your new bun to the vet for a checkup–they speak bunny better than we do.

However, my bunnies have runny poo from time to time, especially if they decided to drink a lot, eat only their greens instead of pellets etc. I don’t worry about the random little runny poop, but if it continues on a regular basis, it may be a symptom of some kind of digestive problem.

EDIT: and it may also be stress….if he is new to your home, he may just be experiencing irritible bowel…like some people do in nervous situations

[Author]

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