Small poops and strings of pearls

[Smokeyandthebandit]

Hi all! 
Smokey was to the vet about 2 weeks ago to have his teeth checked and all was fine, however the vet was concerned that he was a little overweight (he is currently 8.6 LBS) and wanted him to lose about half a pound. She recommended cutting pellets back to 1/4 cup and cutting back his salad to encourage him to eat more hay. He has been shedding like crazy since Sept/Oct. I brush him everyday but lately hes been having 2 poops stuck together with hair. Since decreasing his salad hes eaten a bit more hay however since Sunday night hes been having smaller poops and less of them. He did poo 1 big hair poop and 1 long string of pearl poop over the last couple of days. This morning there was very little in the way of droppings in his litter box although he is eating normally and is peeing (I hardly ever see him drink from his bowl). Today I got concerned because his fecal output is declining so I took him into the vet who normally sees him (she is supposed to be rabbit savvy) and she felt his belly and said it felt normal, said he didnt feel dehydrated and when I asked if I should increase his salad for now she told me no because all he needs is water and hay. Its awfully funny that hes never had a problem with his GI tract before her “diet” suggestion. Im wondering should I increase his salad a little? Should I find another vet? He is eating and willing accepts treats so I know he can’t feel too sick but I cant stand to think I could lose him due to poor advice from the vet. Does anyone have any suggestions?! 

[Reeem]

Try taking him to another vet to get a second opinion on his diet

[Smokeyandthebandit]

Well I couldn’t sit by and do nothing so I gave him some extra salad and he ate what he wanted (as per usual) and got in his litter box and left more poos in one sitting then he has all day. And not one attached by hair. It is time to find a better informed vet I believe.

[Wick & Fable]

How is his hay appetite? Does he eat a lot, or a little?

When do you present pellets and when do you present the salad during the day? I wonder if a better solution may be increasing time spent with only hay.

What was the original pellet portion before cutting down to 1/4cup, and about how big is the veggie presentation?

It’s difficult to gauge because with small poops, and can be a result from low hay consumption, little food intake, a fur blockage, or a combination of factors. Getting some more details may be helpful for members to give more input!

The vet is not wrong about increasing hay consumption, but some better parameters and conditional statements would not have hurt for this transition.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Smokeyandthebandit]

I find the more greens he gets the more hay he eats, but he is a fair hay eater. If only presented with hay he will storm his cage and make a huge racket lol but he wont eat anymore or any less.
He was getting 1/2 cup of pellets in the morning, which is already less than the recommended amount for his body weight, but never ate them all. I would sweep most of them up when cleaning the pens at night. I give him half the 1/4 of a cup in the morning the rest at bed time. He gets salad in the morning and at supper (so 6 and 6 usually) he gets a good size handful of organic field greens and 1 tiny slice of carrot cut in 2 pieces, a piece of cucumber and a small piece of bell pepper.
I have been noticing he has been eating more hay lately but he just ate a ton more after his salad. He always picks at whatever we give him, he has never been like his brother who will devour everything in 2 mins flat. Smoke will eat a bit then go lay down and some back after to eat some more.

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