Possible Sick Bun

[lucky214]

So my Timmy Tummy has been producing very loose stools from time to time; and not the ones he is supposed to eat. His diet has not changed and he has water all the time. He is still playful and acting completely normal. I don't know what the cause for the diarhhea-esque poop could be! Has anyone else's bunny raised the same concern?

 

[JBun]

Is the poop mushy or are you seeing watery diarrhea, or any mucous in the poop? Is he having mushy poop along with normal 'cocoa puff' fecal poop, or is his fecal poop mushy too?

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/drop/Drp_en.htm

 

[lucky214]

The majority of his poop is healthy bunny poop - normal texture and size. The soft, mushy almost runny looking type of poop started about 2 weeks ago. It just worries me to see this type of poop because he is almost 4 and I've never seen him produce that kind before. I'm going to start keeping track of exactly how many of those I see.

 

[RabbitGirl101]

Here is a guide to bunny poop, maybe this can help you figure out what is going on with him. http://imgur.com/a/5N4lD

 

[JBun]

It would be a good idea to get a fecal float test done by your vet, to rule out parasites being the cause. But most often when you are seeing normal fecal poop along with mushy or semiformed cecotropes, there is a dietary cause behind it. What is your rabbits diet normally(type of pellets, type of hay, any treats and veggies)? If your rabbit has recently been given a new kind of food, that could be causing it, or a particular veggie could be causing it. Very often though it is too many carbs and sugars in the rabbits diet and not enough fiber that cause a gut flora imbalance that results in bad bacteria overgrowth and mushy smelly cecotropes. It would be best to stop all sugary starchy treats and feed only grass hay for a few days until the soft poop clears up, then you can gradually start reintroducing pellets back into the diet. If at anytime your rabbits condition worsens, get him to your vet right away.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=3012
http://www.sawneeanimalclinic.com/downloads/chronic_intermittent_diarrhea_in_rabbits.pdf

 

[tonyshuman]

Runny poop is never a good sign. I would have a fecal test done for sure. Until you can get him to a vet, a hay and water diet is a good idea, and some probiotics would be a good choice. I wonder if the cecum's bacterial balance is off, and that's why there's normal fecals. Then it would be cecal dysbiosis, which can be seriously bad. It is always an emergency in young bunnies, so keep an eye on him. I'd provide some pedialyte as well to make sure he's not getting dehydrated. I hope by now he's doing better and/or you have a vet appointment for tomorrow.

 

[Bonsai]

Just this past week, I lost my bunny to similar conditions. He began acting lethargic, however. I have to encourage a vet visit like everyone else. When it comes to buns, time is of the essence and the faster you respond, the better the outcome. I hope your bunny gets better soon, they are so skilled at worrying us bunnymom/dads lol.

Be sure to check for poopy butts, by the way. My poor Totoro had a terrible case of it, he wound up with so many bum baths while he was sick.

 

[lucky214]

Thanks for all the input. I feed him oxbow timothy hay which provides about 90% of his diet, and he will only eat the ecotrition food and I know it has the treats in it but most times i pick out a certain amount. He always has fresh water, and like i said, his fur and bunny butt is all clean and dry. His behavior is normal, too! I bought a new litter pan for him. I will be able to get him into the vet on Friday, but I want to make sure whoever I bring him to has experience with rabbits. I had a great vet for him but I moved!! Ughhhh.
Thanks to you all! I will keep you updated on the little man.

 

[JBun]

The ecotrition food has a lot of carbs and sugars in it, and is a pretty likely culprit for your buns current problems. Best way to see would be to stop feeding the pellets for a few days and only feed lots of hay. I know it can be hard to have a picky bun. It would be good to try and switch to a plain pellet asap.

These vet listings may help if you don't already have a vet picked out.
http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f28/finding-vet-13366/