Four week old babies have excess cecals

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aurora369

aurora369

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I have nine new fosters, a mom and her eightbabies. The babies are about 4 four weeks old, and are 1/2standard rex (mom) and 1/2 angora (dad). They are cute aspunch, except they have way to many cecals.

They either aren't eating any of their cecals or are creating toomany. The cecals are getting stuck in their paws and in theirfur. I'm trying my best to keep the cage clean, but I'mhaving to wipe it out every hour or so.

I'm feeding them timothy hay and a 16% plain pellet. No treats or anything that would upset their tummies.

They also have very round bellies, too round. I'm wonderingif it is possible for them to have some sort of worms. Wouldworms cause the excess cecals though?

I was wondering if any of the breeders (or fosterers) have had thisproblem with babies. I've had them about a week and it's onlystarted in the last couple days.

Here are some pictures of them, as I know better than to talk about cute babies with providing pics:






Thanks,
--Dawn
 
Hmmm, I didn't realize coccidea could cause cecal problems.

I'm going to call the rescue coordinator ASAP and get their poops in for a test.

I've never seen babies poop like this before, and their bellies are awfully swollen.

Is coccidea easily transmittable? I haven't let Wildfire andthe babes out at the same time yet, so I guess I won't untill I get adiagnoses.

--Dawn
 
Coccidia is transmittable via theirpoop. Although Wildfire might not be as susceptible to itbecause she's a healthy adult. Still, it's a good idea todisinfect everything frequently.

Just thought I'd add that when my kitten Lily had coccidia her mainsymptom was a painfully bloated stomach. I haven't found anyreference to that in rabbits with coccidia. So it might stillbe something else such as worms. But a fecal test will lookfor both of those.

And that is a gorgeous family!
 
They aren't showing any other symptons otherthan the big bellies and excess cecals. They run around anddo their baby binkies, and eat tons of hay/food.

I'm not overly concerned, but I've never seen a litter of babies haveexcess cecals. I've seen mom leave some around for babies,but the babies have all eaten theirs. And it's extremly hardto keep them clean when the poop sticks to everything and everyone, Idon't want them to get sick from being dirty.

I haven't been able to get ahold of anyone from the rescue yet, Icalled pretty late. But I'm sure it won't be a problem tosend some poop in for a few tests.

--Dawn
 
So I got through to one of the rescueco-ordinators, and she wants me to speak with the other co-ordinatorwho has more experience with this.

We're going to try to get a feca/cecal sample in to the vets this week.

I'm keeping a close eye on them, and it seems they are only cecalingduring the day, not at night. I cleaned the cage up lastnight, and nothing this morning, so I'll see when I get home from worktoday.

They are acting all happy and perky. Eating and regularpooping up a storm, so I'm not overly worried, but still concerned.

They also went through a change of food. I don't know whatthey where eating before I got them, but they are on a good food now.

Mom is a mess as well. I'm considering giving her a wipe down(a full bath would be too stressful), as she seems to have urine driedin her fur. Her fur is also very thin and patchy.

I will update if anything changes.

--Dawn
 
Okay, I thought I would update.

Nothing has improved, nor gotten worse. The babies have aboutone to two excess cecals each per day. It normally happensbetween 11am and 2pm, other than that time they have perfect solidnormal poops.

I clean the cage as soon as I get home from work, then they stay clean till about 11 the next day.

It also smells sweet. A sickly sweet/poopy smell. It's very odd, and hard to describe.

So, any breeders at all experienced this? One rescueco-ordinator had a foster family do this, but out grew it, which theseguys don't seem to be doing.

I feed them 16% pellets from the feed store, good stuff, never had aproblem. And lots of Timothy hay. I've tried givinga few veggies, and didn't make a differences. Also tried someoats, that didn't work either.

--Dawn
 
Sorry to hear this is still happening! Did you ever manage to get a fecal test done?

Oh, and can we see some updated pics when you get a chance? Theyre so cute!
 
I would worm them as a precaution (Pancur in the UK, not sure what you use in US) and feed a probiotic. Do they eat much hay?

Is the 16% food 16% protein or fibre? You could try gradually switching to something with a high fibre content.

Tamsin
 
It's a 16% protein and it has 20% Fibre. So pretty good food.

I could try them on a lower protien food, but I'm hesitant to do that as they need the higher protein to grow.

They eat tons of hay. As much as I put in there. I top them up twice a day with a couple big hand fulls.

--Dawn
 
Dawn, they are all so adorable! :kiss:

Be thankful I dont live closer, you wouldnt be able to keep me away ;)

Thanks for the updated pics. They sure are gorgeous.
 
Besides the stinky cecal clean up each day, they really are a blast.

Mom was doing some binkies today, but she really didn't have that muchcontrol and kept crashing into the x-pen, and squishing herbabies. But it was nice to see her happy, as that's the firsttime she's really let loose. It's interesting watching aneight pound standard rex and then seeing a blur of 4 pound mini rex.

There's one I'm seriously considering keeping, and trying to bond toWildfire and who ever her new boyfriend ends up being. It'sthe little boy mini rex, the really cheeky one. We've namedhim Zeke, and he absolutly loves people. Kisses to anyexposed body part! So if he stays this friendly, I may justhave to keep him...

--Dawn


 
I think Tamsin has some good advice about thePanacur. There's no way of really testing for E. Cuniculi,and putting them on a Panacur regime is pretty safe andwillnip it in the bud.

I'd like to hear from Pam or somebody else with baby bunny experiencefrom this side of the water, too,though.

They are darling! :inlove: I've got to get over there before they all grow up. :)

(But then again, I'd better not!) :ponder:



sas

 
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