HELP !!

[Nola.bunny]

I have a 6 year old Florida white rabbit and today I gave him a bath because his fur had gotten really muddy from our walk,at first he was fine with it but then he started to really stress out and started trying to jump out of the tub and it seemed like he couldn’t stop pooping so I took him out of the bath and he pooped many more times also it seems like he can’t walk right or keep his balance. He keeps falling over while trying to groom himself and he’s freaking out a lot, I didn’t know how bad giving a bunny a bath was until he completely flipped out... I’m really scared and I don’t know what to do

 

[Augustus&HazelGrace]

It is recommended to never give a rabbit a bath as it causes extreme stress, I would put him in an area which would be stress-free, no people/pets walking by. Make sure he is eating and drinking, if you have it chamomile tea can relieve some stress, make sure it is just the chamomile, not anything added. If not then just leave him be to let him destress.

 

[JBun]

If your rabbit isn't back to normal, get your rabbit to a knowledgeable rabbit vet immediately! The stress of the bath could have caused cardiac problems, hypothermia, or other serious health conditions. This is why rabbits should never be fully bathed.
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

If he got water in his ears, that could affect his balance and be causing him to fall over, or a much more critical condition could be causing the loss of balance. Even if he is back to normal, if he got any water in his ears that could result in an ear infection developing. So it would still be best to have your rabbit checked by a rabbit vet right away, and have the ears checked and possibly cleaned out.

 

[Deludedbyreality]

What parts of him got wet? Sounds like maybe he got water in his ears which is a huge issue and the result = a vet visit. Pooping in a bath is normal, and not liking bathing also normal for a rabbit. If this is the first time you've given a bath to a rabbit and him, given his age I strongly recommend you dont do so again. Most people advise against bathing rabbit at all but sometimes it is necessary. This has to be done in a very particular way as if they get water in their ears they are 100% going to have a resulting infection or worse. They only get air through their nose so pneumonia/respiratory illness if they get water in there. Furthermore they can get hypothermia if their fur is not separated and fluffed (bit by bit) and dried thoroughly as well as having their skin dried to prevent moisture being trapped againts their skin by their fur causing skin infections. If your guy got water in his ears you need to go tomorrow to the vet. Set an alarm and call as soon as they are open to schedule your visit . The longer he's unseen the worse off this can become especially as you described his erratic movements and balance issues. Those are both very important.

 

[Augustus&HazelGrace]

@JBun I was going to put that in there about the water in the ears but hit post before I was done by accident and was going back to edit when you posted. But @Nola.bunny if you can't get to a vet right away then you should do the destress thing and do not try to stick anything in the ears to try to dry them out this can do more harm than good.

 

[Deludedbyreality]

Also as a suggestion for next time make sure to avoid talking walks with him outside when the ground is muddy, and try using a spray bottle (24oz) filled with water and a bit of Apple Cider Vinegar (2 tsp) spritz on fur and stroke thru with fingers then towel dry and be particular in this as I mentioned in my previous comment. You can do his face and outside of his ears and delicate bits by spritzing onto a soft bristled toothbrush and then stroking it over his face, try to stay away from his eyes though! The ACV will help clean the fur and condition his coat and skin he'll smell great after a couple of hours as well so dont worry if the vinegar smell bothers you. This is a much safer bath alternative.