Molly is Losing Weight

[plasticbunny]

Over the last few days, I've felt like Molly just isn't being herself. She just seems, well, extra lazy. If that is possible. But when I went to pet her a few days ago, I noticed that i could feel a hint of her vertabrae and hip bones, which has never been normal for her. As of this morning, I can feel her hips clear as day and most of her spine.

I'm very concerned. I've considered her teeth, but they seem to be fine, and she's eating. Last night I gave her some steel cut oats but she never eats something the first time you offer it. Gus ate it instead.

I'm considering separating them by a panel in their xpen for now so I can moniter how much she's eating and pooping. Any ideas on what could be causing this?

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

I hate to say E.C. but that definetly can cause weight loss. It did with my rabbit. Have you weighed her? I'd try sperating and keep a *close* eye.

 

[hillrise]

Definitely separate her, so you can monitor how much she's eating and how her stools are doing.

I recently had a rabbit start acting "not like himself". I kept an eye on him for a couple of days, taking him out to cuddle (he's not normally cuddly), and ended up deciding to just give him a whole afternoon out in the lawn cage, with no one else around--rabbits or dogs, although the cats might have stopped by. He's feeling better now, so it wasn't anything serious.

 

[Maureen Las]

Good idea to separate her..
another possibility is parasites which can cause weight loss

 

[naturestee]

Like angieluv said, parasites are a concern. There could also be something else going on. It could possibly be teeth if she isn't able to chew her food as well, meaning more good nutrients are passed through the system. But if this has happened in the last few days, I'd be thinking more along the lines or digestive or urinary problems.

 

[plasticbunny]

Thanks to all who responded

I bought some KMR today and am going to start syringing Molly this afternoon. I haven't spent much time with the buns the last couple of weeks but I'm off work the rest of the day so I'm going to spend a few hours in their room to observe Molly's eating habits and see if there's a change.

If she's eating like crazy, and still losing weight, it may be her kidneys and she'll need to get bloodwork. But her stools seem a little bit smaller and harder so I'm hoping she's just dehydrated. The KMR should hydrate her more and give her some extra calories.

If she's not looking better in a week, I'll make an appointment for her vet.

(PS - I checked her teeth and the incisors seem a tad long, but I think I'm just paranoid. I'll file them down a bit just in case. Couldn't get to her molars but she just had them checked recently, too, and she's munching hay so there's no sign of pain. Will definitely be the first thing I have the vet check if she has to go.)