Need help fattening up a 9-week old bunny (RIP)

[APerson]

My 9-week old bunny's been having irregular poops for about a week now, they're mushy but not runny. Some of them are also too small. I don't think she's been eating and drinking enough, and now she's lost weight. What foods can I give her to fatten her up/keep her from not dying until her vet appointment?

 

[Moonshadow]

What are you currently feeding her?

 

[JBun]

Is she still producing normal round fecal balls for the most part, though maybe smaller than they normally should be, or is it all mostly mushy poop? How long has she been with you and how long has the mushy poop been going on?

What is her exact diet(type and brand of pellets, hay, treats, supplements, etc) and how much of it is she eating per day(tsp, tbsp, cup, etc)? If she is a new rabbit for you, are the pellets and all her food, the exact same type and brand as she was having in her previous home? Do you know for sure if she is drinking water ok? If she only has a drip bottle, you will need to check that it isn't blocked up and stopping her from getting water. A rabbit not able to drink, also won't eat. If she only has a bottle, also offer a water dish.

What is her approximate weight, is she smaller than her siblings and how much do they weigh(if you know this info)? When feeling along her back and hindquarters, does she feel thin and boney at all? Does she seem to have a pot belly? When is the vet appointment?

 

[APerson]

It's all mushy poop, and this started about a week ago. She's been with me for three weeks. She gets Small World alfalfa pellets and Oxbow alfalfa hay in an unlimited supply. I can't say exactly how much she's eating, but it's way less than she usually does. She's also not drinking as much, and her water bottle's fine. Don't have a scale sensitive enough to weigh her, and no info on her siblings. Her back, hindquarters, and ribcage are definitely boney which is what's worrying me. No pot belly, and the appointment is tomorrow afternoon.

If it's any help, I'm pretty sure she was weaned off too early, plus her pee was orange when I first got her.

 

[JBun]

All mushy poop and no normal fecal balls, is true diarrhea and an immediate emergency! If this is what is happening with your rabbit, you really need to get her to a knowledgeable rabbit vet today, or there's a good chance she may not survive. I would call them, tell them your rabbit has diarrhea, that she may have enterotoxemia, she's not eating well, is losing weight, and that you need to get her seen today as an emergency.

https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
When there are no normal round fecal balls and it's all brown watery or pudding like diarrhea, this usually indicates enterotoxemia, and if your rabbit does have this, it can be fatal within a matter of days, or even hours. It most often is fatal if not treated promptly and with the correct meds. She'll need to be put on cholestyramine to protect her digestive tract from the bacterial toxins. Then metronidazole(antibiotic) to treat the pathogenic clostridium bacteria, and sub q or IV fluids, as well as she will likely need regular syringe feeds with a recovery food mix(critical care usually).

Rabbits: The Mystery of Poop

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/squirts.pdf
https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/enterotoxemia-in-pet-rabbits-and-other-herbivores/
Medirabbit: bacterial and mucoid enteritis, enterotoxemia

Being weaned too early can predispose a rabbit to developing this. This is why your rabbit is losing weight, because she is sick and not eating well. Once she is on the meds and doing better that she wants to eat on her own, I would strongly suggest immediately changing her food. That small world food is really poor quality, combined with early weaning, likely has contributed to this occurring. I would suggest oxbow, sherwood, or science select, as these are better and higher quality rabbit foods. I would also suggest trying to start her on a grass hay like timothy or orchard. Grass hay is one of the best foods for rabbits, to help regulate the digestive system, and help restore the proper balance when digestive illness has occurred. If she will eat the grass hay well, I would limit pellets and feed a lot of hay to her while she's recovering, as this will help get her gut back in balance. She should always have free fed grass hay available. Your vet should go over all this with you.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/feeding.html

 

[JBun]

I would suggest bringing a fresh poop sample with you to the vet, so they can see it and do a fecal test on it if they need to.

 

[APerson]

She passed about two hours ago. Thank you for your help.

 

[JBun]

I'm so sorry

 

[BunLover]

Sorry for your loss, Just hang in there. RIP, and binky free ♥

 

[Moonshadow]

I’m extremely sorry for your loss

 

[Blue eyes]

Baby rabbits can be very delicate. Their digestive system can by so sensitive. Such fragile creatures they are. Sorry you had to go through that experience.

Hopefully you won't give up on rabbits altogether. I would suggest considering a rabbit that is already past that baby stage. They are considered adults around 6 months of age, so getting an "adult" is still getting a relatively "young" rabbit -- just one that is past that ultra-delicate stage. These "older" rabbits are actually easier to train and you won't miss out on any bonding by starting with an older rabbit.

Rabbit rescues (different than generic shelters) have such rabbits waiting for a forever home. They are typically already neutered as well, which saves you on vet costs (spays in my area are over $250!).

Here's a link on other advantages of getting a rescue rabbit. There's more info on the rest of the site as well.
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/choosing-your-first-bunny.html