Question regarding water consumption...

[Jenk]

For nearly a week, one of our buns has increased his water consumption. His thirst has noticeably increased in the past during the few times that greens were (temporarily) removed from his diet, or at least decreased due to gut upset. But he's been receiving a fairly constant amount of greens for a long time now. Nothing else in his diet has changed.

He has been shedding intermittently throughout this entire winter season. And he had decreased fecal size/qty.nearly a week ago, which is when the increased thirst seemed to start. Is it possible that he's drinking more simply because his digestive tract requires even more moisture to help move fur through it?

Thank you,

Jenk

 

[Pipp]

Excessive drinking can indicate a problem, or it can be diet or molt related. They often know when they need more fluids to move hair and food through the gut.

ETA: Might indicate an infection somewhere, too.

Sometimes with my guys its a pain/discomfort response.
(On a probably unrelated note, I really hate it when they put their front feet in their water, still don't know why they do it, but its always been when they're really sick).

I think if the pee is excessive and clear, it may indicate a kidney issue.


sas :clover:

 

[bengal77]

If he's been molting it could be a hair ball that he's trying to move through his GI tract. There are some rabbit laxatives on the market that are supposed to help grease things and make the hair ball pass. I've also heard that fresh papaya can help with hair balls and blockages. I would call and talk to your vet about your options.

 

[Pipp]

bengal77 wrote:

There are some rabbit laxatives on the market that are supposed to help grease things and make the hair ball pass.

This is REALLY not recommended, more recent research has shown that the best treatment is hydration -- a lot of fluids, either water or an electrolyte replacement formula orally or an 'under the skin' infusion of fluids from the Vet (or at home if you have a Vet approve that and show you how).

Canned pumpkin is also a great wet fiber.

But lots of hay is always great if they'll eat it, or at least lots of wet veggies (although introduce them very slowly if they're not used to them).


sas :clover:

 

[Jenk]

Pipp wrote:

Excessive drinking can indicate a problem, or it can be diet or molt related. They often know when they need more fluids to move hair and food through the gut.

ETA: Might indicate an infection somewhere, too.

Sometimes with my guys its a pain/discomfort response.
(On a probably unrelated note, I really hate it when they put their front feet in their water, still don't know why they do it, but its always been when they're really sick).

Oh, boy...I've one girl with chronic digestive issues (and who's currently having intermittent bouts of diarrhea). And both of our girls are now shedding. When it rains, it pours.

I think if the pee is excessive and clear, it may indicate a kidney issue.

This gets more tricky. We use wood-stove pellets, so it's nearly impossible to tell how tinted/clear his urine is. We don't get a newspaper. I'll try to find something else that I can put under his litter-box grate for at least one day.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

Pipp wrote:

bengal77 wrote:

There are some rabbit laxatives on the market that are supposed to help grease things and make the hair ball pass.

This is REALLY not recommended, more recent research has shown that the best treatment is hydration -- a lot of fluids, either water or an electrolyte replacement formula orally or an 'under the skin' infusion of fluids from the Vet (or at home if you have a Vet approve that and show you how).

Canned pumpkin is also a great wet fiber.

But lots of hay is always great if they'll eat it, or at least lots of wet veggies (although introduce them very slowly if they're not used to them).


sas :clover:

there is no mention of hay in the diet/70%-nondigestible fiber/.petromalt not required--does more harm than good.//..timothy/orchard grass(hay)-water/and some quality lowfat pellets--sincerely james waller:rose:--use hay in the poop box

 

[Katmais_mommy]

Try papaya tablets. I feed one daily to my three rabbits.

 

[Jenk]

james waller wrote:

there is no mention of hay in the diet/70%-nondigestible fiber/.petromalt not required--does more harm than good.//..timothy/orchard grass(hay)-water/and some quality lowfat pellets--sincerely james waller:rose:--use hay in the poop box

James,

All three of our rabbits get 1st-cut timothy hay, which is in their litter boxes 24/7; so no worries there! And they all get Oxbow BB/T (in quantities that they can handle).

Last night, I placed a paper towel over the wood-stove pellets (and under the grate) ofour boy's litter box. I'm hoping that I'll be able to determine his urine color from this "test," though I realize that one paper towel may prove too flimsy. (I may need to use several sheets of the sales papers we get in the mail.)

 

[tonyshuman]

You could put the paper towel under the litter as well.

 

[Jenk]

tonyshuman wrote:

You could put the paper towel under the litter as well.

I suspect if I did that, thelitter would dye the paper; I could be wrong.

It was hard for me to tell the color of his urine from the first paper towel (placed atop the litter).The color seemed clear-ishat the epicenter, but there was rust coloration around that area; I couldn't really tell ifthe litter added coloration to it.

Today, I have asalespaper atop the litter in his favorite "pee corner." It has colored ads on it but a white, absorbant background; I hope to be able to see something more obvious.

His water consumption seems to have returned to normal for the last two days now. And he is passing thicker ropes of fur in his fecals, in spite of being brushed twice daily. Today, I decreased his pellet ration by 1 Tbsp. to encourage even more hay consumption. (Thankfully, he's a good hay eater.)