Rabbit Diarrhea

[mahid]

My mini lop has been suffering for some diarrhea. Its just that he is pooping normally as well. Most of the poop is normal but some is diarrhea. He is eating and drinking water. Is there anything I can try at home before taking him to the vet?

 

[JBun]

What you describe is likely cecal dysbiosis and not true diarrhea, which diarrhea would be a medical emergency. True diarrhea is when the fecal balls are also runny or mushy, usually caused by a pathogenic bacteria. Cecal dysbiosis is usually due to a diet too high in carbs/sugars and not enough fiber from hay, which causes an unhealthy microbial balance in the cecum resulting in improperly formed cecotropes(mushy or pasty) that get left uneaten by the rabbit because of this.

This link below describes how it is usually corrected. A free fed good quality grass hay only diet is fed(not too coarse of a cut of hay, ensuring the rabbit is eating the hay really well) until the mushy cecotropes clear up, then other foods are slowly and gradually added back into the diet, though there may be some foods that trigger the mushy cecotropes and can't be fed, like fruits, grains, and excess pellets. It's also a good idea to monitor the rabbits body condition and weight to make sure unhealthy weight loss doesn't occur.

https://rabbit.org/intermittent-soft-cecotropes-in-rabbits/
https://rabbit.org/disorders-of-the-cecum/

 

[mahid]

What you describe is likely cecal dysbiosis and not true diarrhea, which diarrhea would be a medical emergency. True diarrhea is when the fecal balls are also runny or mushy, usually caused by a pathogenic bacteria. Cecal dysbiosis is usually due to a diet too high in carbs/sugars and not enough fiber from hay, which causes an unhealthy microbial balance in the cecum resulting in improperly formed cecotropes(mushy or pasty) that get left uneaten by the rabbit because of this.

This link below describes how it is usually corrected. A free fed good quality grass hay only diet is fed(not too coarse of a cut of hay, ensuring the rabbit is eating the hay really well) until the mushy cecotropes clear up, then other foods are slowly and gradually added back into the diet, though there may be some foods that trigger the mushy cecotropes and can't be fed, like fruits, grains, and excess pellets. It's also a good idea to monitor the rabbits body condition and weight to make sure unhealthy weight loss doesn't occur.

https://rabbit.org/intermittent-soft-cecotropes-in-rabbits/
https://rabbit.org/disorders-of-the-cecum/

Thank you so much