Sick Bun...am really concerned..please help

[RoseCottageBuns]

Hello ...I have a small rescue Lion Head PEW. He is only about 3 years old. He has been very fit and healthy for the past 2 years. Has lost 25% of his bodyweight suddenly, very hungry still, very thirsty too, vet has tested him for diabetes, no luck. We are treating him for worms just in case, but his bonded lady bun does not show any symptoms. His eyes are a bit wet and he has started loosing his fur on his ears He does not have any growth or tumour anywhere, is very lethargic and quieter than usual. he also has diaorreah. Please can anyone suggest what may be wrong? I love him and don't want to loose him. Thank you

 

[JBun]

Did the vet do a blood test to check for kidney or liver disease? Not that your bun necessarily has this, but weight loss, changes in poop, excessive thirst, and increased appetite can be symptoms of kidney disease. Also, did you make any diet changes just prior to these symptoms occurring, particularly a decrease or removal of pellets?

If the diarrhea is a new symptom(in the last few days), and it is true watery diarrhea where it's not just mushy cecotropes with the round fecal poop being normal, but that the fecal poop is watery and pudding like, this is considered an emergency and your vet should be contacted right away. Your rabbit would need to be put on fluids and receive the proper medication.

 

[RoseCottageBuns]

Hello...thank you so much forgetting back to me... the vet did not get for kidney disease, but did mention it. I have to give him the worm medication and some kind of nutritional paste that should settle the diaorreah and then the vet wants to see him in 9 days. His eyes are a bit watery , but he does seem quite bright. The symptoms that you describe are exactly what he has, but I have not changes his pellets or hay or anything, and i do give him the best stuff. The only different thing was a seedy kind of chewy treat that I gave them both a few days ago, and it was then that I notices the change in poop. I guess he has deteriorated ever since....could it be something in the chew that would trigger kidney disease??
Thank you for your advice, really appreciated

 

[JBun]

If these symptoms started after giving the seed treat, that is the likely cause of what is going on, and not kidney disease. Those seed treats are bad for rabbits because the high amount of sugars/carbs disrupts the natural balance of microflora in the rabbits digestive tract, which can lead to an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. This can then lead to diarrhea, which can cause the symptoms of excessive thirst and eating because of the diarrhea causing dehydration, as well as lethargy and weight loss.

If this is when the symptoms started and your rabbit has true diarrhea, then it sounds like this may be what happened. Your rabbit would have bacterial enteritis and this is considered a true emergency in rabbits. And in my opinion based on the information you have provided, your vet doesn't seem to be treating the condition appropriately. Your rabbit doesn't need to be on worming meds or nutritional paste. The appropriate treatment would be sub q or IV fluids, antibiotics like metronidazole and baytril, a sulfa antibiotic if coccidia is involved, questran(cholestyramine) to absorb toxins from the bacteria if it is believed your rabbit could have the clostridium bacteria(which is very dangerous and often fatal), possibly probiotics like bene bac, and possibly pain meds.

For diet, I would be feeding lots of good quality grass hay if the rabbit is still eating well and eats hay really well, possibly temporarily remove pellets, and absolutely no sugary/starchy foods(carrots, fruit, grains, seeds treats, etc). If your rabbit isn't eating well on his own, then syringe feeding a recovery food like Oxbow critical care mix every few hours, would be needed.

I personally would be looking for a different vet. One that is more experienced with rabbits.
http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

If your rabbit does have true watery or pudding like diarrhea and not just mushy cecotropes, these are descriptions of the possible causes and proper treatment.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Generalities/Enteritis_en.htm
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Clostridial_enteritis_rabbits.htm
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Colibacillosis.htm
This is diarrhea:

This is mushy cecotropes:

 

[RoseCottageBuns]

Thank you so much for your help. The more I think about it the more I reckon it may have been the seed chew. But his bonded lady bun also had the chew and she is fine... in blooming health! He was very bad today, very wobbly on his legs, but the diarreah seems to have slowed down and he is still eating and drinking well.I am feeding him by hand every two hours to ensure that he gets some nutrition as she can often just scoff everything. I am only feeding him his pellets and the hay we grow in our field, nothing else. He is also drinking, but just seems so weak and is still loosing weight. I went to the vet again today as I thought it was the end, but the vet has given him a few more days as he still has an appetite and seems quite bright. I take on board all you have said about the bacterial infection and will look for another vet this afternoon. I believe there is a specialist in Exeter Thank you for the pictures of poop...confirmed things for me, and for the list of vets, unfortunately I am in the uk, but am sure to find someone. Your knowledge and support has been so valuable. Thank you.

 

[Aki]

I hope you can find a vet that will help you. The fact that your other rabbit is fine doesn't mean much - there might have been one 'bad' seed chew in the middle of the others or your buck could have a more sensitive stomach than your doe. He could also have a preexisting condition that was set off by the chews (I don't know what the chews were, but rabbits aren't meant to eat seeds anyway). I've had a rabbit catch something and get extremely sick while their bunny friend, who was living with them/ eating the same things was perfectly fine more than once.
From what you describe, your rabbit probably needs sub q. Diarrhea can deshydrate a rabbit very quickly (they are tiny creatures after all) and a deshydrated rabbit can look quite bad pretty quickly too - my doe had a short episode of gi stasis a few months ago, it had happened before but she had never looked as dull and lifeless. I thought she was a goner. It turned out the problem was mainly the deshydratation - she had eaten wet leafy greens the night before but in a matter of hours, she looked dazed and was barely moving (it can happen even quicker when the heater is on).
Of course, it doesn't replace a real treatment, but a lot of hydratation is critical in the treatment of most conditions regarding rabbits' guts.

 

[JBun]

You being in the UK might actually be better as you have several excellent rabbit vets and specialists in your country. I'm not sure where around Exeter you are, but if Bristol isn't too far for you, Richard Saunders is a rabbit specialist (I believe) at Highcroft Vet Group, that I've seen recommended by other rabbit owners. He's also the vet for the RWAF. I believe you would need a referral from your current vet. Sonya Miles is another vet that I've seen recommended from there. You can also look at the RWAF for recommended rabbit vets, and the rabbit specialist Frances Harcourt Brown, also has a page of rabbit vet recommendations, many from other rabbit owners in the UK.
https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/ve...s-that-have-been-recommended-by-rabbit-owners
https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/

With your rabbit acting weak, regardless of whether or not he is eating, I would really recommend you getting him into the vet today, and I agree with Aki that in the very least he needs some fluids/electrolytes via sub q injection or IV. With diarrhea it is very easy for them to get dehydrated, and that can become very dangerous. It's also possible that if he has the clostridium bacteria, it releases very harmful toxins that can be fatal, and that is something that could be going on as well, and if so needs immediate treatment with metronidazole and questran.

I hope you find the answers that you need to help your bun, and an experienced rabbit vet that will be able to help you find those answers and properly diagnose your bun so he can get the correct treatment.

 

[RoseCottageBuns]

Thank you agin for all your help. Unfortunately my poor little bun died in my arms early this morning. We are brokenhearted. It was, however, very good to know that such great knowledge and support is out there. RIP Mr Bunny.