Soft stools, crusty nipples

[Maureen Las]

DazyDaizee wrote:

I contacted the rescue to inform about the crusty nipples. She wonders if it may be a sign of cancer. She also questioned whether the soft stools may be persistent because some recent forms of coccidia are resistant to the Albon, so we may try something else for that.
I have Marshall Probiotic. It says 100% safe for ferrets and other small animals. I assume most probiotics are the same? Can I use this for her?
I have no experience with rabbit syphillis, but from what I've read I have doubts that that's what is causing the crustiness in this case. It's not severe and it's localized to just the four upper nipples. The skin isn't irritated or inflamed. I don't know if she has something else challenging her immune system if syphillis could come about? Is it something they carry for life and become symptomatic at times of stress, or do they just have it and remain symptomatic.. or recover completely? I just don't know enough about it.

I don't think it's a parasite or infection because she's not itchy and the skin looks health underneath. The crustiness easily flakes off. It's yellowish in color and loosely caked around the entire nipple. There's not a huge amount of it, but it's definitely noticeable. I actually felt it when I picked her up and my hand hit the right spot.

This is such a frustrating case because vet care/funds are limited and it's a strange mixture of symptoms without an obvious impact on her overall wellbeing.

I thought you were giving a probiotic called marshalls' which is not the same as benebac??

 

[Maureen Las]

DazyDaizee wrote:

She doesn't have any respiratory symptoms, but I could see her having gas considering the large belly. I guess I would expect her to be more uncomfortable if it was gas. There's no obvious mass that the doctor felt, but when I feel her belly I can feel some solid areas.. perhaps stool in the cecum? I really don't know what it is..
I think I may have a biased view, also, because I recently lost my Patagonian cavy who the vet believed had ileus and may have had a motility issue his whole life. He had a very large belly while the rest of him was skinny. Xrays showed an extremely large mass that appeared to be a gas filled cecum. His attitude was good and he ate well and showed no obvious discomfort until two days before he died when these emergency visits took place. Because they told me this was something rabbits get, I immediately thought about it when I first felt this rabbit's belly and was informed of the history of problems with her stool.

This is Not related to the rabbit
but we used to have a patagonian cavy in our little zoo here which has now been converted into an ecological zoo meaning it only has animals of this specific region.

I was so intrigued by the cavy who I read was related to guinea pigs and had hooves and I believe was kept with rabbits (although this probably was not a good idea)
I thought to myself that it was just a cool little animal and never knew anyone who owned one. Sorry you lost him but he probably had issues similar to guinea pigs.

Now back to the topic at hand.....

 

[DazyDaizee]

I do have Marshall's.. but while Marshall's says it's fine for ferrets and small animals, benebac says it's fine for cats, dogs, and small animals.. so it seems like probiotics for multiple species is common, regardless of carnivore/herbivore status.

Paxton was definitely a cool animal. Though they are related to the guinea pig, they do have plenty in common with rabbits, too. Paxton and Toot, our first bunny, were great friends. Patagonian cavies don't groom each other like rabbits, but he'd sort of nibble her fur and ears (never causing any damage), she just laid there and pretended he was grooming her. They followed each other everywhere. Patagonian cavies tend to get along well with all different species.. I've seen them in one zoo exhibit with a capybara, muntjac deer, giant anteater, tapir, and a few other creatures.