Bum Problems

Lucy has been having bottom problems where she will produce way to many Unformed Cecotropes. Where it is very pastey and sticks to her behind. Badly. This happens regularly every morning. I am guessing in her case is it has been to many greens. I have increased her hay a bit more and decreased her greens and it seems a little better.

However here is the problem. When she has had a mucky bum i have had to clean her behind. In order to do this i had to put luke warm water in a tray and just allow her to sit in it as i washed her and dried her off. However when she isn't pooping on herself she wees on herself so i have to clean her regularly. But now she’s scared of me.

I am not sure how to avoid this because i have to keep her clean and i am not sure how to stop her weeing on herself.

What are you using in her litter tray? It could be that she is weeing and then sitting on it because its not being absorbed quickly enough.

You did the right thing reducing her greens and upping her hay.

Sorry to hear Lucy's not well Emma. I've been doign a lot of research into GI probs recently, and where the issue is caecum derived, not intestinal, it seems to be imblance in gut flora that is the big problem. I'd get some Pro biotics into her, increase the hay and herbs and cut back on pellets, not veg, excpet sugary ones (beets and carrots) and broccoli. Protein can be upsetting. She should have extra hydration too.

Any chance she has a UTI?

Healing vibes for her.

Gosh I hope not, I had massive gutt problems with the last one. She is due a vet visit anyway as she needs to be spayed so I will get her checked them.
She has to have hay in her litter stray as it’s the only thing that won’t stick to her fur. Under that she has either shavings or litter but there are many layers of hay above that. It could be that the hay isn’t soaking it up as quick but everything else sticks to her.
There doesn’t seem to be any stiffness and she is very active and eats ok. I can see her lifting her bum when she wees. The problem is because its sticks and matts in her fur I have to allow her to sit in “shallow” water in a tray otherwise I am sat there for hours and she’s getting inpatient.

I have notice that under her tail her fur has clumped and matted into a bit of a ball with is another reason why I try to keep her clean (not the mention the smell of urine or the other one).

I personally, would cut out everything but hay for a while - to see whether or not it cures the problem. If she has pellets I'd maybe stick to giving her five or so pellets a day, but I would be most inclined to go back to the basics & work from there. I'm not a massive promoter of a hay only diet, but in instances such as this I think it as essential xx

It's so tricky knowing what's right, and different buns respond to different things, but plentiful fibre and hydration is important. I always give pro-B's. With excess/sticky caecotrophs, not small poos, it's more likley that bad bacteria have overwhelmed the good bacteria.

I'm not sure about pellets, and we cna only go on our own experiences, but as a dry food, they require water to make them digestible. In a dehydrated bun, (even if partially) I give smaller amounts ofherbs and leafy veg, hay (grass if they are used to it) with residual water left on them. But that's just my thing, it worked with bertie, but I've not had any worrying GI issues with Stuart.

I found when I used only hay in the litter tray my rabbits would have urine staining on their fur, can you use a wood based pellet underneath the hay or would that stick to her fur as well when it broke down?

I would consider lifting the hay off the ground - a rack over the litter tray - then you can see better what is really happening. And I agree with the others on putting some litter in the tray. I would favour something like megazorb, yesterdays news or wood based pellets over shavings simply because they absorb the urine much better. If this does not completely help try a bit of vetbed over the top of the litter as this will draw the urine away from the bun.

Wow! I could have written some of that myself! I am having very similar problems with thumper, the soft poos and her sitting in her wee. The difference being that thumper has stopped using the litter tray.

Unfortunately I have no good advice as I've been battling this on and off for months.

If you do get to the bottom of these problems, I'd be interested to hear how you resolve it

We still have bum problems. She has been on mostly just hay and i am still finding myself having to clean her bottom. For a little while she has been producing a lot of Cecotropes, only recently they have become Unformed Cecotropes. I am going to get her into the vets when i return home.

I think i have found the wee issue. Is that there is a normal hard surface at the bottom of her crate so i can wipe is clean when she produces to many Cecotropes. Put this makes her sit in her tray more. That has cleared up a bit since putting in a blanket but is very messy when she treads her Cecotropes in.

Have you considered adding a probiotic to her water or trying her with Fiberplex to see if that helps with the cecals?

I have thought about it but i only thought you could get them from vets? I haven't had many rabbits with gutt issues.

Sooz wrote:Have you considered adding a probiotic to her water or trying her with Fiberplex to see if that helps with the cecals?

I second this^

Fibreplex work for thumper. Today I bought Pro-C to try her with as it's easier to give her. I will let you know how it works for her.

My understanding is that fibreplex is only available from vets but you can buy pro-c from P@H

I think a trip to the vet would be a good idea though

You can buy fibreplex online - hayexperts sell it as well as a powdered alternative and Bio-Lapis.

I used to use a lot of Pro-C with the rescue rabbits, but you can also get Avi-Pro online too. The powdered alternatives are much cheaper than Fiberplex but don't contain the fiber just the pro-bios.

Hay experts also sell protexin pro fibre which contains fibre pre and pro biotics.

https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/%25252B+The+Medicine+Chest+%25252B.161/Protexin+Pro+Fibre+Rabbit.695.html

Thanks guys. I will get some

I also meant to say, we use P@H wooden pellets in Thumpers litter tray, they absorb well and there is never any mess (When she actually uses the litter tray!)

Poop problem seems to be sorted but I am not sure if we still have a wee issue or not. I have just got home from family visiting so I will change her litter. But I have noticed that since her bum has cleared a bit it seems hard in places from probably urine staining. But also I believe her scent glands are dirty. Her fur is hard around her scent glands and when I clean the area…wow…don’t those scent glands go off! I don’t want to hurt her and it must do if the fur has hardened. I have tried warm water and even shallow bathing but still hard fur.

Mcqueen, I would tempted to email the people at gorgeous guineas and ask their advice. They make cgrooming products for piggies, but are also well versed in rabbit needs. They may well be able to recommend something gentle to use on the area.

http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/

I use the wood based kitty litter from p@h and thats quick absorbing and better for the enviroment. Our Rose likes to lay down in hers after she has had a wee and ive had no probs xx