QuestionHi Dr. Krempels,
My bunny, Tumblety, is a 3yr old spayed female dwarf. A few months back, she was having a problem with the mushy poop, so I took her in for a checkup and was told that the problem was pellets, and that she was overweight (4lbs). I immediately stopped feeding pellets and now give her and my boy rabbit only timothy hay and some greens once a day. Since I made the change, her poop looks normal; it isn't tiny and mooshy, and she's lost 1lb.
I've noticed lately that her stomach starts gurgling after she eats the vegetables. My boy has this happen to him as well, though he never had any of the other problems that she did during the pellet days. I mostly feed them green leaf lettuce, parsley, or romaine lettuce. They are huge pigs and want to eat all the time, and their behavior is the same as always. I've been looking up stuff about rabbits and GI problems, and everything I can find says the gurgling stomach is the beginnings of a problem. Its making me nervous because of her issues a few months ago, even though they both act normal. I've tried really hard to make their diet as healthy as I can. Do you think something is wrong?
AnswerDear Jessica,
She might be gassy, in which case a bit of pediatric simethicone shortly before or after the meal should help. If they are acting normal, though, I would not worry too much. Please see:
www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html
and
www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html
Hope that will help.
Dana