Poop strung together with hay

Question
QUESTION: Hello Dana

I have 2 house rabbits, bonded now for 5 months. Doe is 2, Buck is 3.  I've had the Doe from a young age.  She never really took to eating hay despite my efforts.  She ate limited pellets, lots of veggies, and grazes outdoors most days.  When I bought home the Buck and bonded them, I was happy to see she began to eat hay!  Not great amounts but at least giving it a go.

Now though, I consistently find poops all strung along strands of hay. I've seen the odd hair strung poop before but this is definitely hay.  She mustn't be chewing it properly.   She had her teeth checked just recently though the vet couldn't see all the way to the last molars that day. Could there another reason for this though? I'm always concerned about her fecals.  It wasn't until I got the new boy (a good hay eater) that I saw how they should be.  Hers are always, dark, misshapen but firm.  They do tend to smell a little (of onions?) and I thought this might be territorial pellets but it seems all the time.

I'm in a quandary as I want to increase fibre in her diet yet when she eats hay, I get these odd strands.  I am due to see my vet soon but wanted to ask if you've come across this before.

Thank You!
Kate




ANSWER: Dear Kate,

Uh oh.  Your description of her large, misshapen poops makes me worry that she may be afflicted with a congenital disorder we sometimes call "cowpoop syndrome" in rabbits.  It is similar to a congenital disorder seen in horses that's due to a failure of the neural crest cells in the embryo to properly migrate to the developing intestine and properly innervate it.  You can read about the horse condition (Lethal White Overo) here:

http://www.horse-genetics.com/overo-horses-LWO.html

A similar condition occurs in some rabbits, usually those who are white with some pigmentation on the back, eyes, and ears.  (i.e., dark-eyed white rabbits)  Early in life, they're fine. But as they get older, the fecal poops become larger, misshapen, and hard to pass if sufficient liquid is not taken in orally.  The latter can be remedied by administration of lactulose, an osmotic laxative.  A failure to properly digest matter can also be typical of these rabbits, and might partly explain why she's passing hay strands.

You don't mention the color of the bunny, but I'm guessing she's white with pigmented eyes.  (The condition can occur in other colors of rabbits, but is far more common in the white/dark eyed rabbits.)  If this is the case, and she does have "Cowpoop Syndrome", then all you really can do is provide supportive/preventive care such as LOTS of oral hydration, osmotic laxatives, subQ fluids, etc.  It's a management problem that will last her lifetime which, I'm sorry to say, may not be as long as that of her mate.

I have had three bunnies who suffered from this condition, and all died of intestinal problems directly related to the syndrome.  

I have heard of others who did live long lives with proper care.  No one knows why, or why some rabbits seem to be more severely afflicted than others (a chance of embryo development).  But if this is what your bunny has, it's best to discuss this with your vet (some vets call this "mega colon," but it's not really the same as mega-colon you'd see in a carnivore, such as a cat) so you can get your bunny going on good oral prophylaxis.

I hope she'll be fine for many happy years.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dana, thank you so much for your prompt reply.  In my original question I nearly gave a description of her as I have read what you have written about cowpoop syndrome before. She is white %26 tan with brown eyes.  I have previously wondered whether she has this condition but she doesn't have the signature large, marshmellowy poop. If she has this condition, could I start to see these later on?  Currently there an assortment of sizes and shapes.

Another reason I've thought she may have this is I had read these bunnies often have their cecal and fecal mixed together. Is that correct?  I never see her cecals and she is one to eat some of her 'normal' fecal pellets too.

I will read up more about the syndrome and discuss it with my vet.  Is there ways they can definately diagnose this?  Can I give her lactulose safely whether she has this or not?

Thank You again

Kate

Answer
Dear Kate,

"I have previously wondered whether she has this condition but she doesn't have the signature large, marshmellowy poop."

Sometimes the condition first manifests as a variety of poop shapes other than the normal "cocoa puff" type.

"If she has this condition, could I start to see these later on?"

Yes, as long as the poops are well hydrated.  They are not always large and marshmallowy if they are desiccated.

"Currently there an assortment of sizes and shapes."

That's not unusual for the early onset.

"I had read these bunnies often have their cecal and fecal mixed together. Is that correct?  I never see her cecals and she is one to eat some of her 'normal' fecal pellets too."

I'm not really sure if the poops are a mix, but they do seem that way.  They are far more pungent than normal poops, and sometimes have a more cecal texture, but with more fiber.  My suspicion is that there is a flaw in the cecal/fecal pathway, and the material does mix.  But this hasn't been confirmed, to my knowledge.

The fact that your bunny eats these poops (which I've seen other Cowpoopers do) strengthens that suspicion.

"Is there ways they can definately diagnose this?"

Not really.  Just via symptoms as they develop.

"Can I give her lactulose safely whether she has this or not?"

It won't hurt her unless you give it every day, long term.  Then it can do the same damage to electrolytes that any other laxative could do.  

Hope she'll be fine, either way.  

Dana