Change in bunnys stool

Question
QUESTION: My Lionhead had four lil babies three weeks ago and started going to the bathroom in the babies nest. I read that the bunnies will eat that and it is ok. True? Also, she recently began producing a very mushy stool. Very different from the pellets that I am familiar with. I am curious as to why this may be happening. I have read to keep food in her bowl as she is feeding the babies. Am I feeding her too much?
I appreciate any feedback that you might have!

Ben

ANSWER: Hi Ben,

Rabbits practice "coprography"...or something similar.  They are hind gut fermenters much like a horse.  They have a special organ called a cecum.  The cecum stores undigested food, beneficial bacteria and vitamins.  This is excreted as cecotropes or cecals....aka night poop.  It is mushy and usually quite smelly.  If you see them when they come out, they look like grapes.  It is essential that the babies ingest these cecals.  It provides the beneficial bacteria they need to properly wean and they also maintain a proper pH in the cecum for good floral growth.  Until the babies fully wean, mom and babies should have access to food free choice.  As the babies wean, start slowing cutting back her pellets to an appropriate amount while the kits should be fed free choice until about 6 months.  Hay is important to all rabbits but even more to lionheads (and others with longer hair).  Hay is essential to maintaining a good digestive system....and it's the primary way the teeth are worn down.  For nursing mothers and babies, alfalfa hay is an excellent choice since it is very high in nutrients.  With healthy adults, grass hay is more appropriate.

In this case, most likely you are seeing cecals which is normal in this situation....make sure the kits have easy access to them.  And keep high quality food available as you have been doing.

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QUESTION: Hello! First off, I tried to ask another follow question from the final message and it said i asked too many. I do not know how to find you again on the list of experts.

My question today: I awoke to find one of the babies lying on the ground with its hind leg sticking out. It did not scamper away from me and when it tried to move it seemed to be dragging the leg. I just made an appt with the vet for an xray and check up! do you have any advice? I go in in about an hour! Thank you! I do appreciate your help and intend to compensate you for your time! Thank you!

Ben

ANSWER: Hi Ben,

It is most likely some type of spinal injury.  It is going to be extremely difficult to see anything on rads due mainly to the size of what you are looking at.  Have the vet look closely at L7 which is the most likely site of spinal trauma in rabbits.  I have been successful with treating this type injury assuming the cord itself hasn't been severed or badly damaged.  I just released an eastern cottontail (wild rabbit) that I worked.  She came in with no neuro responses at all below L7.  Assuming the cord isn't damaged, I generally sedate with valium to keep them as motionless as possible.  NSAIDs are many times quite effective at quickly reducing any inflammation that is causing pressure on the cord.  Again, all of this depends on any damage to the cord itself.  The best healer for something like this is time.  Your vet can show you how to stimulate the legs to check for sensation....we generally use acupuncture needles but anything that can stimulate without injury can be used.

It could also be an initial presentation of an active E Cuniculi infection.  Most domestic rabbits carry this protozoa subclinically.  It can be spread by contact with urine from an infected rabbit but is most of the time transferred at birth.  In a perfect world, the immune system can control this little monster...but if it becomes active, it's bad.  The only true diagnosis is during necropsy.  But there is a blood titer that can indicate antibodies in the blood.  The inital presentation of EC is usually some degree of paresis and it's has always been the left rear leg.  The urine is usually very concentrated due to the spores shedding and coming thru (and damaging) the kidneys. Very few vets have actually seen a real active case of EC and often misdiagnose this as a urinary tract infection.  This is a very difficult issue to control.  Most vets use one of the "bendazoles" which are wormers...but I haven't really seen this to be beneficial.  The drugs have a terrible rate of penetrating the blood/brain barrier.  I have recently been working with a drug called Marquis and it's showing promise.  It's made to treat a similar condition in horses called EPM.

Let me know how things go with the spinal.  I have worked these issues quite a bit as we see it often in wild rabbits.  If the x-rays are digital, see if your vet will e-mail them to me and I will take a look.  Seen it quite a bit.  Good luck.

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QUESTION: Well, the xrays were clear! Sadly, lil' Shug died. I do not know what happened. I am going to sterilize the area because now I fear that this may happen to the other bunnies as well. The vet believed that because this was the runt of the litter that it was not getting the proper nourishment. All of the limbs were responsive. The xrays showed that there was not any food in the tummy. What should I do! I am devastated at this loss. The vet said it had to do with failure to thrive. The stress of the vet visit could have contributed as well. Just got off the phone with the vet and she says that she can do an autopsy but I imagine that is over doing it? Any opinions would be great! Thanks again!

Ben

Answer
Hi Ben,

So sorry for your loss.  I would have to agree with your vet.  While I don't breed here, I often hear of breeders speak of "peanuts" that just don't have what it takes to make it.  I see it in cottontails that come in as pinkys.  Many times there is one that is separated from the warren and nearly every time that particular kit doesn't make it.  I suspect a necropsy would be an over do.  The condition is known as cecal dysbiosis and is basically an imbalance of beneficial bacteria in the gut.  It usually happens to cottontails about 3 weeks old and domestics a bit later....but it happens as their gut start the wean from a neutral pH baby gut to an acidic pH adult gut.  There is very little you can do for that situation.  And while sanitation is essential with babies...this is not something that is contagious.  It's nature's way of assuring only the best survive.  Harsh....but necessary.