possible cowpoop syndrome?

Question
I have a 2 1/2 yr old neutered male Lop who began having problems about a year ago. It started with his hair coming out around his lower back and tail. Took him to the vet to be told he had rabbit mange and went thru 6 weeks of shots. Didn't help. Took him to the vet again and this time received an oral medicine. Seemed to help until I realized his fur was all mated and he started having a foul odor about him. I got him and when I turned him over I realized he had a large ball (made up on many smaller balls) stuck in all the fur around his rear (including tail) We have taken him to the vet at least 5 times and everytime they shave his rear, give him some medicine that "might help this time" and it starts all over. It is getting harder and harder to get the smell to go away and he is not nearly as tolerant of being washed as he used to be. Do you have any insight into this? I love this rabbit so much but I have 2 small children and this is rapidly becoming an intolerable situation. Thank you so much.

Answer
The rabbit sounds like it has a dietary problem.  When rabbits have uneaten cecotropes (which smell horrible) their fur can become matted.  The best thing you can do is to make sure he is receiving a proper diet.  He will need plenty of hay and his pellets may have to much protein.  

I strongly suggest you contact Ms. Dana Krempels on advice for a correct diet.  She has amazing links that have suggestions for proper nutrition.  If he is a fuzzy lop it is not uncommon at all for them to get fur mats.  These rabbits have angora type hair and if they aren't brushed consonantly the fur will become matted and then ever time they poop the mat gets bigger.

Mange is more of a skin condition.  It sounds to me that your vet is not well versed in rabbit care.  I would be very leery of giving any medication without a definitive diagnosis.  If you have any photos of the rabbit and the area of the poop I would be happily to let you know if it is indeed a fuzzy lop.  Their fur can be so fine that the feces sticks to it so easily.  Believe me I understand and if this is indeed the case I sympathize.  I am constantly cleaning my fuzzies butts because if I don't brush them and clean them almost daily they become unbearable.

Good luck and if you have any further questions please let me or Ms. Krempels know.  Her knowledge of proper protein and illnesses is really advanced.