Soft stool/no mucus

Question
Hello, thank you for answering my original question re: our newest bunny with large soft poo.  I am going to the vet tomorrow and will ask about lactulose.  Thank goodness they carry it.  

I've checked more on this cowpile syndrome and notice many times it states about mucus.  I've not noticed any mucus although he has only been here since Tuesday.  They are just large poos a little misshapen.  Could he just be stressed?  He seems very nervous when you hold him (I know rabbits can be like that but we have 22 other rescues and only a few have shown this kind of nervousness that eventually went away).

What is the time frame too for Panacur?  The shelter said 3 days dosing, then in 2 weeks, 3 more days (once a day).

I was only told about the problem with the poo from the shelter person, but nothing about him having GI problems at all.  He was in there for 9 months.  The book Rabbit Health in the 21st Century seems to state that cowpile bunnies have long bouts of GI upset as well.

Thank you if you could answer me,
Paula Grundy

Answer
Dear Paula,

None of our Cowpoop Bunnies have ever had mucus in the stool unless they were very ill.  The poops are just big, soft, marshmallowy, and a bit more pungent than normal poops.  

And yes, Cowpoop Buns can be prone to GI problems, but I suspect that's if they are not properly hydrated.  The big poops tend to get stuck if they are the least bit hard, and that can create serious problems.  If the intestines are well hydrated, these problems can be minimized.  Usually the problems don't show up early in life, and if they do show up at all, it's once the bunny is a few years old.  I hope your bunny never has any problems.

Panacur given for worms need be given only 1-3 days in a row every ten days for two or three treatments.  Unless bun is re-exposed to worm eggs, that should do the trick.  If the treatment is being used for E. cuniculi, however, it's generally given once per day at a dose of 20mg/kg for 28-31 days.

I think they've given you the Panacur in case its worms, but the best way to know would be to have a fecal flotation done by a good rabbit vet.

Hope this helps.

Dana