about my 4 year old english spot

Question
MY BABY IS A MALE HE HAS HAD 2 SURGERIES ALREADY TO REMOVE BLADDER STONES.I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON DIET TO HELP CUT CALCIUM DOWN BECAUSE WE SENT THE STONES OFF AND THEY WERE CALCIUM STONES.IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 8 MONTHS AND WE ARE BACK TO THICK TAN COLOR URINE NO BLOOD YET. WE DONE AN X RAY AND IT SHOWED NO STONES BUT THE BLADDER GLOWED IT IS FULL WITH SLUDGE.HE IS HAVING RUNNY POOP ON AND OFF.HE IS STILL EATING AND SO ON I HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO TRY AND PREVENT THIS HE IS MY BABY SO MUCH.I ASKED MY VET ABOUT FLUSHING HIS BLADDER TO MAYBE GET THE SLUDGE OUT BEFORE IT TURNS TO A STONE. HE HAS DONE THE SURGERIES HE IS WONDERFUL BUT ALWAYS SAYS IF I HEAR OTHER INFO TO INFORM HIM BECAUSE HE IS MAINLY DOG AND CATS, HE RECENTLY DONE ANOTHER BLADDER SURGERY ON A RABBIT HE HAD THAT LADY CALL ME FOR THE NURTION INFO BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW MUCH I HAVE RESEARCHED IS THERE ANY IDEAS FROM YOU THAT I COULD POSSIBLY GIVE TO HIM AND FOR MYSELF.MY BUNNY HAS BEEN PEEING LIKE THIS AGAIN FOR A MONTH NOW I AM SO WORRIED PLUS THE RUNNY POOP ON AND OFF. DO YOU HAVE ANY INPUT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. ALSO IS THERE SOMETHING I COULD DO FROM HOME TO HELP HIS BLADDER? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND CONCERN.

Answer
Follow up:

Hi, Keisha

Please never hesitate to write if you have questions.

Yes, it's wise to have your vet show you how to do this, since you could cause serious injury if it's done wrong.  The bladder should be as full of urine as possible, and be sure to gently jiggle it to suspend the sludge before expressing.

I hope the vet will be able to show you how to do this so you can get your bunny on the road to recovery.

Take care,

Dana

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Dear Keisha,

Unfortunately, the problem your bunny has is metabolic and genetic, and diet will do little to solve the problem.  He has a deficiency in his ability to metabolize and maintain calcium in his bones, and is excreting it in his urine.  The runny poop is very likely a side effect of the discomfort he suffers from the sludge.

The only thing we have found effective at controlling a sludge bunny's problem is subQ fluid therapy *and* (most importantly), gentle expression of the bladder when it's full.  You will need a good, experienced rabbit vet to show you how to do this safely:

www.rabbit.org/vets

When we started Hamish on this regimen, his bladder was solid sludge.  But after a few expressions (after his bladder was full from subQ fluids), we saw less and less of a problem.  Before expressing, we always gently jiggled the bladder to be sure to suspend the crystals so they would come out more easily.  We also found that holding the bunny upright (in sort of a "standing" position on his hind legs) made it easier for bun to pass the sludge.

After a few months, Hamish was pretty much sludge free, though we continued the therapy once every few weeks, just to be sure.

At the outset, you might need to do it daily, to really get things flushed out.  I'd try this before resorting to a bladder flush, but if things really won't clear, then a bladder flush might be the next thing to discuss with your (new) rabbit vet.

I hope this helps.

Dana