Help - scratched eye and mucus in stool

Question
Hi Dr. Krempels,

Two days ago my 16 week old Holland lop received a cut around the eye area from another rabbit we have. The upper and lower eyelids appear to have been cut and the eye looks like it has a cut as well. The eye swelled up and closed up with blood and a pus-like substance. He has been acting lethargic and like he is in pain (I would be, too). Naturally, I was very concerned. Since this happened on Sunday, all the vets were closed and were also closed Monday. I took him to an emergency vet clinic where they prescribed eye drops and told me to take him to a rabbit savvy vet asap. Mao (the lop) has eaten some since then but is not interested in drinking. Last night (Monday night) I found a huge amount of what looked like mucus mixed in with his stool. Now, I had been planning on taking him to a rabbit vet b/c I had been a little worried about his intestinal health prior to his cut. He has always had soft stool and I have noticed a small amount of mucus susbtance before, but nothing like this. I called the emergency vet and they said they would call the doctor to come in and look at Mao. Needless to say, they did not and we took Mao back to the clinic at 2 am for nothing. We brought some mucus and a stool sample, but they were not interested. After waiting forever, they said they did not know anything about rabbits and couldn't get a hold of the rabbit vet. The vet tech did say that all the mucus was caused by stress and probably nothing, and that I basically caused it by taking him the vet. I am very upset, as everything that I have read has said to take rabbits to the vet if there is mucus in the stool. On top of that, he also has a hurt eye. I live in Orlando, and I called today to make an appt. with Dr. Diaz, who was recommended by the House Rabbit Society and the emergency vet people. They cannot see Mao until tomorrow afternoon. I am so upset and don't know what to do. Is there anything I can do in the meantime to help him or make him feel better? What causes mucus in the stool? Did I cause it by taking him to the vet? Also, for what it's worth, Mao has been acting lethargic and I have been hearing his stomach making loud gurgling noises for the past few days. Last night he kinda freaked out and want all tense and then spastic, shaking. His cute lops ears went straight back and his eyes bulged out, it was kinda scary. I don't know if these things are correlated, though. Sorry this is so long, but I am so worried and upset that no one can help. Thank you in advance for your time and information!

Sincerely,
Hillary Fields

Answer
Dear Hillary,

Please don't let them make you wait until tomorrow afternoon to see Mao.  Call up the vet and tell them that this is an *emergency* and that your rabbit has severe mucoid enteritis.  If they really are good rabbit vets, they will know this is potentially life-threatening and will agree to see you, even if you have to pay an emergency fee.

Please also see this:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

since most of the protocols there are not only for ileus, but also will help you start the enteritis healing.  Some of the things you can do at home are:

1. keep him warm:  please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html

2.  Give him pediatric simethicone suspension and gentle abdominal massage.

3.  If you can't get the vet to prescribe Questran, then a cc or so of Kaopectate will help adsorb toxins in the intestine.  Activated charcoal suspended in water also can help.

But the most important thing is to get him to a good vet NOW for treatment.  If Dr. Diaz won't see him there are others you can find via this web site:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Once his intestines are back in order, the eye can be addressed and surgically repaired.  But the main thing is to get the enteritis under control NOW.

I hope this helps.

Dana