English Spot bowel problems

Question
We run a rabbit rescue and one of our resident rabbits has developed bowel problems.  Initially his poos were fine but in the past 6 months this has deteriorated to really messy splat poos and 'normal fecal shaped' poos which are big, black, soft and smelly (not grape-like at all), and more recently he stinks of poo like an old cow!  I did a bit of research on the net and read a published article about the possibility of rabbits with English Spot type markings having similar problems.  (as an aside, we had another english spot cross with similar problems who's cecum ultimately ruptured resulting in death, we also currently have one other english spot with very irregular sized/shaped poos (but she's otherwise healthy) and another who suffers often from bloat but is otherwise healthy.  All those buns ate/eat good amounts of quality timothy hay but the one in question wont eat hay at all.  We've been advised by our vet to cut out carrot and parsnip and his pelleted food (Science Selective) and feed him leafy veggies, grass and hay, which is a problem cos there's virtually no grass around just now and he wont eat hay, so he's surviving on veggie leaves.  I've tried grinding up hay and dried grass and making little veggie leaf wrapped parcels with it tucked inside but he doesn't like them.

He was due to have a dental tomorrow as he has a couple of very small spurs on his cheek teeth (no soft tissue damage) but due to his weight loss, we've put it off for a week in the hope that we can build him up a bit more before putting him under anaesthetic.

Today, it looks like he's been scouring and he's battling to keep himself clean, although there's no runny mess in his cage (we've moved his cage into our living room to keep him warm).  

On top of all this, he's also recently developed a cataract on one of his eyes so he's on a course of panacur 10% for 28 days.

Is there anything you can suggest we might try? and would it be ok to give him wheetabix and/or rolled oats?

Thank you in advance, for your time.
Lynda

Answer
Dear Lynda,

I'd avoid anything as starchy as Wheetabix or rolled oats in a rabbit with such a compromised cecum.  Please read this:

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

which explains the nature and some causes of cecal dysbiosis, which sounds like what this bunny is suffering.

Although there is a syndrome (sometimes inaccurately called "megacolon") in white rabbits with pigmented eyes and spots in which the cecotropes come out "marshmallowy", this doesn't really sound like that.  This sounds like full-blown cecal dysbiosis that needs treatment as if it were incipient ileus (which it might be):

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

I would have his teeth checked, as molar problems (spurs) are a prime cause of the stress/pain that often triggers GI tract slowdown and cecal dysbiosis.  If the teeth are fine, then other detective work to determine his underlying illness needs to be undertaken by a good, experienced rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps get you started.

Dana