Young Bunny is very sick.

Question
Hi, I bought my bunny at about 8-10 weeks old . He is a mini lop. We gave him pellets meant for young rabbits. In about 2 -3 days his stools became very wet and runny, and soon only poops jelly. He then sotopped eating and pooping. We took him to the vet. the vet gave him fluids and kept him for 2 hours. Then he returned us the bunny and gave us  "bene bac" medicine which is bacteria for his stomach. I have to force feed him the medicine with a syringe. THe bunny has resumed pooping, but only poops clear/brownish jelly. He doesnt eat. I force fed him 3 times today. I crush up pellets and mix it with water. He seems really dehydrated, his skin appears dehydrated. He poops only jelly, Is there any hope for my bunny? Please help.

Answer
Dear Kelly,

Your bunny needs more supportive care and more subQ fluids, since his GI tract is compromised by the mucoid enteritis he is suffering.  Please read this immediately:

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

I hope the bunny is still with us.  If so, please get him to the vet for more fluids (or have the vet show you how, so you can do this at home!), and ask about giving the bunny 1mg/kg immodium, just to stop the diarrhea and cramps and buy some time while other supportive care and medication have a chance to work.

In some cases, a very young bunny will have coccidia (treatable with ponazuril, Albon or trimethoprim sulfa), or even an E. coli infection (treatable with Baytril or ciprofloxacin) because of sudden, major exposure to this normal human intestinal inhabitant.

Please also read:

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

I hope this helps, but you need a good *rabbit* vet, and you can find one here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Good luck,

Dana