Normal or a Health Problem?

Question
Hello,
I have a Holland Lop that just turned a year old on Wednesday. For the last few weeks her stool has not been normal and I was told yesterday by a vet that it was ISS and to treat it I needed to feed only hay until her stool returned to normal. Then, I could introduce greens gradually. I began treating her around 25 hours ago. Since then, she has been drinking hardly any water and has not passed anything, liquid or solid. She is still eating, but since she tends to quite a picky eater, I cannot tell whether she is eating less because she doesn't like large amounts of hay or because she ill. Is it normal for rabbits react this way when they first begin this kind of treatment, or is there a more serious health problem present?

Sincerely,
        Lisa

Answer
Dear Lisa,

"ISS" is a descriptive term for "intermittent soft stool," and it doesn't really tell you anything about the *cause* of the problem, which can be myriad.  Simply removing all food except hay is oversimplifying the problem, and can delay important medical treatment.

If your bunny is not passing any stool now, then the condition is far more serious than ISS.  Your bunny is suffering from ileus, and needs immediate attention from an experienced rabbit veterinarian, whom you can find here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Please tell the vet that the rabbit is suffering from ileus, and that it's an emergency.  The sooner this is treated, the better the chances for quick, uneventful recovery.  Please read:

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

and print this for the vet, if s/he is unfamiliar with the condition:

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

If your bunny is a Holland lop and a picky eater, then a prime suspect for the ultimate cause of this problem is dental problems.  Please read:

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

for complete information.  Once the ileus is reversed, diagnostics for molar spurs or other problem must be done so the bunny can be treated for any painful problems that can elicit ileus and GI tract slowdown.  More information on "ISS" can be found here:

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

Hope this helps. Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana