bladder problems

Question
Hi,

When my house rabbit urinated earlier, it was very chalky when it dried and quite thick. The colour was a creamy colour. This does not usually happen and she seems quite lethargic, is urinating in places where she does not usually-she is trained to go to toilet in her litter box. I am worried, as it does look like she is uncomfortable. please help! thank you

Answer
Dear Katy,

While it's normal for rabbit urine to contain some calcium salt residues, the situation you describe does not sound normal.  If your bunny is lethargic and acting uncomfortable, it's time to get her to a good vet experienced with rabbit medicine ASAP.  Rabbits tend to hide their symptoms until they're feeling quite poorly, so please don't wait on this if she's already acting sick.  You can find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

White chalk residue in the urine is normally not a problem.  True "sludge" is usually a darker yellow color, and very thick.  But your bunny could be suffering from sludge and/or a urinary tract infection which must be treated by a vet.  You can read more about rabbit urinary tract disorders here:

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

The fact that she's straining to urinate and peeing outside the box suggests she's having bladder discomfort, and needs treatment ASAP.

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

Dana