URGENT! Wet bottom yet no diarea?!?

Question
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Followup To
Question -
I got my rex rabbit over a year ago which makes her around 5 years old. She's not fixed. When I got her she was VERY healthy and house trained to use a litter box.  I've NEVER put her in a cage. She's always been healthy except for around July she wasn't going poop.  Took her to a well known vet and said she had some blockage but was ok. Told me the importance of Hay so I bought the very best kind from my vet. Changed her diet to just pellets b/c I was feeding her gormeigh food which was unessasary vet said. My roomate would give her some people food from time to time until I told him to stop. She is COMPLETLY monitored now in what she eats. The only treats she gets is lettuce, kail, grapes or apples, but this is very limited. She will not eat her hay unless I take her food away from her. About 2 weeks after I saw the vet (in July)she started to have a wet bottom, but no diaria. Everything her bottom touches is wet like she urinated, but it's not urine b/c she still uses her litter box to urinate. The vet performed a uranalasis, x-rays and blood tests but all apreard normal. He couldn't find anything wrong with her although he was very conserned with her dramatic weight loss.  She went from 7lbs to almost 4 lbs in a month! Her bottom is severily wet, her tail looks like a stick and is never dry. She is now eating at her bottom and pulling her hair out even on her hind legs. I've spent so much money for this vet to tell me she's healthy yet she's deterierating right before my eyes. This problem has been going on for months now and she's begining to slow down. Her eyes always look so tired. Yesterday (11/6/05) her wet bottom stoped but now it looks like she's in pain and might have another blockage b/c she's not passing any poop? I even orderd the healthiest rabbit food I could find online today! WHAT MORE CAN I DO? GET A SECOND OPINION THAT I CAN'T AFFORD? I live in the Los Angeles area - know anyone who can help? She is my darling and I just can't watch her go like this!
Answer -
Dear Melinda,

It sounds as if your bunny does have a urinary tract problem, but it might not be a simple infection.  Has any radiography been done to see if she has sludge or a urolith (bladder stone)?  If not, this might be the next step.

However, if she is not eating and not producing poop, you must read this immediately:

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

to save her life.  If your vet is not familiar with the treatment of ileus, you might want to bring this:

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

What is the name of your vet?  Unfortunately, though the L.A. basin is huge, there are relatively few vets in the area who are really good with rabbits.  There is one in particular who has a good reputation, but he really has not kept up with the latest in rabbit medicine, and I no longer send people to him. (I just wonder if that's whom you're seeing?)

Please go here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

to link to a listing for rabbits in the L.A. area who might be better able to help you.

If she is losing a great deal of weight, then it is also possible that she is in renal failure.  Is she drinking excessively and urinating excessively?  If so, that's not a good sign.  Please read:

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

for more information.

Bloodwork would be necessary to determine whether her kidneys are functioning properly or not.  But a chronic kidney infection could cause this type of problem as well as renal failure, if not treated.  Was she on any antibiotics at any time?  

That sort of weight loss suggests that she might be severely dehydrated, so ask your (new) vet about subcutaneous fluid therapy *right away*.  Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance can cause lethargy and may be the reason she is acting "tired."

Has anyone looked at her molars?  The problem may be more than just her renal system.  Her loss of weight could mean that she's not eating for another reason, such as molar spurs.  Please read:

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

I hope this helps for starters.  Please write back if you have more questions.

Dana

DEAR DANA - THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!  U HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH YOUR RESPONSE HELPED ME!  I WANTED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS:

1. Has any radiography been done to see if she has sludge or a urolith (bladder stone)?
- I don't know what a radiography is, but if it's the same thing as an x-ray then yes.  The dr. took an x-ray about a month ago of her stomach and all he could find was some gas buildup.  Nothing big or alarming he said.

2.  What is the name of your vet?
- Dr. Frank Levac: he's very kind, and concerned and follows up well, but he just hasn't given' me any answers which is unsettaling. You mentioned a great vet who you don't refear people to anymore but could I BEG you for that vets name or someone you think I should get a second opinion from.  I'm willing to go as far as an hour drive (i live in westwood near UCLA)!
(Santa Monica/West Los Angeles
Dr. Frank Lavac
Wilshire Animal Hospital
2421 Wilshire Blvd  Santa Monica, CA  
310-828-4587

3.  Is she drinking excessively and urinating excessively?
-Actually this was the case a month ago, but this past week i noticed she's not been drinking as much (which was A LOT which was abnormal for her) and looks like its difficult to urinate.  It looks like a lot of pressure on her.  She straightens out her hind legs and exteends her but out and the whole process looks so forceful, not like before.

4.  Bloodwork would be necessary to determine whether her kidneys are functioning properly or not.
- The dr. already has done blood tests and told me specificaly that her kidneys are fine so he doesn't understand whats going on with her.  She's ALSO had a urianalasis done, which showed some crystals in her urine but he said a proper diet should help that and didn't sound alarmed.

5. Was she on any antibiotics at any time?
-No, never.  Just 20gm of Silvadene cream for her skin iritation to the wet bottom problem.

6. Has anyone looked at her molars?
- No b/c at the time her eating was not an issue. Although she had this wet bottom problem she was still eating regularly.  This is a new thing that has been going on for around 2 weeks now with rapid weight loss! Her butt bones stick out now...

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS AND TIME!  I'D APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK, EVEN SOMETHING FOR ME TO ASK OR GIVE TO MY VET OR NEW VET!

Answer
Dear Melinda,

It sounds as if your bunny has a urinary tract blockage or infection.  Here are three different vets in your area on the House Rabbit Society web site:

Dr. Bronwyn Dawson
Vanderhoof Veterinary Hospital
2235 N. Lake Ave, Suite 101
Altadena, CA 91001
(626) 798-5901

Dr. Sari Kanfer
The Animal House Veterinary Hospital
135 W Foothill Blvd Monrovia, CA
626-303-7881

Dr. Lori Pickell, Dr. Valerie Tesauro
VCA A Breed Apart
777 S Arroyo Parkway, Ste 106 Pasadena, CA
626-795-4444

I know Dr. Kanfer, and she is very good.  Not all that far from you, I hope.  Please take her to one of these vets for a second opinion.  I am betting your bunny has severe sludge or a urolith (bladder stone) that is causing these problems, and some types of stones won't show up on an x-ray (radiography).  

There are medications available that can relax the sphincters of her urinary tract (e.g. Valium) and others that can increase the strength of her bladder muscles.  Please ask about these, and about subQ fluid therapy, if it's not too risky.

A bladder flush might help--but the vet will know best what to do once a full exam has been done.  

I hope this helps!  Please let me know how she does!

Dana