Tummy troubles

Question
Hi! I just recently acquired an adorable mini lop, named Bonnie. She's about 8 weeks old. She has been doing okay accept for chewing (and eating)carpet. She is a house bunny. We let her roam around as she pleases and we keep her cage in the living room. We keep it open so she can eat and drink when she wants.

I'm worried because she has been excreting this mysterious looking fluid. I can't tell if it's coming from her bladder or the other end. Sometimes it's a coffee colored liquid, but yesterday it came out yellow (it's not urine, it's thicker). When it dries, it turns white. She has the normal round droppings with it also, so I'm not sure if it's diarreah or not. My Fiance and I are not home for the majority of the day so I'm not sure if she's eating weird stuff that we're not aware of. She does chew a lot of carpet though. We're giving her normal rabbit pellets, alfalfa, and occasional ice berg lettuce.

Do you have any idea what this weird liquid is that she's excreting? It's freaking me out. I'm not sure if we should take her to the vet or not. I reall appreciate your help. I will look forward to your response. Thanks a bunch! =)

Best Regards,
Megan Kilpatrick
805-684-1199, X: 2307  

Answer
Dear Megan,

The coffee-colored liquid sounds like runny stool/liquid cecotropes, which should be considered a serious health problem in such a young bunny.  An 8 week old rabbit is very susceptible to intestinal troubles, and eating carpet will not help.  You absolutely *must* not allow her to eat carpet.  It could kill her.

The runny stool is also a potentially life-threatening problem in such a little baby.  Please read the following immediately:

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

and get her to a good rabbit vet ASAP:

www.rabbit.org/vets

It's good that she's still acting normal, but diarrhea and cecal dysbiosis can sap her strength and damage her liver very quickly, with relatively sudden onset of symptoms.  I would not take any chances.

The yellow liquid you described as drying to a chalky consistency is urine.  Rabbits excrete excess calcium in their urine, and if it's thick and very dark, bunny may already be suffering from dehydration due to the runny stool.  Please waste no time in getting her to a good vet for subcutaneous fluid therapy and possibly cholestyramine resin to adsorb any toxins in her intestines that could cause enteritis and further complications.

I don't mean to alarm you, but this could be very serious, and it's important to get her to the vet before she starts acting sick.  Once that happens, her chances of recovery are not as good.

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

Dana