# Help! very sick bunny, not eating, bloody stool?



## shar27 (May 10, 2013)

2 month old holland lop doe. Healthy and eating great up until this point. Noticed she wasn't eating yesterday morning. But drinking more than usual. Yesterday evening, bloody jelly-like stool. Still not eating. Not even hay. This morning, she's looking very boney. Drinking a lot! Not welcoming me as I walk in the room. Not jumping around. Still hasn't eaten. But no new stool. She's drinking twice as much as normal. Seems to just want to lay in water dish. Which she never wants to do before. I flipped her over and there are bright red blood stains on her fur near her tail but not an alarming amount. I gave her a romaine leaf and she nibbled maybe a centimeter off and was done and just laid down. Very lathargic, not her happy cuddly self. Very skinny after not eating for a day. Two days ago she ate a chunk out of a "puppy pad". Those white and blue pads you lay on the ground. I think she mighthave an obstruction maybe? Will this pass or should I be taking immediate action? My first bunny since I was a kid, not sure what to do. Please help.


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## JBun (May 10, 2013)

I would get her into the vet *immediately!* With the blood and mucousy stool, it sounds like she may have coccidiosis. The vet can take a fecal sample to check it for the parasite, and will give you the meds for it if this is what she has. You may also need some critical care food mix so you can syringe feed her until she is feeling well enough to eat on her own again. But get her to the vet today, cocci can be fatal to rabbits. If it does end up being cocci, you will also need to clean her environment as much as possible with a 10% ammonia solution, as any remaining parasites can reinfect her after being treated.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f28/finding-vet-13366/
http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

This is from the Medirabbit website:

Coccidiosis is a highly contagious sporozoal infection in rabbits, with low prognosis of healing. It is caused by a protozoal parasite, _Eimeria__ sp.. _As many as 25 species of coccidia have been observed in the gastrointestinal tract of the rabbit; it should, however, be noted that in some cases, one and the same coccidia has been given several names. _Eimeria_ sp. parasites are highly host, organ and tissue specific and do rarely represent a zoonotic danger for human beings 
Healthy rabbits can be asymptomatic "carriers" of the protozoa. The oocysts (eggs), shed with the feces, will contaminate the environment, food and water. Although the disease occurs essentially in intensively managed animals, especially younger ones, it appears also in well cared for rabbits. General hygienic measures indicate that rabbits should be given a dry rather than moist pellets, washed fresh vegetables and plenty of fresh water; in these conditions coccidiosis in unlikely to appear. When several rabbits are housed together, it is recommended to avoid putting food on the ground or to let several rabbits eat each other&#8217;s soft cecals. 
The parasite has a life-cycle, which lasts 4 to 14 days. It starts after oral ingestion of food contaminated by oocysts. The oocyst wall will be broken down in the stomach and spores will be released. The presence of biliary and pancreatic enzymes in the duodenal portion of the intestine stimulates the spores.
After actively entering the cells lining the intestinal wall, the spore will start to divide asexually during one or more stages (schizogony). "Merozoites" (stage of development) will be released to infest other cells of the intestinal mucosa. The final stage of schizogony leads to the formation of gametes, enabling sexual reproduction. Oocytes are shed in the feces. 
The asexual and sexual stages differ often in their location, organ and tissue specificities.
The presence of coccidoa will affect the hosting cell; some are inhibited in their function, other are hypertrophied. Induced villi atrophy will lead to malabsorption of nutrients, electrolyte disbalance, anemia, hypoproteinemia, and dehydration due to the epithelial erosion and ulceration.
*Clinical signs*

The severity of coccidiosis depends on the number of ingested oocytes. Clinical signs are reduced appetite, depression, abdominal pain and pale watery mucous membranes, but they can be absent in older rabbits. Inspection of the feces often reveals blood and threads of mucus. Young rabbits present a retarded growth, due to side effects on the kidney and the liver in particular. 
Hematological studies show a reduced hemoglobin and RBC count, accompanied by a significant increase of PCV and total WBC. Serum analysis show decreased levels of sodium and chloride, and increased levels of potassium. This electrolyte disbalance can be attributed to diarrhea. Serum calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and glucose are usually slightly lower than in healthy animals and may indicate malnutrition due to intestinal damage, or secondary bacterial infection. Liver coccidiosis is accompanied by significant elevation of serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). Values return to normal after appropriate treatment.
*Diagnosis*


Coccidiosis is very difficult to diagnose. It can be done by fecal flotation, by identifying the oocysts in the feces, or under the microscope by counting the coccidia per gram of feces. Coccidian oocytes may be difficult to differentiate from the rabbit-specific yeast, _Cyniclomyces__ guttulatus_.
If tests confirm the presence of _E. intestinalis, E. flavescens, E. irresidua _and _E. piriformis__, _treatment should start immediately
*Treatment*

Treatment of hepatic coccidiosis is difficult and the disease may remain present for life. The anti-coccidiosis treatment is successful only for rabbits infected since 5 to 6 days. Even if the treatment is successful, mortality and diarrhea will continue during the next few days. Relapse is regularly observed after 1 or 2 weeks.
Robenidine hydrochloride is well tolerated by rabbits, but its regular preventive use over the last 20 years has raised resistance of e.g. _E. media _and _E. magna_ toward this compound. Further drugs used to treat the parasite include:
Sulfonamide and trimethoprim antibiotics have proven efficacious in the treatment of coccidiosis. They should only be used to cure the disease, never as a preventive measure. The most effective drug is sulphadimethoxine (0.5 to 0.7 g / liter water). It is the well tolerated by pregnant and nursing does. Other sulpha drugs include:
· sulphaquinoxaline in drinking water: 1 g / liter;
· sulphadimerazine in drinking water: 2 g / liter.
· Salinomycine (Bio-Cox®);
· Diclazuril (Clinicox®);
· Toltrazuril (Baycox®), 2.5 to 5 mg/kg (higher doses cause anorexia), twice, repeat after 5 days.
Treatment is best administrated to all the rabbits during a minimum of 5 days. The treatment should be repeated after 5 days. 

Treatment of the environment is important (e.g. 10% ammonia). Water crocks and feed hoppers should be disinfected and remain free of rabbit feces. When treating a carpet, vacuum first in order to further penetration of the anticoccidial product. During treatment of the environment, rabbits should be kept in another part of the home to avoid the danger of contact with the products and possible intoxication.


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## shar27 (May 10, 2013)

Thanks ill be sure to tell the vet this. I made appointment for 4 today. That's the earliest they can do. I made ten calls before I found a vet that knos about rabbits. She's geting worse. Stool is now almost completely transparent and bright red. I'm very worried. :'(


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## ladysown (May 10, 2013)

she ate part of a puppy pad?

sounds like she did some damage to herself. You'll need to get that out of her.


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## tolstoibunny (May 10, 2013)

Until you can get her to the vet you should make her drink as much as possible. Give luke warm water from syringe several times an hour if she doesn't keep drinking on her own. It's very important since her stool is so liquid. Poor little bunny, she is very ill. I really hope she pulls through.


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## JBun (May 10, 2013)

Your rabbits condition sounds critical. If you can get her in any sooner that would be best. I really think this is now an emergency situation and she needs to be seen asap. If you can't get in any sooner with this vet, take a look at the rabbit vet links in my previous post. You may be able to find another rabbit vet that is near your location that you will be able to get into immediately.


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## Zeroshero (May 10, 2013)

Most exotics vets allow for emergency appointments, of course with an additional fee but I do not believe that any vet given the severity of her condition would make her wait for a regular appointment. If it is the receptionist you are talking to I suggest asking to speak to the vet. Best wishes for a good outcome for your bun.


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## HEM (May 10, 2013)

That poor bunny needs to see a VET ASPA!!! She seems very sick
Please get her to a vet
We hope she pulls through this


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## woahlookitsme (May 10, 2013)

Mucous in the stool can be an indicator of mucoid enteropathy which is fatal majority of the time. Blood can be an indicator of an obstruction.

I really hope this rabbit was rushed to the vet and not waited on for an appointment. . .How is she?


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## shar27 (May 11, 2013)

Update! Took her to vet yesterday a couple hours early. Vet got her sub q fluids, and a fecel sample immediatly. Not parasites. Vet believes she is having digestion problems due to lack of proper diet. Turns out I was feeding her timothy when I should have been giving her alfalfa hay. Which I didn't know. Breeder said to feed hay but didn't say what type. I should have asked. I am to feed her 6cc of critical care food every 6 hours, as well as .12cc of metoclopramide suspension and .25cc metronidazole suspension every 8 and 12 hours. Also 1cc benebac pet get every 12 hours. Follow up in 3 days. Hope she makes a turn around.


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## Zeroshero (May 12, 2013)

I am happy to hear the vet got her in sooner and her fecal was negative. You stated before that she might have injested a foreign substance, did the vet reccomend an x-ray to rule out an obstruction? How is she doing now? With the GI issues I have gone through with my bun and everything I have read I am confused how timothy hay would be an improper diet. How did the vet recommend you incorporate alfalfa into her diet? 

I sure hope she pulls through, will keep her in my thoughts.


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## Thumperina (May 12, 2013)

shar27 said:


> Update! Took her to vet yesterday a couple hours early. Vet got her sub q fluids, and a fecel sample immediatly. Not parasites. Vet believes she is having digestion problems due to lack of proper diet. Turns out I was feeding her timothy when I should have been giving her alfalfa hay. Which I didn't know. Breeder said to feed hay but didn't say what type. I should have asked. I am to feed her 6cc of critical care food every 6 hours, as well as .12cc of metoclopramide suspension and .25cc metronidazole suspension every 8 and 12 hours. Also 1cc benebac pet get every 12 hours. Follow up in 3 days. Hope she makes a turn around.


that's good. How is she feeling? 

Sounds strange that just a type of hay could cause such a problem.


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## missyscove (May 12, 2013)

Sounds like more than just a diet problem to me too. If she was on a good quality pellet, a grass hay should be okay although generally alfalfa is the recommendation for young rabbits. 
If you can fit it in your schedule, it's best to give a probiotic (your benebac) at least 3 hours apart from the antibiotic (metronidazole) otherwise the antibiotic will just kill the good bacteria you're trying to get in before it has a chance to do any good.


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## tolstoibunny (May 12, 2013)

There's no way she would get bloody stool from eating timothy hay. Are you sure your vet knows rabbit issues?


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## shar27 (May 12, 2013)

I took her to a vet that specializes in exotics, including rabbits. I was pleased with the care she had received when I went and the whole staff seems knowledgable. I would feed her kaytee brand pellets with timothy but vet stated in rabbits younger than 6 months alfalfa should be main source of food and pellets should represent maybe 10% of her diet. I was doing it backwards with more pellets and only some timothy. Now I wll always make sure she has a full bowl of pellets AND a large amount of ALFALFA at all times. Today 'Dahlia' is alert and greets me again when I walk into the room. I opened her cage and she actually wanted to roam around a bit. Starting to nibble on some alfalfa (nothing serious) and enjoys taking her meds. Follow up appointment Tuesday. Staying hopeful!


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## JBun (May 12, 2013)

I'm glad it wasn't coccidiosis. It sounds like your rabbit had mucoid enteritis. It can be a pretty serious thing for young rabbits to get, and can even be fatal. So I'm really glad you got her in right away and got treatment, and that she seems to be feeling better. Your vet is right about it being caused by the diet. Sometimes rabbits will get too many sugars and carbs in their diet, either from too many treats or pellets, and that can cause an imbalance of bad bacteria in the gut. I'm fairly certain your vet didn't mean that the timothy hay was the cause of this. Timothy hay won't cause a disruption to the bacterial balance, like the sugars and carbs in treats and pellets will. Because of this, you don't want to be filling up the bowl of pellets and free feeding them. Even though you are feeding unlimited alfalfa hay, your rabbit will most likely still eat more pellets, as most rabbits like the taste of them best. It might be good to clarify this point with your vet, as from your explanation of pellets comprising 10% of the diet, you should be feeding a limited amount of pellets with the unlimited hay. The pellets should also be just plain alfalfa based pellets, without added treat pieces.

You'll also want to monitor how your rabbit does with the sudden introduction of alfalfa hay into her diet. Alfalfa hay is often recommended for young rabbits, because of the extra protein and calcium it provides, but some rabbits can't tolerate alfalfa without it causing digestive upset, and typically alfalfa hay needs to be introduced slowly into the diet, as it can sometimes cause soft poop and digestive upset if introduced too quickly. So this is something to keep an eye on. I would suggest still feeding her a little bit of the timothy hay. When she is full grown and you have to wean her off of alfalfa hay and onto timothy hay again, you'll be glad you did it, as alfalfa hay tastes better to rabbits and can make them kind of picky about their hay, and can make it really hard to switch them off of the alfalfa and onto grass hay. So I've found that continuing to feed them a little of the timothy as well, keeps them used to the taste of it and makes it easier when you have to stop the alfalfa.

Here's a little info on some of what your bunny has gone through. I thought it might help you understand better what happened and why.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Generalities/Enteritis_en.htm
http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/scivac/2005/Harcourt4_en.pdf?LA=1


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## KeltonB (May 12, 2013)

Great news! Thanks for the update...hope she continues to improve!


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## HEM (May 12, 2013)

Thats good news
Keep us posted on how she is doing


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## Nancy McClelland (May 13, 2013)

ray:


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