# Effects of electrolyte/electrolite



## Luv-bunniz (Nov 5, 2008)

I was wondering if anybody had any info on giving electrolite/electrolyte to rabbits, why, when, how, its effects etc? 
Just curious


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## bunnybunbunb (Nov 7, 2008)

I had to once. I had a girl that got ill and with no rabbit savvy vets near(the one I use to go to killed to many of my babies, that is another story though) so I scrambled and did everything I could think of including giving electrolyte stuff. She made it and went to a pet home in Indiana with a family ofsix kids and one other rabbit. They had a rabbit savvy vet near them so that was great


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## BlueGiants (Nov 7, 2008)

I've used both fruit flavored and non flavored Pedialyte for rabbits that have been off feed or anyone that starts with diarrhea. 

Anything I can do to get fluids into them and sometimes they are more willing to drink the pedialyte. I'll give them as much as they want. When they are eating again and I think theywill drink on their own, I'll mix the pedialyte 50/50 with water for a day or two, then switch them to plain water. 

I have no scientific data to support it, but I think they seem to come back faster with the Pedialyte...


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## Maureen Las (Nov 7, 2008)

electrolytes stabilize a a rabbit's body when the bun is notgetting enough fluid or nutrition through food. -- or is in a stressful physical situation like heat ot surgery 
if a bun is not eating or drinking they deplete potassium needed for heart conductivity and also muscle function, sodium chloride , magnesium etc
this link discusses human's need for electrolytes but it isvery similar to all mammals including rabbits...

http://health.howstuffworks.com/question565.htm


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## MyBabyBunnies (Nov 7, 2008)

I have personally never given electrolytes to rabbits but there are times when it is warranted such as a rabbit not drinking (dehydrated) or suffering from heat exhaustion or if they have diarrhea. I worked with horses for a few years and electrolytes wereare given to horses that are being exercised a lot to help replenish their systems after exercise. (It's like drinking Gatorade for an athlete.)

I could go into an indepth description of what they do but it probably wouldn't make sense (I've taken 4 university chemistry coursesand now understand what they are, lol) and I really can't simplify it.

Personally I don't think rabbits need it unless it's one of the reasons above. I wouldn't recommend using it without a reason. But that's my personal opinion -- if it's not broken, don't fix it!


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## Haley (Nov 7, 2008)

Im going to move this to health/nutrition since its not a rabbitry question 

I give pedialyte when I have a bunny with stasis/GI issues, dehydration or a bun with diahrea since it rehydrates them when theyre losing fluid. My bunnies love it and will lap it right up.


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## superchar42 (Nov 15, 2008)

When Brigitte was ill and on a lot of antibiotics, I gave her 1/4 cup of electrolyte solution with a splash of cranberry juice daily. Unfortunately, at that time, she had to be force fed anything that I gave her so I don't know how much she enjoyed it but the cranberry is supposed to make it taste better. Hopefully it did. I know she liked it when I mixed it with some pumpkin, but that's because she really liked pumpkin (unflavored, unseasoned plain jane pumpkin from a can, btw). 

I hope this helps.


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## JadeIcing (Nov 16, 2008)

I have for my bunnies, guinea pigs and even one of our family dogs. The vet said if it wasn't for that our dog wouldn't have made it through the night.


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## Luv-bunniz (Nov 22, 2008)

Thanks guys 

Reason I asked was because a few months ago I was looking at Bird Of Prey breeders and a few were saying they gave the birds electolyte when they moved them - from breeding chamber to indoor hack pen, from indoor hackpen to outdoor hack pen, from outdoor hack pen to indoor hack pen, then from indoor hack pen to new owners since they didnt take moving to well, and was wondering about the same with rabbits (except, obviously smaller doses) and whether it would be any good especially for older rabbits that have grown up a home and never been to a different place ?


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## Maureen Las (Nov 23, 2008)

It would be the same principle..

to use it in times of stress for the animal
there is a liquid in the UK that I believe is sold in the UK called Dirolyte ( or something similar)that is similar to our pedialyte


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## Luv-bunniz (Nov 24, 2008)

angieluv wrote:


> It would be the same principle..
> 
> to use it in times of stress for the animal
> there is a liquid in the UK that I believeÂ  is sold in the UK called Dirolyte ( or something similar)Â that is similar Â to our pedialyte



Yup, there is but I would have never thought of using it in animals, for one it tastes like mouldy fruit  . But it does say on a few websites its used for rehydration in kittens.


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