My rabbit looks like he is constipated and all the pet stores are closed. Is there a remedy i can make to help it feel better? I cant take it to the vet because it is closed ! Help me please. He has never gotten sick.
2006-10-07 13:58:38 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Yes, rabbits can get urine infections and constipation. Make sure the bunny always has water available. Give him lots of greens like Romaine lettuce, carrot tops, and fresh parsley. He should have no more than 1/2 cup of pellets a day. If you notice that he has not pooped for more than a day or two, take him to the vet ASAP because he might need surgery for intestinal blockage.
2006-10-07 14:01:45 · answer #1 · answered by Blue Jean 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits can get urine infections. How have you determined your rabbit is constipated? No droppings? If there is no droppings then a hairball may be causing the problem. Give it a papaya tablet to take care of it. The rabbit should eat the papaya tablet almost like it is candy. You can find papaya tablets at almost any health food store.
I've raised a herd of about 150-200 rabbits for over 24 years.
2006-10-10 14:15:04 · answer #2 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have a PetSmart or a PetCo in your area ? They have clinics that maybe open over the weekend. Call them first. If not, most cities have an emergency Vet. number you can call and bring your pet into .. Check with your local information. Emergency Vets. are expensive, but if you think the rabbit is about to die .. then you better bring him in. Good Luck to you!! :)
2006-10-07 21:01:41 · answer #3 · answered by tysavage2001 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I got a urnine infection once... DRINK YOUR CRANBERRY JUICE!!! Makes you have to urinate a lot, flush it out. Get the rabbit to drink a lot if he acts like he has a urine infection. Maybe carrot juice or something, I don't know what rabbits love to drink.
Constipated rabbit? Never heard of it.
2006-10-07 21:02:52 · answer #4 · answered by Nick 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, rabbits get urinary tract infections, but it could be lots of things. If you rabbit hasn't pooped in 12 hours he needs to get to a rabbit savvy vet asap as that is very serious. I see that you can't get him to a vet, so until you can, hand feed him hay as much as you can, as well as greens...try his favorites, like cilantro or parsley. Is he drinking? if not, dip the greens in water and see if that helps.
You also might want to add a little bit of sugar free fruit juice to his water (try 1 part fruit juice to 7 parts water). It is important to NOT add extra sugar.
And call a vet to get him in first thing Monday.
see:
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Urogenital_main.htm
Here are several articles about why your bunny isn't eating....or you think your bunny is sick....could be lots of things but one of these article may help, I hope so!
http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Dana/ileus.html, or http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html and click in the article for the version for vets: also see: http://www.rabbitcare.org/ileus.pdf
Others include:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=484
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-7/gi.html
The Anorexic Rabbit, Frances Harcourt Brown, BVSc, MRCVS: http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&Author=1892
Bloat: Not GI Stasis, but bloat can also cause your bunny to stop eating: http://www.bunnylu.org/bloat.html
Is my bunny sick? http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html
Help! My rabbit is sick and I can’t reach my vet! -- Mary Cotter in consultation with Dr. Gil Stanzione http://www.petfinder.com/journalindex.cgi?path=/public/animalcare/samllanimal/1.3.287.txt
Overview of rabbit diseases: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=471&S=5&SourceID=43
2006-10-08 21:43:02 · answer #5 · answered by Martha G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Red Urine
Rabbits' urine varies in color from clear to yellow to brown to bright red. This is usually not a cause for alarm unless there are additional signs such as sitting and straining to urinate, loss of appetite or temperature. When you see red urine, don't panic. Just keep your eyes open for other signs that might indicate a problem. If in doubt, you can have your veterinarian test to see whether there is blood in the urine.
Amoxicillin Danger
Never let a veterinarian give your rabbit amoxicillin. It is a pink liquid antibiotic that smells like bubble gum. Amoxicillin is very dangerous for rabbits, and has killed many more than it has helped. Any penicillin-based drug can be dangerous for your rabbit, so try to find a veterinarian who is knowledgeable about rabbit-safe antibiotics, and who is familiar with the safer drugs such as Chloramphenicol, Tetracycline, sulfa-drugs based like Septra or TMS, or enrofloxins such as Baytril or Cipro.
Cedar and Pine Shavings
These are very bad for your rabbit and other pets. The aromatic hydrocarbons produced from softwood beddings can cause both respiratory and liver damage in rabbits and other small animals. Use organic litter in the litter box and put newspaper in the cage tray.
Teeth
Rabbits' teeth can be misaligned. This condition is known as malocclusion, which means that a rabbit's constantly-growing teeth are not wearing down properly. If the misalignment is bad, the teeth will need to be clipped periodically so that the rabbit can eat. Your veterinarian can do this for you, or can show you how to do it at home. Usually malocclusion just strikes the front teeth, but occasionally, the back teeth can also be misaligned. One indication of this is a wet chin that is caused by drooling. If this is the case, your rabbit will need his molars trimmed by a veterinarian on a regular basis.
Hairballs
Rabbits shed their hair every three months. Every second shedding is light, followed three months later by a heavy shedding. This is an important factor in rabbit deaths. You need to brush and comb your rabbit to get the hair off of them when they start to shed. Rabbits groom themselves like cats and will ingest all of the loose hair, which they cannot vomit as can cats. For this reason, besides regular grooming, they must have constant access to fresh hay every day, as the fiber helps the hair pass through the digestive system. You can also give your rabbit cat hairball preparations such as Petromalt or Laxatone once a week when not shedding and daily during their molt. Finally, daily exercise is another important factor in the prevention of hairballs.
Surgeries
Make sure your rabbit is in good health prior to elective surgeries. Food and water should not be removed from a rabbit the evening before surgery! Any change in diet can upset a rabbit's sensitive digestive tract and cause problems in post- operative recovery.
One of the reasons some veterinarians recommend removing animals' food before surgery is the possibility that they may vomit. Rabbits cannot throw up, thus this is not a concern. Additionally, some veterinarians are concerned about spaying rabbits with a full cecum. Unfortunately, the cecum would take 3-4 days of fasting to empty out, and by that time, the rabbit would be dead. So please, do not fast your rabbit before surgery!
After surgery, make sure the rabbit's cage is clean, and check her incision site daily for swelling or discharge. Do everything you can to get your rabbit to eat again as soon as possible after returning home. To coax him to eat again, you may have to offer a variety of treats, including his regular pellets and hay. If your rabbit has not eaten for 48 hours after surgery, consult your veterinarian.
Bacterial Infections
The first indication of an infection may be a runny nose or eye, sometimes a high temperature, sometimes a rattling sound from the lungs or (rarely) a coughing sound. It is important to see your veterinarian as soon as the first symptoms of any infection appear, as they are more easily cured when caught in the early stages. The bacteria you may hear the most about is called Pasteurella. This used to be a major problem, but with the newer antibiotics, this bacteria can often be eliminated. And, if not totally eliminated, it can be controlled with the use of long term antibiotics. Most of the symptoms described are quite common for many types of bacteria, so it is important to have your veterinarian do a culture to determine exactly what is being treated.
Digestive Problems
The following symptoms require that you see your veterinarian immediately. Diarrhea--as in human children, diarrhea in rabbits can be fatal. Rabbits have various kinds of diarrhea, if it's runny, messy and smelly it's easy to identify. A more subtle form of diarrhea (which does not require the urgency of runny diarrhea) is when the droppings appear to be normal, but "squash" when you touch or sweep them up. You may also see "clumpy" diarrhea. This will be the consistency of silly putty, with normal round droppings mixed in. Diarrhea usually requires antibiotics from your veterinarian. Other signs to watch for are loud tummy growling, small and/or misshapen droppings or no droppings at all. See your veterinarian if any of these symptoms appear. (Veterinarians often misdiagnose this problem as being a hairball.)
Primary Author(s): Sandi Ackerman
Sources: HRH, various articles from the HRJ
2) Diarrhea/constipation: Both of these can be extremely dangerous in a rabbit. A few soft stools just noticed today should not necessarily set off the alarm bell. But severe watery diarrhea may lead to dehydration even overnight. Conversely, scant hard fecal pellets indicate a possible obstruction or other gastrointestinal problem. If it has been two days since you have seen any pellets in the litter box and you know your veterinarian is closed for the weekend, the rabbit should certainly be seen at an emergency facility.
2006-10-07 21:23:06 · answer #6 · answered by steamroller98439 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A very tiny sliver of IVORY soap up his butt, and get him to drink lots and lots of water. Good luck. How does a constipated rabbit look anyway?
2006-10-07 21:01:30 · answer #7 · answered by Mittys Momma 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
feed him strickly hay/pellets
give him sime laxatone to help the constipation
no veggies for awhile..
see the vet
2006-10-07 21:00:42 · answer #8 · answered by mommy2savannah51405 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
2 a python
2006-10-07 21:07:13 · answer #9 · answered by inkslinger00743 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Hare of ther dog
2006-10-07 20:59:21 · answer #10 · answered by Up your Maslow 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋