Mom is giving kits diarrhea

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AmberRae

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I have a first time mom that kit's got diarrhea at 48 hours old. They were very dehydrated looking. Their bellies were full but very wrinkled hanging skin. I wasn't sure why the kits had diarrhea. The day before I fed the kits some nigerian goats milk because I felt like they looked a little skinny and just wanted to supplement them a bit. I thought maybe this was the cause. I also thought they might have gotten too hot in the Florida weather. After I noticed the diarrhea on day two I brought the kits in AC and stopped the goats milk. The next 36 hours I fed the kits twice a day on 2 other does I have in milk. The diarrhea completely cleared up and that night in the cool weather I brought them back to their mother. The next morning they had diarrhea again. Has anybody ever had a doe's milk give their kits diarrhea? I have never had this happen.
 
I also wanted to note the mom appears very healthy and no diarrhea herself or from any of my other rabbits. I always give my rabbits an array of fruit and veggie treats but stopped giving her anything besides hay and pellets just in case the treats were making her milk bad. I haven't even been giving her calf mana which all my does with kits get everyday. This has me so confused. I am really curious what she is passing to the kits in her milk and if this would happen again if she had another litter. She such a good momma too! I feel horrible for taking her babies from her.
 
That is a great suggestion. I haven't even checked for that and I definitely should have. I will check asap.
 
AmberRae, I've been thinking a lot about this and upon rereading the article below, thought it might be a good idea to post the link. You've probably come across it before, but on reading it I am wondering if the contamination might be in the doe's cage rather than in the doe's milk. Again, just a thought.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html
 
Thank you Maggie, This article is great. The diarrhea has almost completely cleared up and I have them back on mom's milk as of late last night. They were still okay this morning. I will definitely be switching them to another cage and disinfect it thoroughly first. I appreciate the help :)
 
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