Urgent- Doe with something protruding after birth

[oliveoil]

First time holland lop doe kindled this morning, found 1 live and 1 dead in nest box and one with the lower half of it's body gone, bloody and chewed on the wire.

My guess is she gave birth to the live kit, the second got stuck and she chewed it loose and the last kit suffocated during delivery.

The doe has a huge red swollen vulva which seems to be getting bigger as the day goes. I thought it might be a retained, stuck placenta so I flipped her over and gently pushed to see if it would move, it just swelled up more and looked like it would explode.

Gave her parsley. She's trying to push it out but nothing is happening. I've dealt with stuck kits but this isn't a kit so I'm not sure what to do. Can this be her uterus? Is it possible for a doe to push out her uterus? I've only been breading a couple of years so this is new to me.

Trying to locate an emergency vet that treats rabbits on Sunday, no luck.

Please help!

 

[AmysMacdog]

Hi Oliveoil
Yes it can be her uterus but I've never delt with a "prolapsed uterus" myself either. Is there any way you can post pictures of it for the other more experienced folks to see?
Also while your waiting for a response, you can check into the older threads, chances are some info will be in there or google it.
Hope she feels better soon.

 

[Cottie]

Could she possibly have one stuck farther up? Maybe the vulva is inflamed due to a varicosity. Not sure it's possible, just throwing out an idea.

 

[Ivory]

You can see pictures of a prolapse here:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_di ... olapse.htm

 

[oliveoil]

New development, as we were taking pictures, she started pushing and a foot appeared and then disappeared!
It's either the bottom half of the chewed kit or a fourth kit stuck. I assumed she ate half of the kit earlier, but maybe she chewed through it and the other half is still inside. Sorry, I know that's gross.

My husband is working on posting the picture, you can see the foot poking out. We tried to grab it but couldn't get a grasp.

If it's the other half of the kit, I'm guessing a fatal infection is imminent (from what I've read, never experienced before). What should I do?

 

[Miss M]

You can clean up very thoroughly, and get some oil -- mineral oil if you have it, vegetable oil if you don't.

Gently work oil into the area, and up inside. Some lubrication might help her get the kits out.

__________ Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:26 pm __________

Give her some Tums, especially if you have fruit flavor she should take it.

Berry bramble leaves (blackberries, raspberries, etc.) are supposed to help, I think, and lavender? Trying to remember.<br /><br />__________ Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:28 pm __________<br /><br />Oil the suspected prolapsed tissue, as well, to help keep it from drying out, and hopefully keep it from dying. When she is finished, you may be able to push it back inside. (More oil.)

It may not stay, though, and she would have a high likelihood of recurrence if you bred her again.

 

[Dood]

It is likely another whole kit. Otherwise the 1/2 kit went all the way back to the uterus and rotated to come out feet first.

If it is a front foot the kit is not in the correct position and you should try and push it back into the uterus and get it come out head first.

If it is hind foot first it is breech and the back of its head may not be able to wedge it's way through the birth canal. I have never had success at rotating g a breech kit.

I have had does who gave birth to mostly decomposed kits that were stuck for upto 3 days. I put them on a few days of antibiotics and they were fine but I never give a doe who has stuck kits a second chance unless the kit was abnormally large so they were usually culled unless I could find a home I trusted to spay her.

Sorry you are going through this and I hope everything works out but stuck kits are now considered normal an something you have to deal with in the small breeds.

 

[oliveoil]

Okay, here's the picture.

We will try the oil. We've dealt with stuck kits before but never like this!

 

[Dood]

I wonder if she damaged herself trying to get the eaten one out.

 

[luvabunny]

I would use whatever you have to (tweezers, pliers, etc) to get ahold of at least one foot and GENTLY try to help her out with it. Getting both would be best but it appears one is better located.
Use the olive or mineral oil. Tug gently when she contracts. The baby is likely dead anyway so you won't be hurting it.
I agree with the others. No second chances for does with problem deliveries. If you can't get the kit removed, I would go ahead and dispose of her and not let her suffer.

 

[oliveoil]

Update:

We were able to pull a fourth kit, fully formed (dead of course) and the doe is jumping around her cage, eating and drinking.

Hopefully the swelling will go down and she will recover, never to be bred again.

Should I give her an antibiotic?