3 wk old Kit with Swollen Vent, White Pus

[Teddy2511]

This is the first time that I've run into a problem like this, and I'm not sure what to do about it. :shock:

One of my does has a singleton kit that is about 3 weeks old now. I have been taking the kit out daily and holding it and checking the vent every few days to a week.

Just yesterday I noticed that the kit's vent was just a swollen bubble! (I had not checked the vent for a couple of days before.) I cannot get anything to protrude when I apply pressure and there is white pus that oozes from the vent when I do.
There is also a little bit of matted fur behind the vent, probably matted with pus.

There is a slight smell around the kit's rear end, but I can't tell if it is normal pee/poo/scent gland smell or the smell of pus.

The kit is acting normal hopping around the cage with mom, and it only objects when I apply pressure to its vent area. Otherwise he/she is a very sweet mild-mannered little baby.

Does anyone have any idea of what this could be and how I can treat it?
I've never had a kit with this problem!

 

[ladysown]

I've seen it.

Usually means they've gotten some dirt in there.

Clean it out daily (2-5 times a day if you can manage the time).
usually for about three days if you drop ONE drop of penicillin on it (holding kit upside down until it sinks in) it will clear up just fine.

Just like with any animal showing signs of things amiss as a kit, do not retain this kit for breeding purposes.

Should add... trim all the hair away from their privates will help keep them clean and will promote quicker healing.

 

[Teddy2511]

Thanks, ladysown! I've wiped away some of the pus and I'll try what you've recommended. She is already doing a bit better. Hopefully it clears up completely.

Do you think this can't be used for breeding? She is the only survivor of a litter that was important to my breeding program and I was planning to keep her as a brood doe. If I had to sell her, could I sell her as bendable?
She looks almost normal now...

 

[MaggieJ]

I think what Ladysown means (and I agree) is that you should choose your breeding stock from the very healthiest of your rabbits in order to avoid setting certain weaknesses and tendencies toward health problems in your rabbits. We believe you can "breed out" tendencies toward ailments such as nest box eye, pasteurella and many others by consistently removing rabbits showing health problems from one's breeding program.

If this rabbit is very important to your breeding program, you may decide to make an exception, but you want to do so in full awareness of the possible risk. If you decide to go ahead, be very vigilant of signs of illness or weaknesses in any of her offspring and make very sure that you do not use them as breeders.

I hope Ladysown will come back and expand on this subject. She has far more experience with "breeding out" traits than I do, since my small rabbitry has always been just to provide meat for our own table.

 

[ottersatin]

Hello Teddy,
sorry to hear that you are having such a problem.
Just my opinion, but I would not sell any Rabbit
that showed any sign of illness. If you do, it just
might come back to Bite you where the Sun does not shine!
If you choose to try it in your breeding program, use much caution
and keep a close eye on any offspring. If the same reappears in
the breeder or the Kits I would CULL the whole lot. It is just not
worth risking the whole herd for one or two Rabbits!
I realize that at this point, you are caught between a Rock and a Hard Place!
Best of luck with whatever steps you take.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[ladysown]

I don't keep ANY kits that show any signs of health issues as babies...
- nestbox eye
- overly dirty bums as babies - mind I do trim at 2-3 weeks all the fur around the bums of my hollands as they seem to be prone to it regardless of what I do.
- sneezing
- eating issues
- weak/small kits
- sore feet
- snorting feed
- water bowl sitters
- pussy vent

NONE of it stays.

The result from that is the following
1. I rarely get nestbox eye (used to get whole litters with it WITH OR WITHOUT cleaning nestboxes out.
2. no sneezing bunnies.
3. haven't had even one kit die during two seasonal weather changes due to entropathic illnesses
4. only one kit in the past six months with a pussy vent
5. no rabbits (as adults) choking on feed --- that just drove me batty that.

Some I will sell to pet homes stating clearly... this is a PET rabbit, I do not recommend breeding from this bunny.

IF people choose to ignore that statement it is on THEIR head not mine. I won't buy any progeny back from them either. I'll take 'em back and toss them into the critter food freezer though.

 

[Teddy2511]

Hm, I'm not really sure what I will decide.

Her vent was swollen when posted this topic, and the total duration of her swollen and slightly pussy vent was about 1 week or just under. She looks normal now.
Is there any chance that it could have just been an irritation?

I plan on keeping her until she is about 12 weeks and evaluating her then. If she exactly what I am looking for in body type and color, I will keep her and hope it was nothing serious.
If her body type/conformation isn't good enough for me to want to keep her and risk it, then I will sell her either as a pet or a (fully disclosed) brood doe.

She is a blue doe and a chocolate carrier. That combination isn't easy to come by for breeders around here, along with good type, so I won't sell her flippantly.

 

[squidpop]

You could breed her and then when she has babies- hopefully a larger litter to choose from, and if it happens again just don't pick any baby with a weakness in that litter, so you'll still be breeding out the weakness just one generation later.