Bleeding Post Kindling

[carolnoel50]

I have a Holland Lop doe that kindled on December 6th. I was on hand to see that she was having trouble and when I pulled the nestbox closer to have a look, there was a lot of blood on the floor of the cage. I wasn't sure if she was finished but had to remove her to have a look and I found 2 live kits, 2 undeveloped dead kits and one that was still inside the sac and lifeless. I wrapped the doe in a towel and washed her bottom but found no stuck kits. After cleaning the mess, I put her back with the 2 kits and she recovered and has been an excellent mother to the 2 healthy babies. However, on 3 occasions I have found blood on the floor of her cage, the last time being 4 days ago and the amount was considerable. I wonder if anyone has any idea what her problem is and, if you've experienced this with a doe, what was the outcome. Should she be bred in future or should I retire her?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

:welcome:

Hi CarolNoel! Welcome to RabbitTalk- hopefully you will have happier reasons for posting in the future.

I have never had a doe experience any complications, but I have breeds that typically do not. Hopefully someone with Hollands will see this post and have some ideas, since they can be more difficult to breed successfully. :clover:

I would be concerned that she has retained a kit or placenta, but I imagine the discharge would have a foul odor.

There are several herbs that are commonly used to bring on menstruation or cause uterine contractions. This site lists many of them:

http://www.sisterzeus.com/Emmeno.htm

Some of these herbs will also affect milk production, but the kits are old enough now that if the doe loses her milk it wont have an adverse effect on them.

Be certain to cross reference any that you are considering using with the Safe Plants for rabbits list.

safe-plants-for-rabbits-list-t55.html

I hope you are able to solve the problem and that you get many more healthy litters out of your doe.

 

[Tegan]

Are you sure it's blood? I've had rabbits pee red on occasion, nothing to worry about, but can be startling.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Are you sure it's blood? I've had rabbits pee red on occasion, nothing to worry about, but can be startling.

Good point!

 

[carolnoel50]

I've also seen red/orange urine but not since the summer. I am quite sure that this was blood...very dark, red blood. It's been almost a week since the last incident and I'm hopeful that I won't see it again. I am about to visit the site suggested by MamaSheepdog and will try to follow one or more of the suggestions.

 

[Tegan]

Ok, I know it was a dumb question, but sometimes we don't think of the obvious. I hope it's nothing serious and your girl is ok.

 

[siddsaysgimmie]

I want to add that she has had 2 litters previously.. absolutely no problems, she never bled any more than the normal couple drops and never again after the initial bleeding.

Carol, are you able to sit her on a small area (like a little table with a towel or carpet on it) and gently feel through her belly for anything kit-like?

Was one of the DOAs quite large in size? Maybe she could have had rip on/in her "area" and when the babies were chasing her the other night it just opened up?

 

[MaggieJ]

It's long shot at this time of year, but the weed Shepherd's Purse was used for centuries by midwives to help control postpartem bleeding. It is also used to combat diarrhea, both in animals and humans. It might be available from a good health food store or online. I like to keep a small supply dried and on hand, just in case.

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/shepherd.htm

From A Modern Herbal:

---Medicinal Action and Uses---Shepherd's Purse is one of the most important drugplants of the family Cruciferae.

When dried and infused, it yields a tea which is still considered by herbalists one of the best specifics for stopping haemorrhages of all kinds - of the stomach, the lungs, or the uterus, and more especially bleeding from the kidneys.