Help! Mocha has diarrhea with mucous! **UPDATE**

[OneAcreFarm]

I came home and saw blobs of diarrhea and jelly-like mucous on the dropping board. I took the food away and gave her hay, small amount rolled oats, some plantain and a crock with water...she is on day 28 today and she started nesting. She is in her nest box and I think she *might* be in labor....

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have no idea if rabbits do this, but women often have frequent and sometimes loose bowel movements prior to giving birth, and also lose their "mucous plug" which seals the cervix prior to birthing. Hope that is all it is! Sounds like you've done the right thing re: food.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Here are some pics of what I found on the dropping board and hanging from her cage bottom...

 

[MamaSheepdog]

That doesn't look like what I was describing. I know a lady that gives canned pumpkin pie filling for her dog because it was having loose stools all the time, and it solved the problem. I'd try something more aggressive than plantain... can you give rabbits kaopectate?

It looks like you clean your boards regularly- are the normal stools from today?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Yes, the normal ones are from today. She is also now passing more normal looking poops, they are just a bit slimy....but not diarrhea. It is quite frightening, I really don't want to lose her. She is my favorite! And her belly is full of kits, plus somewhat distended...I don't have infant gas drops but I do have Gas-X...can I give her that?<br /><br />__________ Tue Dec 13, 2011 8:45 pm __________<br /><br />Ok, so the Gas-X is a thin strip made of Simethicone....I offered her that and she gobbled it up. She is up and moving around, gathering hay, nibbling oats and looking ok so far. Her last few poops have been more normal, just a bit slimy....

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Thank goodness the new ones look better. Those pics made my stomach squirm. Give her some live yogurt or pro-biotics if you have it to help her gut flora out.

I'm glad she seems to be happily preparing for the coming kits. Maybe she's just nervous. Is this one of her first kindlings?

 

[ladysown]

do you have a back up doe for fostering?

I'd call around if you don't... just in case things go downhill...

 

[akane]

I would not give yogurt to a rabbit. They can't digest dairy and being herbivores it is even more concerning than when using it for other animals. Personally I prefer to never give dairy to anything. Even yogurt causes digestive problems and could make gas in particular a lot worse leading to a dangerous case of bloat. The bacteria that digests the parts of dairy which adult animals cannot produces a lot of gas in the small intestine which then has to be shoved all the way through the digestive tract. You can get acidophilus capsules from a pharmacy or even more useful bene bac made specifically for small pets from pet stores and feed stores. That's a better idea and it stores well to have on hand all the time. If all else fails you can take fresh droppings from a healthy animal and dissolve them in water to syringe to the sick animal. It sounds gross but it's actually the most thorough way to readjust all the bacteria needed for digestion so long as you are certain your other animals are healthy. Saved a few guinea pigs from severe diarrhea or gas production by bacteria imbalances that way.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Thank goodness the new ones look better. Those pics made my stomach squirm. Give her some live yogurt or pro-biotics if you have it to help her gut flora out.

I'm glad she seems to be happily preparing for the coming kits. Maybe she's just nervous. Is this one of her first kindlings?

This is her first litter, and she has built the most marvelous nest...I really hope she gets over this....

__________ Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:09 pm __________

do you have a back up doe for fostering?

I'd call around if you don't... just in case things go downhill...

I have a doe that is on day 31, and should deliver any hour now...I know she is bred because I can feel the kits in her belly. She has nested and pulled fur and this is her second litter. I could foster to her if she has them in time....<br /><br />__________ Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:11 pm __________<br /><br />

I would not give yogurt to a rabbit. They can't digest dairy and being herbivores it is even more concerning than when using it for other animals. Personally I prefer to never give dairy to anything. Even yogurt causes digestive problems and could make gas in particular a lot worse leading to a dangerous case of bloat. The bacteria that digests the parts of dairy which adult animals cannot produces a lot of gas in the small intestine which then has to be shoved all the way through the digestive tract. You can get acidophilus capsules from a pharmacy or even more useful bene bac made specifically for small pets from pet stores and feed stores. That's a better idea and it stores well to have on hand all the time. If all else fails you can take fresh droppings from a healthy animal and dissolve them in water to syringe to the sick animal. It sounds gross but it's actually the most thorough way to readjust all the bacteria needed for digestion so long as you are certain your other animals are healthy. Saved a few guinea pigs from severe diarrhea or gas production by bacteria imbalances that way.

I gave her a Gas-X strip, that was what I had...it is made of simethicone, just like the baby gas drops...she acts like she is feeling better. More firm poops and eating oats/hay. She is also relaxing on her belly. I would think if she was in a lot of pain and distress, she would not lay on her belly like that...

I may have caused this myself...I gave them all a bunch of parsley (grocery store....I know...) They really seemed to enjoy it. Could that have caused this?

 

[Bramble Hedge]

I have seen this in my does once or twice, doesn't seem to have an affect on them or the babies - I have always assumed it was labor induced (layman's opinion only), but it is quite scary when it happens. It has always settled down once kits are delivered, which is why I had always thought it was some form of uterine plug,

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Well, she seems to be doing better. Her belly doesn't feel "tight" and her poops are more firm than before with very little slime. She is eating hay and oats and drinking water.


Here is a picture of the excellent nest she has built! :lol:

 

[Bramble Hedge]

Awesome nest

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm late to this thread, but I'm glad she is doing better. I doubt very much that a bit of parsley would cause the problem. Plantain is a good green for controlling diarrhea, as are Shepherd's Purse and the leaves of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry. It is probably pregnancy-related and will resolve itself now. Hoping to hear a good news update. :clover: :clover: :clover:

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I'm late to this thread, but I'm glad she is doing better. I doubt very much that a bit of parsley would cause the problem. Plantain is a good green for controlling diarrhea, as are Shepherd's Purse and the leaves of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry. It is probably pregnancy-related and will resolve itself now. Hoping to hear a good news update. :clover: :clover: :clover:

Well, it was several large stems...could that do it?

 

[MaggieJ]

I don't think so, unless there was some spray or something on it. You give your rabbits greens from time to time and hay regularly... so it's not as though she had never had anything but pellets. Parsley is not particularly laxative as far as I know... and it would not account for the mucous. I still think pregnancy related. How is she doing now?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

As far as I can tell, she is doing better. No more diarrhea/mucous and she is eating hay/oats and drinking.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

What a wonderful nest! She can't be feeling too bad if she built that. Should be full of popples soon! Yay! I hope she puts them in the right place, and not on the wire. Is someone going to be home today to check on her every once in a while just in case?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

What a wonderful nest! She can't be feeling too bad if she built that. Should be full of popples soon! Yay! I hope she puts them in the right place, and not on the wire. Is someone going to be home today to check on her every once in a while just in case?

No, we both work till 5pm...*sigh* but she isn't really due till Friday so maybe she will wait till then.

I have never had a rabbit make a nest like that! :lol: It is a real work of art.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have never had a rabbit make a nest like that! :lol: It is a real work of art.

My doe Feather made a similar one- I had the kids gather long grass for her and had never offered that before- pretty much just shavings and shredded paper. But I wonder if they build more elaborate nests in winter?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

She had them this morning! 9, cleaned up and in the nest, covered with fur! And she seems to be doing much better.