snake_girl85
New member
I work at an animal shelter, and we got two rabbits in almost exactly a month ago, a male and a female from the same house (separate cages). They were kept on carefresh, and were switched to pine. Shortly after arriving, the male sprayed VERY red urine ALL over the cage, walls, counter, everywhere. It looked like a crime scene! We moved him to the back for observation, and his urine has been consistently blood-colored ever since. My manager read that it can be caused by ingesting pine (though I think that may just be the needles), so he and the female were both switched back to carefresh. The female had slightly red urine off and on as well, but never as bad as his, and it cleared up and she was adopted. I assumed it was either stress or something they ate, since they both came from the same place and are the only rabbits we've ever had do this.
Jack the bunny has been stuck in the back room ever since. I can't get a urine sample to save my life (will NOT pee in an empty litter pan), and he has been on 2 courses of Baytril injections (ironically I read today that antibiotics can also cause red urine... Go figure!) Our vet wants to put him down, but he shows no other signs of illness, no lethargy weight loss or dehydration. He is a very sweet, adorable lop, but he has been peeing blood red for at least 3 weeks now. I "adopted" him and brought him home today to see how he does off of meds, and will try harder to get a urine sample so I can test it at work (to check blood and bilirubin and whatnot).
Has anyone had a rabbit do this for such a long period of time? Any suggestions or care tips? Should I feed him anything differently? We have just been feeding pellets and withholding hay (is that necessary?). I'm wondering if this started as stress and then kept going due to the antibiotics, but I won't rest easy till I get a sample.
Sorry for the long post... Thanks for any advice you can give me!
-Katie
Jack the bunny has been stuck in the back room ever since. I can't get a urine sample to save my life (will NOT pee in an empty litter pan), and he has been on 2 courses of Baytril injections (ironically I read today that antibiotics can also cause red urine... Go figure!) Our vet wants to put him down, but he shows no other signs of illness, no lethargy weight loss or dehydration. He is a very sweet, adorable lop, but he has been peeing blood red for at least 3 weeks now. I "adopted" him and brought him home today to see how he does off of meds, and will try harder to get a urine sample so I can test it at work (to check blood and bilirubin and whatnot).
Has anyone had a rabbit do this for such a long period of time? Any suggestions or care tips? Should I feed him anything differently? We have just been feeding pellets and withholding hay (is that necessary?). I'm wondering if this started as stress and then kept going due to the antibiotics, but I won't rest easy till I get a sample.
Sorry for the long post... Thanks for any advice you can give me!
-Katie