So the results are in from the "new batch" of feed. (You know, with the corn that shouldn't have been there)
Do I know it's the feed? Nope. But I highly suspect it, since everybunny here has been in great health all year.
(Except the one out-of-state rabbit, who was brought in a few months ago. He had a hard time adjusting to my feed and was on hay and oats longer than he should have been. I stopped babying him, and he adjusted pretty much overnight...dunno what that was all about)
In these kits case I suspect the ingredient change caused a digestive upset, leading to a bacterial imbalance in only the very weakest kits. Just two out of 27.
The older stronger healthier rabbits could handle a small change like that.
And we all know, once a bacterial imbalance sets in...it all goes haywire from there.
Several 8 week old rabbits had a bit of diarrhea a few days after the switch that cleared up easily.
I did not change their feed because:
1: I have no way of knowing another bag would be any better.
2: I do not suspect toxins in the feed because it was only the weanlings who had any trouble.
3: I was reasonably confident my herd could handle a little bit of corn mixed in their food.
$: After they were already a bit compromised by one unexpected ingredient switch, I didn't want to make things worse by putting them on a totally different feed.
I almost lost Fader, but heck, that's pretty much the story of her life so far. Every time I turn around she's almost a gonner. This time, 3 days after the new batch of feed was opened up, 6 weeks old, poo plastered on hind legs, limp, low body temp, eyes slitted, LOUD tooth grinding, refusing all feed, 1/2 the size of her siblings. (She had a compromised system to begin with, was formula fed for a while as a kit) Every other kit in the litter in perfect health, still nursing.
Culling her wasn't an option, as she belongs to my daughter.
That pic was taken was yesterday, she seems to be coming around, I'll detail what I did to save her if she starts eating and growing like a proper kit.
I have one other kit with classic mucoid enteritis. It was the smallest kit in that litter of 7. First time one of that doe's kits has ever gotten sick.
Obvious visible mucous in it's mushy stool, pain posture, eyes slitted, tooth grinding, excessive thirst, refusing feed, low body temperature.
She's being treated the same as the velveteen kit was. (kept warm, pedialyte, smethicone, herbs to clear up diarrhea, etc)
I'm just wondering if it would just be kinder to cull in this circumstance.
This one was going to be a meat rabbit, whereas Fader the velveteen has a pet life ahead of her if she pulls through.
The condition is obviously quite painful. I'll be honest, I've never really seen much of it, so I don't have a standard procedure worked out. I guess my preference is to do everything I can to prevent it to begin with, and it usually works pretty well for me.
Anyway, what do you guys do with cases of mucoid enteritis in meat kits? Treat or cull?
Do I know it's the feed? Nope. But I highly suspect it, since everybunny here has been in great health all year.
(Except the one out-of-state rabbit, who was brought in a few months ago. He had a hard time adjusting to my feed and was on hay and oats longer than he should have been. I stopped babying him, and he adjusted pretty much overnight...dunno what that was all about)
In these kits case I suspect the ingredient change caused a digestive upset, leading to a bacterial imbalance in only the very weakest kits. Just two out of 27.
The older stronger healthier rabbits could handle a small change like that.
And we all know, once a bacterial imbalance sets in...it all goes haywire from there.
Several 8 week old rabbits had a bit of diarrhea a few days after the switch that cleared up easily.
I did not change their feed because:
1: I have no way of knowing another bag would be any better.
2: I do not suspect toxins in the feed because it was only the weanlings who had any trouble.
3: I was reasonably confident my herd could handle a little bit of corn mixed in their food.
$: After they were already a bit compromised by one unexpected ingredient switch, I didn't want to make things worse by putting them on a totally different feed.
I almost lost Fader, but heck, that's pretty much the story of her life so far. Every time I turn around she's almost a gonner. This time, 3 days after the new batch of feed was opened up, 6 weeks old, poo plastered on hind legs, limp, low body temp, eyes slitted, LOUD tooth grinding, refusing all feed, 1/2 the size of her siblings. (She had a compromised system to begin with, was formula fed for a while as a kit) Every other kit in the litter in perfect health, still nursing.
Culling her wasn't an option, as she belongs to my daughter.
That pic was taken was yesterday, she seems to be coming around, I'll detail what I did to save her if she starts eating and growing like a proper kit.
I have one other kit with classic mucoid enteritis. It was the smallest kit in that litter of 7. First time one of that doe's kits has ever gotten sick.
Obvious visible mucous in it's mushy stool, pain posture, eyes slitted, tooth grinding, excessive thirst, refusing feed, low body temperature.
She's being treated the same as the velveteen kit was. (kept warm, pedialyte, smethicone, herbs to clear up diarrhea, etc)
I'm just wondering if it would just be kinder to cull in this circumstance.
This one was going to be a meat rabbit, whereas Fader the velveteen has a pet life ahead of her if she pulls through.
The condition is obviously quite painful. I'll be honest, I've never really seen much of it, so I don't have a standard procedure worked out. I guess my preference is to do everything I can to prevent it to begin with, and it usually works pretty well for me.
Anyway, what do you guys do with cases of mucoid enteritis in meat kits? Treat or cull?
