Possible Problem Delivery??

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Have a NZW doe that's due to deliver tomorrow. I bought her as a senior doe. Not sure how many litters she's had. She's had 4 litters for me already.

Yesterday, found several fairly large splotches of blood under her pen. Enough blood to cause me concern.

She looks fine and acts normal - has her nest box and has been building a nest - not pulling hair yet but she usually doesn't until she delivers.

Last couple of litters, she's delivered one or two large kits stillborn and then 4 - 6 normal size kits that weaned out just fine. This is the first time I've ever seen blood prior to delivery.....for her or any of my does.

Any thoughts? Should I be doing anything? Any of you see this kind of bleeding before? Thanks for your help!

 

[Happy]

How far along is she? Were the splotches chunky?

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

She was bred Dec 22nd - by my calendar, she's due tomorrow. I didn't see anything that didn't look like regular blood.

 

[Secuono]

So liquid blood and not clotted, lumpy blood?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Are you positive it was blood? Depending on diet, rabbits will sometimes have very dark orange or red urine.

If it is blood, she may have aborted part of the litter. Since she is behaving normally, I wouldn't worry too much.

You might offer her a berry-flavored Tums to giver her a calcium boost, and some spinach (if she is used to greens) to boost her iron levels to offset the blood loss.

I hope you will still find a nestbox full of healthy popples. :clover:

 

[Happy]

Good advice, momma.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Definitely blood. She's in her nest box pulling fur right now so hopefully this time tomorrow I will be able to report to you how many she had. She's looking and acting normally. Maybe she's always had a discharge like that and I just never noticed it. Will let y'all know. Thanks!<br /><br />__________ Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:43 pm __________<br /><br />Oh yeah - will give her a Tums. I usually give 'em one or two after kidling so have a bottle out in the bunny barn already. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Happy]

Do tums really do something for rabbits? I know in humans calcium carbonate is neutralized in the stomach and never delivers the calcium to the blood.

 

[Dood]

Rabbits can have miscarriages from one uterine horn but still have healthy kits from the other.

This happened to my doe. I came home to a 1/4 cup of blood and clots and thought she had lost the litter or was dying but 2 days later she had 10 healthy kits.

Calcium is an element, it cannot be neutralized, and will be absorbed into your blood stream via the intestine.
However, calcium carbonate is an inorganic form of calcium and only about 10% is absorbed by humans, I would think rabbits would be able to absorb more through bacteria digestion in their cecum.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

An update -

First, thanks for responding to my question. Would have updated y'all sooner but my dad had to go into the hospital - he's home and fine but kept me busy for the past several days.

Anyway, Charlotte delivered 4 nice healthy little kits. All are doing well. Don't know what the deal was. Regardless, thanks again for your help and support.