Pot Bellies

[SMR]

My first round of weaning kids on the new diet have a few scraggly kits. There are 3 out of 14 that are pot bellied and feel bony all over. They are are free fed hay/grass with grain/pellet mix. Free choice water bottle and bowl. They've been with out mom for 2 weeks now. They're eating and running as the rest, just not normal feeling. Again its not the same as just poor type and bony points, they are boney all the way through and pot bellied so its got me confused. They do not have that water bottle feeling or sound to them nor do they have loose poo. I thought of worms so I've started a round of Piperzine, but what else would be good? Further thoughts?

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm puzzled too.

All I have to suggest is that if you can find some plantain (Plantago major) or prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) that you introduce it into their diet. Both are very beneficial greens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactuca_serriola

 

[SMR]

Plantain they get tons of...have not been able to find prickly lettuce though :/ They're getting more then just grasses in the bunch, dandelions/various grasses/chick-weed/plantain/oat greens/wheat greens/barley greens/apple and crab apple leaves n stems and some others. Its just those that seem to be affected, no one else is pot bellied or really bony like them.

 

[MaggieJ]

It might be a bit early for prickly lettuce. Ours isn't up yet, but I thought your season might be more advanced. In any case, the greens you are feeding are excellent so if they're not helping then perhaps it is internal parasites. Hope the piperzine helps or that someone else has a more helpful suggestion to make.

Just had another thought. It might possibly be coccidiosis.

http://www.rabbit-information.co.uk/coccidiosis.php

Hepatic (liver) coccidiosis in rabbits is caused by only one species, Eimeria stiedae. E. stiedae causes the bile ducts to thicken. The main symptom is growth retardation and it is rarely fatal, but in advanced chronic cases the rabbit can develop a 'pot bellied' appearance caused by enlargement of the liver. Treatment is with sulfaquinoxaline.

 

[SMR]

I'd thought about that, but never had any issues with it before. Might go ahead and treat for that if they don't change in the next 24 hrs, I have sulfa on hand for the cows any way...just need to adjust dosage. Thanks!