Sick Doe?

[Lopsided]

Alright so I have a doe that seems to be sick. She had a litter of seven she was caring for, but I had to wean them at three weeks due to her being violent to her kits. She has a little milk left in her but I am going to try and pick up some mint at the store to dry that up. She doesn't seem to have mastitis. She hasn't been eating or drinking as much as she normally does and she is laying down on her side, laying her head on the cage bottom. She seems to have lost a whole lot of weight these past couple of days. Her nose is free of any mucus and she looks healthy except for her symptoms. I don't know if she will make it much longer. Anyone know what this is? By the way, I have her separated from everyone else.

 

[ladysown]

have your seasons changed? like going from very cold to not as cold?

She could have simply gone off feed, or have developed a gut stoppage. Will act like has an entropathic illness?

going off feed, not pooping, gut gets bigger, acts lethargic

WHY seasonal changes do that.. haven't a clue.

But how to get them going again?
.. force fluids.
.. feed them what they want to eat, regardless of whether it's greens or oatmeal
.. give some gas x to help alleviate the big gut thing that happens
.. pray.

I have found that rabbits who get ill during seasonal changes, if you do get them to recover, never quite do right. I've learned to simply cull them.

hopefully you will have better success.

 

[Lopsided]

I have her housed inside, and she has been for about two months now due to the fact that she was pregnant and about to have a litter. I was going to move her outside earlier this week, but I noticed that she was sick. I gave her a couple small mint leaves and she ate them right up. A little while after that she was bouncing around her cage, eating food, drinking water, and standing on her hind legs every time I walked by her cage. So I assume that helped her a lot. I will have to see how she does tomorrow and I will probably treat her every other day for three days, unless she acts lethargic for longer. Thank you for your reply!

 

[Susie570]

Could she have been depressed?

 

[Lopsided]

Possibly. I am starting to think she is one of those does that enjoys being bred/pregnant. But once the kits get old enough to come out of the nest she doesn't want them anymore. But then she wants to be bred again. Maybe once it stops raining I can let her run outside in a playpen. That might help too.

 

[Susie570]

Just curious what happened with your doe?

 

[Lopsided]

She turned out fine A couple days of giving her mint dried her milk right up and she is doing much better! I think she is just really lazy now. I catch her laying down all the time but every now and ten she runs around her cage. She is eating and drinking fine, so I think I might breed her again soon. Thank you for asking about her

 

[Susie570]

No problem and I'm glad to hear it!

I've noticed that most of my rabbits are 'lazy' during the day, but they certainly perk up and leap around when I give them floor time. Goofy, lazy rabbits. :lol:

 

[Lopsided]

:lol: They always keep you on your toes. Her kits are doing fine as well. They are six weeks old today and as healthy as ever They enjoy it when they get to go in the rabbit tractor but it's been too muddy to put them in it the past couple of days. They are almost too big for their tractor. It amazes me how fast they grow in just a couple of weeks.

 

[Susie570]

What is a rabbit tractor?? :shock:

 

[Lopsided]

It's like a run that you move around the yard so they can graze on the grass but still be contained.

 

[Susie570]

It's like a run that you move around the yard so they can graze on the grass but still be contained.

Cool! I'm afraid to put my bunnies outside. I'm afraid they will pick up fleas and intestinal parasites from the wild rabbits in our yard... and gorge themselves on the grass.

But then, I'm a worry wort