Mucus in your Bunnys Stool

Mucus in the Stool
Signs
• Stick green or milky substance in stool
Causes include
• Antibiotics
• Irritation of the bowel lining

A bunny’s digestive system contains a large amount of bacteria necessary for breaking down and digesting the proper food needed to keep a rabbit alive.

When an abscess or infection develops in a rabbit, antibiotics are necessary to treat the bacteria. Unfortunately, antibiotics kill all bacteria, not just the bacteria at the abscess or infected site. When this happens, the bunny’s digestive system loses the necessary bacteria for processing the rabbit’s food intact. Because of the lack of bacteria, the food is not properly digested and it irritates the lining throughout the digestive track causing mucus to develop in the stool.

Lack of the appropriate amount of fiber or improper foods could also irritate the lining of your rabbit’s bowl. Like a rabbit’s puss, this mucus is thick. It has a rubbery consistency and is fairly sticky. The mucus may also cause the feces to adhere to your rabbit’s bottom.

When treating a rabbit for bacterial infections, it is not only important to work closely with a trained rabbit veterinarian, but it is also important to keep a close eye on your bunny’s food and water intake, as well as urinary and feces elimination. Antibiotics may also cause your rabbit to lose its appetite, thus causing a situation that could result in gastric stasis. If your rabbit begins to lose its appetite, provide those special foods that your bunny loves, initiate oral fluid intake if your rabbit is not drinking, and keep a close eye on the stool.

If mucus is present in the stool, you can give your bunny a teaspoon of yogurt twice a day to help increase the necessary bacteria for digestion, and check with your veterinarian about discontinuing the antibiotic treatment. When selecting a yogurt, make sure is contains as many natural probiotics and acidophilus as possible. Stay away from yogurts with fillers and a lot of artificial ingredients.