Rabbits: Saving one with diarrhea

As mentioned in my article “Rabbits: preventing diarrhea”, diarrhea is very dangerous. The diarrhea I am talking about is different from the soft, grape like clusters that we call “night droppings”. The diarrhea that is so dangerous has a foul odor and is runny.

Rabbits dehydrate very fast, so immediate action is needed. A rabbit with diarrhea doesn’t have a few hours to wait to be taken to a vet; they need attention immediately, so ultimately the best treatment is prevention; but, just like children, you can take all the precautions and one may still become ill. Here is offering a little help if you do discover your rabbit has diarrhea.

• FIRST, most import thing you’ve got to do for your rabbit is HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE! It is VERY important that you keep them hydrated, this cannot be stressed enough. Pedialyte, Gatorade or any kind of electrolytes are best but even plain water is better than nothing. Using a 1cc syringe, keep as much fluid going into your rabbit as possible. Administer it slowly because they can choke easily.

• SECOND, you need to treat him with something to stop the runs. Dry-tail or neomycin sulfateis the best, and can usually be found at PetSmart. This, given by a dropper that comes with medicine or a 1cc syringe, can be given at a dose of a couple of drops every 2-3 hours until diarrhea stops. If no Dry-tail is available Pepto-Bismol will work as a last resort.

• THIRD, you need to remove all pellets, give him only hay, plain costal or timothy, and just a pinch of old fashion oatmeal (not the quick oats). The oatmeal is found at your local grocery store. It has been my experience that they will not eat pellets if they are not feeling good, but it is best to remove them.

After the diarrhea has stopped you can try adding a small amount of pellets, you don’t want him diving in too quick, because the diarrhea can start all over again. Keep hay and a pinch of oatmeal available at all times. You may find that your rabbit does not want to eat, if this is the case try mixing together this recipe or one simular:

1. A spoonful of baby food bananas
2. A spoonful of baby food peas
3. A spoonful of carrots
4. A spoonful of yogurt (any of the kinds that do not have the fruit chunks)
5. About 2 tablespoons of pedialyte or Gatorade.

Feeding slowly, small amounts at a time through a syringe (no more than about 2-3cc at a time to start); this will usually help them get their appetite back.

NOTE: If runs do not subside in about 24 hours, continue to keep your rabbit hydrated and contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. There may be something else wrong or your rabbit may need Sub-Q injections to stay hydrated. Some veterinarians will teach you how to do Sub-Q injections, so you can continue therapy at home while your rabbit recovers.

There are several things we always keep around in case we discover one with diarrhea:

1. Pedialyte, Gatorade or some kind of electrolte solution.
2. Dry-tail, neomycin sulfate,or Pepto-Bismol (Dry-tail is much safer than Pepto-Bismol and usually sold at PetSmart)
3. Baby food, 1 of each: bananas, peas or green beans or spinach(any of the green ones), and carrots or sweet potato (any of the orange ones)

If you talk to your veterinarian he may suggest an oral rehydration therapy, here is one that we have used with successful results:

1. 1 cup clean water
2. 2 teaspoon sugar
3. ½ tsp baking soda
4. 3/16 tsp salt (take some out of a ¼ tsp or use rounded 1/8 tsp)

Mix together and feed with syringe; this would be used instead of the other electrolyte solutions

Find other informative articles about rabbit health at barbibrownsbunnies.com or thenaturetrail.com

Note: I am not a licensed veterinarian, the advice I give is only what I have learned from my own experiences. You should always consult your own veterinarian when possible, but these are guidelines that may save your rabbit’s life until you can locate a good veterinarian.

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