Loose Poo from Rabbit Droppings?

[Mr.King]

Gracie, our 5 1/2 month old Newf, has had loose stools off and on for about a 2 1/2 months. We originally thought it was a food problem so we tried switching from Diamond Large Breed Puppy Food to Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy Food with pumpkin mixed in, but everything stayed the same...loose. We took her into our vet and the found whip worms about a month and-a-half ago. Gracie was on antibiotics and another drug and it got rid of the whip worms, but as soon as we stopped the antibiotics she got loose again. We tested the stool and found LOTS of bacteria. She went back on a stronger antibiotic...she firmed up again...as soon as she is off the antibiotic its back to pudding poops. :banghead:

Our vet says that she is eating bunny poop in our yard and that is causing the huge amount of bacteria in her stomach and stool. Have you ever heard of this? If it is the bunnies...how do I keep them away from our yard? Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED

 

[ardeagold]

Wouldn't surprise me. Ours eat deer poop, rabbit poop, moles, whatever. I think their stomachs are made of iron tho, since they don't get loose stools. Might just be a matter of being used to it.

However, I'd prefer they don't....of course. Problem is...we're rural and there is no way to get rid of wildlife that we don't want. We used to have a lot of rabbits, until the foxes moved in. Now no more rabbits. It's time for the foxes to move on. Don't like the threat of rabies they present, but when it's time, they'll go. Things have a way of working out in nature.

Have they tested for giardia and/or coccidia? Coccidia is a normal test, so I'd guess they have, but giardia isn't, and perhaps she picked it up somewhere? Just a thought.

What does your breeder say? Any other problems out there?

 

[Mr.King]

Thanks ardeagold for the reply.

I haven't check with our breeder, but I might since our vet thinks she had whip worm when we got her. I think she tested her for giardia and Coccidia and they were negative....is that a stool test or blood?

Are there any products that keeps rabbit away? We have a large fenced backyard in a typical suburban neighborhood.

 

[ardeagold]

Whip worm is very hard to get rid of. It can live in the soil for 60 years and even fire can't get rid of it. You might want to treat your yard with DE (Diatomaceous Earth...not the swimming pool kind...but the feed grade kind), in a spreader with some sand. That will get rid of them. (DE is very inexpensive, BTW)

Now, on to the rabbits. Not sure how to get rid of them. I've never tried. Maybe some here know.

Here's the link for feed grade DE. We worm our dogs with this too, except for tapeworms (comes from eating a flea...even on a rodent they munch on, or if they get one), then we treat with Droncit/Drontal.

http://www.dirtworks.net/Diatomaceous-Earth.html

PS...I wouldn't worm her with this right now, since she's been wormed successfully. You need to get her system straightened out first. But you can do the yard!

 

[Mr.King]

I will look into the DE. Gracie doesn't have whip worms anymore...tested today...but I know they live FOREVER in the soil so I'll treat the yard later.

For now I guess I'll spend the afternnon picking up dog and bunny droppings.

 

[lacey9875]

You'd think having a very large puppy in the yard would keep them out.
I remember buying something to keep bunnies out of my garden-before the fox living in the preserve took care of them. I know urine works for deer, is there some sort of predator urine that you could use? I know they sell all kinds of stuff like that, I had an ex-boyfriend that hunted.

 

[graybird]

Some websites on this subject say dogs eat bunny poop for the fiber. You might want to try giving your pup some (cooked) sweet potato along with whatever you're feeding. I just went through two months of antibiotics for clostridia, and the only thing that firmed my girl up was sweet potato (pumpkin didn't do it). Also, mine doesn't do well on Orijen or the other super-duper kibbles, she's better on something a level down.

Which antibiotic(s) was Gracie on, and for how long? Mine needed a double whammy, metronidazole plus tylosin, to get rid of the clostridia.

We have a house rabbit with house privileges; he uses a litter box in his cage, though, and it hasn't been a problem. We had some friends who claimed they "had to get rid of" their dog because he kept eating bunny poop which made him sick, but I wasn't sure whether to believe them. If there's a man of the house, maybe he could sprinkle your yard :uglyhammer:as I've heard that will work. Don't forget pics!:whistling:

 

[Mr.King]

We bought rabbit-away today and will be spraying it on the border of our backyard to see if that keeps the rabbits out.

As far as antibiotics Gracie has been on metronidazole, Cephalexin and now she is on immoxicilian. Her poop is pretty firm when she is on the antibiotic, not really solid but better. Within a day or two of being off it she is loose again and has trouble controling her bowels. Twice in the last 3 days she has pooped in her crate overnight.

Also, she seems to "not feel well" when she is off the antibiotics.

I'm worried that we are missing something.

 

[graybird]

Wiser heads will check in soon, but did you have a complete stool panel (can't remember the official name but it cost over $100) done? And for how long was she on the antibiotics? The reason I ask is that my girl was on metronidazole for 6 weeks, combined with Tylosin for 4 of those. Sometimes it takes a while. I'd get another stool sample in to the vet and let them know she's not feeling so good. Also, I notice you're feeding puppy food -- I wonder if that could be adding to the problem.

 

[Mr.King]

Also, I notice you're feeding puppy food -- I wonder if that could be adding to the problem.

We were thinking about switching her to adult food at 6 months. Maybe we should do it now.

I believe we did a full stool screening...I think it cost about $50 here.

She has been on and off antibiotics for almost 2 months.

 

[dee]

Ask your vet about treating her with Albon (sulfadimethoxine)-which is an antibiotic solution/tablet and is used to treat both bacterial enterititis and coccidia. Usually treat once daily for 10 days with the first dose kind of a 'loading' dose at twice the amount of the remaining 9 doses/days.

 

[bria]

I just went through this with my Bria only she was very sick. I believe she may have eaten either squirrel or raccoon poo at the back of my yard. Her poos were pure blood. It started with loose poos and then Sat. morning I woke up and the smell in here was awful. I went upstairs and Bria had pood on the futon mattress in my spare room and it was a pool of blood. I freaked. I thought I was going to lose her and that someone had thrown something in my yard that she ate. She too is on Metronidazole now as well as pro biotics and I've put her on ID food from the vet. You also have to worry about Leptospirosis as well as Giardia. Lepto is from even the urine from squirrels, raccoons and possibly outdoor rabbits. The vet also said she has round worm so she was given Revolution for that. It's very scary out there (in Toronto especially with raccoons now having distempter). Bria finally today had a normal poo. I think the food has a lot to do with it and I've also put Sherman on the ID as he has a very sensitive stomach. My dogs are never off leash and never in parks or in conservation areas for this exact reason and still my Bria got very sick. I do however have dogs here boarding all the time and I don't know where their owners take them or if they're bringing something into my place. The first thing you learn in petcare is that dog owners lie and will send their dogs for boarding even if their dogs are sick much like parents who send their kids to daycare knowing the kids are sick.

Susan

 

[janices]

I will look into the DE. Gracie doesn't have whip worms anymore...tested today...but I know they live FOREVER in the soil so I'll treat the yard later.

For now I guess I'll spend the afternnon picking up dog and bunny droppings.

I've only had one pyr that had whips and had to be treated twice. Was treated before came to live with me. Had problems with loose stools. Checked him again. We treated again even though the stool sample was negative. May have to do several tests to find an infestation. Once treated 2nd time we put pyr on Interceptor, which protects against roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. Never got them again. Stools firmed up after the 2nd treatment.

I generally keep my dogs on Interceptor instead of Heartguard.

 

[bria]

Janice what is Interceptor? Do I get it from my vet because just now Bria had a bad poo while still on the meds? I see it also treats roundworms which is what the vet said she has.

Susan