Rabbit Scouring

Rabbit scouring is caused in rabbits due to over consumption of green food. Rabbits excrete two types of droppings, hard waste pellets and soft pellets. The soft waste pellet contains partly digested food, B complex, vitamins and gut bacteria. Rabbits eat the pellet directly from the anus as part of their digestive process.

Sometimes these droppings get matted into the fur around the anus. This is common in rabbits. It is caused in rabbit that are overweight and cannot reach far. Large dewlaps can cause infection near the anus area and leads to scouring. It has to be treated surgically and with antibiotics.

In a rabbit suffering from scours, the excreta are fluid. Scouring should not be confused with the passing of faucal pellets which are softer than usual. Probably the commonest cause of scouring is an inflammation of the large intestine or the caecum.

The only treatment, apart from endeavoring to trace and eliminate the cause of the trouble is to change the food, but not suddenly, to one having the reverse effect. It is often stated that water should be wit held when an animal scours, but this is never wise.

Astringent herbs such as agrimony, raspberry leaf, avens and shepherd’s purse can be fed to the infected rabbit. Arrowroot biscuits can be given in mild cases to treat from scouring. Powdered arrowroot mixed with warm water also helps in treating scours. In advanced stages of scouring, Galen’s garden ASAP is given to the infected rabbit.

Galen's powder contains powdered astringent, antibacterial and demulcent edible herbs. It is mixed with little water and is fed by spoon, dropper or injected by syringe if rabbit is not eating. Avoid providing hard feed and give good quality hay and hay tea. Hay tea is made by pouring boiling water over hay in a jug. After cooling it, serve the infected rabbit.

A veterinary probiotic protexin is given in rabbit’s drinking water which helps in balancing the bacteria present in gut. A few drops of garlic juice added to drinking water also help to reduce scouring in rabbits. One drop of grapefruit seed extract or 7-15 drops of oregano extract is mixed in drinking water helps the rabbit to fight against the scouring infection.

Electrolyte solution is provided to rabbit to replace lost water, energy and minerals. Veterinary electrolyte solutions are best for the infected rabbit.

Rabbit scouring needs to be treated at early stages. Higher antibiotics treatment and surgery helps to cure scouring.