Poopy Butt Submersion Bath? – UPDATE: Nasty Job Done!

[MimzMum]

Sadly, the pumpkin my hub got me in the 48 isn’t going to arrive for awhile (they shipped it up, couldn’t get it on the airplane) and Fiver’s bum is getting worse every day. I’ve cut out all treats and he’s only having hay and his evening baby food squash, which isn’t helping as well as the pumpkin did for his chronic poopy butt.

I need some good submersion butt bath techniques for him because he’s going to have to take the plunge tomorrow (when I can get someone to assist me). I can smell him now and that can’t be good.

VERY unstable bunny who doesn’t like to be touched. Period. He will bite, kick and flail. Suggestions please?

Oh, and cornstarch isn’t going to do it. He is way too matted just in this last two days.   And super cranky, can’t even get a good grip on him to pull off the excess.

My poor boy…he’s going to have to live with a very bland diet for the rest of his life. I’ve tried everything and nothing seems to help for long.

[BinkyBunny]

Oye, quite the challenge. And it looks like you better get your raincoats on before you attempt this.

So since you will have help, try to keep his eyes covered. I haven’t had to deal with a hard to handle bunny and a bum bath so I don’t know if my suggestions will help, but I can tell you what I did with Bailey, (she was so used to bum baths that I could cradle her with one arm and run warm water over her bum area.) But from the beginning that was much more relaxing for her than if I submerged her bum in a couple inches of water — that always panicked her. The running water also helped clean it off. I was normally able to get to it before it turned too hard, and so I didn’t have to use the soap from the vets office, otherwise the soap I used worked really well on dissolving caked on poo.

How does he do in a bunny burrito?

NOTE:  For Bailey, because of her hind-leg weakness and crooked spine, (plus she was very food sensitive), I had to clean her bum almost everyday, so I kept her bum fur area very short –so that that poo could not stick too much to it and that also made it easier to clean. 

[MimzMum]

He doesn’t burrito at all, Jen, and I’m lucky if I can even get a grip on him that’s worth it. The last time I tried, he wriggled free only to fall and crack his hind end on the cage door on the way down. Scared me to death that he’d broken his spine, but luckily he was okay. We both needed some Rescue Remedy after that. >.<
Since Fiver is a Mini-Rex, I don’t think it would be a good idea to cut his fur, he doesn’t have enough down there as it is.
His hocks look terrible too. No bleeding thank God, but very red. He just seems in general to not be feeling well. And yet, I can’t get him to eat any hay other than third cut timothy, which I am certain is not enough fiber for his digestive system.
We’re also starting up another shed with him (and Mimzy) as the temps are topping the 80 degree mark in the bunny room again, despite the fan and freeze bottles. So he’s already in a foul mood.

I’m thinking if this isn’t going to improve, I’d best take him in to see the doc…hate to go in there AGAIN, but what choice do I have? Also I noticed he’s making strange motions with his mouth, almost as if he were running his tongue around his teeth…you know, like we do when we feel we have something stuck? Could he need a trim and this is what’s causing his gut trouble? Maybe he can’t properly digest even the soft hay because he’s unable to get it properly chewed? (But he looks like he can chew fine to me, especially if there’s a crunchy treat involved; APD cookie, carrot, etc.)

*groan* I love these bunnies so much, but just one problem after another, I’m getting seriously depressed about how crummy my bunny mom techniques seem to be these days. Fortunately, Pip seems to be in fine shape, which is encouraging, but still….

BTW, my hat’s off to you, I couldn’t imagine having to give a bummy bath EVERY DAY. God forbid that’s what we’re all headed for. 0_o

[jerseygirl]

Also I noticed he’s making strange motions with his mouth, almost as if he were running his tongue around his teeth.

Could that be to do with the shedding do you think? Sometimes I see funny movements when they’re shedding as the get more fur in the mouth, nose, ears etc

I have no experience with full butt bath. I’ve only done a light rinse for mine oover a sink. I wondered if a rubber mat on bottom of the bath with an inch of water over it might help. You could just sit him in it and massage around where he needs cleaning. You could let that water run out then refresh while he’s still in there. That way the only time you’re holding him would be to put him in and pull him out. If it’s warm where you are, he should dry ok after a quick pat down with a towel.

If the cream you have for his hocks act like a barrier cream, you could even apply it before his bath to protect them. Then  reapply afterwards.

[kralspace]

poor fiver,

I have to give my most unfriendly bunny, Lola, butt baths about once a month. She’s a not-so-mini rex that turns into a snake when you pick her up, boy can she bite.

We started out in the bathtub with a thick towel for her to sit on in a couple inches warm water. She would have to sit and soak a total of maybe 10-15 minutes, using my fingers to massage and work it loose. Sometimes it would be so hard I’d have to break it and work the pieces out. (cecals, eau) then I’d move her over to a clean part of the towel and use a washrag to finish cleaning her. I wasn’t confident enough to lift her out wet so I’d let the water out and scoop her up in a towel. Her revenge is to always bites holes in it.

During this time she would try to bite my hands or leap up on my chest, but she’s calmed down with each bath. Now I put a plastic tub in the kitchen sink and do it. Have to be careful to watch for signs of jumping out because she can see the cabinet there.

Good luck and be prepared to so lots of groveling afterwards.

[Elrohwen]

Not sure if this will help you, but I found that Otto was very afraid of touching the water, so I used it to my advantage. I was able to hold him just above the water (left hand on his chest/stomach, holding his back against my body) with his back legs dangling just about the water surface. He hated when I tried to put him down in the water, so being just centimeters above it was enough to keep him quiet. Then I cupped my hand and brought the water up to his bum. This worked well when the cecals were still wet and mushy – it might not work so well if they’re dried and need to be soaked first.

Otto doesn’t like to be held or even really touched, but I found the fear of water worked for him. The key was not giving his back feet something to grab on to, because then he would kick out. As long as they dangled, he couldn’t do anything about it. I made sure to hold him securely against my body, so his back was supported.

[RabbitPam]

Spockie was very cooperative, so I just held him upright under the chest and front paws, and ran the faucet in the sink as it ran over his back half while keeping the front supported and away from the water. I was able to put a bit in the sink, then wash his bum with a washcloth. Totally different when a bunny is disabled and clearly feels better being cleaned by you.

I like the 2″ in a bathtub with a towel suggestion. I was thinking also of putting Fiver on the floor in the bathroom with you, with a dishpan of warm water already filled a couple of inches next to you. Maybe cover his eyes then, and scoop him into the pan. Can your husband hold him under his chest and firmly on his shoulders while you wash him? You can’t get the fur off a mini rex, but the good news is that the mess comes free pretty easily once it’s wet and you use your fingers to work it off. Hubby could also feed him treats under the towel covering his face, so he’s distracted. Maybe a carrot so he keeps eating for a while. (Sammy refuses treats when she’s mad, but maybe banana slices? Of course he may poo on you right then and there.)

[MimzMum]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! We’ll certainly give them a try! I do think the rubber mat or towel in the tub may work best. Just have to make sure someone helps me keep him from jumping out.
He’s already dropped about five cecals today that he hasn’t eaten and I’ve tried to get them up before he steps in them. Can anyone tell me if bunny can die if he doesn’t eat his cecals? What do you suppose would be causing him to just leave them? Are they THAT nasty? 0_o

[kralspace]

Lola was too chunky to get hers when I first got her, she still has some problems but is getting better about reaching them.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

[MimzMum]

I’m thinking he’s gained a bit of weight. He is definitely rounder than he looks in my siggy. The curse of the mini-rex metabolism. >.<
I’m so careful how I feed him too. I can’t figure out how he got pudgy without me noticing.

He does need more exercise, but I don’t dare take him outdoors with that fanny all caked with goo. Too many flies in our neck of the woods.

Thanks for the well wishes! ^_^ I just want to be sure I get him clean, I don’t care if he hurts me on the way, just as long as he doesn’t get hurt. I can imagine he won’t be happy about it all.

[MimzMum]

OMG…that was the hour and a half from hell!

We began about 7 PM. I was fully intending to put Fiver in the tub, but he was SO agitated and kicking, scratching and twisting, I didn’t feel confident enough to transport him to the bathroom without him either escaping or falling to his death, so we did the deed the way we’ve usually done it. I hold him and trance by petting his face quickly until he calms down, then my daughter takes the business end and does all the washing.

Well, he was pretty badly caked, but not near as much as I thought he would be. She did a champion job of getting as much off him as possible without a long soak. Some of it involved having to pull fur from his bum, but it was coming off anyway with all that poo on it, so I don’t think he’s going to miss it. The skin underneath was a strong pink, but doesn’t appear inflamed.

I cut my nails so I wouldn’t scratch him accidentally. But “C” has some nice claws that she can pluck stuff with, so she picked and picked until she could get as much of the caked on poo off as possible, then she would hold warm water on a cloth to his stained feet and vent until it looked cleaner. We still couldn’t get everything off this way, but he’s got to be more comfortable than he was.

So while she took out the water (and the shampoo mix we never used), I took the opportunity to trim some of his nails that were getting long, and that also had some poo caked into them. For some reason, he still smelled bad to me, so I lifted him to see what might still be stuck and saw a little something to the right of his vent. I called “C” in to try to clean again, and as we pulled at the area, we realize to our horror that it’s his right anal gland and it is CRAMMED with nasty poo and whatever foul stuff normally comes out of those things!

It took us awhile to clear that gland. He’s NEVER had issues with them before. This one was plugged SO bad that the skin is red, inflamed and raw in spots. I briefly thought I would put Neosporin on it, then changed my mind thinking it might just draw more stuff in to get clogged in there. It’s a good thing we didn’t put him in the tub, because I dont’ think it’s clean enough for him not to get some nasty germ in those raw patches that would cause a greater infection. I’m going to call my vet tomorrow anyway to be sure I don’t need to bring him in and have them professionally clean the rest of the stuff and inspect the glands for any sign of infection.

We cleaned the other one too, mostly some ear wax looking stuff, not as much crud in it as the right one, but his vent still has some crusty cecal remnants around it that I can’t get loose. The sphincter is a  little red and sore with good reason. Poor Fiver!

No sign of urine scald. The rest of his fur is nice and clean down there.

He’s resting comfortably now, but holy cow, what a nightmare! The poor thing! I am still seeing that strange mouth motion, but couldn’t get him to turn upside down so I could inspect his teeth and by the time I thought of it, he’d had more than enough of both of us for today. I think he needs to be seen, if for nothing else a well-check. Maybe they can get him cleaner than we did. Do you guys agree?

My daughter deserves a medal. She handled this all very well and she’s NOT happy about the job, but does it anyway. No one else in the house would help me with this like she does!

I still have very “bad bunny mom” vibes surging through my head however, which is pounding from the stress. I don’t know which of us needs some rescue remedy more; me, Fiver or my poor kid!

[jerseygirl]

Oh…(((hugs MM))) You’re not a bad bunny Mom! Especially doing that for him. Bunnies like to be clean. I had to smile a little reading that account. How long has your daughter been home? hehe… bet california was looking appealing again while she was doing that nasty chore. 3 cheers for her though – it must be good to know you can rely on her help with them.

[MimzMum]

Thanks Jerz! Yeah she came home on the 24th. She got homesick the day after she arrived in CA. Go figure!
She did remark that she was glad she’d come home to help with him. ^_^ She’s absolutely my hero tonight!

And thank you for your kind words. You’re a dear! I know, it makes me feel so bad that I can’t isolate this digestive problem. If I could he wouldn’t need bummy baths, I’m sure.

[bunnytowne]

Elrowen’s suggestion sounds good.    However I would put  a towel over your arm and the buns head in case he starts kicking you won’t get so scratched up

OR hold her with her head tucked under your arm on your side.  Probably got to have a firm press on her and hold her hind end with the hand of the arm  you are using to hold her head.

Fiesty buns can be very difficult.

[BinkyBunny]

Oh wow, what a job! Must be such a relief to have that behind you. I am glad that you were able to unplug that anal gland as I have heard from my vet they can get infected, but I haven’t seen an inflamed or infected one before. .

What a wonderful daughter (but of course, it sounds like this apple hasn’t fallen too far from the tree . Soiunds like female team power got the job done and your bunny must be feeling so much better now because of it.

Congratulations on job well done.

[MimzMum]

Posted By BinkyBunny on 07/02/2010 11:36 PM
Oh wow, what a job! Must be such a relief to have that behind you.

         Erm. Was that a pun? ^_^

I am glad that you were able to unplug that anal gland as I have heard from my vet they can get infected, but I haven’t seen an inflamed or infected one before. .

          Yeah, he did seem more comfortable afterwards, but I haven’t checked him since that day, and I probably should. I just don’t relish having to turn him over again, he struggles so! At least the terrible smell is gone…that must’ve been what it was. Has your vet told you what to do for inflamed glands? Do you put anything on them or leave them be?

What a wonderful daughter  Soiunds like female team power got the job done

          Fiver DOES appear to prefer female company. (understandable since he was terrorized by 4 small boys) He will let “C” do just about anything except pull too hard on the fur, which she’s careful not to do unless he jerks away, then it can’t be helped if she has a fingerfull…but he adores her and shuns my hub and son. I think they are both simply too loud for his delicate ears.

And my frozen pumpkin was a nasty mess last night after only being thawed a day…so I’m taking Petzy’s suggestion to heart and putting the new can in ice cube trays. Perfect serving sizes and he loves how cold it is!

 

[BinkyBunny]

Regarding if my vet has told me what to do for inflamed glands —- I remember asking her what can happen with anal glands and why is it important to check them, and the “infected and inflamed” was the answer, but I didn’t think to ask what if anything was done about it besides cleaning it out. (slaps forehead).   I would just check in a few days and see if it looks like it is healing.  If it is truly infected then I would suspect antibiotics would be need.   Doesn’t mean if it’s irritated that it won’t go down on it’s own since you have cleaned out the “plug”,  just means you will have to check it to make sure.  

Funny the Fiver appears to prefer female company.   Vivian seems to be that way too.  She quickly trusts females more than she does males (which is strange because I guess she used to melt in the arms of the husband of SaveABunny founder).   In our place, she’ll run across the room to give Steve attitude.  I actually think she enjoys terrorizing him because he’s such a chicken with her, and she just seems to loves to take advantage of that fact.   It’s amazing the bravery and attitude that happens when he comes into the bunny room.  I will have to film that. 

Anyway, glad Fiver at LEAST will do better with one gender — better that than neither gender. 

[Author]

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