Buddy’s weight problems

[MissD]

Hi. I’m just after some opinions or maybe advice. My Bud is a dwarf lop and is overweight. We first spotted it after his partner Hannah passed away. We took him to the vet who comfirmed he was a bit over, about 400 grams. We started diet – no fruit or any types of treats, pellets halved (he has science selective, an egg cup a day) and his salad now consists of just herbs, red pepper and a piece of baby corn. So basicly he has a salad, an egg cup of pellets, hay and dried herbs (plantain and dandelion), that’s all. He’s been on this diet for two months now and we visited the vet recently and he’s put 300 grams on. I have no idea how he could actually gain weight. There’s only me and my husband in our house and my husband never feeds the bunnies. I really don’t know what I’m doing wrong. My vet doesn’t really believe me and thinks I still over feed him but I don’t. Are there any underlying problems that could cause weight gain? I now decided to stop his pellets altogether, there’s not much more I could cut out. Maybe babycorn? Any ideas please?

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

That’s a pretty drastic change to his diet! How is he coping?

I would ask your vet about underlying issues that could cause weight gain-they could maybe screen with bloodwork. Did you vet recommend the diet changes specifically? If not maybe ask your vet to help you design the weight loss plan, and hopefully with a slower change. Your vet should be OK with you dropping in for weigh ins too if it’s really a concern-there should be no charge for that and that way you are getting a consistent accurate measurement.

[MissD]

He’s coping pretty well. He follows me around a lot hoping for some treats but otherwise he’s ok. Eats a lot more hay now. It was the vet who told us to reduce pellets and cut out treats entirely. Unfortunately there are no truly rabbit savvy vets where I live. I don’t get how he put weight on after such drastic changes.

[LBJ10]

Did the vet check his thyroid?

[tobyluv]

It would be best to cut out the corn, since that’s a food that shouldn’t be given to rabbits, although I doubt eliminating it would aid in his weight loss very much. Does he get a good bit of exercise? Maybe if he is depressed about the loss of his companion, he doesn’t feel like running around and playing as much as he did before.

[LBJ10]

Buddy has a new friend, right? Is she keeping him occupied?

[MissD]

Tobyluv – I don’t give him corn, I give him a piece of babycorn which is listed as safe on Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund web page which is a place to go for all things bunny in the UK.

LBJ10 – no, the vet didn’t check his thyroid, I will ask about it though. And yes, Bud has a new friend and he is more active but still pretty lazy. I have to keep annoying him to make him move around more. He’s always been like this though but never had this problem before.

[LBJ10]

That’s what I thought. I would think that having a new companion would help keep him active. But, like you said, he’s always been kinda lazy (it’s a lop thing). Thyroid problems are the only thing I can think of that would cause unexplained weight gain. I’m sure there are other possibilities though too.

[Author]

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