Table 8.1.
Differential diagnosis of ‘diarrhoea’ in rabbits
| Syndrome | Incidence in pet rabbits | Hard faeces | Caecotrophs | Condition of rabbit | Causes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uneaten normal caecotrophs (soft odorous faecal material that looks like diarrhoea to the owner) | Common | Copious quantities of hard faecal pellets | Normal consistency | Well Appetite good |
Obesity Dental disease Spondylosis Arthritis Perineal dermatitis etc. |
| Uneaten soft caecotrophs | Common | Copious quantities of hard faecal pellets | Soft, liquid consistency | Well | Change of diet Lack of dietary fibre Succulent foods Stress + same causes as uneaten normal caecotrophs |
| Coccidiosis | Rare in adult Common in juvenile |
Diarrhoea can range from haemorrhagic liquid faeces to bulky soft faeces | Indistinguishable from hard faeces | Depends on severity of condition | Eimeria spp. |
| Mucoid enteropathy | Rare in adult Associated with stress Sporadic outbreaks in juveniles |
Normal hard faeces are absent Mixed or interspersed mucus and diarrhoea No faecal output in later stages |
Abnormal soft caecotrophs may be intermittently interspersed with mucus and diarrhoea | May be eating in early stages Bloated appearance Progresses to inappetence and tooth grinding |
Still unclear Dysautonomia has been found in some cases |
| Caecal impaction | Sporadic incidence | Absence of hard faeces | None in later stages | May pick at food in early stages | Appears to be associated with pain or stress |
| Can produce mucus, which owners mistake for diarrhoea | Caecal impaction is also part of mucoid enteropathy complex | ||||
| Can be caused by ingestion of materials that are moved into the caecum, absorb water and are not broken down by caecal microflora. Examples include clay litter, methylcellulose or other bulk laxatives | |||||
| Enteritis | Rare in adults Enteritis caused by bacterial overgrowth/imbalances is more common in the suckling or growing rabbit |
Normal hard faeces are absent Liquid diarrhoea |
Not seen | Unwell Anorexic May crave fibre |
Bacterial or viral pathogens such as E. coli, clostridia, rotaviruses Can be induced by antibiotics Plant toxins |
| Enterotoxaemia | Sporadic cases in adult rabbits More common in juveniles |
Liquid faeces that may be tarry Rabbit may die before diarrhoea develops |
Not seen | Unwell Rapidly progressive May be collapsed |
Clostridial species Can be induced by antibiotics |
| Chronic inflammatory disease | Rare Only adults |
Large amounts of bulky soft faeces | Indistinguishable from hard faeces | Thin, bloated Periods of ravenous appetite interspersed with periods of anorexia |
Not known ? immune mediated Sometimes associated with adhesions? post spay |
In other species, diarrhoea is manifested by the frequent evacuation of watery droppings (Blood and Studdert, 1999). Rabbits produce two types of droppings, i.e. hard faeces and caecotrophs. Normal caecotrophs are soft in consistency and are often mistaken for diarrhoea. The nature and frequency of both types of faeces are an important consideration. In some conditions, there is also excessive mucus production that can be mistaken for diarrhoea.