Rabbit Medicine and Surgery: Self-Assessment Color Review, Second Edition, Q&A 10

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Student tip: This case is highly relevant for everyday practice.

This rabbit presents to you with soft faecal material adhered to the fur around its perineum (see image). The owner reports that it has diarrhoea.

Question	Answer		Article
How can you determine if this is indeed true diarrhoea?	True diarrhoea needs to be distinguished from uneaten caecotrophs or abnormally soft caecotrophs that adhere to the perineum. Relevant questioning during history taking can generally distinguish between the two situations. If there is true diarrhoea, no normal faecal pellets are passed. If this is caecotroph material, normal hard faecal pellets will still be passed or may be stuck among the adherent material. Rabbits with true diarrhoea are generally systemically unwell and deteriorating, with associated dehydration and abdominal pain. Caecotrophs have a characteristic strong ‘vinegary’ odour due to the volatile fatty acids present, and they are coated in mucus.		Link to Article
If you determine that true diarrhoea is not present, what can cause this presentation?	Caecotrophs may remain uneaten or be abnormally soft for many reasons: • Back or joint pain or restriction of movement (e.g. spondylosis, spondylitis, arthritis) so that the rabbit cannot bend to reach the anus and eat its caecotrophs • Obesity – the rabbit cannot physically reach its anus to eat the caecotrophs • Dental or other oral pain • Low-fibre, high-carbohydrate diets can predispose to abnormally soft caecotrophs.• High-protein diets – may affect palatability of caecotrophs. • Overfeeding leading to no calorific need for caecotroph ingestion. • Lack of space and exercise.		Link to Article

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