Ask Your Pet Question. Pet Experts Answer You ASAP.

(Not a Pet Question?)

after cleaning my rabbits butt I noticed light colored blood in the l
Sent to Pet Experts August 06 05:52 PM

I have a long hair jersey wooley rabbit- and he had some dried poop on his butt. I soaked his bottom for a bit and removed some of the fecal matter. Later in the after noon I noticed light colored blood when he went to the bathroom. I was about to rush him to the vet and I know it is not internal bleeding-should this be seen tonight? or is it like a small tear that heals on it own? I used to be a vet tech-I panic when it's one of my own. I thank you and look forward to a answer-to guide me.

sincerely,

Patty

 

Optional Information:
Age: 7; Male; Breed: jersey wooley rabbit

Already Tried:
I have been keeping an eye-and checking his butt with a warm cloth to see if there is active bleeding. I had my friend hold him and I didn't notice a bad trauma to his sphinter but it is light red and a bit irritated. He is eating fine and grooming himself

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Reply
August 6 6:04 PM (8 minutes and 37 seconds later)
         
Reply to Danielle's Post: no grinding or hunching- he is eating-has plenty of timothy hay. activity is normal-lying spralled out relaxing. he is seven and usually take him to the vet to be groomed. I am concerned with the spotting. Are you a vet-tech? have you seen this before
Reply
August 6 6:21 PM (5 minutes and 3 seconds later)
         
Reply to Danielle's Post: no grinding or hunching-he has plenty pf timothy hay. He is lounging like he does at this time of the day-he is grooming himself and has been eating. He is 7 years old- please get a dvm if you think it's needed

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on August 6 2006 at 6:24 PM
Reply
August 6 6:25 PM (1 minute and 25 seconds later)
         
Reply to Danielle's Post: not sure- i will need to get a friend to hold him up it seems to be on the side of his rectum
Reply
August 6 6:37 PM (12 minutes and 12 seconds later)
         
did you recieve my post? I don't think it's coming from the penis there would be more blood? if it was a trauma I think- I am just very neurotic when it comes to my pets
Answer
August 6 6:39 PM (1 minute and 27 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
I'll go over both possibilities for you, however he definitely needs to be examined by a veterinarian.

First off, color change can be a result of plant pigments in the diet. If he has been fed any vegetables or fruits within the last 3 days that had red pigment in them, this could be a direct result of that.

As far as health issues go, blood in the urine can be a sign of bladder problems. This can range from being as nonserious as a bladder infection, to the more serious problems such as cancer or bladder stones. The rabbit may not show any other symptoms other than blood in the urine. Bladder stones, bladder crystals, and cancer, are all common diseases in older rabbits. If the rabbit is not neutered, the risk of cancers increase.

If the blood is indeed coming from his stool, this could signal a much more serious problem. Blood in the stool can be an indication of anal cancer, cancer of the glands in the anus, or prostate cancer. Blood in the stool can also be an indication of a serious disruption in your rabbit's gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

My advice is to have your rabbit seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. They will need to examine him in order to diagnose, or rule out, any possible illness he may have, and determine an appropriate course of treatment.

Hope this helps!


I am NOT, nor do I claim to be, a Veterinarian.
Always check with your vet for any symptoms your pet exhibits.

Please press Accept if you find my answer helpful.
2 Other Experts Agree with this!
Reply
August 6 6:41 PM (2 minutes and 31 seconds later)
         
Reply to Danielle's Post: Hi,

This only occured after trying to remove dried poop from his butt-the blood is not coming from his stool-he was pooping and urinating fine until I tried cleaning him.
Answer
August 6 6:47 PM (5 minutes and 56 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
Ahhhhh, then that is MUCH better! Definitely nothing to worry about. You most likely pulled off a tiny piece of skin, which caused the minimal bleeding. The stool sticking to him, once dry, would cause some tugging when trying to remove it. This most likely caused some irritation to the skin, which may have also resulted in the light bleeding. Definitely nothing to worry about.


I am NOT, nor do I claim to be, a Veterinarian.
Always check with your vet for any symptoms your pet exhibits.

Please press Accept if you find my answer helpful.
1 Other Expert Agrees with this!
Reply
August 6 6:50 PM (2 minutes and 21 seconds later)
         
Reply to Danielle's Post: Thank you so much I feel much better now- sorry I wasn't clear at the beginning. Again thank you for all your help
Answer
August 6 6:54 PM (4 minutes and 27 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
No problem at all! I'm so glad that it's nothing serious. I was very concerned when I thought it was anal bleeding! My rabbit is like my child, so I know how concerned they can make you! :)


I am NOT, nor do I claim to be, a Veterinarian.
Always check with your vet for any symptoms your pet exhibits.

Please press Accept if you find my answer helpful.
Think you can answer this question?
Login or Become an Expert

 

DISCLAIMER: You acknowledge that any information you may obtain from individuals you contact through use of the JustAnswer service comes from those individuals, not from JustAnswer, and that JustAnswer is not in any way responsible for any of the information these third parties may supply. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty and no representations are made regarding the qualification of an Expert. Responses and comments on JustAnswer are for general information and are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (such as medical, legal, investment or accounting) and do not establish a professional-client relationship. JustAnswer is not intended or designed to address EMERGENCY QUESTIONS which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals. Please carefully read the Terms of Service.

JustAnswer > Pet Health