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75 Willow Street Yarmouth , ME
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(207)846-6515
www.yarmouthvetcenter.com
FUR MATS WITH FECES THE PROBLEM If a rabbit does not eat the caecotrophs, for any reason, it is very likely that some of it will stick in the fur around the anus. Because this type of feces is very sticky, some of the normal pellets stick to it. Rabbit fur is very fine and dense and their skin is very thin and elastic. As the rabbit continues to pass droppings the mat of feces grows; the surface of it becomes somewhat dry and beneath the surface it stays moist. The skin below the mat can become very inflamed, infected, and fragile. There are several possible reasons why a rabbit might not eat its caecotrophs. The four most common in our experience are: TREATMENT Fur mats with feces can be very small or very large. They cannot be washed off (attempts to do so usually make the problem worse), they have to be clipped. Rabbit fur is difficult to clip when it is not matted, and much more difficult when it is matted. The skin under the mat might be inflamed, infected, and very painful to the touch. Rabbit skin is very thin and very elastic, and there are several normal very thin skin folds in the anal area, so it is very easy to accidentally cut the skin while clipping the area. Rabbits often struggle when they are restrained, and because their back legs are very powerful it is very easy for them to injure themselves. For all of these reasons it is usually very challenging to remove fur mats with feces from rabbits. Sometimes general anesthesia is necessary. |