Fur around tail disappearing? Plus older bun care advice.

I have just noticed Mimi's tail bone is losing it's fur :shock: I was shocked to see a little pink protrusion and on closer inspection it is definitely her tail bone. Why would she be losing fur on it?? :? Nothing else unusual going on from what I can tell.

She is getting on a bit now bless her, she's around 8 or 9 years old. I have noticed a couple of unbeaten caecotrophs recently actually which is unusual, but wasn't sure who they came from, maybe it was her?

I'm wondering if perhaps her diet needs changing to one more suitable for older buns? She's not looking as healthy as she used to, but I guess that's natural as they get older. She's still active and eating well, just looks a bit rough around the edges and now this tail thing :?

Any advice greatly appreciated x

Do you think she might have some arthritis making getting her caecotrophs "direct delivery" more difficult? And/Or some nerve pain causing her to pull at the fur of her tail perhaps??
{{{Mimi}}}

jerseygirl said:

Do you think she might have some arthritis making getting her caecotrophs "direct delivery" more difficult? And/Or some nerve pain causing her to pull at the fur of her tail perhaps??
{{{Mimi}}}

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That's a definite possibility She seems to be moving around normally though. A vets visit may be in order

I notice that Mimzy (who is now 9 years) has lost quite a bit of fur around his tail. His 'skirt' though, is bigger and fatter than it's ever been
He is very crooked and has arthritis (he was early onset at 3 years) and he has hip spurs and spondylosis also. Jerseygirl has good points about this sometimes causing them to gnaw their fur in this area. And Mimzy very rarely gets to his cecals as well, but mostly due to his mobility issues, so he gets them stuck in hard to reach places. It's really nasty having to get them off.

It's not unheard of for them to need a diet change as they age though. But I would think you'd see other symptoms too...how is her elimination otherwise? Good wee and fecals?

It could also just be growing older, but I am no expert. Hopefully there are others who will have more knowledge.
Hope Mimi will be okay, bless her. xxxx

Gemmapookie said:

I have just noticed Mimi's tail bone is losing it's fur :shock: I was shocked to see a little pink protrusion and on closer inspection it is definitely her tail bone. Why would she be losing fur on it?? :? Nothing else unusual going on from what I can tell.

She is getting on a bit now bless her, she's around 8 or 9 years old. I have noticed a couple of unbeaten caecotrophs recently actually which is unusual, but wasn't sure who they came from, maybe it was her?

I'm wondering if perhaps her diet needs changing to one more suitable for older buns? She's not looking as healthy as she used to, but I guess that's natural as they get older. She's still active and eating well, just looks a bit rough around the edges and now this tail thing :?

Any advice greatly appreciated x

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Sorry to hear this

Have you examined her for fur mites? Around the tail is often a prime region to begin losing fur.

When you mention diet, is she underweight? Perhaps she needs a boost and some vitamins maybe to help with overall condition? Rabbits can get anaemic as they get older, and this makes them more lethargic and affects their coat too.

The other thing is, perhaps she is weeing over herself, as that often causes fur loss around the tail. A kind of urine scald. How is she with her litter tray?

Poor wee girl, I hope Mimi gets sorted

Thankyou

I have thoroughly looked her over, there is no fur loss anywhere else or other signs of mites.

She has awful litter training habits compared to the others but always has done, and has been known to sit in her wee :roll:

On feeling her again I suppose she has lost a bit of condition, possibly lost a slight bit of weight :? She is eating as usual though.

Can anyone recommend a good food for older buns please? Or some supplements?

My poor Moomy, it's so sad to see her getting old

Gemmapookie said:

Thankyou

I have thoroughly looked her over, there is no fur loss anywhere else or other signs of mites.

She has awful litter training habits compared to the others but always has done, and has been known to sit in her wee :roll:

On feeling her again I suppose she has lost a bit of condition, possibly lost a slight bit of weight :? She is eating as usual though.

Can anyone recommend a good food for older buns please? Or some supplements?

My poor Moomy, it's so sad to see her getting old

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It sounds more like the fur loss may be due to urine scald then .... Burgess do a mature rabbit pellet with ginseng and cranberry which may help with condition.

It might be a good idea to weigh her, as weight can fall off drastically on our elder buns without noticing it. Even though older buns eat as usual they sometimes still don't retain their weight.

An anabolic steroid (this not the same as a corticosteroid) from the vet may improve condition and help to build up muscle and appetite. I've used them successfully and so has biscandmatt1.

Gemmapookie said:

Thankyou

I have thoroughly looked her over, there is no fur loss anywhere else or other signs of mites.

She has awful litter training habits compared to the others but always has done, and has been known to sit in her wee :roll:

On feeling her again I suppose she has lost a bit of condition, possibly lost a slight bit of weight :? She is eating as usual though.

Can anyone recommend a good food for older buns please? Or some supplements?

My poor Moomy, it's so sad to see her getting old

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Is Mimi the one who has had a few UTIs in the past ? Have you noticed her drinking more than she used to ?

It might be a good idea to actually weigh her every few days to check that she is not actually losing weight on an ongoing basis.

Jack's-Jane said:

Is Mimi the one who has had a few UTIs in the past ? Have you noticed her drinking more than she used to ?

It might be a good idea to actually weigh her every few days to check that she is not actually losing weight on an ongoing basis.

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Thanks Jane.

No Mimi has never had a UTI before *touches wood*

Ok I need to purchase a set of scales then to keep an eye on it.

Do you change your rabbits diets as they get older? :wave:

Gemmapookie said:

Thanks Jane.

No Mimi has never had a UTI before *touches wood*

Ok I need to purchase a set of scales then to keep an eye on it.

Do you change your rabbits diets as they get older? :wave:

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It depends on the individual Rabbit. Some older Rabbits may struggle to maintain weight, others can become a bit too portly ! I am afraid that with Rabbits I never use a 'one size fits all' with regards to nutritional requirements. My experience is that it never seems to !

Good luck with Mimi :wave:

MightyMax said:

It sounds more like the fur loss may be due to urine scald then .... Burgess do a mature rabbit pellet with ginseng and cranberry which may help with condition.

It might be a good idea to weigh her, as weight can fall off drastically on our elder buns without noticing it. Even though older buns eat as usual they sometimes still don't retain their weight.

An anabolic steroid (this not the same as a corticosteroid) from the vet may improve condition and help to build up muscle and appetite. I've used them successfully and so has biscandmatt1.

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Thanks so much, I will see if I can get that food delivered here offline. It's worth a shot even if it's just a supplement to her normal food (wary about changing it!)

I'll also mention to my vets about the anabolic steroid especially if things worsen.

Jack's-Jane said:

It depends on the individual Rabbit. Some older Rabbits may struggle to maintain weight, others can become a bit too portly ! I am afraid that with Rabbits I never use a 'one size fits all' with regards to nutritional requirements. My experience is that it never seems to !

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My other 3 seem to still be doing well off their diet, granted they are a year or 2 younger than her. I do think that Mimi might need a little something extra now though bless her