Baffled by behaviour/change in appetite

[Bunny Buddy]

Not really sure how to describe it expect "behaviour change" ...*alarm bells*

I have noticed in the last few evenings that Arthur has been laid in 'loaf' position with his head facing the leg of a metal table. He had loads of space so there's no need for him to have his nose pressed against this table leg.. it seems bizarre... as a one-off maybe but he keeps doing it.

This evening I did the rounds handing out hay and when he and the others would normally be excited and go to the hay he just positioned in front of the table leg (after following my heels closely as he always does:roll: I have to be careful not to kick him in the face when walking).

As I observed the munching from everybun else, he was grooming the table leg :? So, my first thought was "dental?" His poops are large and plentiful. He very kindly scatters them on the floor for me to regularly sweep up.

Early morning he was rattling at the bars (ie baby gate across the door) to let me know it was breakfast time. I'm toing and froing from this room throughout the day as it's where I work and he always follows me .. when I make a brew I can often see him waiting at the door for my return..this behaviour hasn't changed. Between about 10 am and noon I have to step over him but other than that he's dashing around.

Now I've gone into "formal worried mode" he's sat eating hay

He has been found to have bladder sludge but not had any symptoms from it. He's just turned four years old.

Any ideas - apart from that he's got a paranoid human?

 

[InspectorMorse]

Ears ? In the early stages of ear problems sometimes ‘odd’ behaviour can be the only symptom.

Is his water intake and wee output normal for him ? Given his history of bladder sludge could it be that his bladder is now feeling a bit uncomfortable ?

Sending ‘nothing really wrong’ vibes x

 

[Bunny Buddy]

Thanks. I will be vigilant for possible ear issues. At this stage, might a vet be able to see anything from physical examination?

Drinking and weeing normal. He's never had any detectable bladder symptoms, I only know about the sludge due to an x-ray when he has GI issues. He's so like Artie in many ways that I am paranoid about bladder sludge as Artie had his cystotomy at 4.5 years old.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Thanks. I will be vigilant for possible ear issues. At this stage, might a vet be able to see anything from physical examination?

Drinking and weeing normal. He's never had any detectable bladder symptoms, I only know about the sludge due to an x-ray when he has GI issues. He's so like Artie in many ways that I am paranoid about bladder sludge as Artie had his cystotomy at 4.5 years old.

Re the ears, what may or may not be seen on an initial examination would depend on if there is any problem and if so what it is. Inflamed outer ear canals can be obvious, as can any lumps around the ear base.

Morse used to shove his head behind a leg of his chair when he had earache. He also stopped eating pellets but pigged out on everything else, especially hay.

The only other thing I can think of is a sluggish cecum. A very full cecum is easy to palpate on abdominal examination. It feels like a big sausage x

 

[Bunny Buddy]

Thanks. Ear bases feel normal (to me, compared with Esme and Lolly's abscesses). I'll have a try for his abdomen later....