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Weird but urgent!

Deelove

Wise Old Thumper
I have a bonded pair of elderly rabbits nearly 12 and 13. The female, 12 year old, Faline has the past few weeks begun mounting and humping her husbun, Molly and generally behaving like an unspayed male.
She has some arthritis and Molly is blind so this sort of behavior is distressing to them both. Especially as she is pulling his fur out around his neck.
I have noticed when I pull her off him a penis like protrusion. I know females can have quite the bulge but I was wondering if an infection or something could cause it to become more pronounced? I have had them to my vet and she thought Faline was the male due to the penis looking thing 🙄, but other than a general health check and some advising increasing her pain meds she had no clue. She had some dirt in her ears so they were cleaned in case that was annoying her.

I have had to seperate them which, as they've been together most of their lives is pretty heart breaking.

Faline is spayed. Was spayed by my own vet. Has never had her genitals like this before that I'm aware of.
Pic in link.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OfFIFsYykC5v7mw-7OlTsZZgkpxkw2tB/view?usp=drivesdk

I don't know what else to try?
 
Last edited:
I have a bonded pair of elderly rabbits nearly 12 and 13. The female, 12 year old, Faline has the past few weeks begun mounting and humping her husbun, Molly and generally behaving like an unspayed male.
She has some arthritis and Molly is blind so this sort of behavior is distressing to them both. Especially as she is pulling his fur out around his neck.
I have noticed when I pull her off him a penis like protrusion. I know females can have quite the bulge but I was wondering if an infection or something could cause it to become more pronounced? I have had them to my vet and she thought Faline was the male due to the penis looking thing 🙄, but other than a general health check and some advising increasing her pain meds she had no clue. She had some dirt in her ears so they were cleaned in case that was annoying her.

I have had to seperate them which, as they've been together most of their lives is pretty heart breaking.

Faline is spayed. Was spayed by my own vet. Has never had her genitals like this before that I'm aware of.
Pic in link.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OfFIFsYykC5v7mw-7OlTsZZgkpxkw2tB/view?usp=drivesdk

I don't know what else to try?

Hello stranger, long time no see !

It could be a case of clitoral enlargement, which along with extreme sexual behaviour in an elderly spayed Doe can be indicative of a problem with the adrenal gland. Although it is usually male Rabbits who are effected it is not impossible for it to happen in a Doe. The condition is commonly seen in Ferrets.

Your Vet may be willing to look into giving her a hormone implant called Leuprolide Acetate (eg brand name Suprelorin)which suppresses the extreme sexual behaviours/symptoms

https://uk.virbac.com/suprelorin

Additional information about adrenal gland disease here :

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/crivem/2014/239410/

https://rabbit.org/journal/4-10/sexhormones.html
 
I have a bonded pair of elderly rabbits nearly 12 and 13. The female, 12 year old, Faline has the past few weeks begun mounting and humping her husbun, Molly and generally behaving like an unspayed male.
She has some arthritis and Molly is blind so this sort of behavior is distressing to them both. Especially as she is pulling his fur out around his neck.
I have noticed when I pull her off him a penis like protrusion. I know females can have quite the bulge but I was wondering if an infection or something could cause it to become more pronounced? I have had them to my vet and she thought Faline was the male due to the penis looking thing 🙄, but other than a general health check and some advising increasing her pain meds she had no clue. She had some dirt in her ears so they were cleaned in case that was annoying her.

I have had to seperate them which, as they've been together most of their lives is pretty heart breaking.

Faline is spayed. Was spayed by my own vet. Has never had her genitals like this before that I'm aware of.
Pic in link.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OfFIFsYykC5v7mw-7OlTsZZgkpxkw2tB/view?usp=drivesdk

I don't know what else to try?


I think it looks a bit like something here, from what you've posted ...

https://www.vettimes.co.uk/article/adrenal-gland-disease-in-rabbits/


In the article above - I've read the whole thing - the rabbit needed pain management and exhibited loss of appetite.

Have you noticed any other symptoms?
 
Hi Jane! Life with baby is very busy.

Thank you both. That really sounds like what it is. I will email my vet the articles. Thought I was going nuts. The vet I saw was not my usual one and she just kept saying she'd never seen a rabbit over 10.

She is defecating all over the place. No loss of appetite. Nothing else that can't really be explained by age. She has been diagnosed with arthritis in her spine due to some back leg weakness but I'm wondering if it could be connected.
 
Hi Jane! Life with baby is very busy.

Thank you both. That really sounds like what it is. I will email my vet the articles. Thought I was going nuts. The vet I saw was not my usual one and she just kept saying she'd never seen a rabbit over 10.

She is defecating all over the place. No loss of appetite. Nothing else that can't really be explained by age. She has been diagnosed with arthritis in her spine due to some back leg weakness but I'm wondering if it could be connected.


Unlikely to be the cause of the sexual behaviour/symptoms, in my unqualified opinion.

Hope that your baby is doing well and that you are not too worn out !!
 
Hi Jane! Life with baby is very busy.

Thank you both. That really sounds like what it is. I will email my vet the articles. Thought I was going nuts. The vet I saw was not my usual one and she just kept saying she'd never seen a rabbit over 10.

She is defecating all over the place. No loss of appetite. Nothing else that can't really be explained by age. She has been diagnosed with arthritis in her spine due to some back leg weakness but I'm wondering if it could be connected.


You're welcome :)

Let me know if you want the whole article that I mentioned - it's really interesting. I can send it to you :)

Must be a struggle to keep on top of the poos?

I doubt the arthritis is connected with it, but would be interested in what your vet says.
 
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Unlikely to be the cause of the sexual behaviour/symptoms, in my unqualified opinion.

Hope that your baby is doing well and that you are not too worn out !!

From reading the article you linked Jane the 🐰 in question went on to develop problems in her back legs which made me think it was a side effect.
 
From reading the article you linked Jane the �� in question went on to develop problems in her back legs which made me think it was a side effect.

Given that Faline has known arthritis I think it is that that may be what is causing hind leg weakness, but obviously that is just my unqualified thoughts. None of the Rabbits I have had who developed Adrenal Gland Disease displayed any hind leg problems, but that doesn't mean that it never happens.

As your Vet was unable to come up with a possible cause of Faline's symptoms maybe you might want to consider seeking a referral to an Exotics Specialist ? Or your Vet may do her own fact finding by contacting Specialists she/he is familiar with and then get back to you re a treatment plan.
 
If love those notes if you do have them please!

I did leave things for a week or two as she seemed to get a bit better, I could distract with food etc but Molly has become so withdrawn and stressed. It's so tricky to manage as I can't shut Molly out of his room as he knows where everything is (molly is almost totally blind) but when I shut Faline out she poos everywhere which is difficult to manage with a now mobile baby.

Anyway...
My own vet is back from hols and has been researching and agrees it sounds like an adenoma of the adrenal gland.
Due to her age and the fact that nobody in the practice had performed a similar op we aren't going to be able to confirm though. He thinks anything surgical would be for clinical interest and not for the benefit of Faline.

So we're going to try a hormone suppressant on Monday that he uses with the local wildlife parks small animals and ferrets etc. He doesn't think it will do any harm but we'll see if it improves things. Hope it does. Can't believe with all the health problems rabbits can get something so daft is causing so much stress for my poor elderly buns. I've been so lucky with them all their lives.
 
If love those notes if you do have them please!

I did leave things for a week or two as she seemed to get a bit better, I could distract with food etc but Molly has become so withdrawn and stressed. It's so tricky to manage as I can't shut Molly out of his room as he knows where everything is (molly is almost totally blind) but when I shut Faline out she poos everywhere which is difficult to manage with a now mobile baby.

Anyway...
My own vet is back from hols and has been researching and agrees it sounds like an adenoma of the adrenal gland.
Due to her age and the fact that nobody in the practice had performed a similar op we aren't going to be able to confirm though. He thinks anything surgical would be for clinical interest and not for the benefit of Faline.

So we're going to try a hormone suppressant on Monday that he uses with the local wildlife parks small animals and ferrets etc. He doesn't think it will do any harm but we'll see if it improves things. Hope it does. Can't believe with all the health problems rabbits can get something so daft is causing so much stress for my poor elderly buns. I've been so lucky with them all their lives.

I expect the implant is Suprelorin

https://uk.virbac.com/suprelorin

Hope it helps, the Rabbits I have cared for who were given it all responded well x
 
If love those notes if you do have them please!

I did leave things for a week or two as she seemed to get a bit better, I could distract with food etc but Molly has become so withdrawn and stressed. It's so tricky to manage as I can't shut Molly out of his room as he knows where everything is (molly is almost totally blind) but when I shut Faline out she poos everywhere which is difficult to manage with a now mobile baby.

Anyway...
My own vet is back from hols and has been researching and agrees it sounds like an adenoma of the adrenal gland.
Due to her age and the fact that nobody in the practice had performed a similar op we aren't going to be able to confirm though. He thinks anything surgical would be for clinical interest and not for the benefit of Faline.

So we're going to try a hormone suppressant on Monday that he uses with the local wildlife parks small animals and ferrets etc. He doesn't think it will do any harm but we'll see if it improves things. Hope it does. Can't believe with all the health problems rabbits can get something so daft is causing so much stress for my poor elderly buns. I've been so lucky with them all their lives.


I shall do my best to look them out for you :wave:

It's a bit hectic at the moment but when I get the chance I shall have a root around in my files :)

I hope the hormone suppressant works for your little one.
Loads of vibes for her and let me know how she does :)
 
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