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Concerned Winston is unhappy UPDATE post 24

ImoT

Mama Doe
Some of you may have seen my post the other day about my bunnies' failing litter tray habits, they have been better recently since i've put loads of hay in the litter tray although I did come down to a kitchen full of poos this morning...however I was late feeding them breakfast!

In addition to this, I've felt that Winston hadn't been quite himself for the last few weeks. He spends an awful lot of time sitting, mainly loafed, staring into space or at a wall. Him and Edith used to spend 99% of their time lying next to each other but now more often than not Edith is flopped somewhere else looking content and he is just in his loaf position staring into space. He is still eating and is still fairly enthusiastic about food, but I don't feel he is as enthusiastic as he used to be. When I let them out of the kitchen Edith still runs around like mad binkying, but Winston doesn't do this anymore. Last night when I let them out he just hopped into the corridor and just sat loafed staring at the wall for a few hours. He doesn't seem to have much of an interest in toys, although I am going out today to buy them some more. He let me pick him up this morning which he never does, so i'm convinced something isn't right! Also sometimes as he gets out of his loaf position, to move across the room, he just stands in the getting up position completely still, almost like he has sensed a predator approaching or something?!

Him and Edith don't seem to be fighting, there is never any evidence of this, but they certainly don't seem as close as they used to be. Winston doesn't seem to be in pain because he is still eating.

The only thing i've changed in the last few weeks is they used to have their carrier in the kitchen full of hay, but they kept weeing in it so I stopped filling it with hay. They do however have a litter tray full of hay and 2 separate hay feeders.

Any advice that anyone has would be lovely. I don't know if i'm going crazy in thinking that Winston is unhappy, but I'm sure something isn't quite right. I just want him to be back to his happy and inquisitive self!
 
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Some of you may have seen my post the other day about my bunnies' failing litter tray habits, they have been better recently since i've put loads of hay in the litter tray although I did come down to a kitchen full of poos this morning...however I was late feeding them breakfast!

In addition to this, I've felt that Winston hadn't been quite himself for the last few weeks. He spends an awful lot of time sitting, mainly loafed, staring into space or at a wall. Him and Edith used to spend 99% of their time lying next to each other but now more often than not Edith is flopped somewhere else looking content and he is just in his loaf position staring into space. He is still eating and is still fairly enthusiastic about food, but I don't feel he is as enthusiastic as he used to be. When I let them out of the kitchen Edith still runs around like mad binkying, but Winston doesn't do this anymore. Last night when I let them out he just hopped into the corridor and just sat loafed staring at the wall for a few hours. He doesn't seem to have much of an interest in toys, although I am going out today to buy them some more. He let me pick him up this morning which he never does, so i'm convinced something isn't right! Also sometimes as he gets out of his loaf position, to move across the room, he just stands in the getting up position completely still, almost like he has sensed a predator approaching or something?!

Him and Edith don't seem to be fighting, there is never any evidence of this, but they certainly don't seem as close as they used to be. Winston doesn't seem to be in pain because he is still eating.

The only thing i've changed in the last few weeks is they used to have their carrier in the kitchen full of hay, but they kept weeing in it so I stopped filling it with hay. They do however have a litter tray full of hay and 2 separate hay feeders.

Any advice that anyone has would be lovely. I don't know if i'm going crazy in thinking that Winston is unhappy, but I'm sure something isn't quite right. I just want him to be back to his happy and inquisitive self!

Personally I'd get him checked over by your Vet. Any obvious change in behaviour can be a sign that all is not well physically, even if he is still eating (although you say he is not doing so as enthusiastically as usual).

He may have some arthritic pain, symptoms of which can be vague and include changes in activity levels, generalised depression, loss of litter tray habits. Could the 'odd' behaviour that you mention when he gets out of his 'loaf' position be because he has stiffened up and getting up hurts ?

Does he have any sign of sore hocks/loss of fur over hocks ?
 
Some of you may have seen my post the other day about my bunnies' failing litter tray habits, they have been better recently since i've put loads of hay in the litter tray although I did come down to a kitchen full of poos this morning...however I was late feeding them breakfast!

In addition to this, I've felt that Winston hadn't been quite himself for the last few weeks. He spends an awful lot of time sitting, mainly loafed, staring into space or at a wall. Him and Edith used to spend 99% of their time lying next to each other but now more often than not Edith is flopped somewhere else looking content and he is just in his loaf position staring into space. He is still eating and is still fairly enthusiastic about food, but I don't feel he is as enthusiastic as he used to be. When I let them out of the kitchen Edith still runs around like mad binkying, but Winston doesn't do this anymore. Last night when I let them out he just hopped into the corridor and just sat loafed staring at the wall for a few hours. He doesn't seem to have much of an interest in toys, although I am going out today to buy them some more. He let me pick him up this morning which he never does, so i'm convinced something isn't right! Also sometimes as he gets out of his loaf position, to move across the room, he just stands in the getting up position completely still, almost like he has sensed a predator approaching or something?!

Him and Edith don't seem to be fighting, there is never any evidence of this, but they certainly don't seem as close as they used to be. Winston doesn't seem to be in pain because he is still eating.

The only thing i've changed in the last few weeks is they used to have their carrier in the kitchen full of hay, but they kept weeing in it so I stopped filling it with hay. They do however have a litter tray full of hay and 2 separate hay feeders.

Any advice that anyone has would be lovely. I don't know if i'm going crazy in thinking that Winston is unhappy, but I'm sure something isn't quite right. I just want him to be back to his happy and inquisitive self!


I'm sorry to hear about Winston :(

Perhaps he's in pain - you mention litter tray habits, he couldn't have a urinary tract infection, could he?

Would you take him to the vet and perhaps get the vet to express some urine to check whether that's causing him any pain? The vet (if he's savvy) would be able to feel what's going on with the internal organs and perhaps give some ideas as to why he's unhappy at the moment.

Good luck xx
 
Thank you all for your responses. For some reason it won't let me quote everyone!

Tonibun - he's not overweight, in fact I weighed him yesterday because I thought he might have lost some weight as I can feel each vertebrate of his spine which I hadn't noticed before. It wasn't a hugely accurate weigh-in because we had to use our bathroom scales so I had to stand on the scales, weigh myself, then get him to stand next to me...but they didn't suggest any hugely significant weight loss. He weights between 1.6 and 1.7 kilos which is about what he usually is.

Zoobec - how would I know if he was struggling with his eyesight? He doesn't seem to crash into things, he knows exactly where his hay feeders are and doesn't miss a step going in and out of the litter tray. However I have felt he has been a bit unwilling to go into the litter tray (hence the pooing outside of it, although he always wees in it), so maybe he finds it tricky to go in and out of the litter tray and that's why he's pooing outside of it?

JacksJane - it's interesting you mention arthritis, it could explain a lot of his symptoms. He's only young though, about 3 years old, I didn't think it would be common for young rabbits to get arthritis?! He doesn't have sort hocks or fur loss anywhere.

MightyMax - the litter tray issues have only been poos. I'm not hugely keen to ask the vet to express urine when his wees have been totally fine, it sounds quite invasive? Although, if i'm 100% honest, I wouldn't be able to tell you if he has definitely wee'd in the litter tray because he shares it with Edith. However, he certainly hasn't been weeing anywhere else and I assume if he didn't wee at all for more than 48 hours or so he would become very ill very quickly?

I bought them a couple of toys today, a willow ball and a wooden ball type thing that i've stuffed with hay. Both bunnies were very excited but Winston has now gone back to loaf-ing in a corner. In-fact sometimes he is in more of a sitting position and it just doesn't look particularly comfy.

I'm nervous about taking him to the vets. I'm nervous because although my vet is fairly rabbit savvy I'm not sure if I turn up and say 'Winston just seems a bit down' he would know where to start with checking him out?! I don't want to put him through any invasive procedures for no reason? Eye sight and arthritis seem like a good starting point, could someone explain how the vet would check these so I can make sure everything is done properly?

He had a check up in January and February with 2 separate vets actually, because he had his RVHD2 vaccine done by a different vet in January. That vet mentioned his teeth had very slight 'bits' on them (I assume she meant spurs?) but that it was nothing to worry about as it was very minor. My usual vet did his combi vaccine in February and did all the normal general checks and said he was perfectly healthy, I questioned his teeth with my vet then and he said they looked fine. So it could be teeth related I suppose, but then surely he would have stopped eating?!
 
Thank you all for your responses. For some reason it won't let me quote everyone!

Tonibun - he's not overweight, in fact I weighed him yesterday because I thought he might have lost some weight as I can feel each vertebrate of his spine which I hadn't noticed before. It wasn't a hugely accurate weigh-in because we had to use our bathroom scales so I had to stand on the scales, weigh myself, then get him to stand next to me...but they didn't suggest any hugely significant weight loss. He weights between 1.6 and 1.7 kilos which is about what he usually is.

Zoobec - how would I know if he was struggling with his eyesight? He doesn't seem to crash into things, he knows exactly where his hay feeders are and doesn't miss a step going in and out of the litter tray. However I have felt he has been a bit unwilling to go into the litter tray (hence the pooing outside of it, although he always wees in it), so maybe he finds it tricky to go in and out of the litter tray and that's why he's pooing outside of it?

JacksJane - it's interesting you mention arthritis, it could explain a lot of his symptoms. He's only young though, about 3 years old, I didn't think it would be common for young rabbits to get arthritis?! He doesn't have sort hocks or fur loss anywhere.

MightyMax - the litter tray issues have only been poos. I'm not hugely keen to ask the vet to express urine when his wees have been totally fine, it sounds quite invasive? Although, if i'm 100% honest, I wouldn't be able to tell you if he has definitely wee'd in the litter tray because he shares it with Edith. However, he certainly hasn't been weeing anywhere else and I assume if he didn't wee at all for more than 48 hours or so he would become very ill very quickly?

I bought them a couple of toys today, a willow ball and a wooden ball type thing that i've stuffed with hay. Both bunnies were very excited but Winston has now gone back to loaf-ing in a corner. In-fact sometimes he is in more of a sitting position and it just doesn't look particularly comfy.

I'm nervous about taking him to the vets. I'm nervous because although my vet is fairly rabbit savvy I'm not sure if I turn up and say 'Winston just seems a bit down' he would know where to start with checking him out?! I don't want to put him through any invasive procedures for no reason? Eye sight and arthritis seem like a good starting point, could someone explain how the vet would check these so I can make sure everything is done properly?

He had a check up in January and February with 2 separate vets actually, because he had his RVHD2 vaccine done by a different vet in January. That vet mentioned his teeth had very slight 'bits' on them (I assume she meant spurs?) but that it was nothing to worry about as it was very minor. My usual vet did his combi vaccine in February and did all the normal general checks and said he was perfectly healthy, I questioned his teeth with my vet then and he said they looked fine. So it could be teeth related I suppose, but then surely he would have stopped eating?!

Boots had poor eyesight, he struggled to focus and would often 'scan' - staring and moving his head from one side to the other, he did it particularly at first in an unfamiliar space. He hated things being moved around in his room and he would sit and gaze as it really confused him. If you didn't move anything around out of place and didn't know him you wouldn't really know that he had poor sight.

Have you replaced the carrier with a litter tray? if they are used to using that as a toilet it will be difficult for them to stop.

Some rabbits won't use a litter tray if it is dirty, although I am sure that is not the case in your situation.
 
Aww I'm sorry to hear Winston isn't himself! :(

I can't really offer much advice sorry, but do agree that a vet visit is needed. I took my Bella last weekend purely because she refused her pellets for 1 day & was being a nightmare behaviour wise. To be fair there was no real signs of being in pain but I just said I knew something had changed & she wasn't her normal self.. They were absolutely fine with me & gave her a thorough check. Ended up she's fine, but if it continued to take her back for a blood test. Since she's been fine, but today when checking her, found some dandruff so might have mites, even though I haven't seen her itching, she's been treated.

Hopefully the guys on here will help give lots of advice but topping up the vibes for him xx
 
Boots had poor eyesight, he struggled to focus and would often 'scan' - staring and moving his head from one side to the other, he did it particularly at first in an unfamiliar space. He hated things being moved around in his room and he would sit and gaze as it really confused him. If you didn't move anything around out of place and didn't know him you wouldn't really know that he had poor sight.

Have you replaced the carrier with a litter tray? if they are used to using that as a toilet it will be difficult for them to stop.

Some rabbits won't use a litter tray if it is dirty, although I am sure that is not the case in your situation.

I haven't noticed any 'scanning', but he does gaze a lot. I haven't replaced the litter tray with the carrier. The carrier has always been in the same place in the kitchen and the litter tray has always been in the same place too. So nothing has moved. How would the vet check for poor eyesight?

Their litter tray gets cleaned out every other day. Although I will admit, today it was due a clean but there is still so much clean hay left that I decided to do it tomorrow instead. I won't put quite so much hay in it tomorrow to avoid waste but still clean it out every other day.

Aww I'm sorry to hear Winston isn't himself! :(

I can't really offer much advice sorry, but do agree that a vet visit is needed. I took my Bella last weekend purely because she refused her pellets for 1 day & was being a nightmare behaviour wise. To be fair there was no real signs of being in pain but I just said I knew something had changed & she wasn't her normal self.. They were absolutely fine with me & gave her a thorough check. Ended up she's fine, but if it continued to take her back for a blood test. Since she's been fine, but today when checking her, found some dandruff so might have mites, even though I haven't seen her itching, she's been treated.

Hopefully the guys on here will help give lots of advice but topping up the vibes for him xx

Thank you for reassuring me that i'm not going crazy and a vet visit is worth it. I feel slightly more armed with things to go with i.e. ask for a check of eyes, teeth, possible arthritis and a general check over. I'll monitor him closely for the rest of the weekend and phone the vets on Monday. Anymore advice/suggestions are more than welcome.

This hasn't come at the best time, I'm getting married in 3 weeks and then going on honeymoon for 5 days and we have house sitters coming to look after the bunnies and our hamster Shirley. So obviously I want Winston to be 100% before that!
 
I haven't noticed any 'scanning', but he does gaze a lot. I haven't replaced the litter tray with the carrier. The carrier has always been in the same place in the kitchen and the litter tray has always been in the same place too. So nothing has moved. How would the vet check for poor eyesight?

Their litter tray gets cleaned out every other day. Although I will admit, today it was due a clean but there is still so much clean hay left that I decided to do it tomorrow instead. I won't put quite so much hay in it tomorrow to avoid waste but still clean it out every other day.



Thank you for reassuring me that i'm not going crazy and a vet visit is worth it. I feel slightly more armed with things to go with i.e. ask for a check of eyes, teeth, possible arthritis and a general check over. I'll monitor him closely for the rest of the weekend and phone the vets on Monday. Anymore advice/suggestions are more than welcome.

This hasn't come at the best time, I'm getting married in 3 weeks and then going on honeymoon for 5 days and we have house sitters coming to look after the bunnies and our hamster Shirley. So obviously I want Winston to be 100% before that!

I would put a litter tray where the carrier was/is because somebunny thought it was a litter tray before when it had hay in it. Boots had 3 trays and somebody moved his main tray once and I didn't notice until the next day, he was very confused and did use the floor then. I never asked the vet to confirm, we just knew with his scanning and the fact he was a REW that he had poor sight,so I don't know how they would check, I expect they would look at the eye itself. I would take him to the vets to have a check up
 
I would put a litter tray where the carrier was/is because somebunny thought it was a litter tray before when it had hay in it. Boots had 3 trays and somebody moved his main tray once and I didn't notice until the next day, he was very confused and did use the floor then. I never asked the vet to confirm, we just knew with his scanning and the fact he was a REW that he had poor sight,so I don't know how they would check, I expect they would look at the eye itself. I would take him to the vets to have a check up

I've just found a wee accident :( This is the third time in a few weeks that it's happened. I've got one of the tall hay feeders from manor pet housing and 3 times now somebunny has done a wee right at the base of it, I have no idea how because if they were facing the feeder eating hay their bottom would be further back so surely the wee would be further back. Unfortunately I don't know which bunny it was as I didn't see who did it. The hay feeder is next to the litter tray, but they've had it for a couple of years so I don't understand why it's just happening now.

You make a good point about the fact they used a the carrier as a litter tray. I'll pop out and get another litter tray tomorrow. Maybe I should just ditch the hay feeders entirely. Two litter trays full of hay should be enough surely?

I'll phone the vets on Monday.
 
Thank you all for your responses. For some reason it won't let me quote everyone!

MightyMax - the litter tray issues have only been poos. I'm not hugely keen to ask the vet to express urine when his wees have been totally fine, it sounds quite invasive? Although, if i'm 100% honest, I wouldn't be able to tell you if he has definitely wee'd in the litter tray because he shares it with Edith. However, he certainly hasn't been weeing anywhere else and I assume if he didn't wee at all for more than 48 hours or so he would become very ill very quickly?

I bought them a couple of toys today, a willow ball and a wooden ball type thing that i've stuffed with hay. Both bunnies were very excited but Winston has now gone back to loaf-ing in a corner. In-fact sometimes he is in more of a sitting position and it just doesn't look particularly comfy.

I'm nervous about taking him to the vets. I'm nervous because although my vet is fairly rabbit savvy I'm not sure if I turn up and say 'Winston just seems a bit down' he would know where to start with checking him out?! I don't want to put him through any invasive procedures for no reason? Eye sight and arthritis seem like a good starting point, could someone explain how the vet would check these so I can make sure everything is done properly?

He had a check up in January and February with 2 separate vets actually, because he had his RVHD2 vaccine done by a different vet in January. That vet mentioned his teeth had very slight 'bits' on them (I assume she meant spurs?) but that it was nothing to worry about as it was very minor. My usual vet did his combi vaccine in February and did all the normal general checks and said he was perfectly healthy, I questioned his teeth with my vet then and he said they looked fine. So it could be teeth related I suppose, but then surely he would have stopped eating?!


It's not at all invasive for a vet to express urine from a rabbit's bladder. I can do it myself :)

But you seem happy that there have been no inappropriate wees and also that he is not in any pain, so it's something I wouldn't worry about in that case :)

Perhaps you should keep an eye on him, and make notes on when he seems particularly 'down' and then you can advise the vet at some future point?
 
It's not at all invasive for a vet to express urine from a rabbit's bladder. I can do it myself :)

But you seem happy that there have been no inappropriate wees and also that he is not in any pain, so it's something I wouldn't worry about in that case :)

Perhaps you should keep an eye on him, and make notes on when he seems particularly 'down' and then you can advise the vet at some future point?

Well there hadn't been wee issues, however if you see my post above there had been a 3 wees at the base of a hay feeder, and this morning there was yet another one. I've removed the hay feeder now and ordered another litter tray so they will have 2.

That's a good suggestion to keep notes about when he is down, I will do that!
 
Small update, the second litter tray arrived and I put it where the carrier was. Litter tray habits have vastly improved and Winston seems happier. I have a vet appointment booked for Monday and I think I will still take him just to get checked over!
 
aww bless him! :love:

So glad he seems happier, but yeah think a check up will just help put your mind at rest too, but fingers crossed its nothing concerning! xxx
 
Small update, the second litter tray arrived and I put it where the carrier was. Litter tray habits have vastly improved and Winston seems happier. I have a vet appointment booked for Monday and I think I will still take him just to get checked over!


Good news :D
 
Small update, the second litter tray arrived and I put it where the carrier was. Litter tray habits have vastly improved and Winston seems happier. I have a vet appointment booked for Monday and I think I will still take him just to get checked over!
That's great news :thumb:
 
Another small update. I took Winston to the vets this morning and the vet agreed something wasn't quite right. He checked his teeth and outer eye which all seemed fine, and had a good feel of his organs and couldn't feel anything untoward. He weighed him and I was right about his weight loss, he has lost just over 30 grams in about a month. The vet decided to admit Winston for blood tests and X-rays. So him and Edith are staying at the vets for the day today but hopefully should be coming home early evening.

Can anyone give me some insight into the weight loss? Does it seem like a lot?
 
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Another small update. I took Winston to the vets this morning and the vet agreed something wasn't quite right. He checked his teeth and outer eye which all seemed fine, and had a good feel of his organs and couldn't feel anything untoward. He weighed him and I was right about his weight loss, he has lost just over 30 grams in about a month. The vet decided to admit Winston for blood tests and X-rays. So him and Edith are staying at the vets for the day today but hopefully should be coming home early evening.

Can anyone give me some insight into the weight loss? Does it seem like a lot?

There can be a multitude of reasons to account for weightloss. It's best to wait for the blood test results as they will provide the best insight into what's going on. Sending lots of vibes for him xx
 
There can be a multitude of reasons to account for weightloss. It's best to wait for the blood test results as they will provide the best insight into what's going on. Sending lots of vibes for him xx

Thank you. The vet just phone. X-rays were clear but the blood test results will take a couple of days to come in. He's given Winston gut stimulant and metacam while he's there just to see if it perks him up a bit and I can pick them both up in an hour.
 
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