Hormone imbalance

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 4sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 10 months ago by Lyia.

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- 04/22/2015 at 2:33 AM
  Lyia
  Participant
  21 posts
  Hi everyone,
  
  I have some growing concerns about Billy. He’s exhibiting extreme signs of sexual behaviour (and it’s definitely not about dominance) to the point that he does nothing else sometimes than running, honking, circling, biting, etc. He seems quite exhausted and some days he is really hot to the touch (ears and body). He was neutered a little less than 4 years ago, and at the time right before the operation he did exhibit exactly the same signs. After the operation and for 3 years, everything was fine. There was the odd bit of circling, but that was it.
  
  Lately, it’s completely changed. I had to separate him from his bonded friend, Noah, as his friend was getting quite distressed. They can see each other and smell each other still, but I do not let them out together.
  
  I went to the vet in December (unfortunately there is no bunny specialist in my area but my vet contacted someone who was specialised, or so he said). It could either be tissue regeneration or hormonal imbalance but he needs a blood test.
  
  I have read a lot about the issue, and I know that the anti-testosterone injections do not always work. I am reluctant to give him drugs if they are not going to work, especially as Billy has already quite a bit of medical history (jaw abscess, teeth filing etc.).
  
  In addition to all this I have noticed that the last few days he does not jump to his food bowl as usual. He does not eat it all at once as he used to, and quite often he leaves food.
  
  Have you had any of this issues? Do you think it is worth to try the drugs considering that he is really at the end of the spectrum in terms of sexual activity, so to say? And do you think that giving him a toy to help him achieve his basic instincts may help? My partner seem to think so, but I do not think it helps and I am worried that it may just produce more hormones and take him into a vicous circle.
  
  Sorry about the long post, but I know that some of you have a lot of experience to share, and I really want the best for Billy. Thank you in advance for any opinion or advice!
- 04/22/2015 at 8:12 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Well, I would recommend the blood test to start out with to determine if the hormone balance is the issue or if there is possibly another issue and then decide what to do from there.
- 04/22/2015 at 12:14 PM
  Lyia
  Participant
  21 posts
  Yes, I will have to ask for the blood test to be done. I’m not sure what kind of other issue it could be? The vet has already done a physical exam.
  I have recently moved home as well, and Billy’s change of behaviour more or less coincided with the move. I was wondering if it could have upset him somehow, with the fact that his territory changed etc., but now this has been going on for 4 months so I’m guessing not.
  Thanks!
- 05/23/2015 at 1:52 AM
  Lyia
  Participant
  21 posts
  Hi all,
  
  Just wanted to give a quick update. We had the blood results back and the testosterone levels are very high. Our vet seem to think that Billy has a retained testes and recommends the surgery. He has contacted the laboratories and there are no chip implants delivering drugs countering the testosterone levels for rabbits.
  
  I am half happy that this is something we can deal with but at the some time worried of putting him through an (other) operation. Our vet surgeon cannot recall having ever done the surgery on rabbits, only cats and dogs, although he has told us that they routinely do anesthesia and spaying on rabbits so in essence the principles are the same. He is wary that if he cannot find the testes easily he should not to disturb the viscera too much.
  
  Billy does not seem very unhappy but I can see that he is not at his best either. What worries me most is that he does not eat like before and his poos are very small and dark. I have ordered nuggets with the highest levels of fibre (30%) since he does not really eat his hay. I am hopping that they can have a proper look at his molars whilst he is anesthetised if we go with the surgery.
  
  It’s hard to know what to do by him! Sometimes I wish the little guy could speak our language…
- 05/28/2015 at 1:59 PM
  Lyia
  Participant
  21 posts
  I am quite upset now. Billy went through the surgery for nothing it was not a retained testicle as the vet could not find remaining tissue. So it is a hormone imbalance and something to do with the adrenal gland.
  
  Is anyone currently treating their rabbits for it? What are the side effects? Has anyone heard of natural remedies?
  
  Many thanks
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