My heart is breaking…. I need help

[Lovepitseleh]

I have a 3.5 year old Holland lop. He’s my only bunny and we’ve been inseparable since I got him. He has free roam of the house and is neutered.   He’s always been antisocial around people – but never me. But for the last 3 weeks he is a different bunny. One day he started hiding under a table , and that’s where he most always is.  He comes out for his litter box and to eat.  I can pet him while he’s under the table. But if I try to while he’s out, he acts like my touch is burning him and jumps and runs away. If I even approach him he’ll jump away or he does this anxiety  ear scratching/over grooming thing. He was at the vet 5 days prior to starting this behavior and they said he was healthy ( he was recovering from an ear infection a month earlier and was on medication but the vet said he was recovered)  I don’t believe this is related to the infection.  That makes no sense.  Nothing has changed in our day to day life.
I MISS MY BUNNY!!!  I want my bunny back!! What is going on? Any advice is appreciated!! Please tell me what I can do to get my Loki back, it’s breaking my heart.., I want him to be comfortable in his own house the way he always was.

[Bam]

The first thing to suspect is pain of some sort. On the picture his head is a little tilted. Is it normally like that, or is it just on this picture?

Ear infections can be stubborn and they can reoccur. There is a connection between the middle ear  and pharynx via the ear trumpet where bacteria can travel. A middle ear infection is very painful. A middle ear infection can be seen on x rays, there is also often outer ear-canal involvement which can be seen with an otoscope. Deep middle ear infections can be difficult to treat non-surgically, but first line pf treatment would be antibiotics and meloxicam for pain and inflammation. I think your bun’s symptoms warrantää an ear exam. Lops are extra prone to ear infections.

Can you see any signs of facial paralysis on one side of his face? (Look at his face from the front and see if the two halves of his face look different.) The facial nerve tends to be affected by a middle ear infection. When he “stress-scratches” his ear, dies it tend to be the same side ear?

A molar-problem is another potential cause of pain in a rabbit. It doesnt have to be a very bad teeth-problem, some buns react on minor molar spurs.

How is his appetite? Has he stopped wanting some types of food that he normally eats?

 

[Lovepitseleh]

Thank you for replying so fast.. he was at the vet 5 days before this behavior started. They said his ear infection was cleared up. I continued his medication to finish it up. He  stress scratches both ears and he seems to eat everything he used to. He still lets me pet him while he lays under the table …

is it possible that he has psychological issues from the last visit to the vet ? I know that sounds possible crazy …. Or do you still suspect pain and the vet was wrong when he said it was cleared up ? I had almost ruled out pain because he is still eating and going to the bathroom, still wants treats, and the vet cleared him.

[Bam]

Sorry I missed that it was only 5 days prior to the onset of this behavioral change. If this is about psychological trauma from the vet visit, I’d think it wouldve started right away after the vet visit. It’d also be rare for a bun to not “recover” from a scary  et visit for weeks.

So I would still suspect pain of some sort, and unless he had clear x-rays, it could still be a middle ear infection – but let’s wait and see what other people here think about this, both members and moderators.

If a bun is in pain a way to test that is to give pain meds and see if the “old” or “true” personality returns after a few doses. Sometimes you see improvement in just a few hours, but for severe pain, just the one dose might not make a difference.

Its great that he has a good appetite, that is very important.

 

[DanaNM]

I agree that it sounds like some sort of pain is happening. I think the ear scratching and over grooming thing could mean that he has some sort of ear problem still happening.

Have there been any changes around your house or even your neighborhood? Like nearby construction or a new pet in the house hold? Rabbits can hear and smell things we can’t, so he also could be reacting to something you can’t detect.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Lovepitseleh]

I understand the pain thing and I will get him meloxicam on Monday. The vet did not give him any pain meds this whole time… I’m slightly aggravated if he has been in pain cause the vet cleared him and said he was better. What I don’t understand is why he flinches every time I’m around… or run away from me when I’m near. I don’t even have to attempt to touch him .. he hides… I don’t understand any of this.  Nothing seems to fit. I will try the pain meds that’s a good test. Thank you so much for answering.  Has anyone experienced any of this before?? A sudden complete 180 personality shifts?? I just don’t know…

[LBJ10]

It’s possible that he is associating you with pain. He sees you and he thinks you’re going to touch him. Perhaps his ear was aggravated at the vet and it’s now painful to touch? I do agree with the others that this sounds suspicious. The vet would not be able to see a middle ear infection simply by looking in the ears. If he had an outer ear infection (in the ear canal) before and that cleared up, then the vet could be mistaken that the infection has completely gone away if some still resides in the middle ear.

Aside from hormones (i.e. when puberty hits), complete “personality” changes are usually associated with pain. A bunny can be upset after a vet visit, but this usually resolves itself relatively quickly. Some bunnies do stress themselves after a vet visit to the point where they have a GI issue, which can take longer to resolve. But that would be associated with no eating, etc.

[Lovepitseleh]

Hey guys …thank you again for  replying  to my original post. So here’s what’s going on now … I have been administering meloxicam regularly for the past two full days. And the results are well, confusing i suppose.  He’s acting the same, almost exactly the same.
He still only wants pet while he’s underneath the table ( which is where he is 80.% of the time ). He WANTS me to pet him while he under there. But if I attempt to even he’s not, he freaks out running way kicking his legs up back under the table.  His appetite is about the sane, still eating , but as much as he used to but I’m definitely not concerned about that.  He’s eating a fair /good amount ). So I don’t know what to think now. I don’t think he’s been in pain because his behavior is about identical. I’m still lost. Any one have any other ideas?? I’m desperate… 🙁

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