My 11year old bun wont stop peeing all over my living room

[Deleted User]

Hi Guys this is my first time just joined you all and am in desperate need for some advise. My very elderly lop eared male bunny Barney Who is my world and is 11 years old  has decided these past few months  to just pee any ware he likes in my living room.

He has trays for years he has used his trays, sometimes he misses the trays but that’s understandable but now hes just blatantly peeing where ever he wants too, even where he sits, hea always pooped anyware and not in his trays this I can handle as they are only little currrents but the peeing it really getting me down now, luckily I don’t have carpet its laminate floor but he lives in my living room, he has his place behind the sofa I have put thick plastic flooring down and cover it with news paper so when he misses his trays it soaks into the newspaper, ive always used newspaper in his trays also, due to his age I have even cut down the trays so he dosent have to jump so high to get in them.

He has always been house trained, when he was younger if he wanted the toilet he would come upstairs to my bedroom when I was asleep and I would hear his paws on the wood flooring and he did this when he wanted to go out for a pee, just like a trained dog would do, but he can no longer get up the stairs now I think he has arthritis in his back legs, he does not chew anything he does not chew my furniture he is amazing he knows whens its bed time and goes behind the sofa when I turn the lights off to go to bed myself, he has had the best life ever, he has been extremely poorly in the past where his gut shut down and I have nearly lost him a few times but the vet said he does not want to leave me and he holds on and apart from the fact I stay up with him all night and feeding him every few hours with a syringe helped that he survived also, so as you can see I love this bunny with all my heart there is nothing I wont do for him, but I just cannot cope with him using the whole my living area as toilet, however I know its probably my own fault as ive spolit him so much and he now thinks my sitting room is his room and to him he is doing no wrong.

But he will pee all over his area behind the sofa and sit it in, his bottom area recently is soaking in  pee and I’m having to clean him as he smells so vile, but he has never been this way before he has always been so clean, he still cleans himself now and even though he is 11 years old he still runs around after me and runs around my feet like hes 2 years old, he has so many cuddles from me he his well loved, I do take him out every few hours and place him on the grass for a wee and instantly he is trained now to just wee at request, as soon as I place him in the grass he wee’s, but hes also weeing outside when ive placed him on the grass then coming straight back in the house and weeing on the flooring even though ive just took him out for a wee.

he has also recently stopped eating the grass I put down for him in the house, he wont eat hay he prefers grass and would much away on all I put down for him but hes only nibbling on the grass when I put him in the garden, his eating is a bit all over the place, sometimes he eats really well then others only a small amount, then sometimes he drinking vast amounts of water then others not so much, I know its probably his age and the vet has told me hes living on borrowed time but I just want to the best I can while I have him so any advise you can give me I will be so very grateful

thank you in advance xxxx  

[Sarita]

Have you taken him to the vet concerning this behavior to rule out it is not an illness or condition?

[Deleted User]

I have in the past and they have done water sample tests and they have come back ok, but hes old and am just wondering if this is what happens when they get older. although I know my bun so well its the only bunny ive ever had so some of the things they do I just don’t have the knowledge to know if hes ill or if its a territory thing xx

[RabbitPam]

He reminds me a lot of my bunny Spockie, who lived to be 8. He had trouble with his legs until he couldn’t lift himself into the litter pan, and I wonder if your Barney has lost his muscle control for his bladder and just goes without being able to get to a better spot in time.

I can suggest you get some pads or a carpet swatch from Palace pet Beds which is made for incontinent puppies and geriatric animals. Puppy pads aren’t as good because he may chew on them, and that would be very bad for his GI tract. But these, or other carpet covers that wick away moisture, are designed to stay dry on top, which would help him to stay dry. I’m thinking that if you have an xpen, you could confine him in a smaller area to spend much of his time, which keeping him company, so he doesn’t have to wander out of an area you’ve prepared to make him more comfortable. In that set up, you could even put litter on the plastic, soft, like Carefresh, and it, too, would stay drier longer and be cleaned out by scooping easily.

I guess what I’m saying is first, see your vet to be sure it’s age-related loss of bladder control and not something worse. Then treat him like a beloved grandfather who is happy in your home and presence, but needs to be helped with daily life. Let him exercise and run still – that’s great, but help him stay clean and comfortable. I used to wash Spockies butt almost daily, but he was so content to be cared for, clean, dry, and in my arms that it helped us both.
It’s hard work for you, but we’re here to support you.

[Deleted User]

ah bless you thank you for your message ive got tears rolling down my face your so kind, I guess yes your right he is like a old grandfather really never thought of it that way, I will ring the vet today and see what she says thank you am very grateful to you xx

[Linette]

Get him checked for a “condition” but it it very likely to be old age. A combination of bladder control issues, and perhaps just being too tired to bother to go to his pan, not being able to hold it, or even some dementia. Animals can experience that as well.

As they age we make adjustments to both their living arrangements and our expectations.

Hugs. It’s hard to see a friend dealing with age issues. I had a beloved house bun who developed similar issues many years ago.

[Deleted User]

ive phoned his vet but shes in surgery at the moment so waiting for her to call me back, but your probably right its his age, its just so sad I just don’t want to loose him, he has the best life, he does what he wants he has a massive garden to run around in hes never been cadged and a lovely warm living room to sleep in, so spoilt ha ha thanks for your help xx

[Sarita]

He sounds like he has a great life and great care. Sometimes with seniors you just have to make adjustments to their living arrangements – he may be better off confined to an exercise pen rather than free roam at this point.

He certainly could have arthritis or dementia or even some dental problems. I’m glad he’s being spoiled – it’s a blessing to have a senior rabbit.

[Deleted User]

I never knew rabbits could get dementia, this is why this site is amazing to actually interact with other people who have bunnies, he did have teeth problems bless him and had an operation remove the overgrowth and a cist from his jaw last year, they told me due to his age he might not survive the anaesthetic but thank goodness he did, you’ve all been wonderful with your advise thank you so much for all your help xx

[Sarita]

I didn’t know about dementia as well but my vet said that they could. I lost the last of my seniors this year – Bogie was 12 years old – my current rabbit is about 5 years old – last one left. I do love the seniors but they can be a challenge – but worth it.

[Deleted User]

I know the day is coming soon that i’ll loose him and its something I’m not going to deal with very well, ive nearly lost him a few times but hes pulled through, was a few days from putting him down once as the vet said it would be kinder to him as he was in a right state, but I stayed up with him night after night fed him and he pulled through, hes like a cat my barney he has 9 lives ha ha, sorry to hear you lost your bun I just cant imagine how badly that has hurt you, my barney is the only bunny ive had so ive never lost one before but I know I could never have another one as I cant cope with the trauma of loosing them,

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