My 11+ yr old bunny is not feeling well

Do you use wire or wood for the cage floor?
Your bunnys going thru old age, so expect this to happen.

Neither. It's a textured formica. As per my old vet's advice, I'm looking into getting fleece cloth for the floor. I already made inquiry on palacepet.com.

Sounds like you're getting some really good advice from your vet.

I too have tried a number of things for sore hocks, both on my bunnies (they got them from sitting on old/wet bedding/hay) and bunnies at the shelter (causes unknown, some very serious). I really like Bag Balm. My second choice would be triple antibiotic ointment. The other things that others have mentioned here I have also heard of before, and have heard good things about, but I have not used them.

Signs of urinary tract infection include swirls of blood in the urine, incontinence, straining to pee, acting like they're in pain. A bunny can also have bladder sludge and stones, which also have all the same symptoms with the addition of white, chalky, thick urine.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Differentials/Incontinence.htm

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Differentials/Blood_urine.htm

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/generalities/Sludge.htm

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Mech_diseases/Urolithiasis.pdf

Thanks for the replies. Caramel's urine does not show to have any blood in it. It also doesn't show to be chalky or cloudy. Since we changed his litter box, to one that he doesn't have to jump too high into, he has urinated on the condo floor less times. Out of those times, a few were right off the litter box edge. It's as if he didn't put his tush into the litter box.

Even with the sore hocks, which are healing, he still runs around when we give him his papaya 2x a day, as well give him fuzzes from the hay - he loves the fuzzes and thinks it is a treat.

He appears to be a very happy bunny.

I'm just wondering if the arthritis in his spine is getting worse and therefore, is having trouble getting into the litter box. Today we're going to start giving him Metacam everyday, as per the vet's suggestion, instead of every other day. Hopefully, that will help with any discomfort.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks.

ray:

That sounds good, and I think your ideas about the arthritis are right. I know some others have given bunnies with arthritis other supplements in addition to glucosamine.

The vet suggested that too. She said to break a glucosamine capsule [500 mg] open and sprinkle 1/2 of it over pellets. I ordered the Oxbow pellets the other day and it should be arriving on Thursday. I now need to get the glucosamine.