personality change in dwarf bunny

Question
My dwarf rex rabbit is almost ten; in the past few weeks she has become very
irritable and aggressive and has bitten me repeatedly.  She fusses and thumps at
night, and is also drinking a great deal of water.  She's also moulting her fur
very heavily, but she does that every year.  I'm worried about the degree to
which her personality has changed, thinking that it may indicate something
serious.

Answer
Dear Maud,

Pain and discomfort can cause grumpiness and aggression.  Because she is drinking excessively, I would recommend that you get her to a good rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

for bloodwork to check her kidney function.  A full wellness exam will reveal whether there are any cryptic sources of pain that could be making her angry and irritable.  On the list, I'd ask the vet to check for:

1.  molar spurs (via deep oral exam)
2.  arthritis/spinal problems (radiography)
3.  urinary tract problems (can be quite painful!)

She definitely needs a good "overhaul" by an experienced rabbit vet who can try to get to the bottom of her change of mood, which--as you rightly suspect--could be due to a health problem.

I hope this helps.  

Dana