Mimi the paralysed rabbit

Question
Hello again Dana

My rabbit Mimi is eating and drinking - and producing very small hard pellets and is urinating.

Results of blood test should be back tomorrow- having to be sent to a lab in a major city.

Her attitude is much better - more alert - before then getting exhausted.

I have two questions: The sound of her teeth when she eats, or is grinding her teeth when I pat her, is very different to before she was struck with this paralysis. It's quite a marked loud grind as though her teeth alignment has changed. Have looked at her teeth and they look as good as they ever have.  Is this loud grind something that might be indicative of anything in particular?

The second question is that she's not eating hay anymore -when it was her main food (green oaten hay with varied fresh leafy veg).  She's eating a fair bit of leafy stuff still, which I hand feed to her after she has a drink.  Should I make some sort of hay drink to get into her? Am concerned about her gut (which gurgles well when she's drinking).

Whilst she's still limp - every now and then she gets alot of energy and goes hurrumphing down the carpet. When this happens, and I hold her middle up, I swear she could go running down the backyard if she had a wheeled skateboard.  Her legs work then, but her middle doesn't.  She then is exhausted for hours.

She does seem to be slowly improving -but maybe that's from such a low base.  

Thank you again. I am wondering if it would help attaching a video?

helen

Answer
Dear Helen,

This is just the WEIRDEST thing.  Yes, if you can take a video, I'd be very interested to see.  I can also ask some savvy vets to take a look, though none of us might be able to figure it out.

It's good she has a will to live!  That makes a huge difference.

The loud tooth grinding is usually a sign of distress/pain/discomfort/frustration.  Maybe all of the above.  Is she on any pain medications, such as metacam?  Tramadol?  I would ask the vet if those might help as she slowly recovers from this very strange insult.

I hope the blood results reveal something.

In the meantime, I'm sending healing thoughts.

Dana