Grinding teeth?!

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I just went out to feed/water everyone, and Gem was "chatty" sounding. I'm worried she's grinding her teeth. It sounds like a low chattering. Think grumbly guinea pig sounds. I've never heard it before, and I am worried. She's acting jittery, too...didn't want me touching her and when I did, she "chattered" a lot more and a lot louder. If needed I can try to get a video of her doing it.

If she IS grinding her teeth...any way to know why? I checked her mouth, everything looks good there...she's in moderate condition (I'd like her to have a little more flesh but she's not rough yet)...her coat is kindof icky because she's sorta molting.

Not sure what to do!!!

 

[Prisma]

Bloated? If so baby gas drops asap to help ease pain from it, grinding is usually a bad bad sign...I've only saved 1 that was

 

[Miss M]

I would give the gas drops asap just because if that's the problem, it can go horribly bad very quickly. If that's not the problem, it won't hurt anything.

Maybe give her some willow, or a piece of a low-dose aspirin, to relieve pain and give you a chance to try to figure things out.

Maybe take her off of pellets, and just give her oats and hay for now, and weeds.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Thanks for such fast replies, guys. I really, REALLY appreciate it.

She doesn't feel bloated and she isn't reactive when I palpate her belly area either. At least no more reactive than usual, that is.

I gave her some alfalfa and I cut some grass and weeds for her, she's definitely hungry and began eating the greenstuff. And is "grumbling" still. I just do not know what is going on!!!

I don't have any baby aspirin for her, I don't want to try and crush a regular one and figure out a bunny-sized dose either. I'm also not sure how I'd get it into her. :x

 

[Sinnfox]

:/ if she wasn't grinding her teeth the sound you described sounds almost like my coal. He kinda does this weird excited snorty grumbly sound whenever he sees me. He never sneezes or anything just something about how he breaths when he is excited (checked him out much to his annoyance but seems everything is fine) If after treating her for gas and if she stops grinding her teeth but still makes the noise she might just be irritable from molting? some of my rabbits tend to sulk and eat less during their major molts. Hopefully the gas meds work and make her feel better though.

 

[trinityoaks]

I've had several of my rabbits "purr" like cats. Could it be that?

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I don't think so, she's occasionally growly when she's really wanting to be bred but she never chatters like this. It's new and different so I don't think it's a good sign. There's a distinct grating sound under the chatter, I really think she's grinding her teeth.

Worse yet, tomorrow I'm leaving early morning to visit my kid, I won't be back til Wednesday, I don't know what to do about her. My rabbit sitter is not rabbit-knowledgable, he knows enough to feed/water them but that's IT.

I don't know what to do. :x

 

[trinityoaks]

Grinding usually means pain. Can you give her a thorough going-over?

 

[Prisma]

Hmm any chance of a fur ball? The one I managed to save was a junior that had blew its baby coat in what seemed 24hrs and ended up with fur blockage, tons of mineral oil and gas drops later it seemed, plus lots of liquids (pine apple juice, water, some pedialight) she passed it.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I went over her with a fine toothed comb, I can find nothing out of the ordinary. But she's really opposed to me handling her right now...normally she's pretty neutral about being held, tonight she's jerking away from being touched and grumbling a lot. I'm really worried.

 

[trinityoaks]

Pooping and peeing is normal? As a precaution, I would take her off of pellets and just give her hay and oats, like someone else mentioned.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

The pee dries out fast in the trays but her water intake seems normal,and she's pooping normally too. She IS a little dehydrated even though I just watched her drinking some water. Offered some bark to chew, which she seems to be ignoring. CAN a Mini Rex get wool block?! She IS molting a little bit, but not full-blown hair everywhere molting yet.

 

[Prisma]

Yep...any thing with hair can get it stuck. If its not that bad, I wouldn't think that would be it though. Not being able to absorb enough water not to be dehydrated though sounds like some sort of block...is there any stringy looking poo at all?

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Nope, her poop all looks pretty normal.

 

[Miss M]

I'm also not sure how I'd get it into her. :x

Mush it into something like banana, or mix it with oats and blackstrap molasses.

But I understand not wanting to try to figure out what fraction of a regular aspirin to give. If she doesn't want you to mess with her, and she usually doesn't mind, though, it does sound like she is in pain.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

She doesn't love being picked up or flipped over but usually she's okay with being petted or being lightly checked over, tonight not so much. Gods I wish this little rabbit could talk and tell me what the heck is going on!

 

[Prisma]

Would be nice if they could...ugh even when its just simple thing it'd make it so much easier. Any pieces of food dish or such missing? Maybe chewed plastic or some other object that's causing the issue.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

No, she's a habitual plastic chewer so I have ceramic and metal dishes for her.

No idea what it was but she seems fine today, no chattering or growling and she didn't object to being petted. I still wonder what it is tho! Hope she doesn't have this happen while I'm gone, either.

 

[Miss M]

Wow... glad she seems to be feeling better, but what a worry! :shock:

Maybe it'll just go away and stay away.

 

[trinityoaks]

Any updates? How was she over the weekend?