Hi, I am new here but really wanted some general advice or thoughts from Rabbit Savvy people about my girl. Apologies if this is a long post, there's a fair bit going on with her!
Bit of a back story -
I've had Elsa since she was 8 weeks old, she will be turning 10 this year. At the end of March, her bond partner of nearly 10 years, Loki, passed away. It was old age, likely a heart attack - I was with him and it looked like that. I went through the steps of letting Elsa mourn with the body etc. She seemed very perky for the following week or so and was binkying around like I hadn't seen her do for years, assuming her relief at not having a sick old man with her! After a while though she started to calm down a bit, although until last week she was still waking me up every morning at about 5am by jumping on the bed and binkying, and coming for a long fuss.
Last week, she stopped eating and I could see she was quickly going down hill. I keep renetidine, emeprid syrup and Meloxaid in the fridge so was able to start on them very quickly, as well as straight onto the critical care. As it was the evening, the vet was shut but I was speaking with the emergency vet. She had a bad night and I thought she may go that night, but was still ok by morning and I got her straight to my vet. They gave her fluids and topped me up with the same meds. They checked her ears and teeth - shes always had small spurs on her teeth that come and go, but they haven't done a dental due to her age and the anesthetic. The vet couldn't see past her front teeth as her tongue was in the way (she has a big tongue!).
When we got home, she started to perk up (as a trip to the vet often does) ate a bit and we started having poops. I was told to continue the meds etc. After a few days, I noticed she had become more and more withdrawn and wouldn't come near me - I was the evil lady who was syringing horrid meds into her mouth 7 times a day! She was very quiet and to me seemed very stressed, and was also starting to have diarrhea from the meds. I decided to take a risk and stop the meds as I felt they were causing her real stress. She perked up after 24 hours and was playing again so I really feel the meds were doing more harm than good after they initially did their job and she is now eating and drinking fine, and pooping like a trooper.
Now my actual issue (sorry)!
I am finding it very difficult to read her. She still won't come near me in the day time, storms off and won't let me touch her. I feel the trust has been broken. That must be so lonely for her if her only company turned against her and was giving her meds. In the evenings she is more accepting of me but not like she used to be. I can hear teeth grinding. With how loud this is, I am sure it isn't the good kind of grinding - but I do not know if this is pain (less likely) or stress (more likely) or loneliness / depression from losing Loki (delayed response?). She hasn't flopped properly since he died so I don't think she feels entirely safe. When she sleeps, she usually sits in a ball (not hunched) and at most lies stretched out but not completely flat, and often she jerks awake or looks uneasy if I am moving around (probably thinking I am going to come at her with a syringe). She still has conjunctivitis so I am giving her eye drops once a day which doesn't help the trust as she hates them too, and her nose is a bit wet at the moment (teeth or stress?!).
I guess I just want to hear from people who have been through something similar, advice on easing the stress or just that people get that I am not going mad and something is bothering her! My vet is lovely but not very rabbit savvy and sees her as a flow chart - doesn't register the emotional stress and if she is eating and drinking, then she is fine. I don't have the option of getting her a new partner - I don't think she would accept one at her age anyway. There's not a lot the vet can do at her age. Lovely people - what would you do / think of this? Sorry for the excessive post but there is a lot going on with her!
Bit of a back story -
I've had Elsa since she was 8 weeks old, she will be turning 10 this year. At the end of March, her bond partner of nearly 10 years, Loki, passed away. It was old age, likely a heart attack - I was with him and it looked like that. I went through the steps of letting Elsa mourn with the body etc. She seemed very perky for the following week or so and was binkying around like I hadn't seen her do for years, assuming her relief at not having a sick old man with her! After a while though she started to calm down a bit, although until last week she was still waking me up every morning at about 5am by jumping on the bed and binkying, and coming for a long fuss.
Last week, she stopped eating and I could see she was quickly going down hill. I keep renetidine, emeprid syrup and Meloxaid in the fridge so was able to start on them very quickly, as well as straight onto the critical care. As it was the evening, the vet was shut but I was speaking with the emergency vet. She had a bad night and I thought she may go that night, but was still ok by morning and I got her straight to my vet. They gave her fluids and topped me up with the same meds. They checked her ears and teeth - shes always had small spurs on her teeth that come and go, but they haven't done a dental due to her age and the anesthetic. The vet couldn't see past her front teeth as her tongue was in the way (she has a big tongue!).
When we got home, she started to perk up (as a trip to the vet often does) ate a bit and we started having poops. I was told to continue the meds etc. After a few days, I noticed she had become more and more withdrawn and wouldn't come near me - I was the evil lady who was syringing horrid meds into her mouth 7 times a day! She was very quiet and to me seemed very stressed, and was also starting to have diarrhea from the meds. I decided to take a risk and stop the meds as I felt they were causing her real stress. She perked up after 24 hours and was playing again so I really feel the meds were doing more harm than good after they initially did their job and she is now eating and drinking fine, and pooping like a trooper.
Now my actual issue (sorry)!
I am finding it very difficult to read her. She still won't come near me in the day time, storms off and won't let me touch her. I feel the trust has been broken. That must be so lonely for her if her only company turned against her and was giving her meds. In the evenings she is more accepting of me but not like she used to be. I can hear teeth grinding. With how loud this is, I am sure it isn't the good kind of grinding - but I do not know if this is pain (less likely) or stress (more likely) or loneliness / depression from losing Loki (delayed response?). She hasn't flopped properly since he died so I don't think she feels entirely safe. When she sleeps, she usually sits in a ball (not hunched) and at most lies stretched out but not completely flat, and often she jerks awake or looks uneasy if I am moving around (probably thinking I am going to come at her with a syringe). She still has conjunctivitis so I am giving her eye drops once a day which doesn't help the trust as she hates them too, and her nose is a bit wet at the moment (teeth or stress?!).
I guess I just want to hear from people who have been through something similar, advice on easing the stress or just that people get that I am not going mad and something is bothering her! My vet is lovely but not very rabbit savvy and sees her as a flow chart - doesn't register the emotional stress and if she is eating and drinking, then she is fine. I don't have the option of getting her a new partner - I don't think she would accept one at her age anyway. There's not a lot the vet can do at her age. Lovely people - what would you do / think of this? Sorry for the excessive post but there is a lot going on with her!
