Lulu-Bean Isn't Lifting Her Tail

[Lulu-Bean's Mommy]

Hi everyone!!!

I feel so awful that I'm on for a bit, and disappear for a LONG TIME, and then come back on again and again. Been quite busy that I'll catch up on at the end of the note here.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Lulu-Bean is going on 9 this July. And as of about 1.5 weeks ago, during a tooth trimming (yes, had to go back to that ) she screamed, peed in my eye, and scratched my hand so bad that it's scarring--all of which is totally out of character for this normally snuggly, loving little girl. After every teeth trimming (once per month), she goes back in her nest to "cool off".

That night she wouldn't come out. Nor the next day.

Once she finally came out of her nest and her cage to get her veggies and fresh food, we noticed she was walking, not scurrying or hopping, but walking with a bit of a hunch over to her food with her tail dragging behind her. While odd, we thought she was just really down after the ordeal and maybe a little under the weather (the weather is going from warm to rainy and cold in SE Wisconsin lately). A week later, and she STILL won't lift her tail, and is still lethargic. I'm terrified that during the tooth trimming, my husband (yes, wedding bells) may have held her too tight and damaged a nerve in her tail or hurt her spinal cord. Diagnosis notes:

-Her back toes are still ticklish, and her tail will twitch if I touch it (her toes aren't cold)
-She will, however, squeak or grunt when I massage her hindquarters, near the hips and base of her tail
-She is still drinking water, though not as much
-She is still pooping and pottying
-We monitor her calcium since she was an MBD baby
-She gets Kaytee rodent blocks every day, and she eats them every day (they are always available to her). Even with this concerning behavior, she is still eating. She has also returned to coming out nightly to eat her plate of veggies
-She sunbathes daily, even when there is no sun (we have a Vitamin D lamp for her)
-Her balance isn't so great right now and she's avoiding climbing and jumping
-We've moved her nest closer to the bottom of her cage so she doesn't have to climb as far, and we've given her a heating pad, on low, to relax on

...SO what's going on with my baby? I feel terrible. Attaching a picture I took of her a few days ago, though you can't see much through the cage. I put food in the cage that day since she didn't want to come out. I have to be off to work soon, but I will respond ASAP.

On the plus side, and for some afterthought reading:
-Lulu-Bean and I moved to Phoenix about 5 years ago to chase the marketing field
-We met who is now Lulu-Bean's Daddy about 2 years ago in Phoenix
-He spent a year patiently gaining her trust
-He and I got married by Elvis last October in Vegas
-We moved back to the Milwaukee area this past December
-We bought my grandparents' house (50 years in the family, and we are the 2nd owners) in May
-Lulu-Bean will FINALLY get a room all to herself and doesn't have to share with Mommy anymore

[Mel1959]

Welcome back! So this tooth trimming was different from the last teeth trimmings? She was more upset? Did she squeal or act like she had been injured during the trimming? Nerve damage would just be a guess. The fact that she squeaks and grunts when you touch her hind quarters or the base of her tail says that the area is sensitive.

Have you given any metacam to reduce the inflammation? Do you have any Gabapentin? It is used for nerve pain/injury. Do you have a vet?

[Lulu-Bean's Mommy]

Thanks for the response, Mel1959!

The tooth trimming didn't start out any different than other trimmings. She, as always, wasn't happy with us since I know it is an uncomfortable, unwelcomed experience. But, everything was status-quo until she kicked and then screamed/peed/clawed and I think that's when it happened. But she was still spunky.

I don't have any meds for her nor a vet. I couldn't get my rehab license living in apartments so no vet would sponsor/help me (which is what actually brought me to TSB many years ago). Now that I have a house and a dedicated room in the works for her, I'm looking into that again, but until then I don't have a way to get her in.

Are any of the meds available OTC? I will spend an arm and a leg if I have to.

[Mel1959]

Infant ibuprofen can be used in a pinch for inflammation, but metacam is better. If others think that a Gabapentin and metacam or prednisone would be good to start her on, I will send you some of all three meds. I’d just need you to pm me your address.

Nancy in New York has had great success when she has used metacam and Gabapentin. I hope she will advise what she suggests for this situation.

[Chickenlegs]

OK so gotta ask—does Miss Bean get the calcium she needs? Just wondering as metabolic bone disease can sneak up and an older squirrel may need extra. I’m glad to hear she’s doing well (with this little setback not included). Hopefully she will respond to the meds Mel is sending but guess in the meantime you could try the MBD protocol and see if there’s improvement. Folks will chime in if this is off base but if she feels better quickly her nutritional needs might have changed and MBD snuck up on her. Otherwise, hope she heals up just fine.

[Lulu-Bean's Mommy]

Thank you both!!

I will PM my address and also go get some children's ibuprofen today for her in the meantime to help. Proper dosage?

Lulu's calcium, in all honestly, could be better. We give her tums that she likes to nibble (I think she looked at them like a treat) but it HAS been a while...since we moved back I think so about 6 months. I saw the thread about MBD maintenance and get her going on that today with some force feeding.

Decided to work from home this afternoon so I can be a lot more attentive.