I Wish My Squirrel Could Telll Me What's Wrong

[TigerRoni]

My squirrel, Tiger is 5 years old. About three weeks ago I notice an eye slow to open. The 2 days later, a thin milky discharge would appear when he started to clean himself. At first I saw it in his right eye, the next day his left. He has stopped for the most part hiding and eating nuts. Maybe eats 2 a day. I took him to the vet and they started him on an antibiotic eye drop. By the next day he was a slug bug. He became OC with cleaning himself and licking his private. So the vet put him on Baytril. For the past two weeks he has been seeing an exotic pet vet. They thought at first calcium problem so I bought a light (UVB) for his cage, finished out 2 weeks of the Baytril and eye drops. He started acting more like normal. Then 3 days ago, I noticed the discharge very slightly in his right eye and two patches of hair missing on both sides of his hip. I have taken him back to the exotic pet vet and they now believe that he has an adrenal gland problem. He got a shot of Lupron and today acts for the most part like he doesn't know me. He has sleep most of the day. He keeps licking himself. And cleaning over and over. Blood work and urine test all come back normal 2 weeks ago. Could he have a UTI and being on an antibiotic for 1 week prior to the urine check not show up? He's just not himself. Has anyone else see this. They say his teeth are fine no abscess. So why this milky discharge and the lack of interest in nuts, and this lying around most of the time? I hope someone can help. I'm going into my 4th week. Thanks

[CritterMom]

Can you tell us exactly what he eats every day?
Does he eat any kind of a rat block or is it just veggies and nuts?

I would like to see if this is a calcium related problem. I know you got a light but that is for Vit D, not calcium (though it helps to metabolize the calcium).

Can you pick up some of the Tums that are made of all calcium - any corner store will have them. If you get the flavored kind he might eat them himself, but if not, dissolve the Tums in a little water and syringe feed it to him. Spread the 1 Tums out over the day; don't give all at once.

Do this for a few days. If he perks up and starts acting healthier, you have your answer - he has a calcium deficiency and is getting metabolic bone disease. If this is the case, you will need to make some changes/improvements in his diet.

If it is not a calcium deficiency, the Tums will not hurt him. Try this and let us know what happens.

[TigerRoni]

He eats on a regular basis, butternut, avocado, sugar snaps peas, fresh corn, maybe 1 or 2 Forti-Diet Pro Health blocks, and couple of nuts daily. The vet has started him on tums and a baby calcium liquid. Would the pulling of hair and the constant licking be from the MBD? Or the milky discharge in his eyes? He has been better since the antibiotic, but still not himself. It's like overnight he just changed from an active squirrel to a depressed one. I'm trying everything we can think of. He has had so much medicine in syringes that he has learned to hold the medicine in his mouth then spit it out when I let him go. I've also gotten creative with trying to hide it in foods. He has become wise to that. His calcium level was 7.9, the vet said in normal limits, but she thought he could be pulling it from his bones into his blood. I've been doing this light and liquid calcium for about a week and don't see huge improvements. Although at one point he laid around on my dresser flat for 3 hours about 4 weeks ago and he has come miles since then.

[CritterMom]

Is he currently eating the Tums, or is he just taking the liquid calcium? Can you tell me how many milligrams of calcium per day he is getting. The liquid calcium actually has very little calcium in it...

This is how my thoughts are running. You are feeding him Forti diet, whic is a so-so diet. I don't care much for it - I don't know if it still has it, but Forti diet had ethoxyquin, a preservative proven to cause cancer in it - many pet foods had it. Most have removed it, but not all - I would check the label. But basically, it is only a so-so rat block. Combined with this you have corn in the diet. Corn is very high in phosphorus, which, without getting too deep in the weeds with a technical explanation, is "cancelling out" the calcium in the Forti diet. If he eats a fair amount of it, you can have problems.

Bone requires calcium, Vitamin D, magnesium, and a host of other minerals to maintain itself. The easiest way to get all of this into your squirrel is with a higher quality rat block. Harlan Teklad lab blocks can be purchased from www.craftyrat.com. Mazuri lab blocks are available through www.squirrelsandmore.com. We have a TSB member who makes home made blocks called Henry's Healthy Bites (which we call HHBs) which are available at www.Henryspets.com.

If your squirrel has MBD, it is painful. Milky tears in squirrels can be a sign of stress and pain. The tears you are seeing may have nothing to do with an eye infection.

This weekend, if you are not any longer doing the Tums, please start again, and get (1) 500mg Tums into your squirrel daily. No more corn. In addition, if you possibly can, either place a heating pad under his snoozing spot or at least give him a heated rice buddy. Fill a sock with either dry, uncooked rice or dry uncooked beans until it is about his size, then tie it off. Nuke it for a minute or so until it is comfortable warm and give it to him. If he has MBD, his bones ache and the warmth is really comforting.

Also, it sounds as though your vets are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him. Have they done a fecal test to look for parasites? I strongly suggest you do this if it has not been done. You don't need to bring the squirrel, just some fresh poop.

I do not know what is causing the obsessive licking but if he begins to feel better perhaps it will subside.

[TigerRoni]

I will start the tums again tonight. I'm also going to order the blocks that are made by someone here. They gave him a shot 2 weeks ago for parasites to be on the safe side that he did have them. Should I still take a sample in? They are also asking for another urine sample next week to rule out a UTI that did not clear with the Baytril. I agree with you about the kitchen sink. He has never had anything before and now he's getting all kinds of junk. He gets .59ml of the neo-calglucon every 12 hours, but like I stated, he has learned to hold it and spit it out. So... I'm not sure how much he gets and I've gotten to the point where he hasn't gotten it in two days, cause the whole ordeal of pushing it on him stresses him out. Have you ever heard of Natural Gold that they also gave me for his food? It is a fine power that he doesn't like either. Can you give me a list of Calcium rich food that I could try with him. He is very picky, but he might have to get some tough love for awhile. I've tried broc., spinach, fresh spring mix, he doesn't like any of that. I'm really at a loss.

[CritterMom]

There is a very good food chart here: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=16093

It is tough to switch them to a healthy diet. You will have to be persistent. If I were you, I would make TSB a regular place - you can continue to post in this thread and a lot of people will help you along.

When you buy the HHBs at Henrys, pick up a bag of her vitamin powder :http://www.henryspets.com/products/Vita%252dMins.html

If your squirrel turns out to be tough to switch to a healthy diet, the powder can be sneaked into things he WILL eat, providing the nutrients and most important, minerals needed to get rid of and keep MBD away. You should also buy a bag of the straight powdered calcium - http://www.henryspets.com/products/C...te-Powder.html

It is a little easier to hide than Tums are and better for long term, and this will take a while.

If he will eat the blocks, the majority of the vitamins and nutrients he needs will be covered, and the fresh veggies and a few fruits just round it out.

Please try to offer the supplemental heat. I know - it is blistering hot outside but you likely have A/C. Usually if you offer a squirrel with MBD a choice of supplemental heat or no they will seek out the heat.

From what I can see, Natural Gold is a ferrret food additive. They have very different diets from squirrels - it is very high protein. If you can get him eating a good quality block he won't need ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS.

You mentioned stress. As long as I am spending your money may I suggest going to a health food store and buying some Bach's Rescue Remedy? It is an herbal calmer and stress/shock manager. It is made from flower petals distilled in an alcohol base. They sell it in bottles with a dropper and in spray bottles like breath spray. The spray is the easiest. It is very easy to administer - it will go right through their skin, so you can spray it anywhere there is bare skin. I usually spray the bottom of one of their back feet. It will help soothe him when he is stressed out and also will help with managing with the discomfort of feeling bad. You can use as many times a day as you feel he needs - it can
t be overdosed. You can use it too - I would even THINK of getting on a plane without it! Health food stores sell it and Henrys does as well (her price is as low as I have found and I have used this stuff for years). But if you can find it locally it would be nice if he could have it a little sooner than you will get your order.

So start with the Tums - one a day for the next few, and PLEASE continue posting so we can see how he is doing. If there is improvement you will begin to step the calcium down a bit, but we need reports to help you. Lots of great people here who will do ANYTHING for a squirrel.

Do you know what they injected? I would doubt he has parasites if they have addressed that so probably no poop test needed.

[TigerRoni]

I bought the powered calcium and the picky eater squirrel blocks. Will now go back and look for the vitamins. Will add the heat. I've heard of Bach's Rescue Remedy will search that out as well. You don't know how much I appreciate all the information you are giving. I'll do whatever it takes to get me little guy back. He plays about 1 1/2 hours outside his large cage nightly. Most days seems to be happy. Just not nearly as active and this cleaning over and over is just odd for him. I've changed nothing in his surroundings so I'm not thinking allergy. I've been reading a little on this MBD. Can it just happen overnight? He was great one day and then the next not so good. I'm puzzled why he for the most part has stopped eating and hiding nuts. He would go in and out of his cage over and over hiding. Not now. It's like one day he was a squirrel and the next he was a house plant. Don't get me wrong. He is not down and out by any means. He tugs and bungees (swings on his rope) and smiles when he plays, but there are things, like the nut issue and the cleaning issue that just isn't him. And they vets can't tell me why. They just keep giving this and that. UGH! Thanks so much for everything. I will keep you posted. I'm so glad I found this life line. It has brought me much comfort.

[CritterMom]

Just drop the lady at Henrys a note and she will add that stuff to your order. I don't think any mail will move until Tuesday anyway.

Look, it may not be MBD - but his diet needs some attention anyway. Yes, it can come on fast - that is, the initial symptoms are hidden - it is their nature to hide weakness and illness as in the wild that makes them lunch. Then it becomes acute and they can't hide the symptoms anymore...but that is the first that you notice it. He has a number of the symptoms - the lethargy and not wanting to do anything; the patchy fur is indicative of dietary issues, too. The odd obsessive behavior is puzzling but perhaps is some reaction to his feeling ill. I would like to see if it resolves itself when he feels better. If not, we have a couple members here who have used passionflower extract to treat obsessive self mutilation with really good results and we can rein them in to help. First things first, though. Do the Tums for a few days.

Have you ever made him any warm food? He's had all manner of antibiotics and I bet his gut flora is a mess. Many of them love yogurt. You can warm it up and offer it to him on a spoon, or even grind up a little of your blocks and mix them in until it is kind of sloppy, soupy mess, warm it and offer to him. I like Yoplait Yobaby yogurt - it is made with whole milk so it has the fat they need, and they sell it in little teeny 6 packs of two different flavors. The peach/pear is the fave around my house.

BTW, is he on any meds right now?

[4skwerlz]

Henry's Healthy Pets here....

Just let me know what you need and I will expedite or combine orders as needed. As Critter Mom said, no mail will move until Tuesday because of the holiday. The Tums will keep him going until then. If he improves on the Tums over the next couple of days, that will suggest strongly that it is MBD.

Critter Mom has given very good advice.

Yes, MBD can come on very slowly, with months of subtle symptoms, or it can happen very suddenly: "Yesterday, my squirrel was fine; today he's paralyzed." Toss the liquid calcium supplement; it's worthless; full of additives and not enough calcium in the whole bottle to be worth dosing. Use the Tums for now.

Follow the directions in the Emergency Treatment for MBD and keep us posted.

[Mrs Skul]

Hi TigerRoni Welcome To TSB
I am so glad you found us!! You have some real good advice offered to you. Listen closely. They will not steer you wrong.
CritterMom and 4Skwerlz.
CritterMom is right you need to offer some yogurt. That will start some good bacteria in the stomach. I have a question? Did you hand raise Little Tiger? Do you have any Formula on hand. Some times you can mix some formula and Block in to the yogurt. Offer him a cap full of this mixture every day. He should love it. Your in my prayers. Good luck.

[TigerRoni]

He is not on any meds right now. Has not been on any since Monday. I've ordered the vitamins and the Bach's Rescue Remedy. Got the tums liquid in him tonight. Didn't like it at first, but did swallow it. YEA! Came out and played for about an hour. Then told him it was night night and back to bed he went. Will repeat tums liquid again tomorrow and keep you post. Good Night All! And Thank You!!!!

[TigerRoni]

Mrs. Skul,
Yes I found him in the yard, cold and wet after Hurricane Katrina. He was about 3 weeks old. Took him to a local squirrel rehab. and she told me how to care for him. Had every intention of turning him out, but when spring came he was too tame. I could ask him to bring me his babies (toys) and he would, he puts his babies to bed every night and pulls them out every morning. I could tell him I was going to scratch his booty and he would turn it around for me to do it, give me a kiss, he did and so on and so on. He even knows what it means to play hid and seek. Loves to run under the bed and tap my ankle and me say I see you and tear off just to come back and do it all over again. I was totally amazed and he was totally in love with me. Those feelings go both ways. He has never been aggressive at all over food or anything else. Loves for me to rub him to sleep. Loves my two boxers and they love him. The dogs can walk into the room and he starts showing off for them. He IS my little man!

[cbell]

you might check his bedding and also if any of toys has rips some toys are stuff with silicon beads my 7 year old Sammy did the same thing his mom washed his bedding with fabric softner

[TigerRoni]

I buy the flat ones for cats that you can add the cat nip too, but just throw away the cat nip so all he gets is and un-stuffed baby. But that was a great thought. Thank You!

[Busysqrl]

Sounds like Tiger is quite a little sweetheart. I sure hope he gets better soon. I'll be watching this thread with interest.

[TigerRoni]

Tiger has been better the last two days. Still giving the tums. Been only able to give him .3cc once a day. He has gotten wise to the hole syringe thing. Don't know if it was the injection from the vet on Friday or the calcium. Still not interest in nuts, but is eating new veggie I've bought. Have tried many different kinds. Will keep you posted. Thanks so much for all the advice I've been getting.