Raccoon Roundworm? Rabies?

[Marty333]

Hello so my sweet Arthur who I've raised since he was a baby is not doing so well. His current living situation is outside in a 4 foot high and 2.5 wide cylindrical enclosure. I noticed yesterday evening when I was refilling his water bowl he was extremely lethargic and not his usual self, seeing how he didn't greet me like usually does. I quickly moved him inside to look him over. I noticed he had fleas and came to the conclusion that he was anemic, I gave him water with pedialyte and a little bit of formula as well as mealworms. I also bathed him and was going to bath him again today. In the crate I have a heating pad on low a and some food. He was showing improvement this morning he was more active and had at some food. I return from work this evening and I go to pull him out of the cage to check on him. The moment I wake him up he goes into a fit, he runs out of the cage squeaking and squealing. At first I thought i had just startled him but it kept going on, I then noticed one of his lower legs was paralyzed as well. When I recaptured him he kept attempting to bite my hand while growling thankfully i was wearing my heavy duty gloves. He is completely out of character and I fear the worse. Thoughts? What should I do?!

[Spanky]

Sounds like MBD to me, which is is a killer. Lethargy and paralysis, which starts in the rear end are classic symptoms.

Here are the instructions, if this is not MBD treating for MBD will cause no harm but can save his life.

Emergency Treatment for MBD

Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW. Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

You will need:

--Tums or calcium pills (any kind)
--a syringe, eyedropper, or spoon

Crush one Tums or calcium pill and add a little water or fruit juice. Use the syringe, eyedropper, or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone. Feed a total of 600-800 mg of calcium, and spread it out through the day and night to keep his blood calcium levels as steady as possible.

If the squirrel is having seizures, weakness, or paralysis, the symptoms will usually improve within a few hours, but this does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take many months to rebuild the calcium in the bones.

Long-Term Treatment for MBD

The next step to curing MBD is to fix the diet.

1. Remove ALL seeds, nuts, corn, and treats.

2. Follow the Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels, which can be found at the top of the “Squirrel Nutrition” forum. (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=16093) Your squirrel MUST eat rodent block or squirrel blocks every day. If your squirrel doesn't like rodent blocks, you can try crushing them up with peanut butter or avocado temporarily. You can also make a tastier version of squirrel blocks using the recipe at the top of the Squirrel Nutrition forum.

3. In addition to the Healthy Diet, you will need to continue giving extra calcium every day for several weeks. Either use the syringe/eyedropper or you can try putting the calcium on a small piece of fruit.

Week 1: calcium = 500 mg per day
Week 2: calcium = 250 mg per day
Weeks 3-8: calcium = 100 mg per day

The cause of the acute symptoms—weakness, lethargy, seizures, paralysis—is a drop in blood calcium levels. If these symptoms return at any time, you will need to give another emergency dose of calcium.

More Tips
MBD causes brittle bones that break easily. Try to keep your squirrel away from high places, where he might jump and break a bone. Also, if he is in a tall cage, either place him in a smaller cage, or pad the bottom very well.

Heat is very soothing for a squirrel with MBD. A heating pad turned to low and placed so they cannot chew the pad or cord, or a rice buddy (a sock filled with dry rice/beans and microwaved for about 20 seconds) will work.

[Marty333]

Sounds like MBD to me, which is is a killer. Lethargy and paralysis, which starts in the rear end are classic symptoms.

Here are the instructions, if this is not MBD treating for MBD will cause no harm but can save his life.

Emergency Treatment for MBD

Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW. Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

You will need:

--Tums or calcium pills (any kind)
--a syringe, eyedropper, or spoon

Crush one Tums or calcium pill and add a little water or fruit juice. Use the syringe, eyedropper, or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone. Feed a total of 600-800 mg of calcium, and spread it out through the day and night to keep his blood calcium levels as steady as possible.

If the squirrel is having seizures, weakness, or paralysis, the symptoms will usually improve within a few hours, but this does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take many months to rebuild the calcium in the bones.

Long-Term Treatment for MBD

The next step to curing MBD is to fix the diet.

1. Remove ALL seeds, nuts, corn, and treats.

2. Follow the Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels, which can be found at the top of the “Squirrel Nutrition” forum. (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=16093) Your squirrel MUST eat rodent block or squirrel blocks every day. If your squirrel doesn't like rodent blocks, you can try crushing them up with peanut butter or avocado temporarily. You can also make a tastier version of squirrel blocks using the recipe at the top of the Squirrel Nutrition forum.

3. In addition to the Healthy Diet, you will need to continue giving extra calcium every day for several weeks. Either use the syringe/eyedropper or you can try putting the calcium on a small piece of fruit.

Week 1: calcium = 500 mg per day
Week 2: calcium = 250 mg per day
Weeks 3-8: calcium = 100 mg per day

The cause of the acute symptoms—weakness, lethargy, seizures, paralysis—is a drop in blood calcium levels. If these symptoms return at any time, you will need to give another emergency dose of calcium.

More Tips
MBD causes brittle bones that break easily. Try to keep your squirrel away from high places, where he might jump and break a bone. Also, if he is in a tall cage, either place him in a smaller cage, or pad the bottom very well.

Heat is very soothing for a squirrel with MBD. A heating pad turned to low and placed so they cannot chew the pad or cord, or a rice buddy (a sock filled with dry rice/beans and microwaved for about 20 seconds) will work.

Thank you so much I will get calcium in him immediately, also what does mbd stand for?

[stepnstone]

Metabolic bone disease would be my guess too, it's very painful.


What type/kind of formula was he on and what does his daily
diet consist of?

[Chickenlegs]

Metabolic Bone Disease is nasty stuff but there are plenty of happy endings. It doesn't happen overnight, but with time and a good diet, recovery is possible.

[Nancy in New York]

Thank you so much I will get calcium in him immediately, also what does mbd stand for?

Metabolic Bone Disease.
Also don't put the heating pad IN the cage, you have
to put it under half the container he's in, set on low.
Put in plenty of fleece or t shirts, nothing with loops, in case he gets
too warm he can crawl up.
MBD is very painful. You may want to give him some infant ibuprophen.
Do you have a weight on him? OR a guesstimate, we dose according to weight.
What is his diet like?
How old is Arthur?

[Marty333]

Metabolic Bone Disease.
Also don't put the heating pad IN the cage, you have
to put it under half the container he's in, set on low.
Put in plenty of fleece or t shirts, nothing with loops, in case he gets
too warm he can crawl up.
MBD is very painful. You may want to give him some infant ibuprophen.
Do you have a weight on him? OR a guesstimate, we dose according to weight.
What is his diet like?
How old is Arthur?

I made sure the heating pad was under the crate and only covering part of it. Well he is a full grown squirrel now, I haven't weighed him since he was a few months old and right now he is too crazed to be weighed. He's gotten a little thinner over the past few days. I feed him Great Choice Rat Block along with mealworm supplements, and the occasional fruit or seed mixture. He's approximately 5-6 months old. I was in the process of preparing him for release by acclimating him to the outdoors. Also what's the best way to get him to drink the calcium infused water, his mouth won't budge open when I use the syringe. He did great the first time I gave him some but now he's being stubborn!

[Spanky]

I am not familiar "Great Choice", but want to confirm it is the cube and not the mix stuff with all the seeds and dried corn?

How many / how often are you feeding meal worms (Is Arthur a flyer?). Gray's don't have as high of protein needs as flyers do and meal worms are calcium depleting, which is why I am asking.

The calcium in the Great Choice is a little low.. and varies a lot (0.5% to 1%).

Definitely cut out all seeds and nuts while he is being treated for MBD (many weeks!). Keep us updated on Arthur!

[Marty333]

I am not familiar "Great Choice", but want to confirm it is the cube and not the mix stuff with all the seeds and dried corn?

How many / how often are you feeding meal worms (Is Arthur a flyer?). Gray's don't have as high of protein needs as flyers do and meal worms are calcium depleting, which is why I am asking.

The calcium in the Great Choice is a little low.. and varies a lot (0.5% to 1%).

Definitely cut out all seeds and nuts while he is being treated for MBD (many weeks!). Keep us updated on Arthur!

Yes it is the rat block food not the mixed bag. I feed him a quite a bit of mealworms with every meal, they're his favorite , I had no idea they were calcium depleting! Arthur is an eastern gray squirrel. I'll switch him to a higher calcium rat block ASAP. He already seems to be improving, he is not as crazed or aggressive but I can tell he is in pain, the look in his eyes isn't the same as it usually is

Thank you everyone so very much! I'll keep you guys updated on his improvement! Prayers and well wishes are more then welcomed haha!

[stepnstone]

Yes it is the rat block food not the mixed bag. I feed him a quite a bit of mealworms with every meal, they're his favorite , I had no idea they were calcium depleting! Arthur is an eastern gray squirrel. I'll switch him to a higher calcium rat block ASAP. He already seems to be improving, he is not as crazed or aggressive but I can tell he is in pain, the look in his eyes isn't the same as it usually is

Thank you everyone so very much! I'll keep you guys updated on his improvement! Prayers and well wishes are more then welcomed haha!

The reference was about too many nuts depleting calcium, not mealworms.

[Nancy in New York]

The reference was about too many nuts depleting calcium, not mealworms.

Correct, but mealworms are calcium depleting as well, so DON'T feed them.
From a bird sight:

http://www.sialis.org/feeder.htm

Supplement Calcium: Mealworms are calcium depleting, and birds a week away from fledging need to have strong bones for that first flight/crash landing. Calcium deficiency can also cause egg binding in laying birds. If you are feeding a LOT of mealworms (perhaps to help a widow/widower, or during cold rainy weather), the following is recommended (based on nutritional research on poultry and parrots) by veterinarian and bluebirder Linda Ruth. You can also put out crushed, dry chicken eggshells (in a feeder or on a patio where the birds can see it - MORE info.)

Edit: I only knew this for years of rehabbing birds, before I got into mammals.

[Nancy in New York]

Yes it is the rat block food not the mixed bag. I feed him a quite a bit of mealworms with every meal, they're his favorite , I had no idea they were calcium depleting! Arthur is an eastern gray squirrel. I'll switch him to a higher calcium rat block ASAP. He already seems to be improving, he is not as crazed or aggressive but I can tell he is in pain, the look in his eyes isn't the same as it usually is

Thank you everyone so very much! I'll keep you guys updated on his improvement! Prayers and well wishes are more then welcomed haha!

Just remember this is a long process to get him on the right track.
The sooner you start the correct block, and continue with extra calcium
the quicker he will heal. You can't rush building these bones back up, but
you can stop it from getting worse today.
Mine all eat the picky blocks. You feed 2 a day, in addition to the daily veggies from the chart
and a bag will last you a month.
http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

Healthy diet chart.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...-Pet-Squirrels
Many prayers coming for your little one.
We're here for you and for Arthur.

[Marty333]

Just remember this is a long process to get him on the right track.
The sooner you start the correct block, and continue with extra calcium
the quicker he will heal. You can't rush building these bones back up, but
you can stop it from getting worse today.
Mine all eat the picky blocks. You feed 2 a day, in addition to the daily veggies from the chart
and a bag will last you a month.
http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

Healthy diet chart.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...-Pet-Squirrels
Many prayers coming for your little one.
We're here for you and for Arthur.

Yes I understand it is going to be a long process, but there has already been signs of slight improvement from the changes I've made which makes me hopeful and happy. I am immensely disappointed in myself for letting this happen. I will order some of the picky blocks today, and pick up the daily veggies from the chart on my way home from work today. In other news, I stopped by home for lunch to check on Arthur and give him more calcium, he doesn't take to the calcium water that well, I was wondering if I wet the rodent block and coat it in crushed calcium if that will work. Other then that he was finally eating food and his back leg is working a little better! Thank you everyone, once again!

[Spanky]

Yes I understand it is going to be a long process, but there has already been signs of slight improvement from the changes I've made which makes me hopeful and happy.

That he is showing improvements is exactly why we (collectively) continue to encourage those treating MBD to continue the treatment. While progress can often occur quickly, that is only a "band-aid" and the long term reversal and correction that requires rebuilding of bone mass takes a long, long time! Stopping to quickly can cause a relapse... keep up the good work! Also, you may need to hang on to him a little longer than you planned so Arthur is fully recovered before release.

In other news, I stopped by home for lunch to check on Arthur and give him more calcium, he doesn't take to the calcium water that well, I was wondering if I wet the rodent block and coat it in crushed calcium if that will work.

Do you think Arthur would take formula? Formula is always a terrific thing...

You could try adding a bit of molasses or honey to the calcium water to make it more enticing.

You could also try offering him a berry flavored tums... he *may* be willing to nibble on that!

Coating with calcium is always a good idea, but I think if you wet the rodent block it might compromise it and make it mushy... If he likes apple or the like, coat that with calcium.

Watch his poos, if they get very light colored or white, it means he is getting too much calcium. The goal is a constant level of calcium, so smaller doses more frequently...

[Marty333]

That he is showing improvements is exactly why we (collectively) continue to encourage those treating MBD to continue the treatment. While progress can often occur quickly, that is only a "band-aid" and the long term reversal and correction that requires rebuilding of bone mass takes a long, long time! Stopping to quickly can cause a relapse... keep up the good work! Also, you may need to hang on to him a little longer than you planned so Arthur is fully recovered before release.



Do you think Arthur would take formula? Formula is always a terrific thing...

You could try adding a bit of molasses or honey to the calcium water to make it more enticing.

You could also try offering him a berry flavored tums... he *may* be willing to nibble on that!

Coating with calcium is always a good idea, but I think if you wet the rodent block it might compromise it and make it mushy... If he likes apple or the like, coat that with calcium.

Watch his poos, if they get very light colored or white, it means he is getting too much calcium. The goal is a constant level of calcium, so smaller doses more frequently...

Yeah I figured I would have to keep him longer, I am just relieved I didn't release him yet and make him deal with this in the wild! I have some frozen formula that I can mix up for him as an addition. Thank you for the tips, I'll try to give him piece of berry flavored tums and see if that works if not, I'll give him an apple slice that's coated! Also, strange question, I have to bathe him since he has fleas, can I bathe him in Epson salt to help relieve some of the pain?

[Nancy in New York]

Yeah I figured I would have to keep him longer, I am just relieved I didn't release him yet and make him deal with this in the wild! I have some frozen formula that I can mix up for him as an addition. Thank you for the tips, I'll try to give him piece of berry flavored tums and see if that works if not, I'll give him an apple slice that's coated! Also, strange question, I have to bathe him since he has fleas, can I bathe him in Epson salt to help relieve some of the pain?

He would never survive in the wild with MBD.
He would succumb to a slow death, or easily become prey.
I'm so glad he wasn't release yet.
The best calcium to get is calcium carbonate.
You can get it at Henry's but a member pointed out that it
was cheaper at Chris's Squirrel Store.
1 pound bag for $9.95.
https://www.squirrelsandmore.com/pro...carbonate-1-lb

I wouldn't bath him in Epson salt.
You could give him some infant ibuprofen.
Can you post a photo and we will "guesstimate" the weight?
The chart we use has a wide margin for "error" so we will start on
the low side.

[Marty333]

He would never survive in the wild with MBD.
He would succumb to a slow death, or easily become prey.
I'm so glad he wasn't release yet.
The best calcium to get is calcium carbonate.
You can get it at Henry's but a member pointed out that it
was cheaper at Chris's Squirrel Store.
1 pound bag for $9.95.
https://www.squirrelsandmore.com/pro...carbonate-1-lb

I wouldn't bath him in Epson salt.
You could give him some infant ibuprofen.
Can you post a photo and we will "guesstimate" the weight?
The chart we use has a wide margin for "error" so we will start on
the low side.

I have some calcium carbonate on hand thankfully! I've been coating his food with a little bit each feeding.
I also picked up broccoli which I know has a good amount of calcium and I give him a piece in the morning and at night.
His appetite has improved and he comes and greets me every morning, but I can definitely see that we have a long road of recovery ahead.

Unfortunately I will not have my phone until Sunday so I haven't been able to snap a picture, if the battery is charged in my camera I will take a picture of him tonight and upload it!

Also I do have another rehab squirrel with me named Wrigley who is younger and I have changed his diet as well to exclude mealworms and include more calcium.
I've order some Henry's Picky block and should have it by next week!

[Mel1959]

Great job! If you still need to bathe him just use some plain Dawn dish detergent.....sparingly. Rinse him very well in warm water, but take care to keep the water out of his ears and eyes. Be prepared, the fleas may run to his head to avoid the wash.

[Marty333]

Great job! If you still need to bathe him just use some plain Dawn dish detergent.....sparingly. Rinse him very well in warm water, but take care to keep the water out of his ears and eyes. Be prepared, the fleas may run to his head to avoid the wash.

I always wash around the neck first to create a soapy barrier so those suckers don't flea (tehehe pun intended) to my precious babies eyes, nose, and ears. Fleas are the worst, I wish my neighbor would stop feeding the feral cats around here. The flea problem around my house has never been this horrendous.