Young squirrel has a lump on his neck ?

[Mr. Earl]

This young squirrel developed a lump on his neck that seems to be getting larger. The first time I was able to touch the area it felt hard...today it felt like it wasn't as hard but definitely bigger. Would appreciate any help.

[Sciurus1]

If there is an opening on any part of it, that looks like white something inside then a bot fly it may be, but if not, no opening, I would try to trap it and take it ASAP to a rehabber who will bring it to a Vet. It appears to be severe at this point, so to take action as soon as possible is very advisable.

Is there is a member that can help out?

[island rehabber]

That does look like a bot fly...which actually will run its course and not really bother a healthy young squirrel. If you can check to see whether the hole is there, as Sciurus1 mentioned, that would put our minds at ease that it is indeed a bot fly warble. However if there is no opening it could be an abcess, and that should be treated by a vet.

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

Rich....
You are so, caring..to tend to this young guys needs..I hope you can capture it..and get it to a vet..:thumbsup
Let us know what you plan to do..and if you can capture him.
Rachel:thumbsup

[Jackie in Tampa]

:thinking not an expert...but I've never seen a bot fly like that! Usually a bot fly will have no hair on warble, that is also pushing it in size. They are feverish from secondary infection, so red and angry looking with a dark center{bot fly]. :dono
Hope you can help him:Love_Icon

[Loopy Squirrel]

It looks like an abcess to me. It is growing too fast and too big. It will eventually burst on its own once the skin is stretched to capacity.

[Sciurus1]

I was told that bots can be removed with a sweezer when it opens up, by a rehabber. Since it is enlarging quickly, that would be enough for me to want to capture it to make sure it is not something other than a bot. Just as the members mentioned, with absesses Vet care is a necessary for a good outcome. Absesses may be associated with a tooth issue as well. No way then to resolve them without a Vet
s intervention Rodents are to cysts, which may also burst, much like an absess, and the heal up rather quickly. From what I was told though Cysts can turn to tumors in rodents, and form fluid around them rather quickly. It this were one it would have to be removed very soon for this animal to survive. I think you need to get the tend trap out, and put some goodies in it and a towel ready to cover him up when you get him. Of course contact help to see if they can help first before trapping him.

[Sarah]

This pic is from Earls original thread in the grey squirrel area. It looks like it's on both sides of his neck. Would a bot fly do that?

[Sciurus1]

That doesn't look like the same squirrel, it doesn't have gray feet with white on them.

[smoknbunny]

Hi Sarah - that's Parker:) (fox squirrel) I was posting her pic to show an abcess:D Sorry if I created confusion!!

[smoknbunny]

You beat me again Gammasbaby????? You're just too quick!
Now Sarah is going to think we are ganging up on her:)

[Sciurus1]

Glad that confusion is cleared up, even so a good example of what an absess can look like. Now, do we have a rehabber in Earl's area to get this thing moving forward?

[Sciurus1]

In the meantime what happened with Parker may I ask?

[smoknbunny]

Parker has a thread of her own under specific ailments: malocclusions
She's hanging in, had her second trim. Probably glad her bonehead captor finally figured out she is a SHE:D

[smoknbunny]

Grrrrrrrrr:)

[Sciurus1]

Thanks Gammas. I was thinking just that, an absess from a tooth issue. More often that not a enlargement in this area has to do with the teeth, and as such, I cannot stress the importance of dealing with this quickly!

Will one of our folks here in the know, please PM him with the contact information for a rehabber, or Vet in his area. :poke

[Mr. Earl]

thanks everybody...I'm going to try for a closer look, but yesterday I received an NWRA Membership directory in the mail ( good timing ) and there's a lady right here in town that is listed as a squirrel rehabber...it gives her name, phone #, RAA: SQUIRREL; small mammel , non-RVS .
Beyond that I do have a licensed rehabber in a town up the road.
Will update.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I dont believe that is a bot fly, the area would have much less hair on it for one thing and would be protruding more.
Mr. Earl good job on getting that book.

[Loopy Squirrel]

I had a lot of squirrels this year develope abcesses similar to this in the neck region. All of the squirrels were ones I raised and released. I found one like that in my wildling out cage. It wasn't there and then all of a sudden it was there and as big as her head. I had it develope on two keepers that were raised inthis same group. This is the group I was speaking of before that developed the weird virus/bacteria (not sure). We had two of the girls abcesses cultured, one came back strep group A and we are waiting on the other. Strep can normally occur in the nasal tracks of squirrels but when it crosses into the blood stream it can cause a whole host of problems including abcesses in strange places and it seems to occur more often in the neck. Most of my guys didn't have tooth issues...yet. They were all under seven months when this happened, not that a tooth issue can't arise in babies. I just had too many squirrels w/ abcesses. It was unlikely that five squirrels would all have tooth problems at the same time...babies no less. If this is an adult or older juvenile it would be worth checking into. The vet can culture the bacteria once they drain it and see what it is so they can choose a specific antibiotic to use. They can also take an xray to see if it is a tooth problem.

[island rehabber]

:goodpost great info, Loopy....:thankyou. Mr Earl, that squirrel rehabber in the directory sounds perfect.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Yes, great info Loop.

[Sciurus1]

Ok Loopy Squirrel, GOOD to hear that often teeth are not involved with such absesses. I guess it is from my backround as a former Dental Assistant that leads me to think of absesses in that area being from dental issues.

[Loopy Squirrel]

Some can be but this was the weirdest experience I have had w/ squirrels. This year seemed to be the year that anything and everything went wrong.

[Mr. Earl]

The little squirrel showed up and was chased by a bigger squirrel. If he is the only one around I will be able to get him to the rehabber...she's been in contact and says to call her anytime at all...will check him out, treat and when released it will be back here.
Everybody...Thanks for the help !

[Mr. Earl]

here are before and after pictures of the squirrel with the lump...the first pictures are how he looks , as of yesterday. The area that was swollen has lost hair but it doen't look like it's infected.

[Jackie in Tampa]

:alright.gif :alright.gif

[Loopy Squirrel]

Squirrels do a very good job of keeping themselves very clean and I think that's sometimes how they avoid infection. He looks great. I am glad in worked out o.k..