Injury Help

[Johnb]

Ok , I posted a few times in the other thread about my dogs and my squirrels and how to keep them from getting at the 10 month old squirrels I released last week, well I now have a problem, not from the dogs but one of my squirrels is injured from a fight or a fall, I can't tell he wont come down yet, it appears that some of his hair is stripped from his back leg, he wont put weight on it and there is some blood. If I can get him back into a cage what do I put on the wound ? if its broken is there any options with a broken leg ?
Thanks ;(

[squirrel princess]

someone will be here to help if you can get hi m down with a nut bribe and get him in the cage to look at his injuries to give details and possibly take a picture that would help with assistance:thumbsup

[Johnb]

I will check back on and off today as I try to get him to come to me...
Thanks

[Johnb]

No luck with getting him to come to me, he's not making that high pitch sound they make when scared, it's his hind leg, he's not dragging it, he's holding it up in a contracted fashion, a patch of hair about 3/4 of and inch is hanging from it and there is some blood. I hope this is not a compound leg or hip fracture from a fall, maybe later today I can get him down for a photo to post, If I can re capture him is there some antibiotic treatment cream I should use ? He is fully grown nearly a year old based on when we found him as a pinkie.
He has been in the yard for nearly a week , with his brother , they both had been playing a lot in the tree over the last week and his brother liked to hang off of him while playing tag. Possibly a fall I suppose ? More to come as I find out more and maybe get closer to him to do a better eval.

[Mars]

Basics first. Calm the animal. Provide a heat soucre in case of shock. Assess the injury. Stop major bleeding first. Otherwise clean the wound then disinfect. Pics would help. If it is broken a vet will be needed.

[Johnb]

Basics first. Calm the animal. Provide a heat soucre in case of shock. Assess the injury. Stop major bleeding first. Otherwise clean the wound then disinfect. Pics would help. If it is broken a vet will be needed.
What is the suggested disinfect ?
Thanks
I will work on photos as soon as I can get close to him..

[Jackie in Tampa]

:thinking Illegal State?

[Mars]

I use this.

http://www.wheelchairmedical.com/product.asp?P_ID=26648&Product=PREP+SOLUTION%2CPOVIDONE%2FIODINE%2C4+OZ+B TL%2C+MDS093944H&af=2205

You can buy it cheap at any supermarket or drug store ussually it's on the bottom shelf. Dilute it to look like a weak tea before using.:thumbsup

[Apple Corps]

Task #1 (always the hardest) is getting him in your hands for Dx and Rx.

Task #2 - we will be here to help.

[TexanSquirrel]

Yes, there are options if the leg is broken. Have you put out his favorite foods so that even if you can't catch him he can have an easy meal?

[Johnb]

Task #1 (always the hardest) is getting him in your hands for Dx and Rx.

Task #2 - we will be here to help.
Ok I have now coaxed him into his cage and he is back in the house, a background on him, he was raised from a pinkie, he has a brother who both were released last week, his brother and he are very bonded and even slept together until released, they are both full grown almost a year old. This injury does not look to be a break, it's hard to tell right now. He is not dragging it, his is keeping in tucked up, its mid way up his leg on the outside of his back leg. The fur is slightly damp and has a small amount of what appears to be milky sticky drainage, I can with a flash light see through the hair and see what appears to be a puncture wound, possibly a bite or a claw puncture from his brother hanging off him while in the tree and maybe they both fell ? who knows ? in any event I don't think a photo at this point is going to show much except a little damp hair in the area. I will try to handle him later if he lets me , at this point no way he is very upset and growling at me. I tried to find the disinfect suggested by another user but could not find it. I might have some chances to slowly spray something on him later through the cage , any suggestions on what to use ? I fell much better that he is in the house and the fly's are not on him. This injury is about 12 hours old now, do they make a liquid antibiotic I could mix in his water ? Also is bactine spray ok to use on the wound ?

Thanks in advance , he is resting soundly at the moment and has eaten a grape and apple slice.

[Apple Corps]

GREAT NEWS. Neosporin / Polysporin is used frequently - over the counter from drugstore or grocery store.

A cat bite would be treated by you with an oral antibiotic Baytril or Ciprofloxacin (close to the human equivalent to Baytri).

Do you have access to getting either of these tomorrow? A single 100mg tablet would be enough for almost all the treatment regimen - if that is necessary.

The next challenge is Dx - cat bite or hawk talon or squirrel chomp, or ?????

[Johnb]

GREAT NEWS. Neosporin / Polysporin is used frequently - over the counter from drugstore or grocery store.

A cat bite would be treated by you with an oral antibiotic Baytril or Ciprofloxacin (close to the human equivalent to Baytri).

Do you have access to getting either of these tomorrow? A single 100mg tablet would be enough for almost all the treatment regimen - if that is necessary.

The next challenge is Dx - cat bite or hawk talon or squirrel chomp, or ?????
Thanks for the feedback, we have an awesome vet in the area that has helped me with one of my other squirrels a few years ago, I will call him in the am and see if I can get the pill you mentioned. I will try to get some Neosporin on him later via a Qtip through the cage when he rest for awhile.
I doubt that it was a cat, they stay clear of my yard because of my dogs, I know it was not the dogs because the dogs have not been let out without me standing there watching everything until they are let in. I really think it is a puncture from his brother or another squirrel, not many hawks in my area, and there is a very large canopy of trees in the area hiding them from lurkers above. Thanks Thanks Thanks !! any other advice is helpful , what are the danger signs over the next couple of days ?

[Apple Corps]

A squirrel bite is not all that uncommon - could be the case. Are you going to take him to the vet in the morning? That would be the best thing to do. When these things go south they tend to happen on a holiday or Sunday morning :shakehead :shakehead

[Sciurus1]

Be sure you do not get the pain formula version of Neosporin, I was told by my friend a rehabber, that is not good for squirrels, as the plain one is.

[Johnb]

A squirrel bite is not all that uncommon - could be the case. Are you going to take him to the vet in the morning? That would be the best thing to do. When these things go south they tend to happen on a holiday or Sunday morning :shakehead :shakehead
Im going to try to get him into the vet in the morning, if he will see him, if not I will at least try to get the meds that were mentioned in other post here. Everyone has been so nice here ! What a great place to share.

[Apple Corps]

Good - the vet may have a clear diagnosis. If possible cat bite, you can get an oral suspension of Baytril or simply dissolve a 100mg pill in 10cc of water and I'll calculate the dose for you to give orally.

Also - find out his weight and have the vet give you a couple of 1cc syringes w/o the needle. Good to have on hand for an emergency.

[Johnb]

Good - the vet may have a clear diagnosis. If possible cat bite, you can get an oral suspension of Baytril or simply dissolve a 100mg pill in 10cc of water and I'll calculate the dose for you to give orally.

Also - find out his weight and have the vet give you a couple of 1cc syringes w/o the needle. Good to have on hand for an emergency.
Heres the update this morning, he's inside in his cage, Im calling the et shortly, however I have no idea how I might be able to handle him as he is very defensive if I try anything other than feed him through the bars. The way we got him inside was to take a very large cage from the garage out to where he was and let him find his own way into it and then brought that cage in the house. Over the last 3 months we rarely handled him so he would get more wild before release, so now its not going to happen unless I want to upset him into more injury, or get the heck bit out of me. He slept great, is up early and alert and eating, he grunts some moving around from the injury. The bleeding has stopped, the only thing I could get on him was some peroxide from a spray bottle, and a small amount of neosporin which I not even sure hit the area. Im going to see if the vet will give us the baytril or like product then I will get back on here, possibly some can be put in his food ? I will also try to "somehow" get him into a small clean dog crate for transport, wish me luck on that one...

[squirrel princess]

wishing you good luck with the little guy:thumbsup

[Johnb]

wishing you good luck with the little guy:thumbsup
Thank You, I wish he still were a little guy, I would be able to handle him with no problem then. Still trying to get a hold of the vet, busy phone line, they must be listing to all their v mail from people who had problems after hours.
In looking at him this morning I don't think this is abreak, he is not cragging his rear leg but more like keeping it lifted and tucked tight, it hurts for sure he grunts when he moves about and it looks sore, some hair missing and under the hair it looks like a puncture fairly deep.
More later.

[Apple Corps]

I'd transport him in a small cage / cat carrier. The vet will have the ability to calm him down for exam. Infection and joint injury or tissue trauma sound like what you are now going to have to deal with.

A squirrel burrito is when you wrap a towel around them for handling with only their head sticking out.

[Johnb]

Great , the vet is booked today and even if I could get him out into a smaller crate they won't see him. One of the doctors is going to call me back to let me know if they can prescribe antibiotics for him, my normal vet is not there today or he would have taken care of me, I have know him for 20 years.
So the waiting and worrying starts ....

[Apple Corps]

John - are you in the north / south east or west part of the city? I can try to find a vet.

[Johnb]

Im in the 63123 zip, the normal office just called me and they are going to give me some amoxicilin for him to get started on. Im going to run and pick it up. I really dont know if I can get him into a smaller crate right now, he' s having nothing to do with it... I will be back later when I get the meds.
John

[Apple Corps]

Baytril would be the choice in the event this was a cat attack.

[Johnb]

I'd transport him in a small cage / cat carrier. The vet will have the ability to calm him down for exam. Infection and joint injury or tissue trauma sound like what you are now going to have to deal with.

A squirrel burrito is when you wrap a towel around them for handling with only their head sticking out.
I have amoxicllin now from the vet, Its the oral type so Im going to be trying to mix the vet suggested dose into some sort of nutball mixture and see if he will eat it, I don't know if he will right now since he was fed this morning.

[Johnb]

Well nothing yet, I should not have let him eat this morning, now he is full and work touch the nut ball with the meds mixed in it. I will hope he goes for it later this evening ? I tried to reach in and get him to let me handle him again and Nooooo way he still gets really mad. He has been resting most of the day the wound area that I can see is looking to heal a bit, not yelo or anything leaking , its just getting dark in color, theres about a 3/4 of an inch patch of hair missing on the rear leg and there are what that looks like a puncture is above that, I only see what appears to be one puncture area. He is breathing semi normal while he sleeps, a little deeper than normal but seems relaxed. I hope he eats the nut ball with the meds. I did get some peroxide sprayed on the area last night through the bars. How would he be acting if this were a cat bite ? What is the normal term before they would pass away from a cat bite ? This is now about 24 hours old, when he is awake he is alert and his eyes look pretty good. No vets would see us today, my normal guys that would see him was booked, I hope to be doing good with him by Monday or at the vet if I can coax him into a crate.
John

[tatcat]

:wave123 john, good luck with your lil buddy...keep us posted...:grouphug

[Johnb]

:wave123 john, good luck with your lil buddy...keep us posted...:grouphug
Well he did take in 2.5 of amox via a nut ball this evening so, maybe, just maybe my "willy" will start taking in the meds, Im praying and wishing with all my heart he makes it....Thanks for the support.!

[Johnb]

Well he did take in 2.5 of amox via a nut ball this evening so, maybe, just maybe my "willy" will start taking in the meds, Im praying and wishing with all my heart he makes it....Thanks for the support.!
Correction .25 of amox, not 2.5 and good new I got another .25 ion him this morning, hoping the vet will see us in the am Monday.
John

[Jackie in Tampa]

:thankyou :bowdown good work!:bowdown
:grouphug

[island rehabber]

johnb, here's hoping your little buddy gets well soon.....your vet may want to put him on a different antibiotic, since the 'cillin' drugs are not the best for rodents. Albon, for example, might work better, or even Baytril. :)

[Johnb]

thanks updates will follow as anything changes, for now he is resting good, and eating good, I do think I see a skin flap now that is rolled under, maybe an inch wide flap at the end of the raw area, appears to be some sort of pull rip injury. I will stay with him until he is either healed or not with us anymore. I will not give up on my lil buddy , he has had me so emotional over the last 40 hours, Im feeling a lot better today since he took in some meds and seem to be responding.
John

[Johnb]

:thankyou :bowdown good work!:bowdown
:grouphug
Great News !!!! Just within the last hour his activity level is nearly back to normal ! He is still favoring the lag some but he is very alert , he is very happy to see me, comes to the cage door and wants me to pet him ! Wow I can't express how great I feel right now, after 48 hours of near tears I now feel like crying in Joy ! I know were not out of the woods yet , I will keep him on the amox .25 dose twice a day and keep some betadine on the wound area.
I did get a real good look at the wound also, it is healing ! It does not look gooey at all and drying up some, he is very alert ! eating great , man I feel wonderful !! I just had to share these feelings with all of you that have helped me and guided me and willy through the hard part of this injury. I will get some photos of him in a day or two and share them with you all, by the way, my avatar is a picture of willy last year when he was small. Thank You !!! All !!! for the advice.

[Johnb]

:wott This is FABULOUS news! :wahoo I'm hoping and praying PRECIOUS little Willy keeps getting better and better. :grouphug I can't wait to see pics of him! :multi He was ADORABLE as a baby! :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon You're doing a GREAT job, Daddy! :wave
Thanks for supporting me and willy, I now feel like I can get back to a normal mind frame, I was so worried...I could not sleep for the last two days, I have not been eating much, been a nervous wreck, checking on him every hour almost. It's funny, If I told anyone on the street that I got this worked up over a squirrel they would think Im messed up or something, they have no idea how smart, loving, and wonderful these animals are. I'm so glad I took time to observe and raise many of them over the years, they are all different, they all think their own way, they are actually very smart and process thoughts and make decisions and love to be loved. They have brought great joy to me over the years, many many laughs and very little sorrow or pain.

[Apple Corps]

John - we are all waiting for news when you have some - lots of prayers...

[Sciurus1]

Just a note, my rehabber friend said not to use peroxide, for it eats away the flesh. She said to use Calendula instead, a natural antispectic. You can buy it at a health store, easy to use in it's handy spray bottle. It has a yellow color like the flower it comes from.

[Johnb]

John - we are all waiting for news when you have some - lots of prayers...
Yes ! He will be fine ! The vet had a look at him today. Said it appears to not be from a cat, more like a fight with another squirrel. He's keeping him on the Amox treatments .25 twice a day. In fact it is healing nicely, I stop the betadine as the wound no longer looks open, it appears hair is already growing around the edges of the wound. He is sleeping and eating good, putting weight on it also. So I hope it will be a few weeks and back into the release phase. I feel a lot better today, all of you folks here are so comforting and helpful, thank God for TSB !
and our lil furry friends in nature, thanks for the prayers, hope, and input, your all great !

[Apple Corps]

Great News - keep the faith and LOVE dem FUZZERS :bowdown :bowdown :bowdown

[FallensMommie]

Awwww, so glad on the update.......all very good news! So happy for you!!

Yes yes yes it is amazing what we go through emotionally with our little fuzz butts :D .....always worth it :thumbsup

[island rehabber]

johnB it gives me great pleasure to move your thread to NON Life-Threatening Help Needed. :thumbsup :)

[skye]

Wonderful great news I am so glad all has turn out well for your little furry friend. Bless you for helping him.:)