Baby Squirrel Chest Clicking?

[sonnybosco]

I found a baby squirrel that I have been feeding esbilac/cream formula with a baby syringe for a few days. (I followed the instructions on squirreltales(DOT)org).

I'm scared the little guy has pneumonia cause he has sneezed while eating a few times. I listened to his chest, but its hard to tell if the clicking is from his lungs or his mouth. He seemed to grind his teeth (or gums) now and then.

I have some antibiotics ( CEPHALEXIN 500 MG) but I don't know if he even needs it and am scared of giving him too much.

Would the clicking be really obvious? What happens if I give him antibiotics and he doesn't need them? Please any advise would be helpful!

[Apple Corps]

Never fails - Saturday night.

Are you still up??

[Mars]

:wave123 :Welcome :wave123

Yes, the clicking is quite obvious. Other signs to watch for are baby is harder to wake up, does not seem hungry and is having problems breathing. Food up the nose is uncomfortable but not dangerous. If your baby is under 100 grams in weight please use only a 1cc syringe to feed with and go slow - it's tap/swallow, tap/swallow. Let your baby set the rythem. A 3cc syringe is fine for a baby bigger than 100 grams but you must still go slowly. each tap on a 3cc is 3 times the volume on a 1cc. Anything bigger is much too big to feed with. :)

[Apple Corps]

Well - here goes - they can die quickly if not treated.

ASSUMING the lil fuzzer weighs 1/4 pound the Keflex dosage would be around 3 mg

So: dissolve the Keflex tablet in 20 cc of water and administer .15 cc every 8 - 10 hours. Little risk of harm - high risk of death if infected and nothing is done.

The dose is 1 and 1/2 tenths of a cc

You could also break the tablet in half - dissolve that 1/2 tablet in 20 cc of water - and administer .3 cc every 8 - 10 hours

[sonnybosco]

i do hear faint clicking but im not sure if its lungs. should my ear touch the baby or just be near to hear the clicking? is it one click per breathe? Like inhale [click]....exhale[click]?
or more rapid clicks per breathe?

sorry, i just really want to know the details. i don't want to give antibiotics unless he won't make it till monday morning.

[Apple Corps]

Mars - would you please walk down the Dx path a bit further with him? I've done the calcs but not confident we have an infection yet.

[Mars]

i do hear faint clicking but im not sure if its lungs. should my ear touch the baby or just be near to hear the clicking? is it one click per breathe? Like inhale [click]....exhale[click]?
or more rapid clicks per breathe?

sorry, i just really want to know the details. i don't want to give antibiotics unless he won't make it till monday morning.


Hold your baby's chest right up to your ear and lissen. You should be able to hear if the clicking is coming from the lungs.

[sonnybosco]

ok i'm listening but he is squirming and now nibbling on my finger.

it sounds like there is possibly one small click per breathe...

[Mars]

Do you have a health food store near you that would be open on Sunday? ( not GNC :nono )

[sonnybosco]

Do you have a health food store near you that would be open on Sunday? ( not GNC :nono )

yes, but they carry only dried goods

[Mars]

Do they carry Homeopathic remedies?

[sonnybosco]

Do they carry Homeopathic remedies?

I can check in the morning. What should I ask for?

[Apple Corps]

Mars & sonny - I'm sure the dose calcs are correct for a 1/4 pounder - little harm in giving the regimen.

However sonny - you might want to see some more serious symptoms before starting the antibiotic regimen. Just keep in mind that you can lose them fast.

I don't think it is the number of clicks but rather where they are coming from (lungs or mouth) that is more important.

I'm off to bed - in you hands Mars (:thankyou )

It has been a stressful day for me.

G'Night and prayers for the fuzzers in need!!!!

[sonnybosco]

what do you think about the one click per breath? Am I freaking over nothing? I hope so...

[sonnybosco]

What are the symptoms in order? So that I will now what to watch for next...

[sonnybosco]

Mars & sonny - I'm sure the dose calcs are correct for a 1/4 pounder - little harm in giving the regimen.

However sonny - you might want to see some more serious symptoms before starting the antibiotic regimen. Just keep in mind that you can lose them fast.

I don't think it is the number of clicks but rather where they are coming from (lungs or mouth) that is more important.

I'm off to bed - in you hands Mars (:thankyou )

It has been a stressful day for me.

G'Night and prayers for the fuzzers in need!!!!

Goodnight Apple TY for your help.

[Mars]

Here is what I am thinking. I agree with AC that to start the antibiotics now maybe jumping the gun - however if the symptoms get worse or baby is in anyway "down" in the morning I would not hesitate and would start then.

The homeopathic remedy I have in mind is Phosphorus 30C. This product can be found a health food stores. It comes in a tablet form. I drop one tablet from the containor into the cap and then into a small amount of cold water to dissolve. ( a tablespoon of water is fine ) Do not handle the tablet directly as you may have a reaction to it. I then administer a drop or so ( remember with Homeopathy it is not how much you give at a time it is how many times you give it that counts ) using a syringe, eye dropper or a clean paint brush to the mouth. The remedy need not be swallowed as it reacts with the mucus membranes within the mouth. Again in homepathy it is not how much you give but how often it is repeated. Now comes the hardest part. Waiting. If after 6 hours or so I saw no improvement I would repeat ONCE. If, on the other hand, I DID see some improvement I WOULD NOT REPEAT. Here is where the example of starting the car comes in handy. To start a car you turn the key ( ie give a remedy ) if the car starts ( ie the remedy is working ) you do not continue to turn the key as you will just burn up your starter ( and repeating a remedy too often can cause problems you don't want ). We wait for the engine to stall before turning the key again will have the desired effect. The same is true with a homepathic remedy. This remedy is safe to repeat up to three times the first day and twice the second. In my experince the clicking clears very quickly and I seldom find myself repeating.

[sonnybosco]

Here is what I am thinking. I agree with AC that to start the antibiotics now maybe jumping the gun - however if the symptoms get worse or baby is in anyway "down" in the morning I would not hesitate and would start then.

The homeopathic remedy I have in mind is Phosphorus 30C. This product can be found a health food stores. It comes in a tablet form. I drop one tablet from the containor into the cap and then into a small amount of cold water to dissolve. ( a tablespoon of water is fine ) Do not handle the tablet directly as you may have a reaction to it. I then administer a drop or so ( remember with Homeopathy it is not how much you give at a time it is how many times you give it that counts ) using a syringe, eye dropper or a clean paint brush to the mouth. The remedy need not be swallowed as it reacts with the mucus membranes within the mouth. Again in homepathy it is not how much you give but how often it is repeated. Now comes the hardest part. Waiting. If after 6 hours or so I saw no improvement I would repeat ONCE. If, on the other hand, I DID see some improvement I WOULD NOT REPEAT. Here is where the example of starting the car comes in handy. To start a car you turn the key ( ie give a remedy ) if the car starts ( ie the remedy is working ) you do not continue to turn the key as you will just burn up your starter ( and repeating a remedy too often can cause problems you don't want ). We wait for the engine to stall before turning the key again will have the desired effect. The same is true with a homepathic remedy. This remedy is safe to repeat up to three times the first day and twice the second. In my experince the clicking clears very quickly and I seldom find myself repeating.

ty mars! i will call them first thing in the morning.

[Apple Corps]

sonny - I just laid down and wanted to confirm that the Keflex would be given ORALLY - no needle - just measured up in the syringe and fed to him.

Sorry - just wanted to play it safe.

G'Night again

[Mars]

AC go to bed. Rest well both of you. I'm headed to bed myself. :)

[sonnybosco]

sonny - I just laid down and wanted to confirm that the Keflex would be given ORALLY - no needle - just measured up in the syringe and fed to him.

Sorry - just wanted to play it safe.

G'Night again

omg! the thought of giving the little bugger meds orally is scary enough to me.
a needle never crossed my mind.

getting out of bed to post really shows that you love squirrels. :)

[sonnybosco]

ok off to bed. i will update in the morn...

[sonnybosco]

the little guy seems fine this morning. active and awake and eager to eat. although, i can still hear the one click per breath. any thoughts?

[Apple Corps]

Just monitor as Mars pointed out - you have the antibiotic & dose info if needed :D

[Apple Corps]

sonny - how is he doing??