Need help with dexamethasone dose

[I Love Lucy]

I received a squirrel with a head trauma yesterday. She has her eyes open and weighs 73 g. Her sister weighs 105g so she is definitely underweight. I got her from someone who found her five days ago. She has decent use of her legs but falls to the right side when I put her down.

I have the bible book Wild Mammal Babies... so I know the basic dose of dexamethasone, but it does not say if it can be used twice a day and for how many days it should be given at full dose before tapering it off. This is my first time using dex so I want to get it right.

I gave her a dose last night and saw an improvement within. Can someone please PM me with the correct protocol. My vet was not sure.

Thanks.

[I Love Lucy]

By the way I have dexamethasone SP 4mg/ml.

Thanks.

[Tomo]

Hi, I'm Tomo from Tomo's Tree House thread.

One of my sanctuary babies, Lucky Dragon, came to me with a fractured spine. He was approximately 8 weeks old at the time. He may have weighed more than your baby. The doctor prescribed dexamethazone after xraying him and finding the fracture. The dose was 0.01 cc by mouth once daily for 3 days, then every other day, once a day, for 5 days. It did help him, but I urge you to use caution.

How much did you administer yesterday? Remember, this is a once a day dose, no more than that.

[I Love Lucy]

I have dexamethasone SP (sodium phosphate) and the strength is 4mg/ml. The WMB book says to give .07 for a strength of 2mg/ml. So I divided the dose listed in half. I gave her .04 last night and saw an improvement in a few hours. She seems to have more control over her legs and head. She can still not keep herself upright. She falls to the right. It is as if her head is too heavy on that side to hold it up. As long as I hold her head a little she can keep the nursing position while she eats. (Her back legs are sprawled out and her front paws are kneading the nipple.)

My vet does not specialize in wildlife and was not sure of the proper dosage.

You urge caution. Why? Everything I read says there is little to no danger as long as you do not use it for long periods of time (2 weeks+) and do not taper it off.

[I Love Lucy]

I've read on other websites for rats that it should be given 2x a day for 3 days, then 1x a day for three days, then 1/2 the original dose for 3 days, and then 1/2 the orginal dose every other day (for three doses). Their original dose amount does coincide with the recomendations in WMB.

I'm just really unsure about administering it 2x a day and wanted to check the dosages because Dex SP is slightly different. I understand from my vet that it more effective because it is metabolized quicker.

I knew someone here would be able to tell me for sure, from experience not from a book.

Thanks, Tomo.

[Tori]

Oral dex can be given 2 to 3 times daily depending upon severity....injectable dex is usually only given once daily and then for no more than 5 to 7 days at a small dose. (longer than that use oral and taper off the doage) We use dex sp at the strength you have listed quite frequently. Adult squirrels get .10 to .25 sq once daily depending on size. Babies get 0.025 to 0.05 sq once daily. We rarely use it for more than 5 days.
Some steroids you do have to worry about long term usage and not tapering off but this dosage for a short period of time should not create a problem.
We almost always give the dex by injection since it is better absorbed that way....

[I Love Lucy]

Thanks, Tori.

You confirmed that my planned protocol was a good way to go. I gave her .04ml on Mon and Tues night and will give her the same dosage tonight, tomorrow I'm going to cut the dose to .02 once a day and give it to her for three days, then .02 once every other day for three doses total.

She has improved greatly. She has a great appetite and is able to hold the correct nursing position when I just slightly hold her head. She is not flopping over so hard anymore and is able to stay upright for a second or tow before rolling over. I'm finding her lying on the other side or her back now. She is definitely gaining more control. I hope she continues to progress like she has.

Of course I don't know for sure that it is the dex that helped or just time healing her wounds, but I'm a great fan of this drug now. I wasn't aware that Dex SP came in oral and injectable, I thought it was one and the same. I thought it just could be used either way. I also know that Dex SP is metabolized quicker than plain Dex.

Thanks again Tori

[Tori]

No prob anytime anyones needs drug dosages etc. I prob have them so just let me know. Good that she is improving...

[I Love Lucy]

Just wanted to update everyone. Bop continues to improve. She gains more control of her head everyday. She has a great appetite and is gaining weight. I'm working with her on strengthing her muscles. She still has a way to go though. If her progress halted now she wouldn't be able to climb or feed herself. I have high hopes she'll be releasable one day. It's a matter time and patience now.

Thanks to all those who helped and are following her story.