my little boy can't breathe! please help!

[twitterpated]

i am fostering two little orphans through the local wildlife rehab program. my little boys are about 8-9 weeks old, i think. two days ago the little one named toodles started sneezing, and within 24 hours he was totally congested, mucus discharge in his nose, gasping for air, sneezing... i know this sounds like he aspirated, but i am so careful when i feed him and he is starting to eat solids. all of a sudden blood appeared all over his nose and around his mouth. I'm so scared for him. i cleaned the blood off and it didnt' seem to be coming from anywhere that i could see...this morning i rushed him to my local rehabber and she gave me the antibiotic clavomox. i gave him 3 doses over the course of today. just now i took a close look in his mouth, and i see his front teeth have a huge gap in them, his gums are somewhat inflamed, and there were traces of blood in his mouth. i dont know how to post pics here, but im gonna try and hope it works. my question is, is it possible that his symptoms are caused by a tooth injury/infection? he has always had trouble suckling on the syringe because he never got a good seal around the nipple. just a thought. if you have any suggestions please help, i love my little boy and it hurts my heart to see him struggling to breathe...please help... thank you so much, any and all input and prayers are greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

~brandy and toodles

[Mountain Mama]

Take your baby into a small bathroom and turn your shower on full blast with very hot water. The humid air will help loosen whatever is in his upper respiratory tract. Let's start with this. Stay with us, and we will get you through this.

[Apple Corps]

Not sure of what we are dealing with - that said, the "cillins" are not a good choice for fuzzers - very rough on the normal flora in the intestines.

I would keep him on the antibiotic until tomorrow and lets see if we can get a better handle on what he has.

Some have done a steam tent in the bathroon sink with hot water to loosen up the congestion.

[Mountain Mama]

Are his top teeth pointing backward?

[twitterpated]

no, his teeth are pointing straight down, they are really short. i haven't paid that close attention to them until now, so i dont know if they have changed recently. i just tried the shower steam with him and it seemed to choke him up even worse, so i took him out after about 10 minutes because he was sneezing and hacking non stop. his breathing is getting more and more labored, and im so scared but i absolutely i have to go to bed now because i stayed up all night with him last night and had to skip work today to tend to him. i'll check all replies first thing in the morning when i wake up at 6. thank you for your immediate responses, please say a little prayer for toodles! he's gonna make it, he's gonna make it, he's gonna make it...please let him recover..

[Mountain Mama]

The steam was probably loosening up the congestion so that he was able to cough it up and move it out...it's a good thing. Do you have a bulb syringe like they use on babies? If you do, maybe you could gently suction him to try to help get some more out. I am afraid that if you do not intervene more with him tonight, he will not survive. His labored breathing is a sign that he is in distress. If you can't stay up with him, can you call your rehabber to come get him?

[twitterpated]

i did the shower treatment again today. i also used a little baby suction bulb to try and clean his nose, but he squealed in pain each time i tried. I may have gotten a few boogers out, but nothing substantial. he is still alert but obviously a little lethargic because hes working so hard to breathe. his appetite has decreased but i was still able to give him about 9ccs of formula this morning. its really hard and slow going with the feeding because hes breathing through his mouth for every 5th breath or so.

with the clavimox, how many many cc's shoud he get? he weighs around 115 grams. what else can i do to help him? i have him here at work with me today, he's on a heating pad. im really worried that blood appeared two seperate times. could this all be due to a tooth alignment issue? upon further inspection, it looks as if his top and bottom teeth dont come together right. he appears to have an overbite and his top teeth are less than half the length of his bottom teeth. i'll be checking this thread all day at work, any ideas or suggestions are appreciated more than you know!!

[squirrel princess]

Their bottom teeth are always alot longer:poke someone should be on here soon to help you further:D

[Apple Corps]

Are you ready to change the treatment?

My recommendation is to put him on Baytril ASAP - he should be given 1 mg orally twice a day for the first two days and then .7 mg orally twice a day for 8 more days. We may want to treat with Doxy as well - but I'd get the Baytril started now and stop the Clavomox.

What size Baytril pills do you have? I'll calc the solution & dose for you.

BTW - 115 grams is 1/4 pound - does that look right to all of you based on the pictures?

[Buddy'sMom]

While letting the experts advise you on the specifics .....

It's somewhat hard to tell from the photos and you can tell more in-person, but it looks a bit like an abcess or something above his teeth -- the white area (looks raised???) which seems to be bleeding a bit all around it? It looks more like that's where the bleeding is from than from his teeth.

Compare this photo (4th pic) from Parker's thread (malocclusion squirrel at vets for teeth to be trimmed -- ignore the teeth and look at the area above, which is smooth and flat) http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showpost.php?p=195672&postcount=29

Do you or your rehabber have a good vet contact in your area? I know we have very good contacts west of you (Pensacola, Destin) and also east (Gainesville, Jacksonville) if you do not have someone closer. Perhaps their vets would know someone in your area if those are too far to drive (:) I KNOW Florida is lots bigger than it looks, when you are actually having to drive someplace!)

Good luck with him!!

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[Apple Corps]

There may (or may not) be a tooth issue - but there is clearly a breathing issue. What color is the nasal discharge ; clear or white / yellow / green?

Is there any clicking sound coming from the lungs as he breathes?

[twitterpated]

Are you ready to change the treatment?

My recommendation is to put him on Baytril ASAP - he should be given 1 mg orally twice a day for the first two days and then .7 mg orally twice a day for 8 more days. We may want to treat with Doxy as well - but I'd get the Baytril started now and stop the Clavomox.

What size Baytril pills do you have? I'll calc the solution & dose for you.

BTW - 115 grams is 1/4 pound - does that look right to all of you based on the pictures?

sorry, i had the weight completely wrong (i dont have a scale but a friend weighed him 3 days ago). he's about 215 grams.

Is Baytril like amoxocillan? what is Doxy? im sorry i dont know anything about antibiotics, this is my first time fostering.

[Buddy'sMom]

There may (or may not) be a tooth issue - but there is clearly a breathing issue. ...........

Right. That was my point -- if there is an abcess above his mouth, there may also be infection going inside, possibly involving or blocking his nasal passages, sinuses. Possibly caused by tooth issue (.... or not; might have zero to do with teeth).

Just didn't want people "ignoring the obvious" in thinking to other sources of his breathing problems. She is fairly certain he did not aspirate formula, and he is a bit old to get into trouble that way. There is clearly something going on with his mouth/nose (aspirational pneumonia does not typically cause bleeding from the gums). The suggested antibiotic might, in fact, be the best thing for him (Baytril has been vet-prescribed for oral infections previously) ..... but trying to identify what is going on must be a part of treating him.

:peace
:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[wheezer]

I am a little confused as to how much knowledge your rehabber has? That person gave you the Clavamox, didn't she tell you how much to give? You asked later in your thread about the amounts. I was going to suggest you take it back to that person if they have experience but I am not sure now.
But I would think that person may know of a vet to take your little one two. Since you have these in person resources, I would think they could help better than us because they could see your little one in person. From the pictures it looks like it could be the gums by the teeth or something internal with the way the blood is around the nose. I would get the baby to an expert since they are near asap. Very best of luck:grouphug :grouphug

[Apple Corps]

OK - so your fuzzer weighs almost 1/2 pound. What color is the discharge?

[twitterpated]

There may (or may not) be a tooth issue - but there is clearly a breathing issue. What color is the nasal discharge ; clear or white / yellow / green?

Is there any clicking sound coming from the lungs as he breathes?


the discharge is clear. i can't distinguish if there is any clicking coming from the lungs because he is so sputtery and theres alot of snotty clicking in his nose. how can i tell where its coming from? sorry i sound so clueless, i am new at this but i have read almost every single post on the site, have been in regular contact with my local rehabber ever since i got him about 6 weeks ago. He did aspirate once about 4 weeks ago, and i immediately got him on amoxocillan and he seemed fully recovered within a few days. it was my fault because i was using a syringe with a faulty rubber stopper that made it hard to regulate the flow of esbilac formula. i immediately ordered the o-ring syringes from chris's squirrels and more and have been extremely careful with feedings. he has always been a very messy eater as he never could get a good seal around the nipple. I didn't think much of it or wonder why his brother was so easy to feed in comparison until i discovered the possible issue with his top teeth now.

the only time he could have aspirated recently was the day and a half before i first noticed the sneezing return. i was feeding his brother and he found the little saucer of formula beside me and decided to shove his face in it. I scooped him up right away and cleaned him up, listened for clicking, but didn't hear a sound so i was pretty confident he didn't inhale any...

[Apple Corps]

A CLEAR discharge would NOT be indicative of an infection. Can you get him into a vet today? A detailed examination - possibly with an x-ray, sounds to be in order.

[twitterpated]

im waiting on a call back from the rehabber to see if i cant get him to the vet they use today. i took the whole day off work yesterday so i could take toodles to see the rehabber, but the vet was not available. the rehabber gave me clavimox (but i also have amoxocillan at home) and told me to give .1 cc 3x a day. this was really close to the dose i used last time when he was half the size, so i just wanted to ask you all if that dose sounds right or if i should be using more. the rehab facility is in georgia and takes 40+ minutes to get out there, or i would certainly have been there first thing this morning but my boss doesn't want me to take another day off. of course i would prefer for the rehab vet to see him for free, but if he can't see him today i will cover any vet cost here in tallahassee.

[Apple Corps]

The dose is 3 mg twice daily for a 1/2 pound fuzzer - so 6 mg a day.

The vet visit is where I would put my efforts - too many unknowns given what you have described.

[twitterpated]

The dose is 3 mg twice daily for a 1/2 pound fuzzer - so 6 mg a day.

The vet visit is where I would put my efforts - too many unknowns given what you have described.


how many cc's is 3 mg? i got a brand new bottle of clavimox powder and was told to mix it with water exactly as it says on the directions (add 14 cc's water to the little bottle and shake).

[Apple Corps]

Does the bottle specify how many mg of the antibiotic are in it?

[twitterpated]

Does the bottle specify how many mg of the antibiotic are in it?


here's the fine print on the bottle:

clavamox (amoxicillin trihydrate/clavulanate potassium)
drops
for veterinary oral suspension
when reconstituted each mL contains 50 mg of amoxicillin as the trihydrate and 12.5 mg of clavulanic acis as the potassium salt.
15 mL

directions for mixing: add 14 mL of water to the bottle and shake vigorously. each mL of suspension will contain 62.5 mg of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid activity.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

He really needs Baytil today, I think a good outcome here is depending on his getting baytril.

[twitterpated]

He really needs Baytil today, I think a good outcome here is depending on his getting baytril.


what is Baytil and how/where can i get some? i presume this is this something only a vet can provide?:dono

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Do we have any rehabbers close to Tallahassie from the board?
Sadly once pneumonia sets in things so bad very quickly, Baytril can save an open mouth breathing squirrel if
it's administered quickly enough.

[twitterpated]

he's due for his next dose of medicine, should i refrain from using the clavamox or can i go ahead and give it to him until i can get an alternative? and is regular amoxicillan better than this amoxicillin trihydrate/clavulanate potassium? I brought the later to work with me today but i have some of the pink regular amoxicillan back at home. should i switch?

[Apple Corps]

I would do the Clavamox dose

HOWEVER - do not waste precious time on the Clavamox dose - get to a vet to see what is causing this clear discharge.

Baytril is a different class of antibiotic - it, along with a course of Doxycycline, is a preferred treatment regimen for pneumonia. It does not have the adverse impact on the digestive tract flora that the cillins do.

It does not sound like your fuzzer has pneumonia - but may have, as several others have pointed out, an abscess / gum infection / injury. For that type of problem, Clavamox is an excellent antibiotic BUT tough on the intestine flora - better choices are available.

Vet Exam Vet Exam Vet Exam - :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Tallahassee
Kevin Brumfield, DVM
Kathleen Cavell, DVM
Northwood Animal Hospital
1881 North Martin Luther King # J
Tallahassee, FL 32303
Tel: (850) 385-8181

How about this vet? They got a great review?

[twitterpated]

Tallahassee
Kevin Brumfield, DVM
Kathleen Cavell, DVM
Northwood Animal Hospital
1881 North Martin Luther King # J
Tallahassee, FL 32303
Tel: (850) 385-8181

How about this vet? They got a great review?


i called them and found out that they, too, work with the wildlife rehab program, but they said they cant help me?!?! they said that the vet always gives the rehabbers clavamox and dont use baytril because it is an injection. they wouldn't even let me bring him in without having the director of the rehab program calling their office to request it. unfortunately, the director left today, driving texas to go pick up critters from rehab facilities that are out of power and swamped due to the hurricane. :shakehead

i dont know what to do i dont know what to do i dont know what to do! the rehabbers are all unavailable every time i call, and ive left 3 messages so far today. help!!

[Buddy'sMom]

(Baytril is also given orally.)

Apple Corps has had excellent results calling vets and arranging appointments so perhaps when he sees your post he will be able to talk them into either seing you or prescribing the Baytril.

In the meantime, since nothing else seems to be available to you, I would give him the Clavamox. It is broad spectrum (attacks a variety of bacteria). The reason it is not preferred is it may cause intestinal bleeding. However, a couple of doses (until Baytril might be available) may be lifesaving.

WATCH for any change in his poops! They are probably still light/golden from the formula. If they suddenly turn dark, that could indicate bleeding.

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I agree with Buddysmom go ahead and give what you have we will have to work on the side affects later.
:thumbsup

[Apple Corps]

twitterpated - PM me your phone # now please - I have two vets ready.

[Apple Corps]

twitterpated - pm me your phone # so I can explain the arrangements.

Hello??

[Buddy'sMom]

twitter -- in case there is any confusion:

PM Apple Corps now -- he can get you vet help TODAY for the antibiotics. (for PM use -- click on "Private Messages" in the upper right)

The other vet (via GammasBaby) is for tooth issues and will/may be advisable to contact --- but this is NOT THE EMERGENCY CONTACT (unless that vet also happens to be in Tallahassee?). This contact can be made by or in conjunction with your rehabber.

:grouphug

[twitterpated]

THANK YOU SO MUCH APPLECORPS!!!!

you are the most supportive group of animal lovers and i cant express my gratitude for all of your advice and imput.

im going to the vet right now. I hope something can be done. Thank you all for your concern, I'll will post an update as soon as possible.

[Buddy'sMom]

:multi :multi :multi :multi

Thank you so much for helping this baby!!

[Apple Corps]

The fuzzer is on the way to a clinic shortly - some question about their seeing the fuzzer - but the phone commitment was that they would see and treat if it was life threatening. My main concern is the breathing issue.

An appointment with a "specialist" is already set up for 9:45 am tomorrow morning.

:grouphug :grouphug

[foxsquirrels]

WAY TO GO TSB MEMBERS!!!:bowdown :bowdown :bowdown :bowdown WHAT A WONDERFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE!!!:grouphug I'VE WATCHED THIS THREAD ALL DAY AND EVERY TIME I AM AMAZED MORE BY YOUR EFFORTS! I AM VERY PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF TSB!!!!

[Buddy'sMom]

Great arrangements, AppleCorps! :alright.gif :alright.gif :alright.gif

[dljacks]

Great help, everyone. I just started reading this thread a few minutes ago and just couldn't wait to get to the end. It's like a suspense-thriller movie. And what a great bunch of people yall are. I'm proud to be here, even if I am a newbie.

[Apple Corps]

Lots of good good vibes - I am just hoping the afternoon clinic arrangements work out - there will be some "touch n go" about treatment possibly.

But - IMO - we had to get a look at what is causing the breathing problem or the lil guy may not make it to the appointment with the specialist in the morning.

Some prayers that we can all appropriately celebrate in the morning :grouphug

[Apple Corps]

Generally good news from twitterpated's visit to the vet - the vet saw the fuzzer / made a Dx - treated / more details to follow when twitterpated gets home.

[twitterpated]

When i called the vet earlier today, they pretty much brushed me off and said to contact the rehabers because they "cant help me if i don't have a license".(which i think really meant they dont want to do any pro-bono work:soapbox ) I told them i would have no problem paying for services, but they said i my options were to leave him there overnight to have the rehabers pick him up in the morning and take him way out to the wildlife facility, or to take him there myself. I was so discouraged because i know this issue needed veterinary intervention right away.

Apple Corps saved the day by called the vet on my behalf and helped convince them to let me at least bring him in to see if it was a life threatening issue.Thanks to apple corps (and possibly my frantic sobbing in their office) i was able to see a vet this afternoon. After three hours and a $75 bill (actually less than i anticipated) I was able to get the Baytril !!(liquid form):wahoo :jump He weighs 220g, and they told me to give him .1cc 2x a day, but at the suggestion of apple corps i started him with a double dose.

Unfortunately, The vet had not had much experience with squirrels, but said his affliction is probably a combination of aspiration/pneumonia and a bad overbite/misalignment of his teeth. The bottoms are too long and they are hitting in behind his top teeth, causing irritation and swelling but no visible abcess yet. Do you all think this problem is the source of the blood i found all over his mouth/nose on two separate occasions? Each time it happened i quickly cleaned it, but i could not tell where it was coming from because it had stopped already.


The vet scheduled an appointment with another slightly more experienced vet at the same office for monday afternoon in order to anesthetize him and cut his teeth. They said there is a chance he wont come out of the anesthesia because of his poor condition...

Now i need recommendations; should i drive him to georgia and have the rehaber try to cut the teeth (for free) without anesthetizing, or should i take Toodles back to the same vet and pay to have him put under and cut his teeth with the possibility of death, or should i try to contact the specialist gammas boy suggested?

Please do let me know what you think the best course of action is at this point. I cant thank you enough, and Toodles is such a lucky guy to have all this help from such passionate individuals:thankyou :thankyou :grouphug :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

After the first dose he seems to feel a little better because he isn't as lethargic as he was this afternoon, but he is still sneezing, coughing, wheezing, and occasionally mouth breathing. He wants so badly to play with his brother Rufio, but i'm worried that any running around will just wear him out. Is there a possibility that he could spread it to his brother?

We aren't out of the danger zone by any means yet, but he feels a little better which makes me feel a WHOLE LOT better. I look forward to your feedback!:bowdown

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

As an owner of a malocclusion squirrel I can tell you as soon as their teeth are in need of trimming, they become nasaly...snotty and a mess.
Trimming on a regular schedule of 2-3 weeks and this wont occur.
If he truly has a gums out of alignment he wont be able to be released.
You may want to learn how to clip his teeth yourself to save you & him stress.
I am so glad that you followed through with the help that Apple Corps provided for you.

[Buddy'sMom]

You've certainly had a hard day! :grouphug

Toodles will not be contagious if it is aspirational pneumonia -- rather than being caused by a cold-like virus, it starts when formula gets in the lungs and provides an excellent medium for bacteria to grow out of control.

With 4+ days on Baytril, Toodles may be MUCH better by Monday and not have trouble with anesthetic. But if he is not, it could be delayed until he is breathing better and the vet could make that judgment at the time.

Teeth can be clipped without putting them under, but it depends on the squirrel, the person doing it and the way it is done. You might want to check out the threads in the Malocclusion forum http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=171 for some background so you understand it better. And also talk to the rehabber/wildlife center and see what their thoughts are -- see who has the most experience doing it.

Did the vet mention seeing any evidence of cleft palate? Or only misaligned teeth? Depending what was said, consulting with the specialist might be helpful .... :dono

For now, though .... deep breaths, feed the squirrels .... and get some sleep! :) Toodles is very lucky to have found his way to you! :thumbsup

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[twitterpated]

Did the vet mention seeing any evidence of cleft palate? Or only misaligned teeth? Depending what was said, consulting with the specialist might be helpful .... :dono

For now, though .... deep breaths, feed the squirrels .... and get some sleep! :) Toodles is very lucky to have found his way to you! :thumbsup

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug


The doctor who saw toodles today did not have very much experience with squirrels, but said there was definitely a problem with his LOWER teeth being behind his uppers, but as you can see from the first pics it looks like there is an issue with his upper teeth and gums. She didn't say anything about a cleft palate but said there wasn't a visible hole in the roof of his mouth. Is that what cleft palate means? Ive seen people who have it but never really understood what was going on there.:thinking

[Apple Corps]

Might be normal - just too long:

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Are his top teeth turning "in" or am I seeing things? Do they seem to be curving towards the back of his mouth?:dono

[Apple Corps]

rippie - perhaps tomorrow we can get a side view picture.

[miraclesquirrel]

The vet you are taking him to should be using Isoflurene to gas him. It is the anesthesia of choice for most exotics and wildlife.
I really don't see the problem with having a squirrel seen by a vet in Florida. Squirrels are legal to own in Florida.
I understand they do not want just anybody trying to care for them but little on needs serious help.
They need to remember their own creed. This first line reads: First do no harm.
This means you treat the animals no matter what the type and if you can't you recommend someone who can.
Everytime I read things like this it makes me feel blessed to have two vets who love to treat wildlife.
If the vet you are using is open to someone with a lot of squirrel experience PM me and I will give you the name and number of my number one vet.
As for the CLavamoc I have treated squirrels with it with no ill effects though Baytril is most recommended.
You can provide a probotic in conjunction with the Clavamox which will help keep the gut flora stabilized.

Anyway GREAT JOB TSB. Got the job done to save another fuzzer. :bowdown :bowdown :bowdown :bowdown

[Apple Corps]

twitterpated - I was holding off on further advice to see what developed from others.

If Gammas Baby has a tooth expert I would take advantage of it and schedule an appointment ASAP.

I would then schedule the next step after you see what the tooth expert has to say and assessing how the breathing issue is improving. I'd leave the Monday appointment as is - you can always cancel on Monday morning or go in if necessary.

How does that sound to you?

[Buddy'sMom]

:wave123 Hoping Toodles and twitterpated had a quiet, restful night. :grouphug

....
An appointment with a "specialist" is already set up for 9:45 am tomorrow morning.

???? I got confused last night about the various vets/specialists discussed and didn't recall until this morning that AC had posted this yesterday. If today's appointment is with someone who has experience with squirrels and teeth issues, perhaps it would be best to KEEP this appointment (if the logistics are possible today for twitterpated)??

No need to bring him to a whole series of different vets, but she should try and get Toodles seen by SOMEone that has the appropriate sq. background. --- Was "today's vet" that someone? :dono

If the sniffling/congestion is due to the teeth (vs. pneumonia) that will not resolve until his teeth are trimmed --- and so the trimming should not be unduly delayed. If it's due to pneumonia, it should get better quickly and the tooth exam and trimming will be easier.

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[Apple Corps]

This mornings appointment was with a vet who treats wildlife / squirrels - not the tooth specialist :D

I think we are waiting to see if the Baytril was an effective antibiotic for what was causing the breathing problem.

Prayers for good news this morning.

[twitterpated]

:
???? I got confused last night about the various vets/specialists discussed and didn't recall until this morning that AC had posted this yesterday. If today's appointment is with someone who has experience with squirrels and teeth issues, perhaps it would be best to KEEP this appointment (if the logistics are possible today for twitterpated)??

No need to bring him to a whole series of different vets, but she should try and get Toodles seen by SOMEone that has the appropriate sq. background. --- Was "today's vet" that someone? :dono

If the sniffling/congestion is due to the teeth (vs. pneumonia) that will not resolve until his teeth are trimmed --- and so the trimming should not be unduly delayed. If it's due to pneumonia, it should get better quickly and the tooth exam and trimming will be easier.

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

I had to cancel today's appointment with the more experienced vet because it just was not logistically possible due to work responsibilities. I had to leave early several times and missed a couple days, but Toodles is worth it!!:Love_Icon Thankfully my boss loves the little guy and doesn't mind me bringing him in so i can keep a close eye on him.

He has alot more spunk in him this morning :wahoo and he has stopped breathing through his mouth, but he is still sniffling non stop, sneezing occasionally, and has a constantly runny nose (clear discharge). I will try to get better pictures of his teeth when i get home this evening so that you all can have a clear idea of his alignment and the irritation/swelling around his top teeth. I know the bottoms will most likely require trimming. Do you all think i should leave that task to the vet (scheduled appointment monday afternoon) who will anesthetize him, or do you think this is something I can do myself after carefully studying instructions and pictures? I have not contacted the maloclusion specialist that Gamma told me about because i just want to get a handle on the serious breathign issue, but i understand (please correct me if im wrong) that if it is due to his teeth then the Baytril wont do any good. :dono

[Buddy'sMom]

:wahoo :wahoo :wahoo SPUNK!! We LOVE to hear that!!! :thumbsup

You are doing great -- and have a wonderful boss to have given you the flexibility to care for Toodles' emergencies! :bowdown :bowdown

You are correct that the nasal discharge could be due to his teeth and MAY not stop until his teeth are fixed. If due to infection, the Baytril should help. You would see over the next couple of days what the Baytril does.

There ARE people on TSB that have trimmed, and continue to trim, their squirrels' teeth. And could help with the technique. HOWEVER, it is not for the faint of heart, requires calm and steady hands and nerves -- and a good eye for the length and angles. The angles are very, very important, especially if there is a possibility that a couple of trimmings could resolve the mis-alignment. SOMEtimes that is the case. Others (more often, sorry to say) the trimming needs to be done regularly, for the life of the squirrel. It is in such cases that some people learn how to do it themselves.

Others will chime in with their opinions -- but in mine, I think an evaluation and trimming by an expert is the best approach, at least for the first time or two. If Toodles has a chance at correcting his teeth, then he has a chance to have a normal, wild life. If it is feasible to get him to an expert, that would be preferred.

SOOOOO glad he's feeling better! :flash3 :flash3

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

EDIT: If you can get good pictures of his teeth, perhaps you could arrange to email them to the "vet expert(s)" to look at in advance of an appointment (or have them come and look at them here) to get a better idea of what they could potentially do for Toodles.

[Apple Corps]

Good news headed in the right direction :thumbsup :thumbsup

I would really go to the tooth specialist that Gammas Baby has identified. Normal tooth trimming is one thing - but I believe we need to find out if there is something more at play here.

Once again :thumbsup :thumbsup :thankyou :thankyou

[Sciurus1]

Good Triage AC!

I agree that the breathing issue comes first in treatment. Sorry I have not followed this all the way along, but if the squirrel is a baby, it is not advised to put it under anesthesia at this time, especially with having a breathing issue! To get the breathing issue under control, just as you've said, and then have a rehabber trim the front teeth, is the best triage. If the back teeth are in need of work, waiting till the squirrel is older is greatly advisable, due to the higher risk of death from being put under anesthesia at this age.




The vet you are taking him to should be using Isoflurene to gas him. It is the anesthesia of choice for most exotics and wildlife.

This is actually incorrect, as this anesthetic has been used regularly by most Vet for many decades now. The new one is called Sevoflourine, which puts the animal under quicker, and allows them to come out of the anesthesia easier and quicker too. 'Iso' may be mixed with 'Sevo', at the descretion of the Vet, if the procedure requires deeper sedation. Still Sevoflourine is better choice over Iso alone, for most procedures on small sensitive mammals, like rabbits and squirrels. I add this, when there is an adult squirrel that has a tooth problem, which could become life threatening if not treated, the use of Isoflourine as an alternative anethetic to Sevoflourine, is more acceptable, than not doing this short procedure at all, if then the animal is otherwise in good health.