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jacey
09-23-2008, 10:09 AM
Hello!
I have used your board for much needed info the last few weeks. Thanks so much!!! Our dog found a dead squirrel between the 2 storms in Louisiana, when my husband went to dispose of it there on the ground was an alive one. I picked it up, wrapped him in t-shirts and instantly started calling area rehabers. Almost 3 weeks later, and I still haven't heard from them. I guess with all these storms they are overwhelmed. Well thanks to your website, Doodle is still alive!!
He is somewhere between 8 & 12 weeks, but was pretty bad off. Had somewhat of a head trauma, an eye injury and a possible broken front leg and very boney. I have never had a squirrel or anything longer than a day until I could transport to a wildlife sanctuary. Now almost 3 weeks later the head injury seems to be the least of his issues. His eye is going to be a total loss. My vet has tried different ointments and drops but he's going to lose the eye. My vet has a call into a vet to ask about options. My vet also thinks his front leg may not be broken but lack of use may be due to the head trama. But on the bright side he is getting bigger daily and is improving physically everyday as well. I use the formula mixture (1 part powder, 2 parts water and 1/4 part whipping cream). At first when he was so weak and inactive I fed him every 2-3 hours with a 1cc syringe. Now he only gets formula 4 times a day, I think he is starting to try to wean. He will take 1 syringe then hop off under his cage, then I catch him and he takes another syringe then he hops off again, we do this for about 20 minutes until he gets tired. I purchased some rat food at Walmart right after the storm, nothing else was open. He will pick at it. I bought the monkey biscuits which he will not touch no matter what I put on them to entice him. I bought the Kaytee rat and mice food yesterday and I am hoping he eats that. I think he will. As far as vegis and fruits........not a one, snifs then shakes his head and hops into his house. Loves his house!!! I need to find out what the best squirrel nut ball or cookie or whatever you all call them is the best for a long term squirrel. He will not be able to be released due to his injuries. So I need to have a staple diet for him. I will be able to get the Kaytee rat/mouse food and I have a cuttle bone, pine cones and twigs .I will continue to try vegis. I have a vitamin liquid to put in his water but he does not drink water, even though it put a coaster with some and a water bottle. I will purchase a light and also plan on building an exterior cage for play time outside when he gets a little older. Thanks again for all of your information, without it ,my little Doodle would not be here!! Please send the recipe so he can start getting his vitamins and calcium.


Jacey

Mars
09-23-2008, 10:13 AM
:wave123 :Welcome :wave123

Momma Squirrel
09-23-2008, 10:17 AM
:Welcome :thankyou for taking Doodle in. I am glad to hear in some areas he is doing better. Also thankful you will be able to care for him in the long term. There will be someone on that can give you the receipe I am not sure where it is located.

Make sure you check out all the threads about a baby squirrel and their diet, lots of good information there.

Got any pictures of little Doodle :poke :tilt we would love to see him.

4skwerlz
09-23-2008, 10:19 AM
:Welcome to TSB. "Doodle" is such a cute name!

If Doodle will eat the Kaytee, that will be fine. If he doesn't like that, then you'll have to try making the squirrel block recipe. The recipe is in the "Squirrel Nutrition" forum. Keep trying with the veggies. It takes time for them to learn to like them. Good luck.

jacey
09-23-2008, 10:21 AM
So if he eats the rodent block food, then he does not need the nut balls? I thought he needed both? Thanks

jme2323
09-23-2008, 11:35 AM
:Welcome
to you and doodle! we are glad to have you. poor guy though has it rough!

however, he clearly found the right home with you, what a wonderful story! he will live out a happy life with you, which is wonderful...a ninth life really!?

anyway welcome again and congrats on your little doodle. we look forward to pics.
:thumbsup

jacey
09-23-2008, 12:02 PM
Here are some photos of Doodle,his cage and house that he loves so much!(I will try to attach, I'm bad with computers!) You can see the eye injury in one of the photos. It's pretty scary! Still waiting on my vet to make a decision. We need to make some changes to his cage to adapt for a squirrel, waiting to catch hubby in a good mood! He is just getting use to his new cage likes to spend most of his time in his house. He comes out to urinate which I am surprised by, I figured he would just make in his house.

ShesASquirrelyGirl
09-23-2008, 12:41 PM
Thank you for saving this baby!!!!!! My gosh what a blessing you are to him!!
Just a question. I can see the eye is a total loss but is the vet going to remove it? It looks as though he might have more comfort with it gone completely. He must be in pain with the swelling poor guy. =(

jacey
09-23-2008, 01:49 PM
Not sure as of today. My vet has a call into an opthamologist vet to advise whether to remove it or not. Does not seem to be bothering him except when I put the drops in. He will scratch at it sometimes which may be what has caused this. In the beginning it was just an eye sort of swollen shut, I used warm compresses then a saline flush. Then it started having a discharge. My vet was originally thinking it would sort of dry up and the focus was on preventing infection with the ointment and drops. Now he isn't sure if it will rupture then dry up. It is very scary, especially since this is my first rehab experience. I guess I'm getting a crash course! Other than the eye and the front arm he's progressing well.

ShesASquirrelyGirl
09-23-2008, 07:07 PM
If he scratches it I would be afraid of more ulceration to the cornia and infection leading to the brain. The poor baby. If it were me I would say remove it but I am not a vet yet =P
Good luck!!!!

Sciurus1
09-23-2008, 07:46 PM
It appears from the photo of it, to be pushed up and out of place, not just swollen alone. There may be something behind it that is doing that, but I sure hope not. I would suggest a skull X-ray to make sure that isn't the case.

jacey
09-26-2008, 10:38 AM
Update on Doodle's eye.........

Well my vet put him on Baytril twice daily. We also switched to an eye drop medicine instead of the ointment we were using. A lot easier to use and seems to be getting directly to the problem. We are still waiting to see if the eye will have to be removed. I've attached some photos, in which I believe you can see that his eye is somewhat better. It is not bulging out anymore!!! He also can now close the eye lid when sleeping. It still looks bad but for me it's looking soo much better!!!! He's also improving daily with activity, still no use of his front arm but very active. He is eating or should I say shredding the Kaytee rodent blocks and now chewing on some vegis. Since he is going to be a non-release I need to start thinking about long term housing and diet. Thanks again for all of the input!!

Jacey

Sciurus1
09-26-2008, 01:43 PM
It may be wise for him to have an E-collar, the only sure thing to prevent further damage to his eye, to save it, whether or not he can see out of it well or not. He may fight it at first, but then get used to it, almost as if it wasn't there. Ask your Vet if they have have one that will fit him.