help - all of the sudden one has paralysed back legs

[jon]

Raised three from 3 weeks old that were abandoned - was ready to turn them loose - I did turn 2 loose and they are fine, but my female went lame on Thursday night October 16 - I supposed MBD? Im trying to feed calcium and vitamin d - using a bird supplement along with Esbelac again, I also had her out in the sun today and in a small cage, but - should I check with my local vet and maybe try to get him to give her a shot? or on my own with the calcium Im trying to feed, what can I expect?????

[TinyPaws]

Besides the calcium, she needs full spectrum lighting, unless that is, you are able to take her out doors for at least 2 hours each day....Hope she gets to feeling better soon...

[digiandchipper]

Here is a link for calcium supplements...... http://shell.pubnix.net/~mhagen/docu/prime1.html

As TinyPaws said, you will need the full spectrum lighting, you can find at HomeDepot and craft stores. Check out the thread about baby squirrel ABC's and it should help. Careful, I would not take to a vet until/unless you know where they stand on treating 'lame' squirrels!!

[Jackie in Tampa]

How old is she? How long have they been off esbilac?
Is she willing to take esbilac? What have you been feeding since they weaned?Are they greys?
Are you sure she didn't fall? I would put her on a heating pad or a rice buddy, in a dark quiet safe place. Someone will be on soon to help you. Sorry for alot of questions, but it will help the rehabers.

[jon]

She is 16 weeks old, she is a gray, and she is on a heating pad and Im using 1cc per day of prime mixed with 5cc's of esbelac. She was off esbelac about 5 weeks or so. She started showing signs of this a few days in advance we think - in other words, she was partially lame, then ok, then went fully lame. She is having bowel movements, is it safe then to assuem she is unrinating, and should I be giving water if she wants it?? She has been on a diet of nuts and fruits since comiong off esbelac. But was not in the sun alot. Yesterday she was in the sun for 4 hours, and I can do that today - but so far - no signs of recovery - its been 3 days now.i

[Jackie in Tampa]

I am not sure legal status in Ky...
At this time she is non releasable...I would like for a vet {if legal} to see her, or at least a rehabber.
I would give her high calcium veggies...we have a list...I'll be back with that link. Mushrooms and kale, green leafy veggies.
Not so much fruit or nuts...no seed as it makes them jittery, and not nutritionally good!
She is good if she will accept the esbilac.
be back...

[4skwerlz]

Prime supplement only has 22 mg of calcium per cc. Squirrels need 325 mg per day MINIMUM, and a squirrel with MBD will need more. I suggest you get some plain calcium (400-600 mg), or calcium + Vit D pills, crush one up in some water or formula, and feed that with an eyedropper or a spoon. You should do this RIGHT AWAY, as the Prime is doing nothing to help her calcium deficiency, and that is why you are not seeing improvement.

The sooner you do this, the less chance the paralysis will become permanent.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Thanks GB and 4S...I was headed there!:thumbsup
Good luck Jon...:grouphug

[jon]

Ive had one person tell me Im fighting a losing battle here because she appears to not be in pain, and her front legs work - Is that necessarily true??

[Jackie in Tampa]

:grouphug I do not have experience with paralysis, someone will be here soon Jon to help answer your questions.
keeping you in my prayers!:grouphug

[ShesASquirrelyGirl]

what person told you this and what is their experience?
Its only been 2 days since you posted and been getting help. Have you gotten the Calcium GB has mentioned? Have you gotten the rodent blocks and other foods mentioned?
Would you prefer we help you get her to an experienced rehabber to work with?

[Peaches]

Jon that is not true, MBD is reversable if you do something about it right away. You MUST get calcium into her now, if she wont eat it herself then crush up a tums and mix it with water or esbilac and make her take it. She needs to be on a better diet as posted by Gammas baby but right now you must get the emergency calcium into her. This is not a losing battle, PLEASE try.

[jon]

Great - glad to know that is not true - I gave her 600 mg of calcium today in water - It was the nature made tablets disolved. I made her take it - and also my vet has agreed to give her a shot with calcium and vitamin d. She was very frisky today - legs and tail still not working but she was very frisky and eating - I have all the food and calcium from the above posts. She has been getting 4-5 hours of good sun every day now for 3 days, but I will get the light also. Vet said he would x-ray to be sure nothing is broken. We have no rehabbers here in northern kentucky as far as I know - anyone know for sure???

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I think you need to give the diet and supplements 2 weeks, to start to see a difference. Just keep doing what your doing.

[4skwerlz]

As Rippie said, it could take time. Some squirrels get better quickly; others take more time. It's good that she seemed friskier. In any case, it will take months to replace all the lost calcium in her bones.

Right now she needs a source of Vit D as well as the calcium. Also, since she hasn't been eating rodent block, she may be protein-deficient. I'm not clear on whether she's young enough to go back on Esbilac fully, but if not then she will need to be eating rodent block as 70% of her diet, plus the healthy veggies, plus the extra calcium and Vit D, plus the natural sunlight, plus the FSL of course.. Be aware that the sun doesn't produce much UVB this time of year, which is what creates the natural Vit D. I still think it couldn't hurt. An alternate emergency source of Vit D would be the Prime, which you already have. 3 ccs per day would give her the recommended daily amount of Vit D.

EDIT: Oh, and in case your vet needs to know, the recommended DV for calcium is 325 mg, and for Vit D it is 71.4 IU (these values are for rats, which is the closest we can come up with for squirrels. From the "Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, Fourth Revised Edition, 1995." Subcommittee on Laboratory Animal Nutrition, Committee on Animal Nutrition. Board on Agriculture of the National Research Council. NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS: Washington, D.C.)

[jme2323]

aw poor thing, but don't give upZ1 the vet being helpful is excellent news too, nice to have thim and the experienced people here to rely on...even if she ends up being a nonrelease, she can still live a good life....now to get her feeling better!!

i wish you the best, just keep up the hard work and hopefully she will recover!

welcome, you def came to the right place!!

:thumbsup