Clicking

[Nutkin]

This is a little girl (guessing about 6-7 weeks old) we rescued on Sunday evening. We kept hearing the shrieking noise they make when they are scared. We finally saw her coming down a tree. I started talking to her and she came down to me ( sounds odd I know, but that's what she did ). I brought her in and warmed her up. She was cold and dehydrated. After she was warm, I gave her homemade pedialyte for 8 hours. Afterwards, started on formula gradually building in strength. She has done well with her formula until last night. Last night she refused her it and did so again this morning (have tried twice). She also has some fruit and veggies in her cage, cut up very small and has nibbled on those some. She is starting to dehydrate again, so I gave her more pedialyte and she drank it just fine (about 2 1/2 ccs). She has been taking between 5 - 6 ccs formula. She weighs 200 grams. When she started on the 2nd syringe of pedialyte she started clicking. She never sneezed or coughed. Just started clicking. I am terrified of her getting sick and not making it. Should I give her Baytril? :dono If so, how much. Any other things I need to do? I just want her to be okay. Right now she is cuddled up in her fleece blanket on the heating pad staying warm. Really don't want to lose her. I want her to be able to go back where she belongs when she's old enough. Help please! Thank you!!

[Jackie in Tampa]

Hello Nutkin...glad you saved this little one.
Is the clicking from her chest, they make alot of verbal clicks, coming from mouth and throat...You will have to listen to her chest, and it will be as she breaths.
I am hoping for the best!

[Nutkin]

Hi Jackie. The clicking is on and off and seems to come from her nose sometimes and from her chest at others. Noticed position seems to affect it too. She does it more when she sits straight up than when she is laying down. Have checked her all over and found no injuries.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Has she eaten formula today? Or will she only take the pedialyte? Is she lethargic?

[Nutkin]

No formula today. Just pedialyte. Fixing more formula and going to try again. Not really lethargic. Stay cuddled up in her blanket, but scoots around when I go to get her out and fights being caught. Once I get her, she settles down. She hangs onto the syringe and fusses when I take it away to refill it.

[Nutkin]

She drank about 3cc of pedialyte and 1cc of furmula. Then she nibbles a walnut. She was very active. Is it possible that she is giving up formula this soon?
The clicking is still present and a bit more pronounced. Please advise if I should start with Baytril or whatever action is necessary if any. I don't want her to get sick!

[Jackie in Tampa]

I am hoping someone will be on that can give better advice...I hate to medicate a healthy sq. when not nessecary.
What type baytril do you have ? already suspension or tablet?
I was hoping IR or one of Rehab experts would see this.
Sometimes they try to wean early...I try not to let them..The longer they are on Esbilac the better. Does she have a water bottle or a dish of fresh available? Maybe she is thirsty, thinking that she is taking pedialyte and not formula...
Also, are you keeping the formula warm enough, some do not like it anyway but very warm. I have a sq now that if it is not almost hot, she won't touch it. I would not give up on the formula yet, I would try adding some yogurt, they like Dannon all natural Vanilla sometimes...just a dab. Mine do anyway.
The clicking will have to be monitored, usually they get lethargic when they have pnemonia...but I am not an expert on that. Do you feed her sitting up? She is bigger so she may just be making noise! Usually pinkies that are hard to fed get pnemonia from aspiration, older sqs generally do not.
She should be taking more formula than 5 or 6 ccs though. She should be drinking about 10cc per feeding.
Hope someone comes on soon that can give better advise.:grouphug

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Nutkin, could it be that she possibly inhaled some formula up her nose? You said she was very eager to eat?
Squirrels do make a kind of ticking sound at times, and it can be hard to distinguish between the two.
If she were to be coming down with something I doubt very much she would eat wallnuts, and she wouldnt be active either.
I would stop the wallnuts for now untill you get her drinking her formula again.

[Nutkin]

Thanks Jackie! She does have water available. I will definitely keep on trying the formula, hadn't crossed my mind to give it up yet. Just wondering.
I don't like the idea of medicating something that doesn't need it, just a bit scared of what might be going on in that little chest of hers. Hopefully it's nothing. If IR or another rehabber thinks it's necessary, I have the suspension kind.
She eats either sitting up or stretched out on her tummy. Never on her back!
Hopefully she will eat more than she's been eating. Her tummy is pleasantly full, not tight or bloated looking, just nice and round. Maybe she has a small stomach?:thinking

Rippie, don't think she got any up her nose, but it's possible. Never sneezed, but not sure.

Will keep on trying. Thanks to you both!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Does she have rodent block or monkey biscuit? If she wants to munch I would let her munch on that for now. If she is still clicking tonight I would give her they baytril just to be safe.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Thanks Rippie!:thumbsup

[Nutkin]

We have rodent block. I will let her munch on that.
:thankyou Rippie!:thankyou
Will ask for the dosage only if needed. Hopefully we won't need it! Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks again to both of you.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

No problem, give us an update on how she's doing later. She is a little sweetie.

[Nutkin]

Feisty Girl is doing much better as far as the clicking goes. It seems to have gone away. Needless to say, I am thrilled :crazy ! She still won't take much formula at a time, but is nibbling on her rodent block and veggies. We will still keep trying the formula.
Thanks so much for the help today! Will keep everybody posted.:thankyou

[digiandchipper]

Nutkin, just read about your baby. I am so happy to hear the clicking is going away and she is doing well. Will keep you in my thoughts:thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

[island rehabber]

hi nutkin -- I was releasing my kids yesterday and missed your thread but you're in good hands for sure with everyone here :bowdown. I'm glad the clicking has stopped but I'm worried that she's not really taking in enough fluids -- formula or otherwise. At her weight she should take at least 10cc's 2-3 times a day. Is your formula Esbilac or Fox Valley, and do you give it to her very warm, almost hot? Remember she has to connect it to what she would normally get from mom's nice warm body. In the interest of calcium and other nutrients I would keep trying to get her to take more formula, even if she gets annoyed with you. :D

[Jackie in Tampa]

:thumbsup

[Nutkin]

Thanks digi!

IR,I have Esbilac and feed it quite warm. Have even tried varying degrees of warmth. She just stubborn!!! It worries me that she won't take much. I keep pushing it because she is so small. Just want her to be healthy!
Oh, and trust me, my hands bear witness that she's getting annoyed. She growls at me whenever I have to look in the cage and when I get her out. Watch out! Funny thing is after I get her out, she calms down and wants to snuggle.:shakehead Go figure!
Will keep everyone posted. Thanks!

[Nutkin]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Feisty Girl seems to be out of the woods, so to speak. The clicking is gone and she's eating like a pig! between 8 - 10 ccs per feeding - three times a day. Thanks to Rippie and IR for their help! Ya'll are the best!:thankyou

[digiandchipper]

:fireworks :fireworks :fireworks :wahoo I'm so happy to hear it!!! Keep up the good work; I will be praying for continued improvement!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Feisty Girl seems to be out of the woods, so to speak. The clicking is gone and she's eating like a pig! between 8 - 10 ccs per feeding - three times a day. Thanks to Rippie and IR for their help! Ya'll are the best!:thankyou
:wahoo :wahoo

[sherbear59]

Good JoB !!:thumbsup :thumbsup