Swollen toe!!! Help!

[sadifaith]

Hello! I have had my baby for a about 2 months. She keeps me entertained...I call her my wild child. I actually joined this to see if any one could help me!! When I bought her she was probably about 8 weeks. On the way home I noticed one of her front toes was really swollen and red, so I called and took her back where they told me she must have been bitten by another squirrel and it would get better. They gave me the option to trade her out if I wanted to but I had already fallen in love! After a few weeks it wasnt getting better so I took her to a vet who gave me antibiotics( she ended up not taking it all because i couldn't get it in her!!). Well it still hasnt gotten better!!! I called and they said the next thing to do is x-rays! I dont know what to do...any body know what this could possibly be?!? I feel like its bothering her because she gets caught on everything and its still big and red but not as bad as it has been. Thanks any help will be appreciated!

(also any suggestions with bonding besides bonding pouches. She does not like them anymore.)

[Bugsie]

Can you post a pic of her toe?







Gamma, you were posting at the same time as me

[sadifaith]

I will try my best to get a picture of it! So please continue to check on here so maybe yall will know whats wrong. Shes great and actually bonded pretty well...she doesnt bite or anything she just doesnt run/jump to me like I have seen other flyers do. She LOOOOVES to be free and doesnt really like to be caught. I also felt like she was getting sick so I have been making her stay in her cage until she feels a little better. Shes also not a big jumper/flyer...any one know why that might be? Im trying to be the best mommy I know how but they are very different from normal pets and sometimes its hard to find the right things to do with them. Im so glad I found this!!!

[Bugsie]

A pic would be great, I am sure Muffin will be on here
in a little while. She knows a great deal on flyers:thumbsup




I just sent Muffin Squirrel a pm to come to this thread

[muffinsquirrel]

Hello! I have had my baby for a about 2 months. She keeps me entertained...I call her my wild child. I actually joined this to see if any one could help me!! When I bought her she was probably about 8 weeks. On the way home I noticed one of her front toes was really swollen and red, so I called and took her back where they told me she must have been bitten by another squirrel and it would get better. They gave me the option to trade her out if I wanted to but I had already fallen in love! After a few weeks it wasnt getting better so I took her to a vet who gave me antibiotics( she ended up not taking it all because i couldn't get it in her!!). Well it still hasnt gotten better!!! I called and they said the next thing to do is x-rays! I dont know what to do...any body know what this could possibly be?!? I feel like its bothering her because she gets caught on everything and its still big and red but not as bad as it has been. Thanks any help will be appreciated!

(also any suggestions with bonding besides bonding pouches. She does not like them anymore.)

Hi, and welcome to the world of a HOF (Human Owned by a Flyer). I'm sorry you're having trouble with her.
First of all, I will fuss at you a little! When you put an animal (or a person) on antibiotics, it is very important that they take it for as long as it was prescribed. Otherwise, you are creating an infection that is building up a resistance to that drug, and there will come a time when the antibiotic will not work on your animal. On the other hand, it can be really difficult to get meds into a flyer! You will need a 1cc syringe (without needle, of course) or smaller. She may lick it from the end of the syringe, if you're lucky. Otherwise you will have to hold her and put it into her mouth. If you don't have any luck, try mixing it with something she likes. Use a soda bottle top, and put in a small amount of yogurt or fruit juice, and mix the med into it, and give it to her that way. Just make sure you don't give her so much she can't eat it all!

OK - you've had her for about 2 months, and her toe has been swollen and red the whole time, right? Did the vet say what he thought was wrong with her? (What kind of antibiotics did he give her?) A picture of it would really help. Is the toenail on that toe OK? Is the vet you took her to familiar with flying squirrels or exotic animals? I know that this is just a lot of questions and no answers, which isn't really what you wanted! But we need to know more before we can help. Although it CAN happen that a thread, or even a hair, can get wrapped around the toe, I think that in two months the circulation would have been cut off and the toe would be dead and black and possibly even have droped off. It might be dislocated or broken, or there may be an infection from a small cut or something. I would definately take her back to the vet. If you go to the same vet, check on whether he's familiar with flyers and exotics. If not, find a vet that is.

About the bonding pouch. I have found it works better to just put the flyer in your shirt - they seem to like being next to your skin. If you are at home during the day, carry her in your shirt every chance you get. At night, they want to explore and get into as many things as possible! Her jumping and gliding will come with time. Their favorite thing is to land on your head! (Well, no. Their favorite thing is peeing on you!!!:D ) Who did you get her from? Was it a hobby breeder or a pet store?

I am not too very far from you. I live in Buna, a small town about 25 miles above Beaumont. So if you need any 'hands on' help you could bring her here, or, if you wanted to leave her for a short while, I could meet you somewhere. My vet is pretty familiar with flyers - she really doesn't have much of a choice.....I'm always taking in a flyer or grey or fox squirrel to her.

If you want or need to talk about anything, PM me and I will send you my phone number. And you're always welcome to come and visit and meet all my flyers and whatever else we happen to have at the moment. There's nearly always something extra around, since we rehab - mostly squirrels, but occasionally something else wanders in.

muffinsquirrel

[sadifaith]

Ok wow lots of questions...I know about the antibiotics im in premed and it was just so hard to get that dang stuff in her!! I was putting it in food after i figured it wasnt working with the putting it in her mouth. I might take you up on the offer about your vet! I will try and get a good pic and put it up here. Yes her toe has been this way since I have had her...I dont know if it hurts her i touch it and she doesnt pull it back but I do know she gets that nail caught on everything and she panics!! I feel so bad for her! it is starting to look better but if I let her run around for awhile it seems to make it worse so now she is cage bound for a little to see if I can get it feeling better!! Thank you for the advice Im sure I didnt answer all the questions but ill look aver it again Im kinda in a hurry sorry!! Thank you all again so much!!!:Love_Icon

[4skwerlz]

Here is a pic off a baby squirrel with a swollen toe that turned out to be from constriction, i.e., something wrapped around the toe.
71590

[muffinsquirrel]

Here is a pic off a baby squirrel with a swollen toe that turned out to be from constriction, i.e., something wrapped around the toe.
71590


4skwerlz, if the toe had been constricted for over 2 months, wouldn't it (the toe) have died and possibly fallen off? I really don't know, and just assumed it would.

muffinsquirrel

[4skwerlz]

4skwerlz, if the toe had been constricted for over 2 months, wouldn't it (the toe) have died and possibly fallen off? I really don't know, and just assumed it would.

muffinsquirrel

I don't know either....:dono but perhaps if it were only a partial constriction. It's just hard to see how an infection or injury would stay the same for 2 months. In that sense, the constriction makes sense.

Wish we could see a pic.:dono

[Sciurus1]

Outside of a constriction of some kind wrapped around a toe, as was the case in the above photo of this squirrel, there are other conditions that can cause a toe to appear like this. Both Cysts and Tumors appear very similar to the eye, and though I am not saying this is one of those cases, you should check all the same to see if it feels squishy, or solid. Squishy is associated with cysts, and solid with tumors. I was told by an Exotic Vet that certain kinds of cysts can turn into tumors in squirrels. Sorry I do not have a photo to share that with you of either of my squirrels that had tumorated toes, but again it appears much the same. Sometimes tumors break open and bleed, but not profuses. If there is no feeling in the affected area that may also point to a tumor.

Back to the constriction for a moment; does anyone here have the photo of what was removed around the squirrels toe in teh above photo?

I sure would like to see a close up of the toe itself.

[sadifaith]

ok im going to take a picture tonight! I think it might be hard to see though...its getting better but at the tip its still red and swollen. Like I said before I dont know if it hurts her because I can touch it and she doesnt pull back. I dont know...all I know right now is that, that toe gets caught on stuff all the time and Im sure that bothers her! Ok im going to try and get a good pic now! hopefully she will stay still for this!! lol

[sadifaith]

Here are the best ones I could get...And the last one is just to show you how cute she is!!! lol

[sadifaith]

OMGosh!! I am sorry they are so big but hope these help you to help me!! lol

[Giftee's Mom]

Hi SF.

It appears as if there is a little yellow infected-looking spot at the top of the distal end of that toe.

Probably a stupid question, but can you use creams or ointments on squirrels? They'd probably just lick it off and that wouldn't be good.

Or try squirting some dilute chlorhexadine or other disinfecting antibacterial solution on the area several times a day, something that wouldn't leave a residue.

Just some thoughts.

[4skwerlz]

This looks to me like she got her claw caught in something and almost pulled the claw right out...I believe it's called an "avulsion." Will she let you manipulate it?

[Sciurus1]

That looks rather nasty, almost like there is no skin on that toe, but then again I can't see it clearly in the photos to say for sure. I would take the squirrel back to the Vet on this one and get a definitive answer, and if they want to X ray it, do that too.

[sadifaith]

I was told to put neosporin(sp?) on it. They said it wont hurt her if she licks it off. I will call the vet tomorrow...They said the next thing to do is x ray it. I was hoping it would go away, it does look alot better than it did when I first got her. Thank you guys for your suggestions and help.

[JLM27]

I thought too that the claw looks pulled out from the earlier pictures. He might have to have it removed. Maybe you need a vet that knows how to deal with squirrels, or at least can see clearly.

[Sciurus1]

Good advise there, infact it is a necessity! Look for an Exotic Vet in the listings, or ask if your Vet knows of one. Then ask the Exotic Vet if they treat flying squirrels as pets, for many don't. If an x ray is needed, then request that you hold your squirrel while it is being taken, or else they have to put them under, which is best to avoid with such a small critter as this is, unless the Vet is accomplished with really small mammals or birds. I asked our Vet to hold my girl, and though she was concerned for me being exposed, unless you are pregnant, or may be, there is no big risk. I held my girl and covered her face so she couldn't see what was going on. With yours, just wrap your flyer up and hold out the one arm to get the shot.

[sadifaith]

I actually have a vet that takes care of exotics( but im not sure exactly how many he really sees...) and shes been there for her toe but I guess I will have to take her back...I just dont have the money to spend a million dollars on her toe. I dont mind but i have a feeling x rays are going to be expensive. Does anyone know a good exotic vet in Houston?

[sadifaith]

you will never guess what happened....last night I was taking my dog for a walk and decided to put sadi in a pouch and take her with me. I was walking and all the sudden saw sadi as she ran away!!! I am soooo heart broken and I haven't given up on finding her but no luck yet!! im so so sad!!!

[JLM27]

If Sadie is a flyer, maybe she will come back in the early morning? Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[sadifaith]

she is a flyer! it was across the street from my house on the golf coarse!! Im am lost with out her!! I cant believe it happened!!

[JLM27]

Maybe go out there early tomorrow morning and sit and call for her? Are there trees on the golf course, like near where she ran away? Maybe if you go near there. I think that these critters do recognize us by sound and smell and sight. Research has shown that they can tell each other apart 100 feet away. My little backyard pals certainly know me from at least 50 feet away.

Sadifaith, how about getting some of her favorite stinkiest food together and putting it out there when she ususally would eat?