Found: Weak, thin, possibly sick squirrel

[mackinac]

My husband found a very weak squirrel yesterday morning, and brought it home for me to take care of. It was unable to climb a tree, and when he approached, it crawled under a bush but didn't put up a lot of resistance when he grabbed it.

She is thin enough that I can see her vertebrae and hip bones, and she seems pretty dehydrated, but less so since I got her. Her eyes are a little crusty and dull. Not blood or injuries or noticeable parasites.

I have her in an open rubber tub laid on its side, filled with blankets and a heating pad. I put a dish of water and some seed/nut mixture right outside of the bucket.

I have been giving her warm water with corn syrup and salt through a syringe every hour or so, but most of the time she refuses to swallow and just lets it run out her mouth. I want to feed her something more substantial, but I'm not sure what. I have a can of JustBorn kitten formula, would this do more harm than good? What about NutriCal?

Also are there any squirrel rehabbers in Portland, OR? I almost took her to the Audubon Society, but they would simply euthanize her.

Any advice or help is much appreciated, thank you!

[4skwerlz]

Is she an adult, a juvenile, or a baby?

[mackinac]

Small adult.

[4skwerlz]

That's good you have a heating pad. Keep it on low.

Don't feed her until she's rehydrated. But you can put a dab of Karo syrup on her tongue, which will help raise her blood sugar a bit.

Can you send someone out for some Pedialyte? Apple flavored is good. Or unflavored.

Then you'll want to keep trying to get the Pedialyte into her until she perks up a little bit, which will be a sign she's rehydrating.

Can you pinch up the skin behind her neck? This is a test for dehydration and will help you monitor her rehydration. The longer the skin stays pinched up and doesn't spring back, the more dehydrated she is.

A rehabber will be here shortly to try to help you figure out what's going on.

[island rehabber]

This squirrel sounds very, very debilitated. If she is unable to take fluids by mouth (they just run out) she will have to be sub-Q'd fluids in order to survive. Do you have a friendly vet who might do that? If not, let's see if we can find a rehabber in your area....BRB.

[Sissy]

Please check your pm's I have found you a rehabber in Portland, Or. willing to help you immediatly.

[island rehabber]

Blue Mountain Wildlife Oregon US Pendleton 541-278-0215 raptor@ucinet.com (raptor@ucinet.com)
(http:///)
Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Oregon US Corvallis 514-745-5324 cwrc@proaxis.com (cwrc@proaxis.com)
(http:///)
none laura rainey oregon US oakridge 541-782-2601 laurarainey1@yahoo.com (laurarainey1@yahoo.com)
http: (http://http/)
Oregon Coast Aquarium Oregon US Newport 514-867-3474 dbt@aquarium.org (dbt@aquarium.org)
www.aquarium.org (http://www.aquarium.org/)
Umpqua Wildlife Rescue Kathleen Williams Oregon US Roseburg 541 440-6895 thoreau88@yahoo.com (thoreau88@yahoo.com)
http: (http://http/)
Wildhaven Wildlife Center Oregon US Grants Pass dessert@silverlink.net (dessert@silverlink.net)
(http:///)
Wildlife Images Oregon US Merlin 541-476-0222 wildima@cdsnet.net (wildima@cdsnet.net)
(http:///)
Wildlife Images Oregon US Medford 541-476-0222 wildima@cdsnet.net (wildima@cdsnet.net)
(http:///)
Wildlife Ranch Oregon US Sprague River 541-533-2388 birdhealer@aol.com (birdhealer@aol.com)
(http:///)
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of North Coast Oregon US Astoria 503-338-0331 wrcnc@pacifier.com (wrcnc@pacifier.com)
(http:///)
Willamette Wildlife Rehabilitation Oregon US Eugene 541-485-8440 ("")
(http:///)
I don't know which ones are near you, but give them a try even if they are far away because they will know Portland area rehabbers. Good luck!

[island rehabber]

Please check your pm's I have found you a rehabber in Portland, Or. willing to help you immediatly.

go, Sissy -- you rock!! :thumbsup

[mackinac]

Thank you so much, Sissy! I called Holly and am dropping off the squirrel to her tonight.

[Sissy]

:thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

[Sciurus1]

So glad to here a rehabber to help this squirrel was found!

[Sciurus1]

Just for reference, to take a squirrel into a wildlife center, or to a licensed rehabber in Oregon can result in euthansia for a squirrel if it is a non native species.

Native species of the Pacific NW include:

Western Gray Squirrel
Douglas Squirrel
North American Red Squirrel

Introduced (non native) species of the Pacific NW include:

Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Fox Squirrel.

The first two photos below are of Eastern Gray squirrels. The coat is moreover gray, with some brown prominent on the face, across the back, and in the tail, white a underside, but some have brown markings there as well, but usualy not even ones. Summer coats may be moreover reddish brown, to tan, but gray will still be found along the margins between the upper and lower coats, and in the tail as well. There are also individuals that have brown markings on the underside, but not evenly. The are often found in all black or all brown forms as well in the Northeastern regions of the US.

The next two photos are of the Western Fox squirrel, a subspecies of the Eastern Fox Squirrel, that has been introduced to areas of the Northern Midwest, and the Pacific N.W. The coat is most often grayish brown above, and golden to pale gold below, with considerable rust coloration prominent in the tail. The forehead is usually darker than the rest of the top coat. Black forms of this subspecies are very rare in the West.

Both species may share the same habitat in the West.

[island rehabber]

Thank you so much, Sissy! I called Holly and am dropping off the squirrel to her tonight.

beautiful work, mackinac and Sissy! Prayers going out for the little one too.

[Sciurus1]

Here are brief descriptions of native tree squirrel species found in the Pacific Northwest:

The Douglas Squirrel is a small bodied pine squirrel that inhabits the forest areas of the coastal mountain regions of the Pacific Northwest. The summer coat is an olivey brown upper, with a deep oregold underside. The winter coat presents more grayish brown above, and pale grayish yellow below.

The North American Red Squirrel also inhabit parts of the Pacific NW, with their western territory lapping over the eastern territory of the Douglas squirrel in Central Washington State. It is a very similar species to the Douglas squirrel, being also a small bodied pine squirrel, having the same kind of habitat. It possesses a reddish brown coat, and very rust red tail, and a white to grayish beige underside.

The Western Gray squirrel, also an inhabitant of the Pacific coastal States of the US., is endangered in Washington State. It is a large bodied tree squirrel, having an upper coat ranging from medium to dark gray, with the underside ranging in color from white to cream. The tail is large and full, gray with black and white tips to the tail hair. The nose is typically dark reddish brown. It is larger than the Eastern Gray squirrel species, and doesn't possess the typical brown markings that the E. Gray squirrel does.

Photos 1-2 - Douglas Squirrel

Photo 3 - North American Red Squirrel

photos 4-5 - Western Gray Squirrel

[winky2]

Thanks Sissy for the call and Mackinac for bringing her to me. She'a an older adult female Eastern Grey. Very emaciated and dehydrated and suffering from diarrhea. No obvious injuries, no malocclusion, not lactating or pregnant, coat looks dull. I'm not sure what's wrong with her, maybe old age? We gave lots of subQ fluids and she perked up a bit. We're going to try her on some antibiotics and benbac and see how she does. Does anyone know how squirrels do with metronidazole? Dose? If not, what is the antibiotic of choice for GI diseases? Any other thoughts or ideas?

[Sciurus1]

I understand rehydrating comes first. I am wondering afterwards, if she will eat on her own then. I had an older squirrel with no apparent maloculsion, but she stopped eating. The Vet told me that the thick druel hanging form the corners of her mouth, along with not wanting to eat, was a sign of a back teeth problems. If then she doesn't eat after rehydration, especially if you see the druel strings, I would check that out.

[winky2]

That's a good point. Of course I'll have to gas her down completely to get a good look at the back teeth. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

[island rehabber]

TDoes anyone know how squirrels do with metronidazole? Dose? If not, what is the antibiotic of choice for GI diseases? Any other thoughts or ideas?

winky2 my book says it is good for squirrels, but then cautions against using it on "any severely debilitated animal". You'll have to use your good judgment on that one, for this particular patient. Other suggestions would be Baytril, or good old Kao-Pectate.

[winky2]

Well she made it through the night! I started her on the Metronidazole last night and she had her second dose this morning. So I guess I'll stick with it. She looked pretty dumpy this morning (sitting all hunch-backed with her nose tucked between her hind legs) but perked up after the subQ's. She even nibbled on an apple wedge when I wasn't looking, but only a tiny bit. Had a firm stool already! She stays really close the the warm side of the cage. She looks like an old renal failure cat to me but I'll give her a chance and see if she'll improve. I've got her on Benebac so I think that will help with the nutrient absorption. If she starts eating I'll get one of the other supplements GB recommended. Sorry, no pics. The camera died ... permanently. Time for a new one. Can we move this post?