New here. Need help with baby -sneezing, eye discharge

[ksneuarch]

I have a male baby that I found in my yard in Brooklyn on Monday midday. When I found him, he was lying on his side not moving at all. I got him inside, warmed him up and when I couldn't reach a rehabber right away, I started hydrating with the water, sugar salt solution i found online. He began to perk up a bit, and by the time I spoke to a very helpful rehabber that evening we had already purchased the Esbilac and she walked me through diluting it and getting the little gut started on food. She estimated that he was around 7 weeks old. She also told me about this board - so thank you! if you are reading this.

He is now taking abou 8 -9 cc each feeding. His appetite is good, and he's very active at feeding times. In between feedings he is mainly sleeping. Yesterday he began sneezing. This morning he had dried mucus at his nose and a white discharge at the front corners of both eyes. He sounds like he has a bad cold. I have found a local rehabber who will take him, but not unless/until we get whatever is going on cleared up as she is worried about other babies in her care.
I have Baytril here that is left over from treating my daughters parakeet several weeks ago. I'm wondering if i should start that and if so what correct dosage would be. Bottle says Baytril Elixer. Dosage for parakeet (42 grams)was 3 units of a 3/10cc syringe. Our squirrel - the kids have named him Stormy - weighs in at 4.5 ounces on a postal scale. Any help appreciated. thanks.

[digiandchipper]

:Welcome Sounds like you've been doing a great job....glad you were able to contact a rehabber. I am not an expert on meds, but I'll guarantee someone who is will be on soon! Just wanted to welcome you!

[Jackie in Tampa]

:wave123 :Welcome Hello and Welcome!
:bowdown thanks for finding a rehabber...
:bowdown and thanks Rehabber for sharing TSB info!
Esbilac and hydrating are good...even though he is older, I would put him on heat...especially since he is sneezing.
Very few issues concerning sneezing would be contageous, but a sick sq does require extra time, funds and energy.
We can find another rehabber in your area if needed.
I cannot help you with the baytril dosing, but would wait until someone can verify that he needs it and can ADVISE!
Can you post pics, that would help the rehabbers here know what is going on.
Thanks
I am posting a link that will also help with diet, aging and alot of baby sq info...click on the purple sub titles, great stuff!:thumbsup
Thanks for going the extra mile!:grouphug
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56

[Jackie in Tampa]

someone will be here soon !:thumbsup

[Mrs Skul]

:Welcome Welcome to TSB I am not a L.rehaber but a few questions for you ? Do you have him on a heating pad? Is he dehydrated? To check if so, pull or pinch his skin at the shoulders, if it is tenting he needs some pedialte. If it springs right back should be fine.How much does he weigh? Is he pee and pooing ok . If not you may need to stimulate him by using a cotton ball or a piece of tissue. Your in good hand here. Some one will be with you soon. Christal I am contacting some one now please Waite:) .You are doing a good job, the baby is in good hands.

[Jackie in Tampa]

hopefully they will log back on...and keep us posted.
Good Luck baby sq!:grouphug

[ksneuarch]

Thanks for all the great advice! He is on heat, and had initially been dehydrated but isn't anymore. Shortly after I posted the vet who takes care of my daughter's parakeet agreed to see him, so I'm just now back and back online She was great and apparently has treated many squirrels. i had been hesitant to call because of legality issue.

She says he weighs 137 grams and is severly emaciated, but good news is lungs sounded clear. She wanted to treat what she believes is an upper respiratory infection so that it does not move lower. She put him on antibiotics - Sulfatrim rather than Baytril and also gave him an ivermectin injection as she was worried about parasites given how emaciated he is. I'll try to figure out how to post a photo shortly

[ksneuarch]

I'm attempting to attach a photo - not sureif it will come through . ..

[island rehabber]

hello ksneuarch -- not sure if I spoke with you the other night because I spoke with four people from Brooklyn who found babies :D. Anyway, sounds as if you and this little guy are in good hands. Sulfatrim is excellent for upper respiratory infections as well. 137 grams is light for a baby his age, so hopefully as he's feeling better he will gain weight appropriately. Great idea everyone to keep him on heat.....I am doing the same with a 6-wk old here (Alvin) because he had pneumonia last week and I'm not sure he's thermoregulating properly yet. It can't hurt, let's put it that way! Keep us posted on your little one, and we'll help any way we can. :thumbsup

[tatcat]

:wave123 hi ksneuarch and a big :Welcome to our tsb family!!! stormy is adorable. sounds like he is in good hands!!

[TinyPaws]

Awwwww, what a darling face....you're doing a great job!!:thumbsup and :Welcome to TSB...

[Buddy'sMom]

:Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

and :Welcome

[Pointy Tale]

Ksneuarch—Welcome to TSB, Stormy is so tiny but precious. Thank you for caring for this baby. Can’t wait to hear more about his/her progress. Again Welcome, you’re gonna love it here, everyone is great.

[ksneuarch]

Thanks you all! What an amazing resource this is. IR - yes i think we did speak on Monday, you were a huge help - and I'm starting to understand the desperate need for more rehabbers in this area just in my search for someone who can take Stormy in. It sounds like there are way more squirrels in need right now in this area than people who can take them in. So here's the question - given that I need to keep him myself at least another 10 days to get him through the antibiotics. . . what is the possibility of my being able to successfully rehab and release this little guy on my own?

My dream situation would be to find a local rehabber willing to take him and then release him nearby in Prospect Park where we could at least imagine we were visiting him when we watched the squirrels there - but I haven't been able to find that ideal situation yet and would still like to make that happen. Does anyone have any leads for me or know a local rehabber with a pre-existing relationship with the NYC Parks Department?

On another note - the next 10 days. Right now he's in a spare 15 x 19 x 18 bird cage with a heating bad on bottom and a cardboard nest box with a sock budyand some fleece. Is that ok for 10 days? So far he is taking 7-9cc of Esbilac at each feeding and has been eating bannana and nibbling a little apple in between. What other solids should I be offering him? Finally, he's mainly sleeping between feedings - but at what point does he need things to gnaw on and/or play with to keep him occupied. Thanks for all the advice and help!:)

[island rehabber]

It was you, K. ! My friends, this girl is 75% rehabber already, all she needs is the cheap little card from the DEC :D. She did everything right.
The cage sounds ok if the bars are spaced closely enough that he can't get his little head or limbs through them and injure himself. Sometimes we use bins or reptile tanks for babies this age, but otherwise your setup sounds perfect. Yes you can get him thru the next 10 days like that so long as it is secure....squirrels are amazing little Houdini's, even before their eyes open!
For right now the formula is best for him. If he starts chewing on your fingers as if he wants something you can give him a piece of a high quality rodent block like the Zupreem, Mazuri or Kaytee Forti-Diet brands (meant for rats & mice). Banana and apple are ok if they don't give him the runs -- it will happen sometimes.
Keep up the outstanding work, K -- we will make you a NYC Region 2 rehabber yet! :D

[Tomo]

Thanks you all! What an amazing resource this is. IR - yes i think we did speak on Monday, you were a huge help - and I'm starting to understand the desperate need for more rehabbers in this area just in my search for someone who can take Stormy in. It sounds like there are way more squirrels in need right now in this area than people who can take them in. So here's the question - given that I need to keep him myself at least another 10 days to get him through the antibiotics. . . what is the possibility of my being able to successfully rehab and release this little guy on my own?

My dream situation would be to find a local rehabber willing to take him and then release him nearby in Prospect Park where we could at least imagine we were visiting him when we watched the squirrels there - but I haven't been able to find that ideal situation yet and would still like to make that happen. Does anyone have any leads for me or know a local rehabber with a pre-existing relationship with the NYC Parks Department?

On another note - the next 10 days. Right now he's in a spare 15 x 19 x 18 bird cage with a heating bad on bottom and a cardboard nest box with a sock budyand some fleece. Is that ok for 10 days? So far he is taking 7-9cc of Esbilac at each feeding and has been eating bannana and nibbling a little apple in between. What other solids should I be offering him? Finally, he's mainly sleeping between feedings - but at what point does he need things to gnaw on and/or play with to keep him occupied. Thanks for all the advice and help!:)

Hi, as long as no other issues arise and he is rid of whatever is causing his cold-like symptoms, he should be able to be released.

I'd start giving him small twigs to chew on (anything but cherry, which is bad for them, or pine which is sappy). You can start on rodent block/rat lab food such as made by Mazuri or Forti-Diet. They are hard blocks with good nutrients in them. Not too much banana; lots of sugar in banana. Try some small chunks of kale w/stems or chicory, or collard greens. Even a shelled almond (not roasted or salted) is a good start to chew on.

Now about release - I will send you a PM with my contact information. Maybe I can help with him. :)

[ksneuarch]

Hi all,
I'm now starting to suspect that Stormy may have a cleft palate and that that is causing some of the nasal issues. Vet didn't say anything on Wednesday so maybe I'm crazy, but please take a look at attached photos. (since mouth makes him look kind of scary I also attached a cute one of him with my daughter:) ) Now that nasal congestion has lessened, when he get real suction on end of syringe at feeding time he seems to pull milk directly up into right nostril. What do you all think? Is this serious. he seems to be eating and gaining weight well, but does this increase risk of aspiration?

[4skwerlz]

Definitely some tooth issues here:
84308

[Jackie in Tampa]

I agree..these are not normal teeth.

[4skwerlz]

If your vet examined him and didn't see that those teeth weren't right, you need a different vet IMO. Someone with experience with rodents.

I think a trim is in order right away. That one long bottom tooth could be poking into his nasal passages, which could cause the sneezing/discharge.

[Peaches]

Oh WOW!!! How did the vet miss that. Ok for starters he does not have a upper respitory infection, His lower teeth are miss aligned and too long. The lower left tooth is cutting through his upper lip and stabbing him, this is why he is so thin. Call the rehabber and tell her this is not an upper respitory but a tooth issue and ask her if she can take him now, he is not contagous.
If you have the guts to do it, you can take a wire clipper or anything sharp that will cut these teeth and clip those lower teeth about in half. Try to keep a angle on them, front should be longer than back. Be very careful not to clip his tongue. Putting a pencil in his mouth when you clip will keep his tongue down and out of the way.
Are his upper teeth grown in at all?
He may have a continuing problem with these teeth and may not be releasable. Make sure you ask the rehabber what they will do with him if he's not releasable, some will have him euthanized.
Please take another photo with the camera held alittle further back, if its too close it cannot focus well. See if you can get his mouth open a bit in the photo so we can see his upper teeth as well.
Continue the antibiotics because he has a hole in his upper lip.

[island rehabber]

That's a maloc if I ever saw one....and I'm no vet :shakehead
Don't want to upstage Tomo or ksneuarch but I believe they have a plan of action already in place for this sweet little guy. I am sure they will fill us in later. :thumbsup

[Peaches]

I hope so IR. I'm not sure but I think I see his top teeth curling back in the first picture as well. This little fuzzer is going to have teeth issues for the rest of his life.

[ksneuarch]

Thanks eveyone - i wish i had noticed his teeth earlier or that the previous vet had. Stormy does have a malocclusion which had actually led to a puncture of his upper palette which was infected. (Now the previous nasal and eye discharge make more sense). We saw Dr. Pilny today at Tomo's recommendation. I only wish I had taken him there first! His teeth have been trimmed - and he seems much more comfortable. We had already decided that he was going to go to Tomo for rehab, and we were just trying to iron out the logistics and were planning on taking him to her next week. With the new complications and care he needs, we are thrilled that Tomo is picking him up from Dr. Pilny this afternoon. We are so excited that Stormy has a wonderful new home with someone that is willing and prepared to deal with this complication. We had a chance to cuddle and feed him one more time and left him with his nest box, fleece and sock buddy. Hopefully Tomo can send us all an update once he gets settled in his new home. Thank you everyone for helping us to get this little guy the care and home he needs:thankyou !

[Ontario Rehabber]

So glad he's going to Tomo, couldn't be in better care. :thumbsup You did a great job caring for this little one. Thanks ksneuarch for getting him the help he needs.

[island rehabber]

Saint Anthony (Pilny) and then Tomo! :bowdown:bowdown This little boy is on his way to a beautiful life! :wott

ksneuarch, about that license application of yours.......:poke you know you wanna do it.....you know you can't resist....the Call of the Squirrel has beckoned.......:grouphug
come ON girl, you're a natural! :thumbsup

[Peaches]

Ksneuarch, Tomo and Dr Pilny you're all awesome.
Little Stormy is a lucky little fuzzbutt.

[Tomo]

Well, it's been kind of a busy two days and tomorrow may be even busier. But I wanted to post what I sent to Ksneuarch, Stormy's Mom. Stormy sent her a Happy Mother's Day card. The photo is a little bit blurry (then so was I this morning), but he's precious, none the less.

But I also picked a second baby the same age as Stormy at the vets, so at least for a little while, Stormy has a buddy! :Love_Icon I'll try to get photos of both up soon in the Tomo's Tree House thread.

[island rehabber]

now THAT is............precious!! :D :grouphug

[Ontario Rehabber]

What a little sweetheart. Glad he has a little buddy for a bit. :flash3