Tum Tum Ear Swollen

[Tum Tum]

I took pointy tales advice to bring it here, so possibly I can get an answer. Anyways here it is.

Hello everyone.

I went to check on the animals this morning, to find Tum Tum had escaped his cage in the basement of the house we keep them at. He somehow got out of the basement and was outside for poissibly all night till I found him this morning before noon.

He was in a tree just sitting there. He came down to me, this was after I cried and looked everywhere. Anyways he came down gave me kisses, and went inside my shirt made a quick nest, and tried to fall asleep.

What I noticed when i got him inside, was

1. His male parts (balls) were a lot smaller than normal.
2. His left ear was swollen, not inside but just the outside ear.

Here is some pictures.
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm261/liontiger2424/002-1.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm261/liontiger2424/001.jpg

I hope to god this is not serious. But any information will be great. I'm a little worried because my state is a none friendly state, so to find someone to help me would be hard.

Thanks everyone, Tum Tum is now back in his cage and happy.

I was thinking another squirrel bit his ear maybe throught the night-morning. Not to long after i brought him inside, another squirrel came down from the same tree, or the one next to it.

Thank you, i hope i gave enough information.

I am about to go check on him in about 1-2 hours. I might get another picture to see if the swelling has gone down.

He looks rather cute with the hanging ear, but I hope that this swelling will go away and he will be fine.

Another thing to add if i have not, there is no wound on the ear, no sign of a bite. I'm thinking possibly he smacked his ear on a tree limb, a robin swooped at him and just hit him without causing a cut.

:wave123

[Jackie in Tampa]

:Love_Icon Poor little naughty monster!
I bet his ear is just as you thought...another sq. OUCH!
and i have to tell you..I just told this story to another member...

:peace I have a really bad memory sometimes!

about three years ago, I called my vet and was upset...i told her Rockys testicles were almost gone and had all but disappeared in a few days time...she laughed and said i had called the two previous years before that...same time, same issue!
So..I think it is 'a guy thing"!
:sanp3 :rotfl
Also ...when they get frightened!!:dono a guy thing!

[island rehabber]

shrinkage :D

[Tum Tum]

:rotfl

You guys are too funny.

So what do you guys recommend? Should I possibly take a needle or something like that, clean, and drain the ear flop? I searched for a squirrel with swollen ear and found dogs, and they said it is a blood clot, formed when the animal shakes his head very hard or gets hit or scratches a lot.

I'll see how it is in the morning, almost time to go see now, hopefully it went down.

[island rehabber]

I wouldn't mess with it, Tum Tum, unless it's really worse by tomorrow. If he would let you, you could try ice on the swelling but I'm betting that's not going to go well. :D Just be careful of an abcess forming...squirrels heal so fast that the wounds don't have time to drain and so they blow up under the skin. That's what you need to watch for, so that you can put antibiotic cream on it before it gets bad.

[Tum Tum]

Thanks Island Rehabber. I will keep an eye on it and make sure he heals 100%.

I told my grandma what had happend and that I think another squirrel bit him and told her about his testicals.

She said.... and I quote... "Maybe he whoopied and she nibbled his ear."

Gosh older folks sure know how to make conversations awkward. :rotfl

[scurry'smama]

Auricular Hematomas while not dangerous... at least in dogs and cats, can cause discomfort and cause more head shaking and scratching which can sometimes lead to secondary infection. Lanced, drained, sometimes injected into the site with cortisone and then coned and wrapped for a period of time will do the trick. Some people choose to leave them untreated and typically the blood will re-absorb and sometimes leave scarring that is thickened and keeps the ear disfigured.
Good luck. I hope it clears up on its own!

[JLM27]

Oh poor Tum Tum! Went out to the corner to profile himself and immediately got into a fight! He was probably just trying to be friendly and the other squirrel took it wrong. I hope his ear heals well. If it remains "flopped" he'll have a souvenir of "that night in the tree".

[Tum Tum]

If it does leave the ear weird looking, I would now be able to tell them apart if they ever got outside.(Grizzly has a weird ear as well do to infection) However i know whos who normally, and when i saw him in the tree i knew it was him. There are a lot of squirrels up there, lots of acorn and walnut trees. And one apple tree too.

He will remember that night in the tree and hopefully he did not catch a cold. Will update till i am for sure he is 100% fine. :thankyou