Baby Flying Squirrel Vomiting

[Angel2write]

Have been feeding the Esbilac formula mixed as directed (1 part powder to 1/3 part whipping cream to 1 1/2 parts water) in graduated feedings, working from 2 parts formula 1 part water & up to straight formula.

This is the problem: The baby is now vomiting up everything I give it & vomiting up little curds of the formula.

I've switched back to electrolyte solution (3 tsp sugar/ 1 tsp salt in a quart of pure water) and it is even vomiting up that.

The baby rejected the formula from the beginning. It loved the electrolyte solution and was nursing eagerly, but hated the taste of the formula. It would duck it's head and try to pull the soft cloth I was holding it in over it's head when I tried to offer the formula.

I've only fed the formula about four times now. Has anyone every run into a squirrel that was sensitive to the formula? Any other reccommendations?

Oh- it's a five or six week old Southern Flying Squirrel. It's fully furred, has eyes open and is just beginning to get it's front teeth. Before the formula feeding it was active and healthy-seeming, but now all it does is sleep.

This is my first flying squirrel rescue- I've only had Red Squirrels before, and it's possible I may have been trying to feed the baby too much or too often. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Legomom]

Is he keeping the pedialyte down now that you've switched?

How much does he weigh?

How often & how much formula have you been feeding him?

Have you checked the expiration dates on your formula, cream & yogurt?

EDIT: How much to feed: weight in grams x .05 or .06 or .07 = # of ccs.

I just looked up Southern Flying Squirrels in my Wild Baby Mammals book & here is what it says:

"Initially use 4 to 4 1/2 % of the baby's body weight as a guide for the amount to offer at each feeding and increase the percentage (as high as 7% in some cases) as the baby grows.
Make your decision to increase based on the baby's appetite and how well it digests the amounts given. Growth is rapid and amounts will need to be reevaluated daily."

[TinyPaws]

I was thinking also to check the dates on the espilac, cream and yogart...Also, is the formula the powdered or liquid? You can also try it without the yogart...Timothy never did like it much with the yogart mixed in...

Hopefully a rehabber will be on soon..

[Jackie in Tampa]

:Welcome :wave123 Welcome to TSB!
All esbilac, powder also, must be refridgerated.
I hope the vomiting has stopped and she/he is doing better!:grouphug

[Angel2write]

Well, the baby has stopped vomiting, but now we have diarrhea. I COULD NOT get him to drink the Esbilac formula, and I decided to try scalded milk. I know it's not the best thing, but I've had him three days, and at this point I'm afraid he's going to die no matter what I do. He won't take any solid food at all, and I'm afraid to feed him only the electrolyte solution. How long can he live on it without any kind of formula?

I was using the powdered Esbilac, heavy whipping cream & filtered water, but he simply won't drink it. He likes the scalded milk and laps it up eagerly, but he's having very runny yellow stools. I've tried adding some acidopholous powder to the milk to help this evening.

When I was feeding the electrolyte solution, he was taking between 2 & 3 cc's about every three hours. Once I started on the Esbilac formula, I was lucky to get two or three drops into him. Now he's drinking about 1 cc of scalded milk every 4 to 5 hours.

The baby's also had an infected eye which he's getting antibiotic eye cream for. Could the eye infection be causing the vomiting somehow?

Is there an alternative to the Esbilac formula that's better than the scalded milk and vitamin E?

I'm sorry- I'm feeling really frustrated. This is the sweetest baby I've ever had and the vet has no answers for me.

[Angel2write]

Oh, and I've been refrigerating the can of Esbilac as well as the made up formula.

Someone mentioned youghurt- I've never tried that, only the formula. I was taught to use kitten KMR, but all the boards now say the puppy version is better. Could I go back to the kitten? My babies always liked that fine.

[Ardilla]

I just phoned muffinsquirrel, our resident flyer expert. She will be online ASAP. Just hold on.

[muffinsquirrel]

I'm sorry you are having trouble with your flyer pup. PLEASE don't go with the scalded milk formula - eventually it will kill him because it does not create a good body and bone structure that will sustain him into adulthood.

I am presently raising 8 baby flyers, with the youngest not yet 6 weeks. This is the formula I have been using, and have had no problems with it.

1 part Esbilac powder
1 1/2 parts water
1 part heavy cream
1/3 part Dannon Natural Vanilla yogurt

I feed it very warm, because my pups prefer it that way.

Due to the problems caused by PetAg changing the processing of Esbilac, I am going to change over to Fox Valley and get rid of the rest of my Esbilac. Although I am having no problems since I started mixing it as above, I would rather go with something I feel is safe, and that I do not have to add things to.

If you are dead set against trying Esbilac any longer, then put him on goat's milk. You can buy it at nearly any grocery store, fresh or canned. I will check the recommended way to feed it, and post back on here. Meanwhile, I would advise you to order some Fox Valley formula and change your rehabs over to it. The people at Fox Valley are very nice to do business with, and very helpful.

I'll go check on what, if anything, you need to mix with the goat's milk, and be right back.

muffinsquirrel

[psychobird]

if they are not expired i would think the concentration is to high.
after several feedings with pedialyte, i would give him a watered down esbilac
1 part esb-5 parts water for a couple of feedings, then go to 1 part esb -4 parts water for a couple of feedings as long as he still has no diarrhea until he's up to full strength.
how often are feeding him? it's take them at least 2 hrs to digest formula.

[Mrs Skul]

Is their a licensed Rehabber close you can take this little SFS.

[Ardilla]

Do you know whether it's the original Esbilac or the new formulation?

The old cans had a golden retriver pup on them, and the new ones have a fluffy white dog.

http://www.petag.com/products_items.asp?SubcategoryID=2&CategoryID=3

Since they changed the formulation many people have been having problems and have been switching to Fox Valley.

http://foxvalleynutrition.com/prod/products.asp?PLID=1

[muffinsquirrel]

Sorry to take so long. You can get the goat milk in the dairy section of your store. Mix it with heavy cream and dannon natural vanilla yogurt. I would start by adding 1/2 part of cream and 1/3 part yogurt. You can always adjust it if you think it needs it. But please do order the Fox Valley formula - several of the people on here have been using it for years, with excellent results.

muffinsquirrel

[Ardilla]

Here's a link to the Fox Valley--you would choose a product depending on the age of the squirrel.

http://foxvalleynutrition.com/prod/products.asp?PLID=1

[Angel2write]

Well, thanks everyone for your advice & help. The baby died last night. I spent all day yesterday just trying to rehydrate him. Eventually got the diarrhea stopped, but he just got weaker and weaker. He finally just laid down and died.

Frankly, he acted like he was poisoned. Vomiting followed by incredible diarrhea. This was the first time I have ever used puppy Esbilac, and I don't think I could ever bring myself to use it again, no matter what people say. It's possible the baby was injured in some way that the vet didn't see, or that he had a complication from his eye, but he was frisky before the Esbilac, and after it he was dead.

Case closed as far as I'm concerned. I'm going back to using KMR or a milk-based formula.

Thanks for your help & caring,
A

[Ardilla]

I'm so sorry the baby died.:grouphug

[island rehabber]

I'm very sorry the little one died.....this is just awful.
But: Please, please please don't use KMR. Fox Valley 32/40 is cheaper than Esbilac and formulated specifically for squirrels (not dogs). Three of us rehabbers here on TSB figured out yesterday that, amongst the three of us, we have probably rehabbed 200 squirrels on Fox Valley. Every one of them thrived. :thumbsup

[tatermama]

So sorry the baby didn't make it...:grouphug