Help needed for third baby EMERGENCY

[Stichaml]

Last week, I rescued three babies that had fallen from a tree that a tree service cut down in our yard. Waited all day but it was so noisy and no mama to claim all day....I took them in and they have been doing fine. Two of them are doing very well, eating well, urinating and pooping just great! I am so excited and happy for them.
The third has been a different story. When I found him, he had what looked like a tiny bit of dried blood on his nose. From the get go, this little guy has been apprehensive to eat anything. There are a couple things I am looking for help on -
1 - He was eating small portions of esbilac and hardly moving his mouth to suckle like the other two were doing. I have been massaging his throat to helphim swallow and get something in there! About an hour after he eats, he will throw a little bit of the milk back up. I have been very aware while feeding him to try and avoid aspiration...The symptoms I have read about aspiration do not seem to match, but I am not an expert. Anyone have experience with this?

2 - In reading about dehydration, I realized that his skin was tenting more than the others. I fed him pedialyte yesterday for two feedings then went back to diluted esbilac. He seemed to be doing much better. Today, All I can get him to take is pedialyte! He needs to eat more - I am not sure if I should go back to esbilac or keep on the pedialyte for a bit. ????

Last, he has had two episodes when he will cry out and lay on his back, sort of doing a back stroke while making noise. If I pikc him up and cuddle him, he will settle down. Is this a seizure?

Does my baby have a fighting chance? I am very dedicated to doing everything I can to keep them alive. I have been in touch with two wildlife rehab centers, neither of which seem to want to take on the responsibility and have yet to have my phone calls from today returned...Please HELP! :Love_Icon

[Jackie in Tampa]

hello and welcome...thank you for saving them!
sorry to ask aolot of questions, but it will help the rehabbers.

are your babies on a heating pad? set on low, half under the container, allowing them to get off the heat also.
Can you post pics? are the grey sqs or foxers?
I have a little girl sq that if she eats .5cc too much, she spits it up and then is fine....not saying that you don't have a problem, but some just don't eat as much as others, some are runts.
TSB recommends Fox Valley formula
foxvalleynutrition.com 800-679-4666

and I prefer homemade pedialyte
1 quart warm water
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
mix well and store in fridge for up to 3 days.

are you using a 1cc syringe [without a needle] to feed them?

never feed a cold baby...
here's a link to the ABCs of baby sqs...great info:thumbsup
read the three articles highlighted in purple
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21626
someone will be here soon to help:grouphug

[island rehabber]

hi Stichaml...good advice above from Jackie.
You did the right thing by offering Pedialyte to get him re-hydrated. A dehydrated baby has less appetite, so it's ok to try the Pedialyte between feedings, even if he only takes a bit, to keep his hydration way up. Does he have any facial swelling or just the bloody nose? It is possible that it hurts him to try to suckle the syringe -- this happens often with babies who've fallen and injured their nose or mouth. Hopefully he will be less sore today. Make sure your formula is very warm...with baby squirrels, some prefer it almost hot (103-104*) and won't touch it if it's lukewarm. Remember you are simulating milk from mamma's body which is 102* typically. As for the writhing/crying, they will do this when scared, cold, hungry, or all three.....but if he is arching his back when he does this it could be a seizure.
Hope this helps..keep us posted and you are doing a really good job with these little ones so far!

[psychobird]

ooh poor little baby.
a couple of things i would like to add, with suspected head injuries i always give them metacam for a few days to help reduce any swelling and pain they may be having even with little babies because that swelling can cause permanent damage.
i used to be afraid to use it but now i do it automatically with birds and mammals and i think it has helped a lot with no ill effects
does he tend to circle in one direction??
another thing i do for babies that don't want to eat is stimulate them to urinate before i feed them, instead of after, i think is makes them hungrier.
also squirrels tend to over eat if you let them have as much as they want, and should only be fed 5% of their body weight.
so a 100 gram squirrel would only get 5mls/ccs per feeding with at least a 2hr break in between depending on age, i weigh them usually everyday in the morning and adjust the amounts

[Jackie in Tampa]

:thumbsup totally agree with the metacam for possible head trauma...and will help the swelling in the nasal passages if no H/T present...
making it easier for you and baby during feeding...
:grouphug if baby crawls off heat repeatedly, this is usually a bad sign...:shakehead
good luck and glad you found TSB...:Love_Icon

please be sure the centers won't put them down...

[Stichaml]

Thanks everyone so much. I cannot tell howmuch I truly appreciate the information and advice. I have found the rehabbers in my area to be far from helpful, not even offering to take them in. I read that another woman in W Washington has had this same problem.
I will try pedialyte between feedings as well as heat up the esbilac hotter. I was making sure it was only lukewarm - not aware what would be too hot but it sounds like I might try this to help the little one out.
I do not see any facial swelling but think I might try to get some metacam anyhow....how much would I feed?

Also, regarding the writhing, if this does turn out to be a seizure, is there anything I can do to help him? I have done some reading about wiping sugar water on his lips or karo syrup? What about MBD? It seems they are about 3 weeks old and the reading I have done on that seems to be geared toward squirrels that are a bit older.

Also, is it necessary to give calcium as well as formula?

Thank you all :thankyou

[psychobird]

rehabbers are probably full but keep looking, if you get metacam we will need the weight of the baby and the strength of the metacam.
no extra calcium is needed if they are getting formula, it's prob not mbd

[island rehabber]

No need for calcium when babies are on formula -- it gives them all the nutrients they need. No worries about MBD for the same reason, either....MBD will set in after weaning, if the squirrel is not given the proper diet.

[Stichaml]

I have attached a couple of photos - includes the healthy babies and the little guy I am writing about. Any further suggestions to get him going?

Is it natural to have a runt that may not be as developed as the others in a squirrel litter? I am really pulling for this guy :)

[virgo062]

Hi Stichaml, Knothead was the runt of the litter too. he runs about 1 month behind other squirrels as far as development. I had him on the metacam for several months because of his seizures. Knothead's seizures are few and far between now. he has not had one in several weeks as compared to several a day when he was younger. Hang in there

[Jackie in Tampa]

Metacam is a prescription Rx used for pain and inflammation....
I do not use it for persistant seizures.
If you have a vet, you will need to ask for it for small mammels, [ .5mg/ml or 1.5mg/ml] one is three times as strong, so very important to know what strength you have and sqs weight.
I would rub sugar paste , maple syrup, molasses or karo if it I thought it were seizures.
Sqs that young having seizures would look similar to when they quiver their arms out like when they are hungry, and they may arch their back.
:grouphug
The little one maybe posturing from head trauma, keeping him warm, quiet, feed and hydrated is best.
I couldn't open the file:dono ...
You can always tell your vet you have an injured pet rat if nasal swelling becomes an issue.
You can add a dab of heavy cream to their formula to add calories and fat, especially with Esbilac.
If possible, order Fox Valley formula...800-679-4666; foxvalleynutrition.com...
Are you using a 1cc syringe?

good luck, hope the little one makes it:Love_Icon

[winky2]

I'm an unlicensed rehabber the Portland area. I sent you my number in a private message. Give me a call if you like.

[psychobird]

yes metacam can cause liver damaged given over prolonged periods

[Stichaml]

Thanks again everyone for your help...I had him going strong on the pedialyte between feedings, got him eating more formula and he actually pooped! I was so excited. I spoke with a great vet here in my area about medication and was going in tomorrow. Unfortunately, tonight, we lost the little guy.

It sure is easy to have your heartstrings pulled strong by these sweet little animals. The worst thing is not knowing eactly what was wrong with him...but I will take comfort in knowing he is more comfortable and I know he is now a real little angel. CMfairy

[winky2]

I'm so sorry you lost him. Thank you for trying so hard. It's so heart breaking when you lose one, especially the first time around.

[psychobird]

i'm soo sorry, poor little guy, he obviously had something very serious going on.
thank you for taking care of him, rest in peace little guy

[island rehabber]

I'm so sorry, Stichaml....in any case where a fall on the head is evident (like a bloody nose), we always have to prepare for something like this. Often babies with head trauma will come out of it; some will recover but be non-releasable because of neurological issues. And others, like your little one, succumb to the injuries within and there really isn't much we can do. Some vets believe that the brain is swelling slowly with these little fallen ones and it takes a week to actually kill them. :(
Rest in peace, little one.
Keep up the good work with the others, and glad you found a vet who will work with you!

[Cheri]

Stichami I am so very sorry for your loss. I also have babies -1 with head trauma. It is awful how helpless you can feel. My heart goes out to you. Wishing you hands of healing for your other babies.