Seizure

[peanut_friend]

My roommate's bf has Peanut. Peanut's 7 and had a seizure tonight. Her bf thinks he had a stroke a few weeks ago. Anyone have any advice on what to do to help Peanut out. I know 7's old for a squirrel... I'm a EMT so I've been suppling basic seizure treatment for him but don;t know anymore about how to help him out...

[momma2boo]

Hang in there. A rehabber will be here soon to help you.

Prayers for Peanut.

[wheezer]

Could you tell us what the diet has been.
This could be very serious, MBD. Here is emergency treatment and the diet a squirrel should be getting.
(I cut and pasted this from another thread) You need to get calcium into him really fast. Crush up some tums and really fine and put it into some kind of juice or water if you have no juice and syring feed it slowly...just do that to start, and then we will continue...OR get some molasses and rub it on his gums, or kayro syrup...then we will go from there.

Emergency Treatment for Metabolic Bone Disease (updated 3-31-09)

Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW. Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

You will need:

--Tums or calcium pills (any kind)
--a syringe, eyedropper, or spoon

Crush one Tums or calcium pill and add a little water or fruit juice. Use the syringe, eyedropper, or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone. Feed a total of 600-800 mg of calcium, and spread it out through the day and night to keep his blood calcium levels as steady as possible.

If the squirrel is having seizures, weakness, or paralysis, the symptoms will usually improve within a few hours, but this does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take many months to rebuild the calcium in the bones.

[wheezer]

Here is the healthy diet for pet squirrels:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16093

Best of Luck:grouphug :grouphug

[peanut_friend]

His diet is fruits and veggies (yams, sweat potatoes) berries, tomatoes. He has Veitra-DMG on the side of the cage along with a calcium supplement daily...

[wheezer]

I guess it depends on what calcium supplement and what veggies. Sweet potatoes can be toxic if fed too much and spinach can leach calcium for their system.

Other than MBD or a head injury from a fall, I am at loss. I hope someone else chimes in:grouphug :grouphug

(thanks so much for checking her for your friend's bf's little squirrel. This is the best place to come. Many people here with tons of experience..hang in there:) )

[4skwerlz]

Most likely this is MBD. The diet you describe is lacking some important nutrients.

Please give Peanut the Emergency Treatment for MBD and let us know how he does. You will need to continue to give emergency calcium until he seems "normal" again, and then you will have to dose him with calcium several times a day for many weeks, PLUS fix the diet. If it is MBD, Peanut's symptoms may improve quickly and he might seem fine, but it takes months to CURE MBD.

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you check back in with us regularly: every day at first, and then at least once a week. This is so we can monitor progress and adjust the treatment. People who don't do this, their squirrels often relapse and usually die.

Hoping to get an update this morning....

[winky2]

Can you tell us why you think he had a stroke a few days ago? Does he have unsupervised time outside his cage? How was he acting before the seizure? How long did the seizure last? What it a generalized seizure? Was he postictal? Any new seizures since the first one? Any other symptoms (anorexia, lethargy, behavioral changes, vision or balance problems, etc.)?