Something is wrong with Ava

[Cejemere]

My spawn of satan has lost her demon! She's unresponsive to touch, she basicly just falls over, her balance is off, she wont take formula which she loves, she is eating her veggies though but very very slowly.

I fed her this morning and didnt think anything of her letting me put her food in the cage without charging at me trying to eat my hand, figured she was just over the whole argument we had earlier in the week when she got loose! I'm thinking MBD? Before I rush out to get tums, anyone got anything else?

Her fur is still fluffy although she is finally loosing her fluffy coat like Angel did, her tail is huge and fluffed out more than normal...like she does when she wants to kill me. I'm posting a pic as soon as I might my camera.

[Jackie in Tampa]

if you suspect mbd...calcium in any form...tums, vitamins...
have you seen any seizures?
could she have gotten into something...look around...

[4skwerlz]

Need some background....how old is Ava?

[Cejemere]

Got calcium and tums...calcium 650 and tums 1,000. Ava is about 14-16 weeks, maybe more. She cant get into anything because her cage is small, away from all walls and only contains her dish,water bottle,fleece and a maple branch. I keep no chemicals in their room. She was fine today, jumping around her cage even with her three good paws. She was hesitant to even move when I tried to feed her, Tried to syringe some formula through the cage so she wouldnt eat me but she could careless, she even let e pet her...with a glove on of course. This is not normal, this little girl is normally the spawn of satan, she hates everyone and charges to attack if you even try to put your hand near her or her cage.

[Cejemere]

oh, no seizures that I have seen, just very unbalanced and out of it.

[4skwerlz]

Are you sure it was maple branch? Any chance she was exposed to the heat today? Any clicking? Any new foods today?

[Cejemere]

I'm sure it is maple, we cut down a maple tree in the side of the yard and i brought in a few branches for Ava and Angel,no heat I close the blinds at 4 because they get direct sunlight at that point and it is too hot, no new foods. They got broccoli, califlower and collard greens. Angel is perfectly fine, Ava is not. Ava is shaking slightly like she is cold so I'm going to put in a rice buddie, she is eating all of her food though..slowly...but eating.

[4skwerlz]

What has her feeding schedule been? Which formula are you using? Any diarrhea?

Why are there only two babies? I thought you had five.

[Cejemere]

She gets fed in the morning, enough food to last the day and then again at night. I just gave her about 6 cc's of formula and she drank it all, she seems fine now...she is hopping around, she ate all of her food. More energy than she had. No diarrhea, normal poops. At the moment I gave her esbilac because it is what my other babies were on when I got them and I havent switched them over completely to FV.

[Cejemere]

I have Angel my house squirrel (she hates the outdoors), Ava my NR and 5 babies. The babies are only 5 weeks. Angel and Ava are both about the same age, Angel I've had since she was 6 weeks and Ava I have only had about a month. She was wild before then and still is, hence the spawn of satan who hates everyone! I'm guessing her age as I cant remember how old Angel is.

[4skwerlz]

Need some more background. Approximately how old is Ava, and why is she NR? Is Ava the squirrel you named Stewie before or is this a different squirrel?

[Cejemere]

Yes Stewie turned out to be a girl so we renamed her Ava. She is NR because of her front arm, she cant use it due to nerve damage but has muscle control. I'm wondering if she is diabetic? I have no history on her because the rehabber didnt know anything about her other than she was mauled by a dog and couldnt be released. I'll figure out her age.

[4skwerlz]

How old is she?

What is her diet?

[Cejemere]

Ava is 15-16 weeks. Her diet is normally two blocks in the morning, veggies during the day and veggies at night, one piece of fruit at night after all veggies are gone. I was also giving her formula at night every other night but then took her off of it. The past few days she has been getting veggies in the morning and at night because I lapsed in blocks.

[Jackie in Tampa]

It seems as though she perked up after the formula.
Have you given her any of the calcium or tums?
Make sure she is hydrated, the rice buddy is great...do you have an extra heating pad?

[Cejemere]

She has been drinking her water, it is filled up everyday so I know if she is drinking it. Formula and food seem to have made her back to her normal self...but now I need to figure out whats wrong with her so I know how to maintain her health. I didnt give her calcium or tums, she perked up on her own from eating. Weird. Satan's spawn, I swear! Sent here to drive me crazy!

[4skwerlz]

If she's been eating nothing but veggies for a few days, it could have been simple low-blood-sugar. Veggies have no calories. She needs blocks, or formula, or something caloric. That's my best guess as to what happened.

Since she came from another rehabber and you may not know diet history, it's possible she could have been pre-MBD and not having any blocks for a few days pushed her into a calcium crisis. However, based on what you've posted, sounds like the girl just needs more food.

[Jackie in Tampa]

I would give her formula twice a day, 12-20ccs.
Keep heat available to her.
Listen close for seizure activity tonight...
If it is MBD, sqs tend to be fragile minded...nervous and jittery, antsy...anything can push them over the edge..but generally they will be lethargic as thier body depletes calcium from itself.
Injuries use so much energy to heal...nutrition and calcium are a must.
Molasses diluted with water the color of tea may help her feel better.
TSB has a sticky in the emergency forum on MBD treatment with alot of info.
How's she doing?

[Cejemere]

She seems to be fine, moving around her cage. I put in the rice buddies and she climbed right onto them and burried her face down into them. She is content now but sure gave me one :soapbox of a scare! I'll give her some more formula tomorrow morning and night. I'm sure I'll be up every few hours to check on her so I'll watch for anything else that is wrong and dose her with calcium if need be. I dont have molasses but I have organic honey, I can dilute it with water.