Are these mites?

[ordubismom]

I got a squirrel a week and a half ago. I have rehabbed several over the last 5 years and this is my first one like this. I have kept her away from all of my other squirrels in case what she has is contagious. When she came to me her head was twice the size as normal and both eyes were swollen shut. She looked like a chipmunk. She could hardly use her mouth from all the swelling in her head. I get my squirrels from a local refuge and the lady there just says some won't make it, that is just the way it is. I had 1 doctor in our area that would talk to me about my squirrels but never see them. He said "you have to let nature run it's course". Well with her since she obviously had infection in her eyes he prescribed me Neo-Poly-Bac over the phone and let me pick it up. He would not prescribe oral antibiotics. So....I know you are all going to think this is terrible, but here goes. I decided to open up an amoxicillan capsule and pour a tiny amount into her milk 3 times a day. The swelling went away all but it is still raised a small amount over the top of her right eye. Then she started having diarrhea. Feedings have been terrible since the day she arrived. It's a fight. She will gladly eat from the plate of veggies, fruits, nuts and nut balls (that I made from fv formula, corn meal, applesauce, and peanut butter). I was worried she wasn't getting enough calcium since I could only get about 4 cc's at most in her before I can't fight her anymore. All my other babies can't wait for their turn to eat :O . Well once the diarrhea started and the hair started falling out I stopped the amoxicillan and started calling vets on monday morning. I found a wonderful doctor that not only saw my little Love, but she did not even charge me for the visit. She said it was most like the amoxicillan causing the hair loss and diarrhea since squirrels don't do well with that. She prescribed her .10ml baytril twice a day and to continue the eye ointment twice instead of the 4 times a day the other dr said. Well since I was there on Monday she is losing even more hair and feedings are nearly impossible. She has learned that I don't like to be bitten very well. I am uploading pictures of her so that maybe you can see if you think it is mites or not. I have made her another appointment with that doctor for 4:15 tomorrow, but if it is most likely still the effects from the amoxicillan then I would hate to bring her in again if she is fine. She is drinking water from the water bottle and eating from the plate good, and doesn't have diarrhea from that but the formula feedings give her not quite diarrhea now, but very loose and messy to say the least. Thanks for any help you can give. mjs

[ordubismom]

Oh my goodness. I am resizing the pictures right now.

[ordubismom]

Sorry about the giant pictures.

[CritterMom]

I normally prefer to give probiotics after the meds are done, but since she is having diarrhea from the amoxycillen, I would strongly suggest you get some Bene-bac and add it to her formula. If you get the powder form, you can even sprinkle it on her dry food. The amoxycillen plays havoc with the good gut bacteria, killing it along with the bad stuff; the Bene-bac will very rapidly replace it.

You may also want to give her one drop of kaopectate to stop the diarrhea quickly.

If those are mites of some kind a drop of Revolution on the skin between her shoulders will get rid of them with no fear of harming her. You will need a scrip from the vet for it, or if you know someone with a dog or cat thatuses it, you may be able to get a little from them.

[ordubismom]

Well I called my Mother-in-law that works at the Dr's office that talks to me over the phone and she is checking their office to see if they have any revolution that got left behind. They no longer carry it, but she said there may be a tube that got left and not sent back. You would think we were in on a deserted Island with the trouble I am having with vet's, but we are in central florida. Lol. If she can't get that for me I will start with the bene-bac and bring her to her appointment tomorrow. She was supposed to go back to the vet on the 25th anyway, so if I can get the revolution I will wait till her scheduled recheck. Is revolution the only thing? Maybe Mom's office would carry something else that works for mites.

[CritterMom]

Well, Ivermectin, but the dosing is so tricky, and the amount given so tiny it is scary to give. We've seen a couple instances where if the amount recommended by the vet had been administered, it would have killed the squirrel. The Revolution is nice because it is topical and even if your hand shakes and you put several drops on it won't hurt him.