View Full Version : unalert
I just got home from the vet with my dog...I have been there all day with him-luckily he is going to be ok. Unfortunately due to the suddeness of my dog's issues, I did not get a chance to feed my squirrel this morning. I just went out to see him and he seemed very unalert and lethargic. I gave him a block which he preceeded to eat very slowly. His tail is usually upright and he appears very alert but his tail is down and he seems a bit wobbly. He keeps slumping over to eat and laying down. I don't know if this is due to low blood sugar or something else. I gave him a grape which he is also eating very slowly but he is slumping over. I feel like an awful mom, I forgot all about him because of my dog's sudden onset of bizzare symtoms. Is it possible his glucose stores are just deprived? He is such a little guy I'm sure it wouldn't take long. What do I need to do?
Jackie in Tampa
11-07-2010, 04:42 PM
how old is he?
is he outside? does he still take formula...?
is he cold?
I guess I would bring him inside for observations and triage until he perks up...
hope he's ok..
does he appear dehydrated?
He is well over 15 weeks and has been off formula for a while. He does live outside, but the weather has been fairly mild today. He doesn't appear cold, although he is down inside my shirt right now. He doesn't appear dehydrated- well at least his skin isn't tenting. Should I try pedialyte? He just isn't himself. I could always run up to work and get some stuff to give him some sub-q fluids...but not sure if it's necessary, and not sure the amount to give a squirrely.
squirrelfriend
11-07-2010, 05:09 PM
The pedialyte certainly wouldn't hurt. Does he have the runs? That can dehydrate him very fast as well. Get him warmed up and get fluids in him and see how he does. If he doen't improve fairly quickly then we'll see. Do that first for now.
squirrelfriend
11-07-2010, 05:12 PM
Does he have a warm nest box in his cage out there with lots of bedding inside to keep warm? Can you bring him inside? He is still pretty young. If you have a back heating pad put it under half of his cage. You can put him in a small cage for the meanwhile until he perks up.
What source of calcium does he get? What is his diet like?
Stool appears well formed and normal. He does have a nesting box with bedding. He eats Henry's healthy blocks as well as veggies, fruits, and nuts. I offered him the water bottle (he has constant access to this in his cage) and he drank a ton. He is still lethargic and is up against my skin under my shirt. I'm going to turn the heating pad on too for him.
mugzeezma
11-07-2010, 05:42 PM
Stool appears well formed and normal. He does have a nesting box with bedding. He eats Henry's healthy blocks as well as veggies, fruits, and nuts. I offered him the water bottle (he has constant access to this in his cage) and he drank a ton. He is still lethargic and is up against my skin under my shirt. I'm going to turn the heating pad on too for him.
Have you fed him any nuts or acorns in the last 24hrs?
Any branches?
Has he been loose outside or in the house in the last 24hrs?
Look all over his body for any bumps, bulges, warm spots, bruising, discoloration, scabs...look for signs of trauma or bugbites.
start Hydrating ASAP.
He is starting to perk up a bit and getting his little attitude back. I tried to examine him and he was quite unhappy-making his mean squirrel noises at me. He ate acorns yesterday, but no branches. Until now, he had not been out since Friday ( I know, bad mom). What little he let me look at him he appeared normal. I have him in his inside cage now and will probably keep him in for the night to continue to monitor his condition.
squirrelfriend
11-07-2010, 06:06 PM
Does his diet include dark leafy greens? Lettuce not included. Kale, broccoli, dandilion greens, spinach collard green and such are good. Just no lettuce. lettuce has no nutrients.
mugzeezma
11-07-2010, 06:10 PM
He is starting to perk up a bit and getting his little attitude back. I tried to examine him and he was quite unhappy-making his mean squirrel noises at me. He ate acorns yesterday, but no branches. Until now, he had not been out since Friday ( I know, bad mom). What little he let me look at him he appeared normal. I have him in his inside cage now and will probably keep him in for the night to continue to monitor his condition.
Do you think he may have gotten a bad acorn?
Keep flooding him
How is your dog?
Is he ill?
He is looking a lot better now! I really think his sugar may have bottomed out because after he ate, got some water, and rested he has perked up. He is currently devouring his veggies like he normally does. Gonna continue to push the fluids and watch him overnight. My dog is doing much better as well, thank you. He began excessively drooling and we were afraid he had an obstruction. The vet was more concerned with pancretitis, but his enzymes came back normal. He received a shot of atropine to calm his secretions and we have been keeping a close eye on him for status changes. I guess today is just sick animal day at my house, talk about stressful!
mugzeezma
11-07-2010, 06:24 PM
He is looking a lot better now! I really think his sugar may have bottomed out because after he ate, got some water, and rested he has perked up. He is currently devouring his veggies like he normally does. Gonna continue to push the fluids and watch him overnight. My dog is doing much better as well, thank you. He began excessively drooling and we were afraid he had an obstruction. The vet was more concerned with pancretitis, but his enzymes came back normal. He received a shot of atropine to calm his secretions and we have been keeping a close eye on him for status changes. I guess today is just sick animal day at my house, talk about stressful!
Makes me wonder if the two of them got into something...:dono
squirrelsrule&bunniestoo
11-07-2010, 06:26 PM
I don't think that missing a morning feeding should effect a squirrel that is old enough to be outside. My squirrels get fed once a day in the morning and get fed at 5 AM Monday through Friday, but on the weekends, I sleep in (and I don't mean just a little :D) so they don't get fed until 11:30 or 12:00 sometimes I do cleaning on Saturday before feeding them so it is 1 in the afternoon before they get the food for the day and they are always alert and active running around and everything, no issues at all. In the wild, they sometimes go a day without food if the weather is bad or something, so they should have enough reserves to do that if necessary. I wouldn't think that the issue is related to missing the morning feeding, so I would watch him and make sure he is alright, it could be another issue altogether.
squirrelsrule&bunniestoo
11-07-2010, 06:26 PM
Makes me wonder if the two of them got into something...:dono
I too wonder if they could both have something similar? Squirrels symptoms seem odd for just missing a feeding.
Not sure what they both would have gotten into, but I wouldn't put it past them. I'm just relieved they both appear to be feeling better. Going to continue to keep a close eye on both.
mugzeezma
11-07-2010, 06:48 PM
I too wonder if they could both have something similar? Squirrels symptoms seem odd for just missing a feeding.
mycotoxins?
Squirrel eats nut dog comes to check it out and slurps up the leftovers?
Excessive salivation in a dog can be poisoning and the odd behavior of the squirrel sounds like it too.
Keep on flooding BOTH OF THEM.
His atropine is starting to wear off and he is starting to drool a bit more. The squirrel is looking better. If mycotoxins are the case, is the best thing I can do is push water?
Although he does appear better, he still isn't himself. He is not climbing, jumping, and running around like he normally does. He pretty much just wants to stay on me and find someplace warm to snuggle. He appears more alert and he is eating with much more euthusiasm. I've tried to push the fluids, but he only drinks when he wants... maybe if I had a syringe it would be easier. I certainly don't want to put him into heart failure, but should I try sub-q fluids? I'm extremely stressed and probably won't get a wink of sleep between my two sick animals.
mugzeezma
11-07-2010, 10:50 PM
Although he does appear better, he still isn't himself. He is not climbing, jumping, and running around like he normally does. He pretty much just wants to stay on me and find someplace warm to snuggle. He appears more alert and he is eating with much more euthusiasm. I've tried to push the fluids, but he only drinks when he wants... maybe if I had a syringe it would be easier. I certainly don't want to put him into heart failure, but should I try sub-q fluids? I'm extremely stressed and probably won't get a wink of sleep between my two sick animals.
Feed him high liquid, juicy foods like grapes, melon, apple, orange, Instead of water or pedialyte use watered down juice. IMO opinion even Koolaid if he accepts it!
You just want a lot of fluid flushing him out.
With both of them you want to monitor urine output. You want a lot of pee coming out.
I don't think I would subQ
First of all subQing a somewhat sick but alert squirrel is a battle. It's stressful and you aren't really getting it in as fast as you would orally. Fluids are absorbed more quickly through the gut...as it should be.
Eating is a good sign so try the juicy stuff...
The worst part is not knowing what the problem is or if the 2 are even related.
I find it an odd coincidence that they would both be ill simultaneously
I've been pushing the fluids-through fruits and he seems to be urinating more. His urine and stool both seem fine. He has a great appetite but there is still something off about him. He slept until 10am this morning and he only got up then because I woke him up. He eagerly jumped out of his cage onto me and we went and got his breakfast. After he ate he groomed himself for a quite a while and then ran around his cage for just a few minutes. Afterwards, he went back to his bed and began to "fall asleep" in the strangest position. He was sitting up with his head tucked and his eyes wide open. Just seems odd to me, he has never slept that way.
Kristal
11-09-2010, 04:02 AM
How is he doing today?
Jackie in Tampa
11-09-2010, 05:38 AM
when a sqs head is tucked , chin to chest, I suspect pain or aggitation of some sort.
LynninIN
11-09-2010, 06:53 AM
Hi amh,
Let me know if you need some help.
Lynn
mugzeezma
11-09-2010, 07:06 AM
when a sqs head is tucked , chin to chest, I suspect pain or aggitation of some sort.
That's the Sick Squirrel pose.
He's still off.
Eating is a good sign though.
How is his activity level today?
Is he eating as much as he does normally?
Keep pushing fluids and monitoring urine output.
How is your dog?
Jackie in Tampa
11-09-2010, 07:18 AM
HI Lynninin..
good to see you...hugs friend.
Hi Sammarific...miss you both!:grouphug
amh, Lynninin is the greatest asset for you right now...she is in the human medical field, she knows sqs well, and is a really wonderful person...
If you need help, she is IT!:alright.gif
I have met this woman and adore her...100% dedicated... she has contacts if needed.
Please PM her if you need to. :Love_Icon
She is the best TSB has in that neck of the woods and all over really!:thumbsup
I am vouching for her, she really wants to help!:)
island rehabber
11-09-2010, 07:37 AM
:thumbsup I second that! LynninIN is the best -- please let her help your little guy!!
Hi everyone,
Thank you all so much for all the help! Both the squirrel and dog are back to themselves 100%. I found what appeared to be a "bird murder scene" in the backyard and suspect maybe the dog got a bird (as he is known to do). Perhaps he was having difficulty swallowing it- causing the excessive drooling. That isjust a guess though. Doesn't explain why the vet didn't feel it, unless he had passed it by the time she examined him.
The squirrel is back to normal too. He is running around and jumping like crazy. I let him outside yesterday in his outside cage but brought him in through the night. This morning he was going insane in his inside cage, he could not wait to get out to his much larger cage outside. He is continuing to eat and drink normally. I'm so relieved he is doing better, I really thought I was going to lose him. Again, thank you for the responses. I'm so lucky to have such a helpful resource!
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1132.snc4/149405_645916433237_210605191_35868891_3013585_n.j pg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v335/221/111/210605191/n210605191_32463407_5261.jpg
CritterMom
11-09-2010, 07:05 PM
I'm pretty sure I know what happened to your boxer. Have you found the rest of the tractor trailer...??
mugzeezma
11-09-2010, 07:35 PM
I'm pretty sure I know what happened to your boxer. Have you found the rest of the tractor trailer...??
:rotfl :rotfl :rotfl
Best Life
11-09-2010, 07:59 PM
AMH - :alright.gif I am so relieved and happy to hear the good news! Your kids are adorable - thank you for posting pictures. They are both very lucky to have such a great parent! Bet it feels good to be able to breath a sigh of relief - been praying for you guys. - Linda
Best Life
11-09-2010, 08:00 PM
I'm pretty sure I know what happened to your boxer. Have you found the rest of the tractor trailer...??
CritterMom - TOO funny!!
Lol, he absolutely adores that tire toy. Anyways, I just have a question about mycotoxins. I guess there is no way actual way to determine if a nut is bad and (although I'm not sure what brought on the illness) now I'm afraid to give my squirrel any more nuts. We have a large container of acorns we have collected from various places (there are no nut-bearing trees in our yard) and I have been giving him a couple everyday. Should I stop giving him nuts to avoid potential problems?
mugzeezma
11-10-2010, 02:54 AM
Lol, he absolutely adores that tire toy. Anyways, I just have a question about mycotoxins. I guess there is no way actual way to determine if a nut is bad and (although I'm not sure what brought on the illness) now I'm afraid to give my squirrel any more nuts. We have a large container of acorns we have collected from various places (there are no nut-bearing trees in our yard) and I have been giving him a couple everyday. Should I stop giving him nuts to avoid potential problems?
It sure sounded like some type of poisoning to me.
Without actually finding the "smoking gun' it's hard to say what it was.
It sounded so much like squirrel eats acorn, decides it's bad and throws it to the dog. The dog will eat anything! He was chowing on a dead bird. squirrels will eat birds too. Youtube is loaded with bird eating squirrels.
THe dog drooling thing really smacked of poisoning to me.
Ever see a dog chew on a toad? Same thing happens. Incredible drooling.
Black molds are some of the nastiest mycotoxins and can be hard to detect.
In the case of another person on here that fed wild black walnuts, I wondered if the mold had been on the outside embedded in that thick wrinkly shell.
I think that when you have a squirrel captive and feed it the squirrel will invariably believe that what you give it is good and worth trying. You're mom, right? They don't have the free range choices the wilds do. With nuts storage is a big issue. They need to be kept cool and dry. i learned a little trick when i was washing mud off some acorns. i put the in a bowl of water. Some sank and some floated. When I cracked them open the ones that sank were good inside and the wormy moldy ones were the floaters. If the wild's didn't eat them they may not be good unless there were so many that it would have been impossible. The one good thing about wormy acorns is that the little white grubs come out in the warm house and my squirrels think they are better than CANDY! YUM!
Squirrelies LOVE eating bugs and fat moths.
Given all that...when you offer wild food you take a risk.:dono
Jackie in Tampa
11-10-2010, 05:45 AM
I am a freak when it comes to bringing in outdoor natural stuff for my insiders...
a freak!
I have a few places I have deemed safe to collect from, I asked my neighbor if he sprayed anything, when he said NO, I knew I could safely give acorns from his yard..
I have a zillion places that i could collect, but not knowing if the city sprays or the malls maintainance crews fertilize, i leave the gorgeous acorns alone...gotta be sure!:surrender :o
:sanp3 Mycos...a real nightmare...
:nono I do not feed chestnuts imported...they have the opportunity to sit and sour between Europe and home...I learned the hard way...I lost Frisco:Love_Icon , but was able to save Sammy:Love_Icon , it took many months for the illness to pass and even longer to rehab his lungs...
he was in the HalfWay House over a year ago...that's where he fell ill.
4 sqs were being released and eating the same foods...two bounced back after smz_tmp treatment...the other two did not do as well. Many vets , mega meds, mucho money and lots of sleepless nights...
but Sammy was just recently released.!:thumbsup
It took a year....
Mold, hmmmm, seems we can never be too safe...
gotta be 100% sure what we are feeding...
I for one, would never pick a wild shroom...I am not a botanist and do not trust pics enough...shrooms are $2 at the store and I know what they are!
too easy to feel good!:tilt
Hope this helps....:wave123
glad to hear they are both feeling better!
:thinking what was the question again...:osnap :D
mugzeezma
11-10-2010, 07:37 AM
:thinking what was the question again...:osnap :D
NUTS! jackie It was about wild nuts! :rotfl :rotfl
Jackie in Tampa
11-10-2010, 07:46 AM
that reminds me for newbies...
never keep acorns {fresh} in a closed container...:shakehead
coz they will mold!
However you can freeze immediately after harvesting them...in freezer container!
-OR-
you can lay them out to dry and then store in airtight container.
We do not have nut trees here...so as far as fresh hickory's etc, I have no clue....:dono
LynninIN
11-10-2010, 07:25 PM
So happy to hear both your squirrel & boxer are back to normal. They look great to me! I will pm my contact info just in case you ever need anything.
:Love_Icon Jackie & IR... blushing here.
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