Scrat is sick ...please help!

[Ronda]

She was out playing and got behind the desk.. she had gotten a tube of diaper ointment and chewed the end off... but she definitely did eat some, she threw up a wad about the size of a chick pea. She is acting lethargic and her tummy seems to be having spasms where it gets hard. She just wants to lie draped over her stuffie. I syringed her a little water, she did eat her normal dinner and all before she got into this stuff.
Here is the info on what she got into, any help will be appreciated


Boudreaux's Butt Paste is the solution to diaper rash. Pediatrician recommended, it goes on and cleans off easily. Treats and protects babies and adults. Boudreaux's Butt Paste even has a pleasant scent. Protect chafed skin due to diaper rash and help seal out wetness with Boudreaux's Butt Paste.

Directions:

Change wet and soiled diapers promptly. Cleanse the diaper area. Allow to dry. Apply ointment liberally as often as necessary, with each diaper change and especially when exposed to wet diapers for a prolonged period of time, such as bedtime.

# Store between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F)
# Use with infants, children and adults
# Caution: will stain clothing and fabric

Active Ingredients:

# Zinc Oxide 16%

Inactive Ingredients:

# Boric Acid, Castor Oil, Mineral Oil, Paraffin, Peruvian Balsam, Petrolatum

Warnings:

# For external use only
# Avoid contact with eyes
# Stop use and ask a doctor if condition worsens or does not improve after 7 days
# Keep out of reach of children
# If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away

[RamaMama]

Scrat & Ronda,

We are so sorry to hear of Scrat's dilemma; our concerns and prayers are with you both. :Love_Icon :Love_Icon
Hoping to see Rehabber's get right back to you with a course of action and remedy.
Love & Blessings :grouphug

RamaMama, Stosh, & Rama Rota

[Ronda]

now she is crying out a little and throwing up ... I put white sheets in her cage and box to keep am eye on urine color. Her tummy is getting hard and then she throws up, but she is acting a little more lively

[Anne]

Good that she is vomiting and getting that out of her system. Wonderful for it's intended Butt's, not good for squirrels :shakehead Keep close eye on her and give supportive care-flush with fluids-soft easy to digest foods for at least 24 hours. Fast, sneaky, nosy little critters aren't they! :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug :grouphug to both Scratty and Momma.

[CritterMom]

Ronda, can you call a vet? Castor oil is bad stuff. Zinc oxide would make her sick but the castor oil scares me.

In the very least, start pushing fluids on her pretty aggressively. Make up some rehydrating solution - 1 teaspoon salt/3 Tablespoons sugar/1 quart water.

If you can get her to a vet, do so.

[Tickle's Mom]

:grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

[Ronda]

we will be pushing fluids, I looked up all the stuff that is in the ointment

As a food additive, zinc oxide is on the U.S. FDA's generally recognized as safe, or GRAS, substances.[79]
Zinc oxide itself is non-toxic; however it is hazardous to breathe zinc oxide fumes, as generated when zinc or zinc alloys are melted and oxidized at high temperature
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Based on mammalian median lethal dose (LD50) rating of 2,660 mg/kg body mass, boric acid is poisonous if taken internally or inhaled in large quantities. However, it is generally considered to be not much more toxic than table salt.[4] The Thirteenth Edition of the Merck Index indicates that the LD50 of boric acid is 5.14 g/kg for oral dosages given to rats, and that 5 to 20 g/kg has produced death in adult humans. The LD50 of sodium chloride is reported to be 3.75 g/kg in rats according to the Merck Index.

Long term exposure to boric acid may be of more concern, causing kidney damage and eventually kidney failure (see links below). Although it does not appear to be carcinogenic, studies in dogs have reported testicular atrophy after exposure to 32 mg/kg bw/day for 90 days. This level is far lower than the LD50
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Peru Balsam aromatic resin is extracted from the variant Myroxylon balsamum pereirae, native from Central America farther north. The name is a misinterpretation of its origin, since it was originally assembled and shipped to Europe from the ports of Callao and Lima, in Peru, even though the species is not indigenous to Peru. The indigenous use of Peru Balsam led to its export to Europe in the seventeenth century, where it was first documented in the German Pharmacopedia. Today El Salvador is the main exporter of Peru Balsam where it is extracted under a plainly handicraft process[4]

Peru balsam has uses in medicine, pharmaceutical, in the food industry and in perfumery. It has been used as a cough supressant, in the treatment of dry socket in dentistry, in suppositories for hemorrhoids, the plants have been reported to inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well as the common ulcer-causing bacteria, H. pylori in test-tube studies, so it used topically as a treatment of wounds and ulcers, as an antiseptic and used as an anal muscle relaxant. Peru Balsam can be found in diaper rash ointments, hair tonics, antidandruff preparations, and feminine hygiene sprays and as a natural fragrance in soaps, detergents, creams, lotions, and perfumes
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The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has categorized castor oil as "generally recognized as safe and effective" (GRASE) for over-the-counter use as a laxative, with its major site of action the small intestine.[14] Although it may be used for constipation, it is not a preferred treatment, because it can produce painful cramps and explosive diarrhea.[15] Undecylenic acid, a castor oil derivative, is also FDA-approved for over-the-counter use on skin disorders or skin problems.
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petrolatum - i know it *can* be given to cats for hairballs
mineral oil - should be inert
parafin - should be inert
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as far as I can tell mostly this is non toxic, but would cause bad cramping, vomiting and diarrhea.

About the Caster Oil, is there something particular to rodents or animals I need to be aware of?.... We are snowed/iced in here..but I am trying my vet (she does not know we have a squirrel :/ )

[Ronda]

ok... now she is lying on the bottom of her cage quietly, she does not seem to be in discomfort just now. I really want to just let her rest. She threw up 3 times so far. She is not at all happy about being forced to drink water, and I don't want to stress her or hold her tummy too tight. I had to burrito her to give her the water, but still had to hold her firmly.

Should I just let her rest and observe her ..or force more water and/or hydrating solution? If so how often?

[CritterMom]

Castor oil is made from castor beans which contain ricin, which is a favorite poison of the CIA and other shadowy spy organizations. Seriously. It is the thing that worries me the most here. Hopefull there isn't much in it.

Let her rest for a while, but continue giving her extra hydration every half hour or so and watch her carefully for anything other than sleeping. I hope she vomited everything out.

[Ronda]

ok.. I am less worried about the castor oil, I know about ricin, and it would not be in the castor oil, but I was concerned about any other castor oil issues. Right now she is still resting but she is drinking out of her water bottle alot. Her ears are up and her eyes are bright, but a lil closed and sleepy looking, she has not really been asleep at all since last night around 10 pm, so I know she is really tired. Her fur is kinda fuzzed out some, she just looks like she feels bad..but she is better than when she was throwing up. I think I will just try to give her an easy diet of Fox Valley later if she will eat it, and let her rest. I will update when something new, different or whatever comes up.

I am going to dry up my own tears. take some benedryl and set the alarm to check her -- probably both of us need sleep and less stress.

Thank you to everyone...I am so glad you have been here, it really has been helping me

[jo_schmoe]

Not sure if it helps....but what about charcoal?
I give it to my kids and myself when we have the flu....kinda absorbs the nasty bugs and flushes out your system. Also another thing I started using on myself and the squirrels ( just recently...as in 2 days ago) was edible terramin clay. Its great for bones, teeth and detoxing. Great stuff!!
here's the link
http://www.i-amperfectlyhealthy.com/RedDesertClay-HomePage.html?gclid=CNydupiGx6YCFYtS2god01SzIg

[CritterMom]

Jo, I have read of several really bad MBD cases that were only finally rectified with the terramin clay, so that has certainly benefitted squirrels in the past.

Scrat sounds okay, and if she is drinking on her own, that is good. The spikey fur is indicative of some dehydration, which you would expect from the vomitting.

[jo_schmoe]

Jo, I have read of several really bad MBD cases that were only finally rectified with the terramin clay, so that has certainly benefitted squirrels in the past.

Scrat sounds okay, and if she is drinking on her own, that is good. The spikey fur is indicative of some dehydration, which you would expect from the vomitting.
I swear by the stuff. In 2 days time it has already started dissolving the ganglion cyst I have had for 6 years.
Since the squirrels have had it...they are back to shiny coats...and LOTS of energy. It also seems to encourage them to drink more water. They are both doing VERY well.

[Tickle's Mom]

Jo, I have read of several really bad MBD cases that were only finally rectified with the terramin clay, so that has certainly benefitted squirrels in the past.

Scrat sounds okay, and if she is drinking on her own, that is good. The spikey fur is indicative of some dehydration, which you would expect from the vomitting.

I would be very interested in this for Tickle. Not showing much improvement in her legs at all.....do you or anyone have the amounts I should give her, in addition to the calcium protocol she is on? I will try anything for her. :Love_Icon

[4skwerlz]

I would be very interested in this for Tickle. Not showing much improvement in her legs at all.....do you or anyone have the amounts I should give her, in addition to the calcium protocol she is on? I will try anything for her. :Love_Icon

Just be careful with amounts, as the Terramin Clay is very high in iron oxide (which is poorly absorbed by the body, but I haven't been able to find out how much is absorbed). Since it's 120 times the recommended dosage of iron in normal supplements, it would be good to find out.

That being said, anything that could help an MBD squirrel is worth a try. I would provide her a small bit to nibble at will, so her instincts can guide her as to the amount. I'd be interested to hear what kind of results you get!

Also, since Tickle isn't recovering well, can you go over her current treatment regimen? Maybe it should be adjusted.

[Tickle's Mom]

Be happy too...later on. M2B posted pics of me :eek: so I am headed out to do something about that!! Or at least, try to :shakehead

[jo_schmoe]

Just be careful with amounts, as the Terramin Clay is very high in iron oxide (which is poorly absorbed by the body, but I haven't been able to find out how much is absorbed). Since it's 120 times the recommended dosage of iron in normal supplements, it would be good to find out.

That being said, anything that could help an MBD squirrel is worth a try. I would provide her a small bit to nibble at will, so her instincts can guide her as to the amount. I'd be interested to hear what kind of results you get!

Also, since Tickle isn't recovering well, can you go over her current treatment regimen? Maybe it should be adjusted.
That was one thing I was worried about as well...constipation. Im finding that they drink more since I added it....keeps things moving along nicely if ya know what I mean. LOL
I will say that since I started using it....they have healthy shiny coats....and TONS of energy. ( and the cyst on the bottom of my foot has decreased by 1/2...I take it too) I was scared about MBD when we lost Jude..( he was not an MBD baby) because they two bigger guys were moving slower....and didnt come out of the nest much.....I added the clay as a "just in case". Im leaning towards the belief that they were just picking up on the fact that their friend was gone...and my bad mood. I've seen the benefits of the clay in other rehabbers as well....and I myself have had no problems.

[RamaMama]

Hello Ronda,

This is the first chance I've had to get back on TSB today....
Scrat has been on my mind.................. :Love_Icon how are
things going for the two of you????????????

RamaMama

[Ronda]

Hi Rosie..and everyone.

I think the crisis is over. She is still tired, but she has been sleeping in her normal curled up, snuggled in her tail, position, instead of just stretched out or hunched over like she was early this morning. Her fur is down and shiny and she has been drinking her water. She nosed around for food so I gave her a bit and she munched on it, sitting up in her normal position. Her tail is up over her back. I don't see any dark or unusual spots of urine, or any diarrhea and no more vomiting. She has been wandering around her cage a little but not racing around and not playing with her toys. She has still been sleeping on the bottom of the cage, but that might be because we cleaned out her nest box and lined it with white linens, and she is mad about that. I don't want to post in this emergency thread anymore so that the rehabbers don't get alerts...so I am asking that it be moved or I will update further on another thread.

Thank you again to everyone for advice and support..It really meant a lot when we were so upset. The ppl on TSB are the best :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[JLM27]

O thank you, Lord Jesus, for this little one's health! I hope she continues to feel better. Weak tea and toast, that's what I had all day in Phom Penh when I was so sick. What would be the squirrel equivalent of that?

[RamaMama]

:Love_Icon Happy News to begin the day, :multi hugs to you both. :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

What would we ever do without our Wonderful Rehabber Friends.

Bless them All.:Love_Icon