When Elvis grunts he sounds congested

[tambot1]

I'm not new here as I have a two legged three year old gray squirrel that you guys have been a blessing with. A neighbor found a baby squirrel about a week or so ago and gave it to me since I have had experience with babies and he has been doing great. gained weight and great appetite. His eyes are not open yet but I think it will be any day now. he has been doing wonderful until this morning. When he grunts he sounds congested. No clicking sounds just kind of rattley when he grunts. he has gotten some formula up his nose a few times but I keep it cleaned so it won't harden. I am using a syringe to feed. Just very worried because he is sneezing a little and when he does it looks like a small amount of formula is coming out of his nose. still eating well but I am very worried as I am afraid he may have gotton too cold last night because he did not cover himself very well everytime I checked on him during the night. I recovered him each time but it all changed as of this morning with the hoarse sounds. Should I be worried as I am over protective of baby squirrels or wait and see if there are any changes. Wasn't sure what to do now.

[CritterMom]

Where are you in Florida? He sounds as though he needs antibiotics ASAP. Do you have any? Human stuff - cipro, amoxycillen? If not you may be near someone who can help but we need to know where you are.

[tambot1]

Panama City Fl, I have a vet that treats my other squirrel , should I get him there now..Is this bad...

[tambot1]

My aunt is a nurse and said she has cipro in pill form. How do I administer it and what dose. It scares me giving them human meds but I trust your advise so tell me what to do. She said it is 500mg.

[CritterMom]

I am going to try to get you some help with that. Cipro is about the best thing you could have for this!:thumbsup

[Jackie in Tampa]

does the baby have a heat source?
heating pad?
I can help with cipro 500mg...
I need you to get the babys weight in grams if possible...
and a pic would help also..

[tambot1]

he does have a heating pad which I stopped using about 5 days ago because he acted like it was too warm for him because he kept moving away from it and it was on low. he is in a lot of blankets now, should I try the heating pad again? I have no way to weigh him but he was very tiny when I got him and he has filled out nice since. They medication is waiting on me to get so once I find out how much I will go get it and give it to him. pic attached

[tambot1]

His bowel movements are getting harder than normal...is this normal to vary in consistancy...it has been a while since I raised a baby squirrel because mine is three. They have been failry mushy and yellow up until about an hour ago and they are still yellow but harder

[CritterMom]

I think I would be giving him hydration right now. That makes them feel worse. You only need one 500mg cipro.

Hydrating fluid

1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 quart water

Feed warmed to formula temp.

[tambot1]

he just ate big and went back to sleep. How much of the cipro do I give him from the one pill and how do I give it to him. I am completly lost and frustrated at this point not knowing how to do this. I don't want to give him too much meds. very worried. I am calling the pet store to see if they will weigh him for me.

[Jackie in Tampa]

go to taget or walmart and buy a digital scale...
$20
it's best to know for sure.
It's saturday afternoon, your vet is open?:thumbsup
ask for a handful of 1cc syringes while you're there...that way you can throw them away when they stick. I doubt they will have the O ring at type at the vets, mine never does.:shakehead

I think I would restart the heating pad, but put towel between container and pad...
ideally would be a fist sized warm spot inside the container...never hot and never where he couldn't leave the heat if he wanted.
If he continues to avoid it...well maybe he really doesn't want/need it.:tilt

:thinking sometimes sneezing can be from lint up the nose...
dusty bedding...wood bedding...fragrant bedding etc...
Go get the tablet...make sure it is not expired...I will send instructiions when you get a weight in grams...yet am not sure he needs anything...
usually there is a loss of appetite and lethary...
however I just got on and saw the PM.

[CritterMom]

Send a PM to Jackie in Tampa - she posted above. She will probbly give you her phone number so she can walk you through dissolving and dosing your baby. Gram scales can be found at office supply stores like Staples (postage scales) and kitchen type places for less than $20.

[tambot1]

I have a ton of syringes as my family is in medical. I am taking him to a pet store that has a vet on site and they are going to just weigh him for me but not examine or anything just as a favor. It will be about 2 hours before I have weight and pill. Once I get the dosage from you based on his weight how do I give it to him????? My main concern is the sound he is making such as a cold, congestion etc..the sneezing is just random but it is formula that is coming out of his nose. Just a raspy sound....will someone be on here to help me when I get back to give him meds. can thsi medication hurt him in anyway? the bowel movement concerns me now as it just changed about an hour ago from soft to harder

[Jackie in Tampa]

get a ptrobotic while you are out...
good bacteria as well as bad bacteria are killed with antibiotics..
you need to replinish the good ones.
I use yogurt in my formula...
however, the pet store will have benbac
and the drug store will have acidiopholis..

it's not going to hurt him, but it's not ideal either...
usually lethargy and appetite loss are symptoms of aspiration pnuemonia...

sorry about mentioning the syringes...I was thinking of another thread!:peace

[tambot1]

Ok we are back with the weight 82.2 and a 500 mg pill. Now talk me through this please :). One question, it is time for him to eat and I noticed the meds say no milk so what should I do, should I feed him first and put him to bed for a bit or go ahead and do meds and wait on milk. What do I mix the pill with and how much based on his weight. I will have to go back to pet store for other items you mentioned because I didn't get the message before I left. Also just a quick question, I am pretty sure he is a gray squirrel but the man at the vet said he thinks its a fox squirrel which i doubt. Can you tell based on his pic?

[island rehabber]

he is a beautiful Eastern Grey Squirrel. :)
Jackie's on the case with the dosage :thumbsup -- I am headed back out to secure things but will make sure to check in on your little guy too. :)

[Jackie in Tampa]

I will pm instructions..

[Jackie in Tampa]

break the cipro 500mg tablet in half...
USE ONLY HALF....
take 1/2 tablet put in a tablespoon, crush with a teaspoon until completely mascerated.

place powder in small container with lid...
{I use baby food jar}
add 20cc/ml water
{cc and ml are the same}

label the jar
strength 1ml/12.5mg
exp. 9/10/2011
you will store in the refridgerator

you will make sure you shake and disolve very well

you will quickly pull meds up thru syringe from the middle of the solution, not the bottom where there may be sediment

the dose you will give is .06ml/cc
{that is 6 teeny little lines from the tip of a 1ml/cc syringe}
BID {twice a day}
for 5-7 days

your baby needs every drop
some people will tell you to flavor it..
do not flavor the medicine in the jar, you will misdose the remaining doses..
it is a small amount..give juice after you administer the meds...:thumbsup

YOU MUST give a probotic 2 hours before or after meds
:Love_Icon good luck

[SquirrelsinSingapore]

:Love_Icon

[tambot1]

You guys ROCK as always. You are always there when my little babies run into problems..bless all of you!!! Elvis is doing very well. He is eating great. My only concern is his bowel movements are very watery , yellow and smell rather bad. More so than normal. This actually started right before I started him on the antibiotic so I can't blame it on that. It went from normal yellow sort of mushy but solid to watery. You can hear him when he goes almost like gas but then it is running poo. Any idea or could it be that he is just eating more than he was. Also is it good to just continue to mix the yogurt with his formula or should I just go back to regualr formula when done with meds. I got him plain activia and he actually seems to like it.