View Full Version : EYE INFECTION
cslahaie
09-19-2011, 03:15 PM
Hey all, I'm in need of some more advice. My RJ had an eye infection a while ago which was treated with erythromycin ointment. This has since come back over the last week and is worse than the original. In the mornings I am having to open his eye for him, the ointment doesn't seem to be working this time. There is no known squirrel vet in the area. Thanks!
Christina
astra
09-19-2011, 05:01 PM
I am no expert - they will be here soon, please keep checking.
In the meantime, could you give some more history about RJ?... How long you had him, how he was found, how old he is, his daily activities, what he eats etc etc etc?
About the infection: when it started, symptoms, how it responded to the initial treatment, how he acts etc ?
As much detail as possible
Is there a way you could post a photo?
cslahaie
09-19-2011, 05:14 PM
He is extremely camera shy lol I will try later this evening to get his photo but no promises. He is about 7 months old and I have had him since he was about 5 weeks old. Was knocked out of a large oak tree during the first of the awful storms we had in March this year. He is sooooo sweet and has the best personality! As far as daily activities he's in a large enclosure indoors with lots of branches and toys etc. for him to play with, he gets out and runs around the house with us several times a week. As far as his diet he eats fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
As far as the infection the initial one was Idk sometime in early August. Erythromycin ointment cleared it up within a few days. His disposition has never changed although he may be a little less active with this bout which is why I'm more worried. This bout has seemed to crop up about 2 weeks ago and it initially looked like it was getting better but then took a turn for the worse a few days ago. Now I have to open his eye for him in the mornings and clean it with a warm washcloth. its slightly red around the eye and may have a tiny bit of swelling although as compared to the other eye there doesn't seem to be much difference in size anyways. The eyeball looks ok itself. This looks like conjunctivitis but its just not getting any better and I'm worried about my lil boy!
Thanks!
astra
09-19-2011, 06:10 PM
thanks for the info - please just keep checking: someone experienced will respond soon (it's a baby season, so ppl are very busy).
Just an observation - it might not have anything to do with the infection, but just for his overall health: you didn't mention any squirrel/rodent block in his diet. So, I assume he doesn't eat any. But he must.
Squirrels have very specific nutritional requirements that are very difficult to meet in captivity unless they eat a quality rodent block daily.
Please check Squirrel Nutrition forum for a Healthy Diet for Pet Squirrels: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=191
His daily menu should consist of a couple of blocks (the amount will depend on what kind of block) + fresh veggies (lots of greens etc) + fresh fruit and a couple of nuts as treats only.
People use Mazuri, Kaytee Forti, Harland Teklad etc etc.
One of the most popular blocks is Henry's Healthy Block that can be purchased on www.henryspets.com. Or, there is a homemade recipe in the Squirrel Nutrition forum and ingredients can be purchased on henryspets.com
If he does not eat a quality squirrel block daily, he has high chance of developing MBD.
Proper nutrition boosts their immune system, which in turn raises their resistance to infections, as well as helps recovery and healing.
But, yes, this infection needs a special attention.
So, let's wait for the experienced rehabbers.
In the meantime, a photo might be helpful (if you can and if he lets you ;-)):grouphug
astra
09-19-2011, 07:18 PM
:bump
Baxied
09-19-2011, 07:42 PM
I'm not sure where you are in TN, but another member on this board has a vet in North Georgia that will see a squirrel. Just a thought.
cslahaie
09-19-2011, 07:55 PM
I'm in Memphis so North Georgia is out. As far as his diet he was on blocks I just ran out not too long ago but this did remind me I need to order some more, thanks! I was able to get some pics so they will be attached.
cslahaie
09-19-2011, 07:57 PM
Here's another one
cslahaie
09-19-2011, 07:58 PM
Just as a comparison this next one is his good eye... PLEASE Dont mind the food and the mess it totally never looks like that he just got done eating and I had just gotten home so he had made quite a mess today lol
iluvbabysquirrels
09-19-2011, 08:20 PM
hahaha lol but about the eye, im not a expert, but hopefully they will see this and tell wat to do!
astra
09-19-2011, 08:43 PM
just bumping this again - that eye doesn't look good:grouphug
cslahaie
09-19-2011, 09:50 PM
ya I know
Rhapsody
09-19-2011, 10:39 PM
How long did you use the medication on the eye? - some times it can take up to a week (7 days) for the treatments to work and at other times you might have
to use some thing stronger...... I have used this before on my ferrets, dogs and chinchillas when they had eye infections.... its stronger.
Link:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+12891+9674&pcatid=9674
island rehabber
09-19-2011, 10:54 PM
:goodpost I have used that product for cats and you don't need a prescription to buy it. Definitely keep it up for at least 10 days, even 2 weeks. These eye infections are difficult to completely cure, as you've seen yourself. Other opthalmic ointments will require a vet to write you a scrip.
cslahaie
09-19-2011, 11:23 PM
:thankyou :grouphug :wahoo :multi Thanks you guys!! I just ordered the Terramycin. How many times a day is it? Hoping it ships quickly!!!!!! Y'all are awesome!
Rhapsody
09-19-2011, 11:37 PM
How many times a day is it? At least 2 times a day..... no more than 3.
mpetys
09-20-2011, 12:00 AM
I just recently had a baby that had conjunctivitis; her eyes looked just like your little ones. When I got her, I thought she was an eyes closed baby until I realized that she had this brown liquid oozing from her closed eyes. Upon closer inspection, I saw that her eyes were closed from the dried crud. After using a warm cloth to wipe her eyes, I found that her eyes were open but she had an infection. I took her to the vet and the drops they prescribed was Tobramycin Opthalmic Solution USP, 0.3%. She got 1 drop in both eyes 3 - 4 times for 10 days and they cleared up beautifully.
I hope the terramycin works. I would have tried it had I known about it. My vet bill with meds was $85. I just went to that link and see that it is not available right now. I went to 1800petmeds.com and see that they show it in stock and the price is $15.99 but they have a $5 coupon upon checkout making it just $10.99.
Let us know how he does.
mpetys
09-20-2011, 12:05 AM
I just checked and Petsmart has the Terramycin but online only. Petco does not show it on their website at all. Do you have a Tractor Supply near you? Their website shows this product and says it is available in-store only. My price when I punched in my zip code to get my closest store was $14.99. I'm just thinking you might want to start treatment as soon as possible. If you don't have a Tractor Supply store check your other local feed stores.
cslahaie
09-20-2011, 10:38 AM
I tried Tobramycin drops as well in the beginning but it made no difference at all and he's never had any oozing from his eye, it just crusts over and is red and puffy. I do have a Tractor supply in the area so I will check to see if they have it there. The Terramycin I ordered with shipping and all only cost me 11.50 from buy.com. I didn't have to open his eye this morning so thats a plus. Also I just ordered more blocks for him thanks for the reminder!!
PS--This is a bit off topic but was wondering if any of you had any experience with this.... I also have a lil girl "Sweetpea", she's young, an August baby for sure. I got her 8/24 and she looked to be about 3/4 weeks old so she's still very young. She just weened off her formula, I tried to keep her on it for a while longer but she just flat out refused it as of last week. I obviously do not have these two together but in the future is there a way to introduce them so they can live together?
I love the Squirrel Board, you all are such a wonderful support system!!
Thanks again,
Christina
astra
09-20-2011, 10:44 AM
If Sweetpea is a healthy normal squirrel, she might be better off released. THere is no guarantee that they will get along, and if they don't, it will be a difficult situation for all involved.
But generally, if the squirrel is healthy and normal, it should be given a chance to choose and live in the wild.
As for the formula, if she refuses it completely, try mixing it with some vanilla yogurt, making BooBalls, maybe, making it much warmer (just not too hot to burn her)... def. squirrel blocks.
Hope, this med will help clear the problem.:grouphug
cslahaie
09-20-2011, 11:33 AM
Oh I definitely agree if she is able she will be released no question! I just meant if she was non-releasable in the long run. Also is it recommended to release in winter? I would think not but I've never tried outside of Spring. I figured it was a hit or miss thing with the two of them being introduced but figured I would ask. Obviously my boy is not releasable at this point but maybe he will be healthy enough in the spring, only time will tell. Thanks for the info. I ordered her blocks as well and I did try adding yogurt previously and still nothing. Her formula has always been givin as warm as possible so I dont know she has a feisty personality, what Sweetpea wants Sweetpea gets lol
Fingers crossed RJ gets better with the new medication and once again thank you all!
astra
09-20-2011, 11:37 AM
Oh I definitely agree if she is able she will be released no question! I just meant if she was non-releasable in the long run. Also is it recommended to release in winter? I would think not but I've never tried outside of Spring. I figured it was a hit or miss thing with the two of them being introduced but figured I would ask. Obviously my boy is not releasable at this point but maybe he will be healthy enough in the spring, only time will tell. Thanks for the info. I ordered her blocks as well and I did try adding yogurt previously and still nothing. Her formula has always been givin as warm as possible so I dont know she has a feisty personality, what Sweetpea wants Sweetpea gets lol
Fingers crossed RJ gets better with the new medication and once again thank you all!
no, they are not released in winter. Spring release is the way to go!:thumbsup
mpetys
09-20-2011, 12:20 PM
If you end up with two non releasables, a male and a female, you may be asking for trouble to put them together. I have a male NR, Davey, who is super sweet, loves everyone and is willing to play with other squirrels as long as they are not rough with him. He freaks out if he gets pounced on. Then I have Tina, a female NR that recently had surgery to remove her front teeth. I thought they would be perfect together . . . . and they were. But, my sweet little Davey no longer was my sweet little Davey. All he thought about was Tina. Yes, he did try to mount her and would chase her around put they also played beautifully together. What happened was that he became very protective of her and territorial of their cage. He would bite me when I opened their cage even to put food in. And if I opened the cage to remove Tina, he went beserk. And, while Tina loves Davey, I could tell his constant attention was driving her bonkers. What happened was I had a friendly, well adjusted male and a friendly well adjusted female and ended up with a male that I could no longer handle and a female who would hide when I tried to take her out.
In my opinion, their overall happiness and well being was diminished greatly by being together. And I feared one of them getting sick and needing me to be able to handle them and not being able to. Davey was sick earlier this year and I realized how much his treatment and care went so smoothly when he was my sweet little Davey.
I separated Davey and Tina and while it was sad at first to see Davey mope around in his cage, missing Tina, I can say that he is now back to his old, happy self. He is happy ALL THE TIME where with Tina, he was happy SOME OF THE TIME. The rest of the time, he was just stressed out. Tina does miss having a cage mate but I do think that overall, the stress of having Davey with her 100% of the time was overwhelming to her.
They have separate out of cage time but I do plan on re-introduciing them for "playdates". I just wanted to see if Davey would return to his old self before I did that and he has. Just yesterday, I realized how much so. I fixed his food and as I opened his cage door, I let him examine his salad and look for the avocado. He found a piece and grabbed it and went to his shelf to eat it. I proceeded to put his bowl in the holder next to him. He looked so cute, I just instinctively reached over to pet him while he was eating his avocado. As he let me pet him while eating the avocado, it was then that I realized that my Davey was truly back.
Also, I have another NR, MonkeyButt and when we tried to introduce him to another NR, Charlie, he freaked out when the other NR jumped onto my husbands shoulder. MonkeyButt jumped to my shoulder, teeth chattering, and I put him back in his cage. Ever since that episode, his relationship with my husband changed. I think he lost trust in my husband when he saw this other squirrel on his shoulder. In the next few weeks, he attacked my husband several times, pretty badly. I don't believe it was because he decided to just bond with me, or that he was going into a rut from mating season. This was cut and dry.
I know others have squirrels together and perhaps in most of those instances they were raised together. All I know is that from my experience, if you have squirrels in a good situation, alone, you may be messing up a good thing. Just be prepared for any outcome.
cslahaie
09-20-2011, 01:27 PM
Thanks for the info and advice! I kinda had the feeling that would be the situation but was wanting a few peoples experience to make a decision if she is indeed NR. RJ is such a sweety and like I said before Sweetpea knows what she wants and doesn't want but all in all is a sweet girl but can see that changing in either one of them if they were together. If she is NR I will likely keep them apart but would like to introduce them for potential "play dates" as you put it. Maybe if they were loose in the house together and they stumbled upon each other they would play but then again if they don't like each other it could be bad. IDK I guess only time will tell. He did sniff her when he was out one day a couple weeks ago and didnt seem to mind her but she was so little I don't know if either one knew what the other one was lol
Jackie in Tampa
09-21-2011, 08:54 AM
I confess, I have not read entire thread...
eye issue:thinking
I agree that erythromycin ophthalmic is a good broad spectrum AB..I have used with great results...
yes sqs get pink eye...
eye issues can indicate teeth issue, tumor issue, ear mites...
be thorough and watch for the why's...
maybe not infection ...
PS...Sarah's eyes have always been sealed in the morning, just like a kid with SLEEPIES:tilt
also...Legomoms Christine had an issue that took a specialist to figure out...
it was an eye lash growing wrong and turning back into her eye...constant irritaton...
she ahd seen a few docs and no one detected it...
simple fix, they stitched her eye closed and the hair follical corrected itself...weird, I know it!!:dono :shakehead
:Love_Icon
cslahaie
09-21-2011, 10:21 AM
Hmmm, thats interesting. His teeth look great that was one of the first things we looked for. Ill have to look in his ears, never thought of ear mites. The erythromycin worked for the initial infection but this second bout seems resistant to it and the Tobramycin didn;t really help. Im lubricating it with saline drops daily and this seems to keep it from sticking together. The Terramycin is supposed to arrive today so I will be beginning this as soon as I get home. Thanks everyone!!!
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