SQUIRT IS SICK!!! Please help!!

[littlesquirt]

I have an almost 3 year old gray squirrel who I found as a pinkie and nursed (I nursed him with esbilac). I've been feeding him HHB's, fruits and berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes, rasberries, etc), veggies (some veggies, he doesn't like them though, but he LOVES avocado), cheeries, nuts, rodent blocks (mainly for his teeth to chew on) and I also make a mixture of ground nuts and esbilac which he eats when he won't eat blocks.

He was doing great and getting some winter weight on him when I started to notice that he wasn't eating as much as before. He completely stopped eating his blocks and his ground nuts and esbilac mixture. Basically, he will only eat some nuts and thats about it (for the past few days). Usually he's bouncing off the walls but he seemed a bit tired recently. He has been drinking fluids though.

Last night I went to check on him and he wouldn't come out of his igloo to greet me, even with the temptation of a treat. This is VERY unlike him but I let him rest and checked up on him in the morning. In the morning, again he wouldn't come out. When I finally picked up the igloo he came out making angry noises and then chattered his teeth alot. I gave him some food and fresh water but he didn't touch any of it. So all day I was worried sick and when I got home he hadn't touched any of his food. At this point I'm panicking because I am deathly afraid of him dying on me (I had a scare once before when he got sick).

So I decided to syringe feed him like I did before when he was sick. I had some Baytril (the antibiotic I got before) and crushed 1/4 of a tablet into "critical care" which is a recovery food for herbivores that I used when he was sick before. I noticed that when I took him out, one of his legs didn't look right, like he wasn't putting too much pressure on him. But he was able to run and climb up my leg several times....could the leg be broken?? or just sore? or maybe his whole body is sore because he's sick and that's why he's walking like that? I fed him the syringe and then let him rest for a bit. I cleaned out his cage, put fresh bedding and put some hand warmers in a sock into his igloo. Is it a good idea to keep him warm? I would use a heating pad but he chews the wires completely. After I cleaned his cage I made up another syringe of esbilac and fed that to him. When I put him back in the cage he did eat a pecan and 2 blueberries but then he went back to sleep.

I have been with him every day since I've had him (except for maybe 4 times when I had to go on a trip...which was only for 2 days max, and I have my sister come to care for him and play with him). As weird or crazy as it may sound, I know when he's not feeling well. I can sense it, the way he feels in my arms, he's limp, not lively. What should I do? Should I continue to give him feedings (one in the AM and one in the PM) and see if his condition improves? Should I take him to a vet (I'm worried that the trip might be too stressful for him and right now he still can run....and possibly bite anyone else but me). Please help, I don't know what I would do if I lost him, he has truly captured my heart.

[island rehabber]

I am so sorry Squirt is sick. Let's see if we can get a clearer picture of what is going on.
Seriously think about the length of time that he has not been eating his blocks or veggies and eating mostly nuts -- weeks? ,months<?
He may have the onset of MBD -- metabolic bone disease. He shouldn't really be in danger if he is truly eating the things you described, but if he actually isn't then it could be MBD. I would begin the protocol immediately -- it certainly can't hurt him!

Emergency Treatment for MBD

Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW.
Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

You will need:
Tums, rolaids, or calcium supplement (any kind)
a syringe or spoon Crush one pill and add a little water or fruit juice to make a paste. Use the syringe or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone.

After you give the initial dose of calcium, give 100 mg calcium every 4 hours. If symptoms return or do not improve, try dosing more often: every 3 hours. Severe cases may need 50 mg calcium every 2 hours.

Your squirrel's symptoms should improve within a few hours; within 1-3 days your squirrel should be alert, active, and eating, with no seizures or paralysis. You should be giving 500-600 mg calcium per day. Keep track of how many doses you give so you can adjust the dosage if needed. You should work with TSB members to do this.

Important!

Any kind of calcium pill is okay for the initial dose. But you must use PLAIN calcium carbonate (without Vit D) from then on.

Many small doses of calcium throughout the day/night are best to keep blood calcium levels as steady as possible.

If symptoms worsen or return, give an emergency dose of 100 mg calcium, then consult with TSB members or a rehabber or veterinarian to adjust the dosing schedule. Relapses are very serious and often fatal.

White feces or a white film on dried urine may mean the dosage can be reduced, as this indicates not all of the calcium is being absorbed. It may also mean you need to give smaller doses more often.

The acute symptoms (weakness, lethargy, seizures, paralysis) will usually improve within a few hours, but this does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take many months to rebuild the calcium in the bones. (See the "Long-Term Treatment for MBD" below.)

More Tips

MBD causes brittle bones that break easily. You should pad the bottom of your squirrel's cage and keep him away from high places, where he might jump and break a bone.

Heat is very soothing for a squirrel with MBD. A heating pad turned to low and placed so they cannot chew the pad or cord, or a rice buddy (a sock filled with dry rice/beans and microwaved for about 20 seconds) will work. Squirrels with hind-end paralysis may benefit from gentle massage of the legs and hips.


Long-Term Treatment for MBD

The next step to curing MBD is to fix the diet.

1. Remove ALL seeds, nuts, corn, and treats, including stashes.

2. Follow the Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels, which can be found here: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=32046 (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32046) and on the Henry’s Healthy Pets website (http://www.henryspets.com/pages/Healthy-Diet.html) (http://www.henryspets.com/pages/Healthy-Diet.html%29). Your squirrel MUST eat rodent blocks or squirrel blocks every day (either 2 Henry's Healthy Squirrel Blocks per day, or a small handful of commercial rodent block per day). If you choose to feed commercial rodent blocks, which are extremely hard, you should crush them up with peanut butter, yogurt, fruit juice, avocado, baby food, etc., to make them easier to chew and improve the taste.

3. You will need to continue giving extra calcium every day for many weeks. You can use a syringe or spoon, or you can mix the calcium with a small amount of peanut butter, crushed nuts, yogurt, baby food, or any food the squirrel likes. An easy way to dose the calcium is to mix 500 mg of calcium powder with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or other tasty food and roll it into 5 little balls; each ball will contain 100 mg calcium.

Calcium Dosage:

Continue to give 500-600 mg calcium per day for 1 week. Then try reducing the total daily amount by 50 mg. If the squirrel remains stable for 1 week, reduce the daily amount by another 50 mg. Continue this weekly reduction until the squirrel is only getting around 100 mg of extra calcium per day. Continue this for at least another 2 weeks. If at any time symptoms return, give an emergency 100 mg dose, then go back to a higher dosage for 1-2 weeks.

The treatment for each squirrel may be slightly different and you should work with a rehabber or TSB members to tailor the treatment to your squirrel's needs. Depending on the age of the squirrel, severity of disease, and other factors, your squirrel may need extra calcium for many months, perhaps for life.

Important Information
The MBD treatment is a "standardized" treatment that will get most cases on the road to recovery. But every case is different and the treatment should be customized to each squirrel. Severe cases sometimes need more aggressive treatment. There is a limit to how much calcium the body can absorb at one time, so lower doses of calcium given more often is the key with severe cases.

What is MBD?
Calcium is a very important nutrient. It strengthen the bones, but also plays a vital role in all body functions. Every cell in the body contains water plus small amounts of dissolved minerals such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals allow the cells to transmit small electrical signals. Without this cell-to-cell communication, the organs can't function: your heart can't beat, your nerves can't transmit impulses; in fact, you would die.

When there isn't enough calcium in the diet, the body will dissolve the calcium from the bones and use that instead. This eventually causes the bones to become depleted of calcium. Eventually the bones become so depleted, there isn't enough calcium left to maintain sufficient calcium in the cellular fluids, and the organs can't function properly. This is what causes the symptoms of MBD: loss of appetite, lethargy, muscle pain, paralysis, seizures, and eventually death. Humans don't get this type of severe MBD, partly because our calcium requirement is lower and our bones are much bigger, allowing us to store more calcium.

By giving high doses of calcium orally, you are artificially maintaining your squirrel's blood calcium levels because his bones no longer contain enough calcium to maintain his calcium levels normally.

Once the emergency calcium is given, your squirrel's blood calcium levels should normalize fairly quickly. He should "bounce back" and act normal or almost normal. If you are still seeing symptoms such as seizures, loss of appetite, lethargy, or paralysis, the calcium levels may still be too low. This means the body will try to pull the remaining calcium from the bones, which means the MBD is actually getting worse. So stabilizing blood calcium levels is critical. The next step to actually curing the MBD is rebuilding bone. This is the part that takes a long time.

Stabilizing the blood calcium levels can and must be done quickly. In severe cases, calcium may be needed more often throughout the day and night, as often as every 2 hours.
__________________

[island rehabber]

He should definitely be on heat, but not under HIM where he can reach the wires -- under the cage he's in.
Do you see any discharge coming from his nose or eyes? Do you hear any respiratory distress?

[redwuff]

Hey Littlesquirt,

Can you be a bit more specific about his diet. How much block, HHB, and rodent chow is he really eating. I am hearing you talk about loss of appetite and sore body and pain in leg. All of those could be syptoms of MBD. Get as much information as you can about Squirt so that when someone comes on with a lot more experience than I have they will not have to ask you a lot of questions. I know you must be worried out of your mind. Hang in there.

It would not hurt to give him extra calcium just in case it is MBD.


Good, I see that IR beat me to it.

[island rehabber]

redwuff :thumbsup good minds think alike :)

[littlesquirt]

Thank you so much for your fast response!

I don't hear any raspy breathing, but he is making noises that I rarely hear (like annoyed squeaks and angry chattering). I think it's because he's in pain :(. I have bought the self-heating hand warmers and place a few in a sock every few hours for him (I tie the sock so he won't chew it).

If he is sick I would like to continue with the Baytril and critical care (it worked before and he was healthy for 2 years), but if it is MBD then I will start calcium right away. Should I also put vitamin D with the calcium? and vitamin c? I hear they help with absorption. Also, I'm afraid that if he is sick from bacterial infection, that the calcium will block the Baytril.

[Nancy in New York]

You can also make him a rice buddy, they love that. Take 1 cup uncooked rice, put it in a sock and tie at the top. Microwave on high for 1 minute, squish it around so that there are no hot spots. Wrap once in a piece of fleece and put it next to him. This has to be reheated every hour.

Could he have fallen? Does his foot look swollen? Has he eaten anything new prior to this happening? Any nuts, outside branches....anything? Have you checked his teeth? You would be looking to make sure that the front ones aren't too long and that they are aligned.

[littlesquirt]

Everyday I give him 2 HHB's, cheeries, fruits and sometimes veggies (he is very picky with veggies and it's difficult to get him to eat them, usually they go to waste unless it's cucumber or avocado). He also always has rodent blocks for chewing. There was a point where me and my sister were each feeding him nuts (1 each per day) and so when I cleaned his cage I found some stashed (which explained his newly developed territorial behaviour towards anyone but me). So now he only gets one per day. I also make a mixture of 1/2 ground up pecans, 1/2 esbilac (it's the second growth one...the one for weaning) and the vitamin mix from HHB. He used to eat that up and LOVE it, but he has barely touched it for the past week :(. I think the only thing he's really been eating is a couple bites of fruit, a couple bites of his blocks and nuts.

[island rehabber]

I think the only thing he's really been eating is
a couple bites of fruit, a couple bites of his blocks and nuts.
:thinkingjeez, his diet really has not been that bad.....could it be a problem with his teeth? See if you can get a look at his mouth -- broken or abcessed teeth can truly mess with their appetite and cause a cascade of problems.... ALSO, if you're using a water bottle, make sure it is working! We have lost squirrels to dehydration when their owners didn't even realize the watter bottle was clogged.

[Nancy in New York]

I'm curious about his teeth as well. Do you notice any swelling on his face, or near his ears....jaw line.:dono

[littlesquirt]

His teeth don't look like they have any issues, we used to have a rabbit with maloccluded teeth and would take him to the vet to get then ground every month. Squirt's teeth are an orange color though (but they have been this color since forever), but they do not look like there is any swelling.

I'm going to give him some crushed up calcium pills with some crushed up vitamin D. Should I give it to him now or in the morning? (He may be stressed from all the feedings).

[Nancy in New York]

His teeth should be orange so that is normal.
Do you have any tums there?

Any kind of calcium pill is okay for the initial dose. But you must use PLAIN calcium carbonate (without Vit D) from then on.

[littlesquirt]

I do notice that he's drinking the water bottle :). I buy a new one every few months and always make sure that they work and don't leak (I did have an issue once when I bought a fancy new bottle, but since I take him out to play everyday I noticed within a day and threw it out). The one thing is....he is drinking, but it seems like he's drinking more and eating less :S

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

It is possible this might be an on set of MBD
Would you all agree to start treatment, just in case, since it wont hurt.....and if it isn't then no harm done.
If the symptoms stay the same them we know to look else where.
Drinking lots of water is a sign of diabetes, if he is a heavy fruit eater this is possible also

[littlesquirt]

I have TUMS smoothies and also have calcium and vitamin d tablets. So I can do either or a combination of them all. I'm afraid the flavouring of tums will bother him and he won't eat it.

It's just shocking how fast he deteriorated. I love him so much and just want him to be himself again.

[littlesquirt]

diabetes :(? is that treatable for squirrels? Would he need shots daily? What kind of tests do I need to do?

[Nancy in New York]

I am just reposting what IR already wrote:

Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW.
Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

You will need:
Tums, rolaids, or calcium supplement (any kind)
a syringe or spoon
Crush one pill and add a little water or fruit juice to make a paste. Use the syringe or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone.

After you give the initial dose of calcium, give 100 mg calcium every 4 hours. If symptoms return or do not improve, try dosing more often: every 3 hours. Severe cases may need 50 mg calcium every 2 hours.

Your squirrel's symptoms should improve within a few hours; within 1-3 days your squirrel should be alert, active, and eating, with no seizures or paralysis. You should be giving 500-600 mg calcium per day. Keep track of how many doses you give so you can adjust the dosage if needed. You should work with TSB members to do this.

[littlesquirt]

Wait, no vitamin D? Is there a reason why? I was thinking I should crush up some vitamin D with the calcium to help it absorb.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone :)

[island rehabber]

Wait, no vitamin D? Is there a reason why? I was thinking I should crush up some vitamin D with the calcium to help it absorb.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone :)

Only if it's Vitamin D3.....this is the form of VitD that aids in calcium absorption (per Dr Emerson).
See if you can get Nutrobal tomorrow at the pet store. It's a calcium supplement found in the reptile section -- highly, highly recommended for getting the purist most useable calcium into a squirrel!

[littlesquirt]

Oh I have reptical in my basement somewhere! I bought it for him before but I didn't end up using it cuz I used HHB vitamin mix instead, I'll give him calcium and vitamin D3 for now (I have vitamin D3 because I personally take it).

[island rehabber]

Nutrobal is the best, we were told. Make sure you get the recommended high doses, initially, into him -- if this is low calcium we need to turn it around quickly. Also cut down on his fruit. Grey squirrels do not actually eat a lot of fruit in the wild -- unlike their Costa Rican cousins -- and too much fruit will throw their systems way out of whack.

[Scooterzmom]

Like SSM I too would be suspicious about diabetes. Drinking a lot CAN be a sign of that, particularly since he eats lots of fruit. Of course since little picky Squirt doesn't get much of the leafy greens it can also be MB. Tough to diagnose here. If you do have access to a squirrel friendly vet I would ask for bloodowrk and test for diabetes - just to eliminate that as a cause of the symptoms at least - and for sure, as advised by the experienced people here, in the meanwhile I would certainly treat him for possible MBD.

[littlesquirt]

I fed him the initial high dose and he ate it, he's still weak though. I'll keep everyone updated on how he's doing :). He has been to see a vet (I called up every vet in the city begging when he was sick 2 years ago), if his condition worsens I will contact his vet and get bloodwork done.

[Scooterzmom]

I fed him the initial high dose and he ate it, he's still weak though. I'll keep everyone updated on how he's doing :). He has been to see a vet (I called up every vet in the city begging when he was sick 2 years ago), if his condition worsens I will contact his vet and get bloodwork done.

Are you near Guelph by chance? If so, Guelph has a vet school... they might be willing to offer some help - maybe even by phone... who knows? Whatever you do, don't leave him with them overnite (any vet I mean)! You don't want to take a chance that way. Besides, he shouldn't have to stay overnite for simple bloodwork.

[Skul]

Oh, good, Vit D3 was mentioned.
Another thing that could be added to the diet, would be mushrooms.
Another thought came to mind.
Is he getting any direct sunlight?
Not through glass or other transparent material, but full direct sunlight?

[Margie]

If you add mushrooms to the diet and you get white mushrooms, make sure the package says "UV irradiated" or "source of Vitamin D". Regular white mushrooms do not contain Vitamin D, as they are grown in the dark.

[Skul]

Mushrooms of any safe type are beneficial.
They provide nutritianal suppliments which allow better
ability to synthesize and use vit d.
Sun grown or uv inhanced of course, are just as good at that.
Either way benefits the squirrel.

[astra]

Are you near Guelph by chance? If so, Guelph has a vet school... they might be willing to offer some help - maybe even by phone... who knows? Whatever you do, don't leave him with them overnite (any vet I mean)! You don't want to take a chance that way. Besides, he shouldn't have to stay overnite for simple bloodwork.
PLEASE BE SUPER CAREFUL when talking to potential vets and such other people.
Ontario is an illegal province.
When I was looking to have a blood/poop work done last Spring, I could not find ONE vet who would do it. They all told me the squirrel would be seized.

PLEASE DO not disclose yourself and do not be specific about your squirrel or situation: ask very general questions and get guarantees.

Also, if you are in Guelph area, there might be someone who might be able to help. Again, I am just saying "might", don't know for sure.
So, if you are near Guelph, please let us know.

[littlesquirt]

I do trust the vet I went to, he has taken care of squirt before and I told him of the situation (how I found him when he was a baby and nursed him, I did try releasing him but he would not release and always came back injured and hungry). When I called all the vets , I told them about my situation. Luckily, most vets, if they're not comfortable treating a "wild animal", they will tell you no instead of calling authorities because they know too that if they call, the animal will be euthanized.

He seemed a bit better this morning but is still not energetic. He does get dirct sunlight during playtime. I also bought him a UVB light (the person at the pet store said it was the one that helps make vitamin D). I will also try mushrooms. I was always afraid of using them because I thought they would be harmful. I'm in the toronto area, does anyone know of any particular brands or places I can go to for mushrooms?

Right now I'm feeding him with esbilac and vitamin powder (he will eat it better when it is with the esbilac) and also critical care and baytril. These are two separate feedings because I don't want the calcium to affect the absorption of the Baytril.

Thank you to everyone for their support from both me and squirt!!! I will also try and upload some pictures of him too :)

[Skul]

Pretty much any store bought mushroom would work.
Portabellas, button, s***ake.
They seem to prefer the gills over the flesh.
At least mine do.

[Milo's Mom]

Not sure if you have already done this, but something that was mentioned by Dr. E at the Gathering last weekend was that if you are using a "light" you MUST remove the little plastic cover, which protects the bulbs in order to make the light useful. I did not know this, others may have...just thought I'd mention it since you said you have a light.

In addition, the animal(s) must be very close to the light in order for it to be of a benefit...like in a confined space with the light directly above them, separated from them by something along the lines of hardware cloth. This only needs to happen for like 20 to 30 minutes a day.

I am sorry if this is old news for you...I was not aware of some of the specifics and think they are important, so just in case I figured I'd share.

[Margie]

In the grocery store, there are packaged mushrooms that are labeled having Vitamin D. Because the diet list on this forum rates mushrooms on the "evil" rating because of the extreme Ca to Phos ratio (about 1:28), I did some research on Vitamin D sources and found out about the button (white) mushrooms not having any unless irradiated. I had been buying the plain whole loose mushrooms, and now buy the packaged ones that are labeled having Vit D. My little girl, Stormy Lee, doesn't like any of them so far. But she gets sunlight through her windows each day. Some dairy products and cereals are Vit D fortified as well. If you are using the powdered Esbilac, just remember to mix it up and refrigerate it for 3 or 4 hours before using to allow the fat molecules to break down to prevent diarrhea from malabsorption.

[Nancy in New York]

How is little Squirt doing today? When you said he was sick before, was that a confirmed case of MBD? If so, perhaps this is a relapse....:dono Are you continuing the protocol for MBD, and have you noticed any change? Please keep us posted...:grouphug

[littlesquirt]

He is hanging in there, he takes the formula better now (I think he has realized I'm not hurting him, just simply trying to feed him). But he still refuses to come out of his igloo except momentarily. It looks like he is limping but his leg isn't broken because he can still climb his cage (when he gets back in after his feeding). He has a glazed look in his eyes, he's not alert and his ears no longer perk up at the sound of noises. One time after his feeding, he wandered out for a bit to take a poop, I don't think I've ever been happier at the site of poop! I'm keeping him warm and feeding him a mixture of esbilac and calcium (that way he gets nutrients too).

When he was sick before I think it was a respiratory infection. I didn't treat him for MBD, instead I got Baytril and gave gim 1/6th of a table mixed into "critical care" which is a nutrient rich food for sick animals that the vet gave me.

I try to supplement calcium into his diet as often as possible, I always give him HHB's and make my own blocks by mixing esbilac, ground pecans, vitamin powder (from HHB), calcium and some water. I'm hoping he'll be brighter in the morning :(. Thank you everyone for your continued support
<3

[Nancy in New York]

He is hanging in there, he takes the formula better now (I think he has realized I'm not hurting him, just simply trying to feed him). But he still refuses to come out of his igloo except momentarily. It looks like he is limping but his leg isn't broken because he can still climb his cage (when he gets back in after his feeding). He has a glazed look in his eyes, he's not alert and his ears no longer perk up at the sound of noises. One time after his feeding, he wandered out for a bit to take a poop, I don't think I've ever been happier at the site of poop! I'm keeping him warm and feeding him a mixture of esbilac and calcium (that way he gets nutrients too).

When he was sick before I think it was a respiratory infection. I didn't treat him for MBD, instead I got Baytril and gave gim 1/6th of a table mixed into "critical care" which is a nutrient rich food for sick animals that the vet gave me.

I try to supplement calcium into his diet as often as possible, I always give him HHB's and make my own blocks by mixing esbilac, ground pecans, vitamin powder (from HHB), calcium and some water. I'm hoping he'll be brighter in the morning :(. Thank you everyone for your continued support
<3

Glad that you posted so quickly....been thinking about your little one all day long. Have you ever given him Fox Valley? I think you said earlier that you had Esbilac 2, or am I wrong? I would gladly send you a little FV if you will pm me your address, just to see if Squirt likes it.
Wonder what that leg is about? Do his nails all look good, I mean he didn't catch a nail on anything did he? We just need to get him eating better and back to his 'ol self again. I hate when these little ones are under the weather, such a guessing game sometimes as to what the problem can be....:dono
:Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[littlesquirt]

Thank you Nancy, I will definately take you up on your offer :). His nails and feet look alright, there was one time when he got a nail caught in some bedding but I quickly changed the bedding and he was good as new, just a bit miffed that he couldn't get his paw for a while (this happened months ago). I clip his nails on a regular basis (my sister holds him and I clip). I'm really not sure what is wrong with his leg, there does seem to be something off but functionally he can use it. If it doesn't get better I will call the vet, I'm just worried that the stress of the trip will do more harm than good. And that he might bite the vet :( (he is only friendly towards people he knows and sees on a regular basis).

[Nancy in New York]

Thank you Nancy, I will definately take you up on your offer :). His nails and feet look alright, there was one time when he got a nail caught in some bedding but I quickly changed the bedding and he was good as new, just a bit miffed that he couldn't get his paw for a while (this happened months ago). I clip his nails on a regular basis (my sister holds him and I clip). I'm really not sure what is wrong with his leg, there does seem to be something off but functionally he can use it. If it doesn't get better I will call the vet, I'm just worried that the stress of the trip will do more harm than good. And that he might bite the vet :( (he is only friendly towards people he knows and sees on a regular basis).

I hear ya about the vet and perhaps him biting. Some people use Rescue Remedy with great success at calming their squirrels down. I do think going anywhere outside of the comforts of home is stressful though...:shakehead

Send me your address in a pm, and I will get some out to you tomorrow. I still have one squirrel that will drink Fox Valley and she is around 6 months old...I love when they still take their formula. Of course it's just a little bit since she loves her solid foods, but a little is better than nothing....:D

[littlesquirt]

The internet at my house is down for today so I'm using my cell. Squirt seems to be doing better today, he was able to slowly come out of his igloo in the morning. I gave him a syringe with calcium and esbilac and he ate it all :). I'm alternating between calcium and Baytril feedings, but unfortunately I only have half a pill of baytril left. Should I go to the vet and get some more? Is there an alternative to Baytril I can use? I have macrobid at home, but I'm not sure that is ok to use on squirrels. Or should I wait and if he gets better, leave the Baytril, but if he gets worse call the vet for Baytril? I'm wondering if it's good to always have some Baytril on hand just in case he gets sick like this again. I"m hoping that since I'm treating for both MBD and a possible infection, that he'll recover.

[Jackie in Tampa]

the baytril should have been diluted in water, and kept in fridge..It needs to be correctly diluted/reconstituted according to specifics.
It needs to be given once a day within an hour or two either way of having probotics. A treatment of 5 days minimum is advised also, depending on diagnoses.
Your sqs weight also has an important part o how much baytril is needed.
If you have a vet able to help you, that is good option.

Baytril can really give a bad belly ache and can interfere with appetite also.
If your sq likes yogurt, that helps often times.
:grouphug

[littlesquirt]

When I took him to the vet before and got the Baytril the vet instructed me to feed him a 6th of a tablet and to crush it up and mix it with "critical care" (a dry recovery formula which I mix with water). I've been giving him that and also some probiotics. I will give him some yogurt too, that is a good idea :D. For the other feedings he gets calcium with esbilac. I'm going to try Fox Valley too (thank you Nancy <3) and hopefully that'll improve his condition.

[littlesquirt]

This is just an update on Squirt, he was doing better earlier today and came out of his igloo and even ran around a bit. But tonight when I gave him his last feeding and he went into his cage and started chattering his teeth. He assumed his normal "pooping position".... yes I know it might sound weird but I know when he's pooping because he is very stilll and perks his butt up :P. Well he tried and tried but nothing came, I'm thinking he might be constipated. Could the calcium and esbilac make him constipated? Is there something I can give him to help this?

[Scooterzmom]

This is just an update on Squirt, he was doing better earlier today and came out of his igloo and even ran around a bit. But tonight when I gave him his last feeding and he went into his cage and started chattering his teeth. He assumed his normal "pooping position".... yes I know it might sound weird but I know when he's pooping because he is very stilll and perks his butt up :P. Well he tried and tried but nothing came, I'm thinking he might be constipated. Could the calcium and esbilac make him constipated? Is there something I can give him to help this?

If he's been taking the baytril it could cause some issues with his bowels. You can try giving him a little apple juice mixed with water - that usually helps against the constipation. Others have mentioned it too, but yogurt would help counter the harsh effects of the Baytril on the gastro system. If he was used to Esbilac I would mix 50:50 Esbilac:FV at first (even 75:25) - because FV is richer and some babies do experience a bit of constipation at first.

[JLM27]

Pureed pumpkin is supposed to be good to relieve constipation.

[littlesquirt]

Hey everyone! Just want to give an update, squirt is doing much better now, he is running around like a crazy person/squirrel tehehe. I'm gonna continue with the MBD treatment and thanks to everyone for their help and advice :):thankyou

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

:thumbsup :thumbsup That what we LOVE to hear!!:thumbsup :thumbsup

[Scooterzmom]

Good news is what I wanted to hear! :thumbsup I'm really glad your baby is doing well, for both of you. :D