Tumeric

[ShereeJacobi]

Isn't tumeric a natural anti inflamatory? Is so, what is the amount that you give to a 1 lb squirrel? I need some help with my squirrels swelling (can't see it) in his spine. When he falls even 2 feet, it really gets the nerve damage he had in the past going. His tail goes sideways, his left leg goes under him, yadayadaya. I need something natural that can help with his pain which is caused by inflamation around the nerves. I am pretty sure anyway. After a few days, he gets back to his normal. He has never been able to standup on his back legs, but he gets around pretty good. Anything that will not cause stomach, liver, or damage by taking long term. Thanks everyone!:thankyou :thankyou

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

From what i have read my answer would be NO
There has been some clinical trials for other things but not inflammation.

If he is unable to use his hind quarters , why does he fall, is his cage too high ?
I think I would make sure if he did fall it would be on something soft like a few layers of fleece.
Mine has this problem and when he falls it is only a very short trip and only on soft flooring of fleece at the bottom of his cage or play area.

[Kristal]

Well, from a quick google search on turmeric (you misspelled it) It seems like there is a lot of interest in it, especially as an anti-inflammatory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curcumin
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=spice-healer&page=1

That's pretty interesting, perhaps I will read some more about it. It is probably not as well researched as the patented pharm drugs are, but that is nearly always the case, anyway (because if you cannot patent it, there is little or no profit to be made through the pharm business model)

Turmeric is non-toxic and does not have a very heavy flavour compared to a lot of spices used in Indian cooking, so I would guess that you can put a fair bit in. Try mixing a teaspoon into boo-balls or something. The flavour is mild, and your squee probably will not protest too much :) It gets piled into many Asian dishes by the tablespoonfull, so if there were any common toxic or adverse effects they would be known by now.

In other words, it can't hurt and it may well help, so give it a shot. Turmeric is super cheap, anyway. I might look into adding some to my diet for my osteoarthritis, hmm.

[Kristal]

As I am reading some more, it looks like there is a risk for stomach irritation if you eat a lot at once. If it were me, I would add maybe 1/4 to 1/2 tsp to a boo ball recipe yielding 2/3 cup or so of boo ball paste. I guess I would try to think "what's the maximum that I would add of a spice (like cinnamon) when cooking" and add that. Since it is normally used as a spice, it is probably safe to add it in like a spice. At least that is how I would kind of guesstimate for myself, if I were in your position.

Hope/Doubt that helps :p

[ShereeJacobi]

As I am reading some more, it looks like there is a risk for stomach irritation if you eat a lot at once. If it were me, I would add maybe 1/4 to 1/2 tsp to a boo ball recipe yielding 2/3 cup or so of boo ball paste. I guess I would try to think "what's the maximum that I would add of a spice (like cinnamon) when cooking" and add that. Since it is normally used as a spice, it is probably safe to add it in like a spice. At least that is how I would kind of guesstimate for myself, if I were in your position.

Hope/Doubt that helps :p
Well, I put the ground turmeric on a little piece of bananna. He always tries stuff, then sees the outcome to know if he will eat it again. I did do research, and turmeric is a wonder spice. My squirrel will know if it works for him and will probably continue eating it. He only eats cranberries, lemon, yadayada when his body requires it. I do not know how these little critters know, but they do. I would imagine their bodies have an almost instant reaction to what they eat is the only thing I can think. Thanks for the input!:thankyou :thankyou

[ShereeJacobi]

From what i have read my answer would be NO
There has been some clinical trials for other things but not inflammation.

If he is unable to use his hind quarters , why does he fall, is his cage too high ?
I think I would make sure if he did fall it would be on something soft like a few layers of fleece.
Mine has this problem and when he falls it is only a very short trip and only on soft flooring of fleece at the bottom of his cage or play area.
I did some research and found that turmeric is wonderful for dogs, cats, yadayada. It desolves cysts, is a wonderful anti inflamatory, yadayadaya. I haven't finished researching it, but from what I have read, it's better than garlic for humans, but dogs, cats, yadayada will benefit from it. Thanks for your input! BTW, my squirrel has the run of the living room. He is rarely ever put in his cage, but it's a 60" tall cage if he chooses to use it. This episode that caused my question, is he was jumping to me from the end table and slipped when he jumped which made his back twist, then hit the carpet on the floor. It doesn't take much to make his back out of whack and a lot of pain. But, this am he is doing better. He gets around pretty good. At one point in his life he was completely paralyzed from mid section down, but he survived and is running on all four now. It was a really rough time when he was completely paralyzed. Had bladder infections from not being able to empty his bladder completely, started chewing his toes and legs about off cause he was miserable from being locked in a cage, you name it. I truly believe people that have squirrels chewing their body parts are mostly from being locked up. It's not their nature. :thankyou :thankyou

[ShereeJacobi]

Yep, he is gobbling down the ground turmeric. I gave him some more this am after giving him his HHB's, then his veggies, fruits. Wouldn't touch his veggies or fruits yet (takes him awhile cause of his eating patterns), but when I gave him a piece of bananna covered in turmeric, he devoursed it as fast as he could. Squirrels know!

[ShereeJacobi]

Well, I put the ground turmeric on a little piece of bananna. He always tries stuff, then sees the outcome to know if he will eat it again. I did do research, and turmeric is a wonder spice. My squirrel will know if it works for him and will probably continue eating it. He only eats cranberries, lemon, yadayada when his body requires it. I do not know how these little critters know, but they do. I would imagine their bodies have an almost instant reaction to what they eat is the only thing I can think. Thanks for the input!:thankyou :thankyou
An update, he somehow knows the turmeric is good for him. He's eating it like it was going out of style. No cover up. I put a little piece of bananna rolled in the spice and he would eat it, but not his other fruits which was a piece of cherry and a piece of cantelope. How they know is amazing!

[Anne]

So good to know. Something new to add to our arsenal! We need all the ammo we can get!!!:thumbsup

[Kristal]

I truly believe people that have squirrels chewing their body parts are mostly from being locked up. It's not their nature. :thankyou :thankyou

Amen, sister!

Do be a bit careful about loading up with a heavy dose of turmeric at the beginning all at once. The only caution that I could find is that it might promote ulcers over the long term and cause stomach upset in the short term when taken in really large amounts. You don't want the little guy to get indigestion and develop an aversion to it :)

Thanks for the info on turmeric, btw ;)

[jacey]

Just curious quickly reading through your posts, Did this squirrel arrive in your care paralyzed? What is his diet? I am just wondering if MBD would be the source of his injury and pain?

[Jackie in Tampa]

Charley Chuckles wears a saddle wrap ace bandage splint ...wondering if that will help stablize your sqs spine.
Critters self mutilate with numbness, tingling, and pain due to nerve damage.
Yes some animals chew themselves from bordom, but if there is a confirmed injury or even suspected issue, whether it be permanant or tempoary, I would say THAT is why the animal is chewing.

Many animals will remove a nerve dead limb to help navigate better.

as jayce asked, could his issues be from MBD?
is this a grey sq? how old is he?

hugs to you for giving him a forever home,
I have no input on the tumric:dono

[ShereeJacobi]

Charley Chuckles wears a saddle wrap ace bandage splint ...wondering if that will help stablize your sqs spine.
Critters self mutilate with numbness, tingling, and pain due to nerve damage.
Yes some animals chew themselves from bordom, but if there is a confirmed injury or even suspected issue, whether it be permanant or tempoary, I would say THAT is why the animal is chewing.

Many animals will remove a nerve dead limb to help navigate better.

as jayce asked, could his issues be from MBD?
is this a grey sq? how old is he?

hugs to you for giving him a forever home,
I have no input on the tumric:dono
We never knew for sure if it was MBD, but the vet has always stated she didn't think so. He had xrays, yadayada, but never any sign of MBD. He was perfectly fine, then wap, 3 hours later paralyzed. He arrived to me the same evening after the paralyzation happened. He was put on the MBD regiment of calcium for it just in case more than once. Vet said you can usually see signs of MBD in the xrays, but none for him. His skeletal structure is perfect she states. I am leaning towards he got his leg caught and twisted his back. But who knows. I have spent at least $1000 at the vet on him alone. I just know that if he slightly twists his back, there is a flare up of pain and how he has to carry himself. At one point, he could almost stand up on his back legs, but he took a couple of dives off the armour and that seemed to be the end of that. For the past several months tho, he has been doing pretty good without pain except for twice. Once twisting his back getting in the carrier from his outdoor cage and then yesterday from twisting his back jumping to me. The vet was amazed that he stopped the chewing cause he actually removed one of his toes. But, when he got free roam, the chewing stopped within a couple of weeks. He still periodically will make his knucles irritated, but not the intense chewing he did at one time and I am sure that is from the tingling sensation he receives sometimes. If he is locked in his cage, which is not small, he will start chewing his feet within 2 days. So, no doubt he is not one to be locked in a cage except for a couple of hours of play, cause he is not a happy camper with just that time amount out. I hope the turmeric works for the long run. He pretty much controls his own diet in that he gets just about every vegetable available to choose from daily. Some days I may not have sugar snap peas or maybe carrots, yadayayada but he has a huge variety of food to choose from. His bloodwork has been pretty right on last few times it was checked so he is doing a good job of eating what he needs.

[ShereeJacobi]

We never knew for sure if it was MBD, but the vet has always stated she didn't think so. He had xrays, yadayada, but never any sign of MBD. He was perfectly fine, then wap, 3 hours later paralyzed. He arrived to me the same evening after the paralyzation happened. He was put on the MBD regiment of calcium for it just in case more than once. Vet said you can usually see signs of MBD in the xrays, but none for him. His skeletal structure is perfect she states. I am leaning towards he got his leg caught and twisted his back. But who knows. I have spent at least $1000 at the vet on him alone. I just know that if he slightly twists his back, there is a flare up of pain and how he has to carry himself. At one point, he could almost stand up on his back legs, but he took a couple of dives off the armour and that seemed to be the end of that. For the past several months tho, he has been doing pretty good without pain except for twice. Once twisting his back getting in the carrier from his outdoor cage and then yesterday from twisting his back jumping to me. The vet was amazed that he stopped the chewing cause he actually removed one of his toes. But, when he got free roam, the chewing stopped within a couple of weeks. He still periodically will make his knucles irritated, but not the intense chewing he did at one time and I am sure that is from the tingling sensation he receives sometimes. If he is locked in his cage, which is not small, he will start chewing his feet within 2 days. So, no doubt he is not one to be locked in a cage except for a couple of hours of play, cause he is not a happy camper with just that time amount out. I hope the turmeric works for the long run. He pretty much controls his own diet in that he gets just about every vegetable available to choose from daily. Some days I may not have sugar snap peas or maybe carrots, yadayayada but he has a huge variety of food to choose from. His bloodwork has been pretty right on last few times it was checked so he is doing a good job of eating what he needs.
He is about 2 years old now and he is a grey. He just recently got aggressive and bit me for the first time over who knows what (nuts, lol). He likes to hide the nuts in my clothes, walks away, watches me, then starts chattering his teeth! He's nutty! LOL I run now when the chattering starts. He rarely ever gets any nuts except his acorns in his cage outdoors, but every so often I give him something and I guess he hides it in his toys, then I play with him with his toys, it falls out, he hides it on me, then he decides I become a threat to that seed or nut! He's fine after he hides it. I just can't let him get a big stash going cause he had my finger in his mouth all the way to his cage about a month ago. That was bloody for me! 15 minutes later, after I had cleared everything, he just wanted to play. Squirrels are fun but nutty! lol

[jacey]

Does he get any type of rodent blocks/squirrel blocks daily in his diet as a source of protein and calcium? I still think this could be MBD?
I have had paralyzed squirrels chew at their legs, feet etc... I believe that it is a tingling sensation from the nerves. Usually mine have stopped the chewing over time.

[ShereeJacobi]

Does he get any type of rodent blocks/squirrel blocks daily in his diet as a source of protein and calcium? I still think this could be MBD?
I have had paralyzed squirrels chew at their legs, feet etc... I believe that it is a tingling sensation from the nerves. Usually mine have stopped the chewing over time.
Yes, he gets his HHB's (4 a day). He eats great! No, no MBD at this point according to the vet. His skeletal structure is perfect. He has everything he needs as far as I know for food, calcium, yadada.