Buldge on face

[astra]

this is a wild juvie - one of the local squirrels I feed in the park.
I've been feeding them since this past Fall and no one had anything like this.

I have not been to feed them in two weeks and when I stopped by today, that's what I saw. So, my assumption is he just got it over the last two weeks.

Sorry, I didn't get better pics or videos: they were swarming me, demanding nuts and he was often skittish, grabbing a nut and going somewhere safe to eat.

So, these are super short video clips - just click on the image. I know, it's very short and you might have to play it a couple of times, but you will see his right cheek (HIS right, not yours - it will be your left ;)) bulging.
http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/astrazk/th_IMG_0037.jpg (http://s940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/astrazk/?action=view&current=IMG_0037.mp4)[/URL]

http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/astrazk/th_IMG_0036.jpg (http://s940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/astrazk/?action=view&current=IMG_0036.mp4)

But this buldge looked to me as if he had a nut stashed in his cheek: I tried to get a better look at it, which was difficult, but there didn't seem to be any puncture-looking dots or spots or any of that. It is covered in fur and that's what it looks like - as if he has a nut in his cheek.

Other than that and that thinning fur (which, I think, might be mange starting), he is normal: runs well, fast, agile, alert etc.

So, what can this be?...
I just hope it's not an abscess as that might indicate a dental abscess, and as far as I know, that's not a good prognosis for a wild squirrel.

And it's not a botfly season, obviously.

So, I guess, it should ab an abscess (unless it is some kind of tumor).

Is there anything at all I could do?...

I cannot take him to a vet.

I know, there is not much I can do to a wild, but, maybe there is still something that I could do and I am not aware of it?...

:thankyou

[Nancy in New York]

astra, did you see Dr. Emerson's presentation on dental issues? In it she points out an area where abscesses from Elodontoma occur, is that the area on your park squirrel, I can't tell from the pictures....:poke
:Love_Icon

[astra]

astra, did you see Dr. Emerson's presentation on dental issues? In it she points out an area where abscesses from Elodontoma occur, is that the area on your park squirrel, I can't tell from the pictures....:poke
:Love_Icon
Thanks, Nancy.
I saw her presentation, but now I have to go and look again.

Nancy, those are not just pics, those are very short vids - just click on them ;)

[astra]

astra, did you see Dr. Emerson's presentation on dental issues? In it she points out an area where abscesses from Elodontoma occur, is that the area on your park squirrel, I can't tell from the pictures....:poke
:Love_Icon
I looked at the slides 10 and 11.
It definitely does not look like 11.

It looks different from 10, too - in Dr. Emerson's slide it looks bigger, encompassing a wider area and sort of gravitating down.
This wild guy's is smaller, sort of narrower and more to the side.

But still, it seems to be in the same lower jaw spot.

So, don't know...

[Scooterzmom]

Does he seem to have trouble cracking nuts? Does it take him long to crack one? Do you see any odd way of chewing? I'm asking those questions wondering if it might be a case of malocclusion.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

abscess was the first thing that came to my mind

[astra]

he seemed to be ok cracking nuts, but it looked like he was mostly eating on that "normal" side.

But then, I know that a lot of times when they seem to be ok, they really aren't, but just trying to look as ok as possible. So, I don't know whether he was ok cracking those nuts, or was in pain cracking them and just tried not to show it.

If it is malocclusion, would it still be only on one side, though?...

When he first came up to me, I thought he had already got one small peanut, put it behind his cheek and came for more.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

wonder if a piece of shell could be caught in there, who knows what they eat when we arent looking.
Or he got into his pappy's chaw.

[Scooterzmom]

he seemed to be ok cracking nuts, but it looked like he was mostly eating on that "normal" side.

But then, I know that a lot of times when they seem to be ok, they really aren't, but just trying to look as ok as possible. So, I don't know whether he was ok cracking those nuts, or was in pain cracking them and just tried not to show it.

If it is malocclusion, would it still be only on one side, though?...

When he first came up to me, I thought he had already got one small peanut, put it behind his cheek and came for more.


It could be. If the one tooth is misaligned and/or twisted at its root it could grow sideways, like it's "curling" - something I saw in one of my wilds. :( Eating on one side is not a good sign... to me it suggests something wrong with the tooth more than with the flesh of his cheek. Hope I'm wrong :dono

[Jackie in Tampa]

I can't see your sq very well, but it sorta looks like Rocky with his large lymph nodes.

[astra]

thanks for the input, guys,

I will try to get a better look and, hopefully, better pics, although, i do not have a normal camera and will have to use my phone camera, If only he didn't have to move so fast.

If it is lymph nodes... I don't remember much about them... is that treatable?... in the wild, or vet-only?... or not treatable?...

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

It depends on why the node is swollen.
Could be tumor, could be infection, needle biopsy is how to tell

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/swollen-lymph-nodes/DS00880