Growth on Mindy's neck

[Orphan Mom]

Mindy has a hard growth on one side of her neck. When I feel of it, it actually feels like maybe it's two knots.

She's 5-6 weeks old. Her eyes are open. She is eating and eliminating normally, and she is very active.

I'm trying to put out some feelers, but right now I don't know a vet who could look at her. I'm really worried & a little freaked out :crybaby

I am trying to embed a picture, but it won't show up. http://www.flickr.com/photos/21122718@N06/6965426823/

[astra]

email me your picture, I will post:

[astra]

here it is

[CritterMom]

Might those be bot fly?

[Orphan Mom]

I was just reading up on that. I've had Mork and Mindy now for two weeks+, and they've been inside the whole time. Could it still be that? I just dug around in the fur and didn't see any kind of hole.

[CritterMom]

I think it takes a while before the lump develops to the breathing hole phase. Happily I have never dealt with these directly - hang in there - we have a lot of very experience folks on here that may have other ideas.

[Jackie in Tampa]

can you take a pic straight forward or even a few other shots TY
as far as vets??? I know there are at least three members scattered in different areas of Arkansas..they may have vet acsess if needed..

[Orphan Mom]

The picture I took straight on doesn't show anything. You can't tell there is a lump at all. It's not terribly obvious until you look at her from the side. That one picture is pretty much the best I could do with an uncooperative squirrel and indoor lighting. :\

The other Arkansas members I've met on here are in the four corners of the state. I'm the only one in central AR I think. They're all 3-4 hours away. I have had a couple of friends on Facebook give me a couple of vet names. I am going to call them tomorrow & see if they treat wildlife.

[astra]

The picture I took straight on doesn't show anything. You can't tell there is a lump at all. It's not terribly obvious until you look at her from the side. That one picture is pretty much the best I could do with an uncooperative squirrel and indoor lighting. :\

The other Arkansas members I've met on here are in the four corners of the state. I'm the only one in central AR I think. They're all 3-4 hours away. I have had a couple of friends on Facebook give me a couple of vet names. I am going to call them tomorrow & see if they treat wildlife.
be very cautious and discrete when talking to those vets: do not give your name, do not give any details about your squirrels. Ask for guarantees that they will not seize your squirrels. That's very important, b/c by law all vets are to seize illegal wildlife

[Orphan Mom]

Oh thanks for the heads up! I would be so sad if they took my little ones.

[rygel1hardt]

In Arkansas you can have up to six squirrels as pets legally. You do have to have a license in order to rehabilitate wildlife however. So no vet should be able to take your squirrel unless you say you plan to release it, because you are not breaking any laws. Stacey

[astra]

Oh thanks for the heads up! I would be so sad if they took my little ones.
you can even say something along the lines of you possibly getting a baby squirrel b/c someone's friends' friend's friend's daughter found one in the park.
So, you want to find a vet just in case you do end up getting the baby.

Not only they will seize your baby, but also, most likely they will put it to sleep if that bump is anything that will require extended med. care. Baby season is about to start, and since most wildlife centres/rehabbers are always understaffed and overwhelmed they won't be bothered with someone who needs too much personal attention.

[astra]

In Arkansas you can have up to six squirrels as pets legally. You do have to have a license in order to rehabilitate wildlife however. So no vet should be able to take your squirrel unless you say you plan to release it, because you are not breaking any laws. Stacey

thanks for this info, Stacey

[Orphan Mom]

In Arkansas you can have up to six squirrels as pets legally. You do have to have a license in order to rehabilitate wildlife however. So no vet should be able to take your squirrel unless you say you plan to release it, because you are not breaking any laws. Stacey


Thanks Stacey! That puts my mind at ease. I have thought about getting my rehabber's license, but I don't want to get on a list and take in orphans others find. On my property there will always be an occasional motherless babe, and so I've made it a priority to learn to raise them and to have the necessities on hand when it happens. Now, I don't have to worry that I can't use a vet if necessary.

[Orphan Mom]

I just looked at the picture and realized that it looks like she has a lump on her chest too. She does not. There is just the one on her neck. There is no lesion of any kind or loss of fur. It's not even terribly obvious, especially from the front. When I felt it it didn't feel hot to the touch, and it didn't seem to be causing her any pain.

[sassysquirrel]

I have access to a vet - that knows about squirrels - where in Arkansas are you

[Orphan Mom]

Little Rock

[sassysquirrel]

you are 2 hours from me - let me know if you need any help

[Orphan Mom]

Oh great. I thought you were in Texarkana. It's good to know there is someone close who can help!

I have a friend who has a pet squirrel, and she just gave me the name of the vet that treats him. She highly recommended him.

[Mrs Skul]

:wave123 Hi OrphanMom :wave123 Hi SassySquirrel
Did they Contact you? Will your Vet see this baby If they drive to you?
Do you Know of a Squirrel Friendly Vet who would see these People close around? Hope things are OK. :thinking :dono
Orphan Mom I am sending you a PM with my number. Please call. Me or get a hold of SassySquirrel. This baby is going to be in Very SERIOUS TROUBLE SOON. The knot will keep growing and is in the wrong Place.
If you squeeze the Knot is it HARD, or SOFT and Squishy? :dono :thinking Do you have any Antibiotic around the house? It is either a Bot Fly or a Abscess. :thinking What was the situation you found them in? Was their any injuries?
Did you find them? Was the nest up above and they fell, If so about how many feet?
I know it is a 20 Questions.:D

[Orphan Mom]

OK, I'll take these one at a time.

1. I just got the name of a local vet who treats squirrels, so I hope I'll be able to get in to see him tomorrow. Thank you for letting me know that this is urgent.
2. The knot is hard. I have Sulmet and Terramycin on hand.

3. She's about 5-6 weeks old. I have had them for about 2+ weeks. They were not injured or anything when I found them two weeks ago. Mom had made a nest under the hood of a car that we rarely use but we had used all day on a Saturday. When we found them, they had probably been abandoned about 24 hours.

4. She has been putting on weight well. Is eating and eliminating well. She is very active.

[sassysquirrel]

I am in Texarkana, AR - it is only 2 hours from here - my mom lives in Little Rock - so we make the trip often
There is a vet on the Texas side of town - that does take care of squirrels - he is a super sweet vet - he only charged me $45 to trim Nougie's teeth and that was with giving him gas - he has also done surgery on squirrels
Let me know if you need help

[Mrs Skul]

:Welcome Welcom to TSB OrphanMom :morning
Vet Appointment tomorrow. :alright.gif
Just remember if he gives you Antibiotic. The Best and Squirrel Friendly is Baytrill! It taste Nasty but it Really Works Good. :yuck
Ciprofloxacin or Sulfatrim (SMZ-TMP) are broad spectrum Antibiotics.
Let use know what you find out.
:thumbsup3

[Jackie in Tampa]

usually with bot fly there is fever and redness, and hair loss...
:shakehead not seeing any evidence that this would be bot fly...
abscess, probably not...again, no sign of fever or previous wound...:dono

glad you clarified what DID look to be a second bump.

neck area could be lymph node, however I would think both would be affected, but not sure..
also, sqs have lymph nodes on either side of the anus, do you feel any weird nodule lumps there?
Glad you were able to find vet info!:thumbsup
keep us in the loop!:grouphug

Thank you Stacey for clarifying Ark law concerning pet sqs..same thing in Florida, no permit needed for up to 10 pet sqs as long as no releases are done.

[Orphan Mom]

Update:

OK I got on the phone with Ms. Skul last night, and we think we've ruled out bot fly. I've found a local vet who has been treating a friend's squirrel for years. A couple of years ago her NR had a tumor on/near his man parts, and this vet removed it and neutered him. So I feel pretty confident about this doctor. Also, he's only like 15 minutes from me! Yay! I can't get in until Monday, but since she's not showing any signs of distress, I think (hope?) we'll be okay until then.

[Orphan Mom]

UPDATE:

Went to the vet this morning, and he said that it felt like a swollen lymph gland and not an abscess. He gave her amoxicillan (I asked about Baytril, but he said he would recommend the amox first :dono ). She's taking .1 cc twice a day. He said that if the swelling hadn't gone down by Thursday to call and he would change her antibiotic.

He only charged me $10 for the visit and $10 for the meds. Yay.

She's so prone to diarrhea I think I am going to preemptively add some yogurt to her diet.

[CritterMom]

UPDATE:

Went to the vet this morning, and he said that it felt like a swollen lymph gland and not an abscess. He gave her amoxicillan (I asked about Baytril, but he said he would recommend the amox first :dono ). She's taking .1 cc twice a day. He said that if the swelling hadn't gone down by Thursday to call and he would change her antibiotic.

He only charged me $10 for the visit and $10 for the meds. Yay.

She's so prone to diarrhea I think I am going to preemptively add some yogurt to her diet.


Absolutely add yogurt, and if you have a chain type pet store like Petco around, you can buy a little envelope of Bene-bac for a couple bucks - it is a more reliable way to get probiotics into them in larger quantities. Amox is a gut buster so the poor little guy is going to need it.

[Orphan Mom]

Absolutely add yogurt, and if you have a chain type pet store like Petco around, you can buy a little envelope of Bene-bac for a couple bucks - it is a more reliable way to get probiotics into them in larger quantities. Amox is a gut buster so the poor little guy is going to need it.

Shoot... I just got back from Petco.

[Orphan Mom]

Lump is not going down. It's growing. I have a call in to the vet's office. Don't know what to do at this point.

[Anne]

Have your vet check for a thyroid problem also-that could be a goiter.
Test for thyroid will need a little blood from her, my local lab only charges me $35.00 for the test--I take thyroid replacement every day since I was 9 years old!

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Don't know if they would do this but a needle biopsy may help .
Lymph nodes come to the rescue when there is an infection some where else. As they work they swell.
If it is still growing with AB it could be a tumor.

[Jackie in Tampa]

My Rocky has both lymph nodes swollen, for two months..
also the lower ones around his butt.
he is old and has no teeth, very hard to keep him healthy..
we are doing all we can to boost his immune system, I did have hin on baytril, I did not see an improvement..
this is true about the LN taking on the problem of virus or bacterial infection..boosting the Immune system is ideal therapy if so.
It can also be cancer..seems it is consistant with the swollen LN.
Maybe your vet can aspirate the lymph node and send out for testing.
mine did with rocky, it came back inconclusive...I think we went thru the otherside and did not get good sample. I had 3 tests run on it, one by the vet herself, one was sent to a local lab..$105 and a biologist for FWC also did one..nothing.:dono
I have not decided to try again..or not.
He is active and feeling good when awake, but he does sleep alot.
he will be 10 in june, my best friend:Love_Icon

I have no experience with this in babies, I would talk with your vet and see what he/she thinks for sure.
Better chance since he is younger and getting formula..
Rocky hates anything good for him and being toothless has always been a small challange with hos diiet.
sending good healing thoughts:Love_Icon
It could be something else totally...:dono

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Calcium deposits also do this but this is a baby ..too young for that.
Benin tumors can occur any where at any age.

[Orphan Mom]

Thanks for the ideas. Sounds like everyone is as puzzled as I am. I had asked him about cancer, and he said it would be really really unusual at this young age.

Arrgh. I don't like having sick babies! :shakehead

I will call the office tomorrow (I had just done the email contact thing they offer -- knew that was too good to be true).