MILK IN BABY'S NOSE??!!

[josieorr]

When I was feeding Jerry, he had some milk on his nose and started making a little sneezing sound. Now I could be over reacting, but I'm not sure if he got milk in his lungs or if he just got it on his nose when he was eating. He is a flyer, around 6-weeks old, and is pretty much looking like a small adult. I still feed him with a1 c.c. syringe and I go slow. Even if he did have some in his lungs, since he is older will he be OK? Is there some way I can check to see if there is any in his lungs? Like I said, I could just be over reacting and some could have just gotten on his nose when he was feeding. I just want to be sure he's okay.

[Rhapsody]

Is there some way I can check to see if there is any in his lungs?If your little one was to get any of the formula into his lungs he would have aspirated and would start to whizz --put his chest up to your ear and quietly listen for any sounds. If you here any whizzing now or in the next few hours let us know right away..... he will need to be started on medication for pneumonia.

[josieorr]

I held him up to my ear and couldn't hear anything, i guess thats a good thing? I will keep you posted if i get more worried. Is there any weird behavior he will show if he begins to getsick? he is running around like crazy now! I'm trying to sleep right and he is in a plastic cage right now and he keeps running around and scratching at the lid! :multi Ahhh

[skippy]

Hi there:
I hate when that happens.
Flyers and Douglas squirrels do a lot of lapping unlike the grays and foxes that like to suck.
I have an infant nasal bulb syringe that I keep right next to my feeding equipment. I use the ones that have a clear tip that comes off to clean out, which I do once it's been used. The tips are more flat and soft on the nose. It doesn't go into their nostril. Anyway, you just squeeze it about 1/4 to 1/2 way before holding it against the squirrels nostril and then let go. It will gently suck out any extra formula that they may have gotten up their nose when they guzzle to fast. They can sneeze most of it out but this finishes the job and then gently wipe their face clean as the formula is not friendly to their fur if left to dry on it. Especially the flyers. They will lose their fur from the formula if it's not cleaned up well when they are done eating/lapping.
Do keep a close eye on the wheezing or clicking sounds coming from their back. That would be a pretty sure sign of aspiration pneumonia and like others have said would need medicine quickly.
Good Luck. :)

[josieorr]

:thankyou There is some formula around his mouth that is hardened :sanp3 I usually try to dab his face with a q-tip while he is drinking, but he is just so hyper it is hard to keep him still long enough to clean him. Is there any way I can get this hardened formula off of his face? And is it a big deal if it does cause some fur to fall out?

[skippy]

:thankyou There is some formula around his mouth that is hardened :sanp3 I usually try to dab his face with a q-tip while he is drinking, but he is just so hyper it is hard to keep him still long enough to clean him. Is there any way I can get this hardened formula off of his face? And is it a big deal if it does cause some fur to fall out?

It can become a big deal if you don't keep the formula cleaned up on the flyers. Their fur falls out but will grow back eventually. I use cotton balls dipped in warm water with most of the water squeezed out, and just hold it there to soften as long as he'll let you without covering his nostrils. Each time you feed clean up with a warm cotton ball. Q-tips are good for pinkies, mice, rats, voles etc but once they get formula on them there isn't much cleaning surface left that's clean. Just don't pick at it, that would more than likely cause it to come off in a little clump. Momma would always lick her babies clean and stimulate them in the wild. I like to stimulate them until they don't tolerate it anymore so I can keep an eye on the color and quantity of their urine and their stool. Although, I usually have more than one to care for at a time so this is important to catch any imbalance from food or illness right away.
Don't panic, just get into the routine now of cleanliness with them and especially their feeding equipment too. Enjoy!:)

[Rhapsody]

I held him up to my ear and couldn't hear anything, i guess thats a good thing?
Is there any weird behavior he will show if he begins to get sick?If he starts to get sick you would see him become lethargic and want to sleep often with little to no energy and he would probably not want to eat, but you will need to push the fox valley and possibly alternate every other feeding with pedialyte to make sure he stays well hydrate if he was to get sick and refuse most of his formula.

[island rehabber]

I always have some Dawn handy in the rehab room (guest bath :D) so I can use warm water and just a dot of Dawn to clean off formula. The formula has fats & oils which cause it to harden like glue on the babies' fur.....Dawn dissolves oil, so there you go. And it's harmless, even if a little stays on their fur and they lick themselves. :thumbsup

[josieorr]

:wott
I always have some Dawn handy in the rehab room (guest bath :D) so I can use warm water and just a dot of Dawn to clean off formula. The formula has fats & oils which cause it to harden like glue on the babies' fur.....Dawn dissolves oil, so there you go. And it's harmless, even if a little stays on their fur and they lick themselves. :thumbsup
Good idea I will try that! Even though he doesn't like to sit still very long! :thankyou :D

[skippy]

I always have some Dawn handy in the rehab room (guest bath :D) so I can use warm water and just a dot of Dawn to clean off formula. The formula has fats & oils which cause it to harden like glue on the babies' fur.....Dawn dissolves oil, so there you go. And it's harmless, even if a little stays on their fur and they lick themselves. :thumbsup


Learn something new everyday. I've just started using Dawn for general cleaning but didn't think about the formula. I bet it works better than just warm water to break down those clumps. Thanks for sharing that IR.:)

[island rehabber]

Learn something new everyday. I've just started using Dawn for general cleaning but didn't think about the formula. I bet it works better than just warm water to break down those clumps. Thanks for sharing that IR.:)

My pleasure. In case you don't already know this, Dawn is one kick-butt flea/lice remover as well. Dip a paper towel in some warm water & Dawn, squeeze out the excess water and gently wipe the baby squirrel down with it. Leave it on without rinsing for a few minutes, then wipe again with plain warm water. Fleas & lice will drop off the baby and die a few minutes later. (Put baby on a white cloth or paper towel so you can see the little buggers.....)

[josieorr]

He wont hold still long enough for this to work :( he has gotten so active in the past week! Should I just leave the dry formula alone? Also, is it okay if I start letting him lap the formula up out of a small cap?

[Rhapsody]

In order to get him to sit still you can take a piece of fleece and wrap him securely up in it like a burrito with just his little head sticking out...... this will enable you to wipe his face down with out much of a fight.

And Yes, it is ok for him to drink his formula out of a cap or small dish if you can get him him to do this....... just make sure he is still getting his daily allowance each day.

[skippy]

My pleasure. In case you don't already know this, Dawn is one kick-butt flea/lice remover as well. Dip a paper towel in some warm water & Dawn, squeeze out the excess water and gently wipe the baby squirrel down with it. Leave it on without rinsing for a few minutes, then wipe again with plain warm water. Fleas & lice will drop off the baby and die a few minutes later. (Put baby on a white cloth or paper towel so you can see the little buggers.....)

:thankyou I didn't know that either. I don't often have fleas as we are at a high elevation but when I get one from the foothills I have had them. I HATE using kitten flea powder or any chemical if I can help it. This is great news.
Thanks for sharing!

[josieorr]

Do flying squirrels make any noises?

[josieorr]

Sorry to ask another question haha, but I'm so paranoid about Jerry getting formula in his lungs. The syringe I had kept getting stuck so I started putting the formula in a very flat spoon and letting him drink it out of there, but he drinks it so fast, and gets his nose in it too. I would think he would be smart enough to keephis nose out of the formula, but I just don't know!!! Is the clicking noise that you hear when there is formula in his nose loud? Because I just listened to him up close and there is maybe a VERY quiet clicking noise but that may just be him making noises. Do I need to immediately get him medicine if I'm not sure, or wait and see if his behavior changes?

[island rehabber]

The clicking from pneumonia is heard on both the INhale and the EXhale. Think Darth Vader. When the animal becomes active, the clicking gets faster. Little 'pffts' and mouth noises are normal.

[josieorr]

The clicking from pneumonia is heard on both the INhale and the EXhale. Think Darth Vader. When the animal becomes active, the clicking gets faster. Little 'pffts' and mouth noises are normal.

Thank you! Its just when he laps up the formula his nose and mouth are both in the formula so I'm so scared that he is inhaling it!