URGENT - Bad dehydration

[iwonka]

GRAPHIC PICTURES - BEWARE

Yesterday afternoon I received 3 little females about 2 weeks old - 50 grams each but VERY skinny and VERY dehydrated and with diarrhea. The diarrhea looks yellowish clear but slimy.
One has a scratch on the nose, I suspecting also internal injury on that one, hoping it is only in the mouth, but whenever this little drinks more than 1/2cc of pedialyte she regurgitates it along with blood.

I sub-q’d all 3 babies twice - 1cc each around 2 or 3am, then 1.5cc each around 7am. It didn’t seem to bring much improvement and one of them didn't survived :sad When sub-qing it seems like some of the solution comes back out from the little hole. I always find them wet. Is that normal?
I just found out that I should give them lactated ringers by mouth if they’re very dehydrated. Since I’ve been giving them the homemade pedialyte for the past 24 hours, should I give them the ringers by mouth now, should I continue the pedia… or some formula…

What should I do?

I’m afraid they might die of hunger by now.

:confused: :help

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[Rhapsody]

While we wait for one of the more exp rehabbers to come along and help I would suggest that you continue flushing their bodies out with the homemade pedialyte if you have not completed the flush for a full 24 hours....... then slowly start them on diluted fox valley at 5-7% of their body weight (vanilla yogurt can be added to help with the digestive issues).

[psychobird]

if you have LQ ringer solution it does hydrate better than pedialyte
and when you subQ make it worth while and do a minimum of 5% even up to 10% if there is room
5% would be 2.5 but i would go for 3mls
every couple of hours as long as it goes down
try to get at least 3mls LQr orally into them every 3hrs
even if it's a 1/2ml every 1/2 hour
since they already have diarrhea i would go a full 24 of hydrating before formula
and you may want to start with diluted ensure or pediasure instead of formula, since they are already sick
did the finders feed them milk or something

[iwonka]

I've already passed 24 hours :(

:shakehead

[psychobird]

oh,shoot, thought you got them last night
okay..
dilute ensure vanilla, or pediasure, you can still subQ every few hours
dilute with water only, start first couple of feeding 1 part ensure to 2 parts water and work your way up to full
if all goes well for next couple of days you can start fox valley or goats milk (diluted again of course)

[lilidukes]

Doing a little sugar (syrup) rub on the gums might help before feeding.

[iwonka]

The little injured angel is not here anymore :sad
I checked her mouth and the injury was not there..

I sub-q’d the 3'rd baby with 2.5ml. I'm running to buy the ensure vanilla.

Mon Dieu SVP... :Love_Icon

[psychobird]

:(, poor baby
Praying last baby makes it

[psychobird]

Ensure will okay for a couple of days, do you have fox valley formula?

[Scooterzmom]

The little injured angel is not here anymore :sad
I checked her mouth and the injury was not there..

I sub-q’d the 3'rd baby with 2.5ml. I'm running to buy the ensure vanilla.

Mon Dieu SVP... :Love_Icon


Mon Dieu... pauvre petite puce. I'm so very sorry Iwonka. That poor little thing was trying so hard but that little body of hers just couldn't take it anymore. If anyone knows how much you tried, I do.

Sometimes God in his mercy takes them back. She was having such a tough time, poor little darling.

R.I.P. little one. Go with your little sister, go see our other little friends and be happy now, all free of pain.

[island rehabber]

I'm sorry you lost the two, iwonka....they are in VERY bad shape for sure. For the last one, I would do diluted formula every 2 hours for about 6 hours, then strengthen the formula a bit and feed every 3 hrs. She/he needs calories; all the Pedialyte in the world won't keep them alive. Go as slowly as you can.

I don't know if the photo is true to color, or not, but the fluid near that little one's head looks like brain fluid to me. I have seen that in severe head trauma cases and it always means death. :( So sorry. There was nothing you could have done. :grouphug

[Scooterzmom]

I just thought you all should know how hard Iwonka has been driving herself trying to save these babies.

Last nite I was on the phone with her trying to lend at least moral support until 3:30 in the morning and she was still feeding the others, then SUB-Q'ing the 3 little girls, bathing and massaging Harry who's having probs with bloat... and by the time she was all done, it was time to feed the babies again. :shakehead

Iwonka, you are just amazing! :grouphug

[psychobird]

ugh, i feel your pain, it's so hard to have sick babies, takes the wind right out of you

[Scooterzmom]

ugh, i feel your pain, it's so hard to have sick babies, takes the wind right out of you

It does, and when you lose one, then another... it not only hurts but it rattles you, shakes your self-confidence and makes you question yourself.

I think I speak for everyone here when I say, Iwonka we know you are doing everything you can, that you are giving these babies the very best care anyone can give them and you are one courageous lady. Please do not doubt yourself, do not give up. :grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[Scooterzmom]

Iwonka is on her way to drop off some babies to be fostered by a lady (out of town) and then she's off to pick up 3 more babies from the SPCA!!!

[Rhapsody]

Prayers and Healing Vibes being sent your way....... (((hugs))) :Love_Icon

[iwonka]

I'm sorry you lost the two, iwonka....they are in VERY bad shape for sure. For the last one, I would do diluted formula every 2 hours for about 6 hours, then strengthen the formula a bit and feed every 3 hrs. She/he needs calories; all the Pedialyte in the world won't keep them alive. Go as slowly as you can.



I sub-q’d her with 2.5ml again and she had 3 time dilute ensure vanilla. She seems to apriacite this a lot.
I will move to dilute FV now...

[Mrs Skul]

:wave123 Hi Iwonka
I sent you a PM with my Phone Number. Call me Day or Night if you have Question or need some help and can't get a hold of Anyone. Thank You Scooterzmom For being their for Iwonka. :grouphug You Rock! :alright.gif
I am so Sorry You Lost Those Sweet Little Babies. As IR stated they were in Very Bad Shape.
:Love_Icon You Were There to Help Them Cross The Rainbow Bridge. You Protected Them! Feed, Warmed, Cared, and Loved Them All. :Love_Icon
What a Guardian Angel, Great SquMommy and A Wonderful Wounder-Woman. Thank You for Caring! :grouphug
:bow HUGS To You! :peace Keep up the good work you are doing. I know its hard. We are All Hear For You! :bowdown

[psychobird]

I sub-q’d her with 2.5ml again and she had 3 time dilute ensure vanilla. She seems to apriacite this a lot.
I will move to dilute FV now...
So happy to hear that :), how's the diarrhea?

[Jackie in Tampa]

:grouphug iwonka:grouphug

[iwonka]

Isn't this beautiful?

:jump

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[psychobird]

ahhh much better:jump

[Jackie in Tampa]

:thumbsup :D
poop lovers!!! we must be nuts:D

[Scooterzmom]

:poop :poop :poop It's a POOP CELEBRATION - A POOPIE PARTY!:poop :poop :poop

[island rehabber]

:D GOLDEN NUGGETS :D

[Nancy in New York]

BEAUTIFUL.....:D

[Jackie in Tampa]

I will never let my mother read TSB....NO!:shakehead

[Nancy in New York]

I will never let my mother read TSB....NO!:shakehead
Hey Missy, I can read that!!!!!:rotfl

[Jackie in Tampa]

ya gotta know my mother...:shakehead
I was stealthin':D

[iwonka]

Her name is Léa. :wave123
In total she received 6 SubQ. After few feedings with the Ensure, I've fed her every hours with diluted FV and Maple syrup+water every 30 min in between feedings (that beacause I've exceeded the 24 hrs of Pedialyte).Than I moved her to 100% FV and since tonight she eats FV/Ultraboost formula. I continue giving her fluids in between feedings.

She looks skinny but I think she is out of danger now:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

She has a roommate since 2 days - Chester. He is younger than Léa, but the two weigh the same 60g.
They seem to appreciate each other.

Thank you all for helping me .. I appreciate all comments and PMs. I'm sorry, I do not respond quickly .. I'm a bit busy these days. :bowdown :Love_Icon

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[psychobird]

oh she looks so much better :)

[patjones]

Amazing that you snatched her from the brink of death litteraly and a few days later she is so much better Maybe I missed the back story were the three orphaned or was someone trying to help but did not know what they were doing.

[lilidukes]

What a little fighter Lea is :grouphug :grouphug Great job iwonka :thumbsup

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Lusty...means ...full of strength and vitality

LUSTY LEA

[Scooterzmom]

Amazing that you snatched her from the brink of death litteraly and a few days later she is so much better Maybe I missed the back story were the three orphaned or was someone trying to help but did not know what they were doing.I know Iwonka is busy so I htink maybe I can answer this :tilt

Unless I am mistaken, if I remember what Iwonka told me correctly, the 3 little orphan girls had been left there for over 2 days, with nothing to drink, and no heat... nothing - I can't recall if they'd been left outdoors or indoors at someone's place, but whatever it was I find it criminal to just leave 3 little babies like that helpless and do NOTHING!!!! These are lives, regardless of who or what they are! They deserved a chance to live, not a slow, horrible death.

Shame on them, whoever they were!

She looks like such a sweetie and soo much better now Iwonka :) Great job!!!

[iwonka]

Léa darling is 66g today :jump

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[skarabrae]

:Love_Icon

[Chickenlegs]

This originally was passed on by Sissy and might be useful next time poor babies come in so neglected. Even if the info isn't all useful in one case it's good stuff to keep in a file for next time. I believe Sissy said it was posted on TSB before but sometimes it's nice to have info in front of you. Glad your darling is doing better.


Hi Gail! Ive been doing this a long time and have found out some things by necropsy, and some by a brilliant DVM with a double masters in nutrition. She has always picked my methods apart, and then told me "why". Today recovering dehydrated and emaciated animals is one of my specialties along with wounds and bone breaks. Ive got this down and I hope my experiences will help you to master these methods.
In small mammals as small as squirrels, you are always better off to re hydrate with glucose or sugar water than pedialyte when the animal is dehydrated from lack of fluids or milk. Theres a few reasons, but mainly the preservatives that are used in the commercial electrolytes for human consumption. In a human sized kidney, or even a large breed puppy, not a big deal, but in the kidneys of a tiny squirrel, you have these little filters the size of half to a whole pea, and they are battling to keep the impurities out of the blood which is now thickened and concentrated, in a body that cannot afford to flush them out because it cant afford the fluid loss to make urine. The kidneys are already in trouble. Those chemicals are immediately caught in the kidneys because the body cannot use them for anything. Pedialyte often contains dye and flavoring which should never be used, but the preservatives alone can cause problems you wont even see. In cross section
necropsies of kidneys for other rehabbers, I have found crystals, inflammation and blockage from Pedialyte and Gatorade. The Gatorade is just insane. I wont even drink it after seeing how the kidneys are affected. I have necropsied HUGE BLUE Gatorade kidneys! When the body is dehydrated and the kidneys are that small, we must only give the system things it can break down and use. There is no room for added chemicals. We have to stay as pure as possible.
In dehydration from starvation, just go with 1 tsp per cup warm water, infant glucose water or dextrose and water. The body can use that sugar. It makes a world of difference in stabilizing your baby and getting them back up. You can feed only the sugar water or glucose for a day, day and a half, and start adding your protein (formula) to the glucose or sugar water in reduced amounts, keeping them on the sugar until they rehydrate and their weight is back up. The BONUS to this is that they burn the sugar as energy which causes the body to store the protein, which brings weight up more effectively. The ADDED BONUS is that you can mix your protein and your rehydration fluid. You CANNOT MIX ELECTROLYTES AND PROTEIN. You cancel them both out by doing this. You will starve your baby of all help by doing this. Never never mix.
In an animal dehydrated from starvation or lack of fluids, they havent lost electrolytes as they would have from a case of diarrhea, to which an electrolyte can be used. Since sugar can actually cause diarrhea (which it will NOT do in a dehydrated animal), in an animal dehydrated from diarrhea, I recommend unflavored Pedialyte given BETWEEN protein feedings, or alternate with a starch like rice cereal water. I still use the infant glucose for this, and if I have to give an electrolyte, I use reconstituted mammal electrolyte powder.
Often protein can cause diarrhea if its an alien source, so pulling the protein and adding a starch will often do the trick. Remember, starch converts to sugar. Starch actually IS a long chain sugar, so no need to ad sugar when using a starch. Its amazing how the two are so similarly used by the body, but produce the opposite result in therapy!
Anyway, I hope something here helps!
Annette
Wild Heart Ranch

[iwonka]

An update on Léa :Love_Icon

She is almost 6 months old now :thumbsup

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[island rehabber]

omg, she is beyond beautiful!!!! :bowdown:flash3

[sadie7684]

She is a beautiful girl and look at that tail!! So happy to read this thread and see that at least one of them had a happy ending...wish it could have been that way for all the girls. :) :Love_Icon :)

[Pip]

:Love_Icon Gorgeous Léa :Love_Icon :wott

[Scooterzmom]

That's our Lea allright. ;)

She has settled into the backyard woods and the garden just fine. She hangs out with the crowd every single day, will beat the others to the nuts by climbing on me for them and if I'm late out in the yard then she comes and climbs on my kitchen window screen or in the flower box at my dining room window. If I don't watch it she'd walk right inside the house - which I don't want her to do, certainly not wiath a dog and cat around. :)

She's quite the character. And not only is she gorgeous - we can't see it her but she has the most gorgeous orange belly - she also shows has the most beautifully sweet personality as well.

[Scooterzmom]

I think admin can take this out of Emergency (and place in TSB success stories maybe?) so as not to take attention away from those who really need it.

[Twi_prime]

What a chunky monkey!! :D