Now this with Peanut...

[pappy1264]

Ok we went through this strange fur loss, treated with Revolution, and it has for the most part cleared up (still has fur loss in crease of back legs, but not scratching anymore, so hopefully just needs to grow in (front legs, head, feet and under tail have all regrown).

Now, a couple of days ago, it looked like his left eye was cloudy (kind of how nocturnal animals eyes look in daylight). Today, it is much more visiable....he seems to be fine, doesn't act like he cannot see on that side or that his balance or anything is off...acting just like himself, but it is clearly cloudy. He took a bad fall as a baby (crow was trying to eat him alive and the whole nest with him in it fell well over 30 ft. drop.) But that was a year ago.

Anyone ever seen a cataract develop in a squirrel? He is only a year old, as I said. Eats good. Plays good. Potties good. Nothing seems out of the ordinary, except the eye now. Any thoughts/ideas?

He chose to not leave (this boy wants NOTHING to do with outside, not even going near a window!!! Heck he isn't even interested in Angel, and she is a girl! He just wants me.)

[Skul]

I have no idea.
We have a couple out back that have developed them.
Thet seem to get along OK, but it does put them at a disadvantage.

[pappy1264]

He lives inside, so no worries that way. but seems like issue after issue with him as of late. It doesn't seem to bother him, whatever is causing it.

[crazysquirrels]

Perhaps an eye infection is starting.

[pappy1264]

I don't know, he is not messing with it, or even acting as if it is effecting him at all. Will try to get a pic, it is very obvious.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Some times cloudy eyes can be nutritional, I know you feed well, but sometimes there is a nutritional deficit in the sq himself, that may require more of one thing or another..

has he ever been on steroids?
I would guess it could show up this long after a injury..

There are Rx eye drops that may help.
poor little dude, I hope it resolves without any permanent damage...

[pappy1264]

No, he was not on steroids. I don't know that his vision is effected on that side, it does not seem to be (if I approach him on that side, he seems to see my hand). He does eat pretty much everything I give him (although he loves avocado!)

[pappy1264]

Ok, something is def. wrong. He just all of a sudden acted like he was having intense pain on the left side of his face/head (it is not swollen, even the eye, which is cloudy). I thought he was dying. He closed both is eyes, his ears curled and his body got very tense. He did not move and he turned his face into the corner. It lasted about 5-10 minutes, then he seemed to come out of it. Possible seizure of some kind? Vet not in today, will call first thing in the morning. Please say prayers for Peanut....I will die if I loose him! He seems to be acting normal again, although is sort of closing that eye a little bit, it is not open like it normally is. Could a fall a year ago suddenly cause issues now? He has always sneezed off and on (his teeth are fine). The fall, the sneezing, now this...they have to be connected. Any ideas?

[JLM27]

Could it be odontoma.?

[pappy1264]

Anything is possible, but no swelling whatsoever. He is squinting with that left eye and is sneezing off and on (then he will scratch that side) so there is at the very least some type of pressure/inflammation there. He just ate an almond. He is def. more quiet then he ever is today. Was actually just back in his bed, def. not normal for him during the day (he will nap on his shelf.)

[Scooterzmom]

Just thinking out loud here... mentioning things that may trigger thoughts for others...

Eyes and nose are connected in some way... for instance, if your nose is plugged and you blow very hard, sometimes you'll feel the air coming out the tear duct... wondering if maybe there could be some inflammation in the tear duct...???? Some kind of conjunctivitis???? Also the eye and nose connection - like what could be the sinuses - can also cause severe pain in the head... if there is severe infection of the sinuses it can get to the brain...(as I was told by my doc)

Please bear with me...but... Back when I was flying, one time the pain in my head as the plane would depressurize on descent was unbearable, felt like a knife had stabbed me in the forehead and I lost sight in my left eye... it lasted all the way until finally we had landed. I was told by the docs I was having had a very severe case of sinus infection.

I don't know but you might ask your vet...... :dono

[jo_schmoe]

What about simple allergies??
Pollens are REALLY high right now.....:thinking

[pappy1264]

I could be sinuses, as he has always sneezed more then I hear the others sneeze, but there is no swelling, nothing coming out of the eye or nose (it is not wet). He is quiet today, so something is up. But you have to remember, that left eye got cloudy the other day, so don't think allergy would cause that. I am fearful of tumor behind the eye (I have heard of it in gliders causing the cloudy eyes).

thanks guys....Peanut is MY BABY....I feel sick just knowing something is wrong with him....I couldn't take it if I lost him...he is my best buddy and I love him with all my heart.

I will see if I can get a pic of the eye.

[jo_schmoe]

I could be sinuses, as he has always sneezed more then I hear the others sneeze, but there is no swelling, nothing coming out of the eye or nose (it is not wet). He is quiet today, so something is up. But you have to remember, that left eye got cloudy the other day, so don't think allergy would cause that. I am fearful of tumor behind the eye (I have heard of it in gliders causing the cloudy eyes).

thanks guys....Peanut is MY BABY....I feel sick just knowing something is wrong with him....I couldn't take it if I lost him...he is my best buddy and I love him with all my heart.

I will see if I can get a pic of the eye.
Tumors behind the eye are also common in rats.....
Oh Peanut....:Love_Icon
Have you checked teeth??

[pappy1264]

What I can see (he isn't very cooperative when it comes to that! Will have vet check them.) Incissors looked good to me, but I cannot see inside his mouth.

I am worried. He did fall as a baby from a 30+ foot drop, nest and all but didn't have any head trauma issues that we saw (back then).

[Chickenlegs]

Poor little guy. Love and prayers little Peanut. :Love_Icon

[JLM27]

I'm thinking infection of some sort. O Peanut, please get well!

Dear Lord, please protect and keep little Peanut. Please wrap him in your love and light and heal his body and let him be OK to stay with Mary a long time. I ask for your mercy and grace for Peanut Squirrel and for his wounded eye. Amen.

[Scooterzmom]

I could be sinuses, as he has always sneezed more then I hear the others sneeze, but there is no swelling, nothing coming out of the eye or nose (it is not wet). He is quiet today, so something is up. But you have to remember, that left eye got cloudy the other day, so don't think allergy would cause that. I am fearful of tumor behind the eye (I have heard of it in gliders causing the cloudy eyes).

thanks guys....Peanut is MY BABY....I feel sick just knowing something is wrong with him....I couldn't take it if I lost him...he is my best buddy and I love him with all my heart.

I will see if I can get a pic of the eye.

A severe sinus infection will not cause any swelling. Nothing visible on the outside. There is also the possibility of cysts in the sinus - something which was to blame in my case. I don't know if that can be the same for squirrels... again, something to ask about or check with your vet.

:grouphug Keeping you and your bay in my prayers :grouphug

[pappy1264]

I have not seen another epidsode after this first one. My vet will see him, but don't know how much he can help, he is always willing to help, but does not have a ton of experience in this area. I appreciate the thougths and prayers.

[Kelly Brady]

Prayers are going out to Peanut.

Very weird symptoms Pappy.

Looking forward to hearing what the vet says.:grouphug

[pappy1264]

Vet not in this week....but thankfully Peanut has not had anymore episodes. I took 20 pics (actually more, but only resized 20) so you can see both his eyes. The right one is normal, the left is cloudy. It reacts to light and dark, so light is getting to the optic nerve (that does not mean he can see out of it, but he does not act like he cannot either, as he seems to see when something approaches him on that side.) This came on over a matter of a few days. He had never had any cloudiness before this. He did not recently take a fall (he is never unsupervised out.) Anyone ever seen this? Here are the first 10 pics.

[pappy1264]

Here are the other 10....

[kcassidy]

Mary,

2 years ago I had some woman bring me two babies that she "raised" and was feeding Poptarts and Honey Bunches of Oats too. (side rant here) When I said What the WHAT about the Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, she said she thought that was what squirrels like because she saw commercials on TV where they at that..... Ummmmmm....

Anyway, Jerry (special needs squirrel) had one really cloudy eye and one not so much. I ended up keeping him as he was NR I always thought it was the nutrition but maybe something was just wrong with him, his sister was fine.

Peanut reminds me very much of Jerry, as they both hold their heads a special way, which looks familiar in your photo.

That doesn't answer your questions but I will say Jerry was healthy despite all that, so hopefully Peanut was having an inner ear infection and it is clearing up. Are you giving him any antibiotics? He sure looks like a cutie and I would love to give him a squeeze and kiss.

My vets are very helpful with rehabbers, next time I'm over there I'll ask their opinion. They have done lots of Squirrels.

Keep us posted.

[pappy1264]

Thanks Kim. He had a possible head injury as a baby (crow tried to eat him and he and his nest fell over 30 ft. to the ground). He lives here, no interest in the outside world. He is the love of my life and I will take care of him no matter what!

[pappy1264]

Nobody else? Has anyone ever seen anything like this? Jackie? Anyone?

[pappy1264]

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Jackie? He eats good, so don't think it is nutritional.

[JLM27]

I'm thinking infection