Saverywood needs help with pneumonia

[Skul]

I drug this over to a new thread in order for Saverywood to get quicker help.
Here is his/her post.


I am new to this site, but in need of help myself. I have a 16 gram pinky that has started making the clicking sounds. He is still very active and interested in feedings however I am not sure how much he is eating since I am so afraid to drown him. I have a 0.5 cc syringe with a silicone nipple that I am using & I am very patient with his feedings. As for the possible pnue - I have on hand Ampicillian 250 mg/ml and I think I have some tablet form of cipro. I just need dosage for his weight please.

I just lost a little 9 gram pinky an hour ago and I am still grieving that tiny life loss. He too had clicking & visible bubbles from his nostrils. I held him upside down & wiped each time I saw bubbles. Aparently I am not feeding these little one correctly. So help is needed with both abx and feeding technique to avoid another life loss.

I have successfully raised 4 other baby squirrels, that built a drey in my yard & still hang out close by my house & my last one still comes to my front door for an almond or a pecan. So I have had some success, but I can hardly bear the loss of this last tiny little guy & would love help with my other pinky. Thanks!

[Saverywood]

Thanks for putting my post up here. My little guy 16 grams made it through the nite. The clicking I am hearing is louder when he is feeding. But I noticed after this morning's feeding (715am) when I wrapped him in his warmed blanket that the clicking sounds became very faint. Since he is a pinky it is hard to tell if it is coming from his chest or his mouth. My prayers have been sent up and my fingers are crossed. Meanwhile, I would like to know the formula to use in order to figure out how much abx to give based on weight. I will call my vet today to see if I can get some abx to keep on hand should he take a turn for the worse.

I am currently trying to upload his photo. Thanks!

[Saverywood]

I resized this photo. Hope it is not too small now. Little Applejax.

[Jackie in Tampa]

well AJ is a tiny one:Love_Icon
let me know if you still need cipro dose info after you diagnose him,
pnuemonia will be clicking/popping with every breath, awake or asleep and in every position..from the chest...they do make many strange mouth sounds too.
do you have a stetoscope?
is the cipro fresh? how many miligrams? is the babies weight still the same,no drastic weight loss?
we prefer not to use cillans with sqs...it's a G/I problem issue.
cipro is perfect if used with a probiotic..I add yogurt to my formula for this.
what formula are you using?
are you suppplying heat?
how are his poops?
I will try to find feeding instructions..

rest in peace little pinky squirrel:Love_Icon

[Jackie in Tampa]

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http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif FEEDING BABY SQUIRRELS
In light of the recent problems rehabbers have been experiencing with Esbilac formula, it has been decided that the best alternative is Fox Valley 32/40.
http://foxvalleynutrition.com/prod/d...p?CID=1&PLID=1 (http://foxvalleynutrition.com/prod/details.asp?CID=1&PLID=1)
Nicholas P. Vlamis, President (Nick)
(800) 679-4666
If you call in your order and tell him you need it quickly he'll be happy to oblige. He can ship to you regular post 3-5 days and overnight. He's very nice and very easy to work with.
In the meantime you will need to feed your baby a home-made formula, but please for the sake of the baby, do not feed this for more than 4-7 days. It's a great temporary replacer milk but it lacks certain vitamins and minerals that the babies need to thrive. This recipe will ensure that your baby will be well nourished until your order from Fox Valley arrives.

Jackie (Jackie in Tampa) has graciously offered her temporary replacement formula recipe.
Jackie's Goat Milk Recipe
1 cup goats milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup dannon all natural vanilla yogurt

Mix well and keep in a covered plastic or glass container in the refrigerator. Replace after 48 hours.
Please note, this website has several links that still mention Esbilac and we need to keep these links active as they do contain excellent information so please keep in mind that Fox Valley is now the formula of choice for raising baby squirrels.
__________________
Island Rehabber
NY State Licensed
Wildlife Rehabilitator



"Ancora Imparo" (I am still learning)
Michelangelo

*
If you can't afford the vet,
You can't afford a pet.
NEGLECT IS ABUSE.

"Better one day in the trees, than a lifetime in a cage."

[Saverywood]

Thank you for your fast reply. I did get an email from Stosh. Thanks everyone! As for my little guy; no weigh loss or gain still at 17grams. I do have a pediatric stethoscope & I can hear his rapid heartbeat, but I am still unsure about the clicking sound. It is not constant, so my fingers are crossed that it is only lip smacking sounds. His nesting box has a heating pad under half (as instructed) and it shuts off automatically every 2 hours. Halfway through his his 9am feeding I switched him back to Pedialyte, because I noticed mild tenting. He is not coordinated with his eating and I barely get sips or drops down him. He is stooling small yellow seedy/mush. I was feeding him Esbilac but I will switch over to the goats milk formula. I am confused about which "Day One" to order (& how much) from Fox Valley, since initally the post said pinkies do better with 50/50? Currently I am off to the vet office. I called & the Vet has a liquid abx he will sell me, but I will still need help with the dosage (I think Stosh will help me there). Again, I thank each of you & I will keep you updated. ~

[stosh2010]

I called & the Vet has a liquid abx he will sell me, but I will still need help with the dosage (I think Stosh will help me there). Again, I thank each of you & I will keep you updated. ~

Staci--please follow Jackie in Tampa's dose suggestions...
I am not qualified to determine meds...

Here are the two pics you emailed me...

[Saverywood]

Thanks for posting my photo's. That is a pecan next to Applejax; he is so tiny! Okay, I got the abx from the Vet office...now who is helping me with the dosage? Is there a BSA (body surface area) formula or some other way to determine dosage based on weight; especially for future reference? For example, what would I have used on my little 9gm pinkie that died last night? This abx from the Vet office is oral suspension Orbax (orbifloxacin) 30mg/ml. If I could get cipro what strength should I ask for? As for little AJ - he took about 0.30ml of Pedialyte at his 11 am feeding & he stooled small yellow seedy. I did not hear the clicking sound when I first picked him up, however near the end of the feeding I saw a tiny bubble come from his nose & I heard the clicking sound throughout the feeding. I turned him upside down & wiped the bubble. I think I will change his feedings to every 1 1/2 hours to see if I can get a little more in him each feeding. Also, I did call the guy at Fox Valley and placed my order; it should be here on Monday.~

[Jackie in Tampa]

ck your email, heard back from vet

[Jackie in Tampa]

vet called back, I did research and was not comfortable with the amount of info I had and found..
I could plainly see it was same class of ABs as cipro an baytril..
all are fluoroquinolones
I was getting mixed feelings with the basic recommended dosing..
it was conflicting in comparison..
so I would not even try...
we never use dog or cat dosing if posiible, rodent/rat dose is ideal.
however, vet called back and said it is a competitor to bayers baytril/cipro and the low dose would be 2mg/kg. We both agree that the low dose in your situation would be best.
if your orbax is 30mg/ml it is too concentrated and made for a larger animal.
If you step on it with water, it will depreciate the stability, rendering it nil after 10 -21 days, we're not sure..
but if you did use it to treat a 17 gram sq for aspiration pnuemonia, I would guess that 7 days would complete a treatment.
so it could work.

[Saverywood]

Will do. Checking it now & thank you!

[Saverywood]

Update. Little Applejax was seen by a new Vet; she said he did have some plumonary stuff going on, so she gave him TMP-S (Trimethoprim Sulfa). Originally it was 48mg/ml but Vet diluted to 4.8mg/ml w/50% dextrose solution. The dose is 0.030mg/gram. Since Applejax's weight is 16 grams = 0.1ml twice a day for 7 days. This morning he got his 2nd dose and he seems to be doing okay. I still hear faint clicking/crackle sounds but he has a lot of spunk for such a little pink guy. I love this tiny little squirrel. Thanks to everyone who responded and helped us out; it could have gone really bad without your help. Blessings for all those little critter's out there & thier caregivers too. ~Staci

[stosh2010]

Thanks for the UPDATE
Go-- Applejax --Go

Did you get my photo of the proper feeding position? Our internet was down almost all weekend...and when up...it was extremely slow.

[Jackie in Tampa]

:thumbsup
get well little squirrel baby!
kiss that vet!!!:D

[stosh2010]

Staci sent me two other photos...of an earlier re-hab.These are of ACE...came to her with a bad wound on leg ( March 1, 2012 ) and the other is ACE today...still has scar from old knee injury and comes daily for a Pecan Free-Bee...

[Saverywood]

Little Applejax died early this morning. I'm not sure why. He had a really good day and evening. He got his third dose of abx around 5 pm and then he ate more at his 9 pm feeding (0.6 ml) than ever before. He even wrapped his tiny little tail around the syringe. It was so cute. I woke up early for his 2 am feeding, and he was still warm but pale and unmoving. I stimulated him, gave me some quick breaths and even tried little chest compressions; he was still unresponsive. I cried. I waited, prayed & hoped he would snap out of it. He did not. I tried more breaths, more compressions and I carried him right on my chest, close to my heart for over an hour, but it was of no use. He was still lifeless. I had just read the TSB posts on "Lazarus" and I was really hoping for a miracle myself, so I left him on his warming pad and checked on him, again, and again. Nothing. I am so sorry and so sad to say goodbye to little Applejax. This morning around 6 am I buried him. May he rest in peace. ~Staci

Thanks to Jackie & Stosh for your kind words of comfort.

[CritterMom]

Oh, I am so sorry. He was SO tiny and pneumonia is such a nasty thing. It s so hard; they grab your heart in their little paws and they don't let go. :grouphug