This isn't going well.

[BR549]

About one week ago, my wife and I were given a female, baby, gray squirrel that appeared to be in surprisingly good shape. We immediately warmed her up, hydrated her and, the next day, started giving her some Esbilac, puppy formula. We've raised several, other, baby squirrels just fine on this particular batch of Esbilac and, since the product was still in date, we decided to use it again. Sweet Pea was very active and ate, pooped and peed just fine. A few days ago, she opened her eyes and we started supplemeting her formula with small amounts of banana. Everything continued going great until late this afternoon. Now, we're seeing partial paralysis of her hind legs, general lethargy and little interest in food. She pooped and peed at little bit a few minutes ago and it looked normal, but something definitely isn't right.

Does anybody have any ideas?

[rainrshine]

About one week ago, my wife and I were given a female, baby, gray squirrel that appeared to be in surprisingly good shape. We immediately warmed her up, hydrated her and, the next day, started giving her some Esbilac, puppy formula. We've raised several, other, baby squirrels just fine on this particular batch of Esbilac and, since the product was still in date, we decided to use it again. Sweet Pea was very active and ate, pooped and peed just fine. A few days ago, she opened her eyes and we started supplemeting her formula with small amounts of banana. Everything continued going great until late this afternoon. Now, we're seeing partial paralysis of her hind legs, general lethargy and little interest in food. She pooped and peed at little bit a few minutes ago and it looked normal, but something definitely isn't right.

Does anybody have any ideas?

You will need to order fox valley formula but until then:

STOP the Esbilac.

***While waiting for the Fox Valley to arrive...

Temporary Formula for Infant Squirrels – The Goat’s Milk Formula

Because of recent manufacturing issues, Esbilac and other puppy formulas are no longer being recommended for squirrels or other wildlife. The formula that TSB recommends, Fox Valley Day One, is currently available online at www.foxvalleynutrition.com and www.henryspets.com. But those require shipping and this baby squirrel needs food NOW.

One of our senior members who posts as Jackie in Tampa uses an excellent temporary substitute, and it can be assembled from locally purchased ingredients:

3 parts goat’s milk
1 part heavy whipping cream*
1 part vanilla yogurt

Formula will last 48 hours in refrigerator.

Goat’s Milk
This can be purchased at natural food stores such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, and at most health food stores that sell groceries. It is a product for humans. Do not substitute commercial formula made for baby goats or other livestock sold at feed stores.

Goat’s milk is available fresh in a carton; evaporated in a can; and as a powdered milk. If you purchase either the evaporated or powdered versions, please blend them with water according to the package directions before using to make the formula.

Heavy Whipping Cream
This is found in small cartons in the grocery store near the coffee creamers and half and half. Regular heavy cream may be substituted if it is unavailable, but the heavy whipping cream has the highest fat content, and is preferred.

Yogurt
Yogurt has beneficial bacteria in it that soothes and settles digestion. Full fat yogurt is best, and a good choice that is very widely available is Stoneyfield Yobaby yogurt. However if it is unavailable, a low fat vanilla yogurt may be substituted. Avoid those that have artificial sweeteners in them. Vanilla and banana are both popular flavors, and the sweet taste of the yogurt helps to convince the baby to accept it.

It has been recently discovered that very small pinky squirrels may do better digestively if, instead of being given Fox Valley formula straight, mix the Fox Valley 50/50 with the Goat’s Milk Formula assembled WITHOUT the heavy whipping cream.

*It is recommended that when just starting to feed a new baby that the first feedings be made without the heavy whipping cream. This will give their digestive systems a chance to acclimate from mama’s milk to our substitute without the harder-to-digest whipping cream. Once they accept the formula and are eliminating properly, the whipping cream can be gradually added in.

When your Fox Valley formula arrives, please transition your babies to the new formula slowly, by blending the Goat’s Milk Formula with the blended and liquefied Fox Valley formula, increasing the ratio of Fox Valley with each feeding until you are no longer using the goat’s milk.

As quoted by:
__________________
Island Rehabber
NY State Licensed
Wildlife Rehabilitator

[rainrshine]

Another thing, she just opened her eyes (seems to be a lot doing that) and she is not ready for solids at this time. When solids are introduced, please follow the nutritional guidelines here.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32218

Everything will be okay if you listen to the experts here. They are Awesome!

[rainrshine]

Last bit of advice here... the goat milk is available in any Wal-mart in the dairy section. It's near the soy products. Wal-Mart does NOT carry the evaporated kind, at least not here. They also do not carry the regular vanilla yogurt it seems. Many of us have complained about that! I buy the goat milk at walmart and the whipping cream and get the yogurt at Sweetbay. I'm sure Publix will also have it. We don't have publix here so I use Sweetbay. Sweetbay does have goat milk but it's the canned. I diluted it 50/50. I hope this helps.

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

First solids should be Cheerios or monkey biscuits, not banana. Any sign of bloat?

Immediate lethargy and lack of interest in food could also indicate she might have aspirated and has pnemonia. Do you hear any kind of clicking when she breathes?

[BR549]

There's no abdominal bloat, or signs of respiratory problems. My wife ordered some Fox Valley formula this afternoon, but it won't get here for a couple of days. I just got back from Wal-Mart with some goat's milk and heavy, whipping cream, but their yogurt selection was somewhat lacking. I had to settle for some Dannon-Activia, low-fat stuff. I can't get her interested in eating this mixture right now. I'll try again the first thing tomorrow morning.

If this turns out to be Esbilac-related, then that would be puzzling. This particular can of Esbilac successfully raised four pinkies, but that was a few months ago. Perhaps, the Esbilac formula is okay for baby squirrels when the product is fresh, but becomes toxic to them over time because of a subtle change in chemistry during storage.

[Saverywood]

I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know of a fellow rehabber who was using the Esbilac (she didn't know it was bad) who called me with a little one who was having increasing amts of seizures. We met on Sat. & I witnessed one, it was awful, just terrible! I gave her Fox Valley forumula, some Ultraboost, HHB & encouragement. She emailed me yesterday with news of " no more seizures"! None, since she started him on the FVF. That's worth anything, eh? :thumbsup

[Jackie in Tampa]

I will get her to a vet and do my all if you can get her to tampa..

[BR549]

Thanks for the advice, gang, and thanks for the offer, Jackie. My wife and I got Sweet Pea to accept some of the goat's milk formula several times today and her over-all condition has improved. She's more alert, walks better and shows more interest in food. She's definitely not out of the woods, though. I can't wait until the Fox Valley stuff gets here.

I heard Sweet Pea grinding her teeth a few times today. That's what it sounds like, at least. I havent heard her do that before. Does anybody know what that's about?

[CrazySquirrelLady]

My Gen. Jackson made that noise when he had seizures, but I sure hope that aint the problem.

Glad to hear that baby is a little better. They really like that goat milk formula. A couple days and they feel a lot better.

No more solid food till 7-8 weeks old and then give her the Henry's Blocks, Jackie sez her squirrels don't have seizures on the FV formula and the Henry's Squirrel Blocks.

Info and links to websites are in the Nutrition section I think.....

I have read on here that the Esibilac was used until they changed the formula, and after that lots of diarrhea and troubles for baby squirrels. dunno when the formula recipe changed, but that is my understanding of the problem with that product, and may explain why u did not have problems with it in the past.

Hope this helps, thanks for helping the baby! :D

Hugs
CSL