hurt toe baby needs help

[Stephanie K Zon]

I wrote on emergency life threatening help needed yesrerday got no response yet if someone will please come back and help me. My baby girl is still having a hard time eating this morning will this hurt her brain having to gasp for air so much. I 'm so worried I won't be able to put her back out to the wild again if there is something wrong with her, and it would be a tearible thing to have to keep her locked up I will be checking in all day so thankyou i put every thing I could think of on the tread I wrote last night. thanks

[island rehabber]

Stephanie I am not the most experienced one to help but I will try in the meantime...is she actually gasping for air, or is she "gaping", making an open sucking motion with her mouth even when the syringe is not there? Please clarify because one is serious, the other is normal and some babies do it while others don't. If she is actually gasping for air you MUST get her to a vet as soon as possible. Have you checked her throat or nose for anything obstructing her air? Is she making any "clicking" or wheezing noises? Don't try to feed her if either of these things are happening. Please let me know as soon as you can if you hear her making any noises -- and also, what are you using to feed her with?

[MissDolittle]

I found this thread very helpful when Milly came down with pneumonia:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220

When I put my ear on her side, I could hear the wheezing clearly.
Unfortunately I started with the antibiotics too late, so please take
island rehabbers advice and get her to the vet!

[muffinsquirrel]

I have had babies that would gape (I call it 'fish mouth' because they look like goldfish) when I fed them - it drives me crazy, but doesn't seem to bother them! Hold her up to your ear and if you hear a crackling or rattling or clicking sound, get her to the vet. In fact, you shouldn't really hear anything at all. Check to see if there is anything in her throat that you can see - I had one (older than yours) that got a piece of apple caught in her throat. You can just pull it out with the tweezers. feed her slowly - the O ring syringe will help. Try letting her lick some Dannon plain yogurt off your finger if she will. I'll check back later. Good luck.

muffinsquirrel

[Stephanie K Zon]

Dear Island rehabber, Miss Dolittle,& Muffin Squirrel, Thank you guys for answering back so soon. No she don't have nothing caught in her thoat what ever it is it is like the gold fish it don't seem to bother her and yes it is driving me :crazy but I think that is what it is she has been doing it for quit a while I just thought she would quit as she got older she is quite when I put her to my ear and it is the only thing that she dose that don't seem right. Thank you all so much so this won't hurt her? dose any one know why or what it is called? At least I know she isn't going to go on me with out warning, atleast if I know what to look for I can help her. I don't know how I would feel if I lost her now I have put so much time and heart into her it would just kill me to think I could of done something and didn't. How much should she be eating ? She is eating about 3 1cc syrings of formula at a time she wnts to eat more and at this point she is calm down enough to eat a little slower but she still gasp like a gold fish we live in washington and our squirrrels are not as big as they are back in Ky/ where I'm from back home we used to eat squirrel but I don't think I could ever eat one again I know I couldn't Thank god I can't even imagin it now. So much for being a kid welll have too go now thank you all will keep in touch.:bowdow Oh her wieght is 4.7 oz and she is a gray squirrel and she is about 5 or 6 weeks old.

[island rehabber]

Stephanie it sounds to me as if your girl might just be very hungry and can certainly take more than 3cc's at a time. Try increasing the amount by 1cc (one syringe) each time until she's up to about 5 or 6. The gaping mouth thing is just a funny thing some babies will do because they "get in the groove" of nursing and they're not even thinking about it....they keep going even when the nipple is gone. Don't worry -- she is telling you she wants to keep eating, but remember to increase the amount SLOWLY and feed her SLOWLY. Don't get yourself too nervous because you won't enjoy this wonderful stage as much as you could :) Just relax and watch and listen to her....she will tell you what she needs in different ways.

[thundersquirrel]

the only time i've ever had my babies gasp is when they aspirate. it's a little disturbing that she does it so much, but maybe she's been aspirating for a while and you didn't realize it. when you're feeding her, go very slowly, and make sure none of the formula goes near her nose and that she's not sneezing out the formula.
listen to her lungs and see if you can hear any noises. try to listen when she's calm to get the most accurate results.
i hope it works out. keep us updated.
stay nutty :crazy
thundersquirrel

[MissDolittle]

I was hesitating to post this, because I didn't want to worry her more, but
I have yet to have a baby survive who had the fish mouth sydrome if you
want to call it that...but that doesn't mean it's the same thing that's going on
here, I'm not a vet.

[island rehabber]

That is awful, MissD, but I can tell you I have had three so far who did the gape thing and all grew up strong and beautiful...let's hope for the best with Stephanie's little girl.

[MissDolittle]

That's comforting to know, thanks!!

[muffinsquirrel]

All of my 'fish mouth' babies made it OK, and grew up strong and healthy. I have seen it in flyers and greys. They don't really 'gasp', just silently open and close their mouth. There is never any milk coming out of their nose or anything. It's sort of like they get that nipple just where they want it, curl their tongue around it, and just open and close their mouth in sheer enjoyment. If I pull the nipple out of their mouth, they open their eyes wide and glare at me. Then they go through this big 'to-do' about getting it just right again, and go back to the gaping.

muffinsquirrel

[Stephanie K Zon]

:thankyou All of you so much i need all the feed back I can get. If she makes it or not only one person can take it and so far she has made it this far with his help and she has had it hard let alone falling out a tree she lost her brouther got newmonya and has someone taking care of her that don't know what to do for a baby squirrel so I know God has great plans for her, we still have a long way to and I will just keep praying God will guide me on how to take her.And it is time to go feed her again so you all take care and thank you :thankyou :grouphug

[Stephanie K Zon]

Good morning , well her toe is all swelled up again this morning I took the bandage off 2 days ago and it looked like it was doing good then this I soaked it in warm water but it didn't seem to help but it did make her relax she likes being in warm water I thought that was strange. My better half siad it looks like something shiney around it but I don't see it.So if any one has any thoughts on what I can do. I might have to take her back to the vet which I'm on a limited income so I'm squeezing every thing I got. Some times I hate money I wish people lived and gave from the goodness of there heart instead of the almighty dollar. God found a way last time I know he will again, at least I know he will do what is best. If I didn't belive that I don't think I could handle this old world. Well thanks any one for feed back Stepphanie.:sad

[island rehabber]

Stephanie, do you have a magnifying glass or something you can use to really look at her toe? If there is thread or wire or even human hair wrapped around it that would certainly cause swelling....even a piece of bandage. How is she otherwise, is she eating and pooping normally? Is it possible she is chewing or sucking on that toe -- they do that sometimes...??

[MissDolittle]

I have no idea what to tell you other than I'm crossing everything I got for
you two!! I hear you on the limited budget, my vet works with me on that and
lets me pay later and in installments. It took me all my life to become debt free,
and I hate to run up bills, but anything for the critters right? Have you asked
your vet if he/she will do that for you?

[sparkysmom]

I think God gave you all of these great people here. Without them I don't think my little Sparky would have made it. Great bunch here. Sparky sure thinks so. And so do I.

[Stephanie K Zon]

Well I have to tell every one . yesterday was a blessing from God I cryed most of yesterday morning because her toe had swelled up again and didn't know what I was going to do my heart was breaking and I don't know much about the computor so it was a unbelivable that I was even realy talking to someone any way I won't say his name because I don't know if he would want that but any way it is someone from the squirrel board He came back aand told me to take her to the vet and call him with the vet bill well at frist I didn't know what to think not used to taking money from a sranger but it only took a minut of thinking so I said Ok. How many people would do something like that? I got to lay down and sleep for 4 hours for I was at peace a little with her. And then when I got home from the vet my daugthers freind came by with a big cage for her and it has a little tree in it and a nest box with doors in the house and doors out of the house so it will be easyer to let her back out to the wild if she will go I am so worried about it because she has no one to teach her how to live out there and she already is very clingy she already scared of the dogs and the birds my room is starting to look like a zoo ha ha any way back to what I was saying the most unbelivable people I have ever come across .We don't leave our house much we are ill and getting old I am alot more thankful in my llife now snd this little squirrel has realy renewed my faith in people I just wanted to share that with every one out there and let you know how thankful I am that I have found you. God Bless every one of you Now I have to go back and read my e-mail again so I can answer the questions. if I can find my way back.:thankyou :thankyou :thankyou

[Stephanie K Zon]

Stephanie, do you have a magnifying glass or something you can use to really look at her toe? If there is thread or wire or even human hair wrapped around it that would certainly cause swelling....even a piece of bandage. How is she otherwise, is she eating and pooping normally? Is it possible she is chewing or sucking on that toe -- they do that sometimes...??Boy this is kinda of neat I made it back over here I must be starting to learn to use this thing all because of a baby squirrel and yes I looked with a very srtong magifying glass I didn't see any thing now my boyfriend said he could see something that looked shiny I think it could be a pice of cotten thread. the vet I took her to yesterday couldn't see any thing ether the vet I took her to last Monday told me to put the antibiotic cream and bandage it up , now this vet tells me not to put nothing on it because that is what she cleaned off her little toe I brought it home and looked at it and it looked like old skin no string nothing so I don't know all I can do is take care of it now and pray we don't have to cut it off. but as of now she still has her toe and she acts like she don't hav much feeling in but not sure so the vet gave her a pain drops she hasn't peed for me in over 36 hours now except a few drops I hope I don't have another proublem started God sure is putting me though some training and I thought it was tuff being in the army. HAHA. and no she isn't sucking on her toe I,m sure I would see that I spend so much time with her. Any way thank you so much for taking the time to answer me you all are so thoughtful out there it,over whelms me with a good feeling. Stephanie:thankyou :bowdown

[Secret Squirrel]

Hi Steph,

Just wanted you to know that I raised Annie alone and she was clingy too, when she was young. But as she matured nature kicked in and she was ready to move out.
I did a soft release on her and it was beautiful to see her in her element. I cried like a baby when she climbed up a 60 foot Oak tree for the first time. I was telling her to be careful.."you have never been that high before!" :nono
I am sure I looked like a crazy woman telling a squirrel to come down!!:skwredup
Annie comes to the feeders everyday and I still get to hold her and scratch her back and belly. It is an awesome feeling to see her as a wild squirrel and as a backyard friend too.
Good luck with Missy.:crazy

[Stephanie K Zon]

Boy sounds like you have a real problem. Just thought I would tell you good luck. I'm sure most of the people who have seen your problem don't know how to help thats why you don't have alot of feed back but some times you can take up a petion or something like that and have people sign it and if you get enough you take it to the community meeting and some one would do some thing may be that is what I would do if it were near my home.We just built a new park in our naborhood amd we are selling bricks with your name on them to make money to buy things for the park. Just a thought I live in a realy small community out side of vancover wash it isn't like living in a city. So good luck Stephanie

[Stephanie K Zon]

Hi Steph,

Just wanted you to know that I raised Annie alone and she was clingy too, when she was young. But as she matured nature kicked in and she was ready to move out.
I did a soft release on her and it was beautiful to see her in her element. I cried like a baby when she climbed up a 60 foot Oak tree for the first time. I was telling her to be careful.."you have never been that high before!" :nono
I am sure I looked like a crazy woman telling a squirrel to come down!!:skwredup
Annie comes to the feeders everyday and I still get to hold her and scratch her back and belly. It is an awesome feeling to see her as a wild squirrel and as a backyard friend too.
Good luck with Missy.:crazyHi Rebecca How are doing ? boy have you heard about all my good luck? I think maybe we are on the right track, she is doing good I think her toe os still there and she isn't peeing for me right now but I got feedback that they stop peeing when there eyes open I will keep a close eye on it plus some told me to get cranberry powder so I will. I sure am getting close to this little doll. Yes it will be hard to let go may be a little harder than my kids cause I know they will be back.HaHA Well if you haven't heard some one on line yesterday read i had a limited income and came back and told me to take her to the vet and call him and he payed for it I was a little lirry But said yes I just didn't know what I was going to do to help her Last week taking her to the vet killed me but I would rather do with out as to lose her. And then her toe was still saved and then when I get home my daughters friend came by with a huge cage it has a little tree in it and a nest box that will come in the house ond one that goes out side it is a great cage when she is big enough to put in it . She is already all over the place she can't stay in the box much longer How big do you let them get befor you put them in a big cage? and ho9w long do you keep them sleeping on heat? boy I never run out of questions. I am so glad you guys are there I never dreamed a little squirrel would bring so much to my life. well got togo time to feed again. Thanks for thinking of me . You have been a great help and Iam so gratful for every one out there. It is like I have a whole new world to go to. :thankyou :thankyou :thankyou Stephanie you have a great day god bless you

[island rehabber]

Wow Stephanie, your little squirrelgirl is certainly taking you on an adventure. As for the cage, as soon as she seems coordinated enough to climb around on things without really getting in trouble -- and if she's big enough so she can't slip thru the bars of the cage or get stuck -- she's ready. You don't need to keep heat under her once she is in a cage with a nest box, unless your home is unusually chilly. Put her in the sunshine whenever possible because this gives her the vitamins she really needs and is necessary for her bones. She may be ready to chew on a raw almond (no salt) or a piece of walnut, too. How many cc's is she eating at each meal?