5-6 week old baby with balance problems and slight seizure possibly

[Cooley.Jessica]

Last Sunday we found an injured baby (guessing 5-6 weeks old as his eyes are open and his tail is somewhat bushy) who fell from a nest and had a bloody gash on his head. Mom did not come back so we took him home with us. No luck locating a rehabber. Called a couple who only took in deer and even tried the local zoo.
He was doing well, eating (puppy formula mixed with heavy whipping cream and water until his Fox Valley formula came in the mail) pooping, playing, sleeping but yesterday became inactive. I did switch him to the Fox Valley formula yesterday morning. When he would walk around he would just shuffle to one side and seemed tense and in pain. He also seemed to have no balance.
Today I tried to make sure he got some sunlight by sitting with him in the car, windows down, air conditioning blowing, but he seemed to have a slight seizure. All of a sudden he got very active, crawled into a corner, began twitching and screamed like he was in pain. I also noticed his ears twitching.
I crushed a Tums and mixed with water and fed him around 6ccs of that mixture in case it is MBD. He's sleeping now in his box with towels and a heating pad underneath and seems a little more comfortable.
Is there something else I could be missing?

[SammysMom]

Okay, try a feeding or two of water or sugar water. Did you change gradually to FV or just straight from one to the other?
Do you have any molasses? A bit on his gums right now is a good idea.

[SammysMom]

Do you have him on a heating pad? Are you heating the formula to almost hot?
Sorry for the barrage of questions, but they are all important. Can you post a picture? If you cannot do it, please email them to me at vfwpost7666@sbcglobal.net and I will post them for you.

[SammysMom]

Where is Lufkin?

[Jackie in Tampa]

:Welcome :wave123 when did you find him? how many days ago?
this is not mbd/// sounds more nuerological? do you have a vet that will help you?

[SammysMom]

Fund lsat Sunday. 5 - 6 weeks old.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Where is Lufkin?texas, skuls are 1.5 hours away, and so is cut-n-shoot..
thinking prednisone... depending on when they found the baby...
can we get a video?
:grouphug

[Jackie in Tampa]

Fund lsat Sunday. 5 - 6 weeks old.:) duh... first thing said.. sorry bout that.
probably too late for steroids.

[SammysMom]

Oh please you missed it because of my dozen posts! Might it be from the quick transition?

[Nancy in New York]

Last Sunday we found an injured baby (guessing 5-6 weeks old as his eyes are open and his tail is somewhat bushy) who fell from a nest and had a bloody gash on his head. Mom did not come back so we took him home with us. No luck locating a rehabber. Called a couple who only took in deer and even tried the local zoo.
He was doing well, eating (puppy formula mixed with heavy whipping cream and water until his Fox Valley formula came in the mail) pooping, playing, sleeping but yesterday became inactive. I did switch him to the Fox Valley formula yesterday morning. When he would walk around he would just shuffle to one side and seemed tense and in pain. He also seemed to have no balance.
Today I tried to make sure he got some sunlight by sitting with him in the car, windows down, air conditioning blowing, but he seemed to have a slight seizure. All of a sudden he got very active, crawled into a corner, began twitching and screamed like he was in pain. I also noticed his ears twitching.
I crushed a Tums and mixed with water and fed him around 6ccs of that mixture in case it is MBD. He's sleeping now in his box with towels and a heating pad underneath and seems a little more comfortable.
Is there something else I could be missing?


Please no air conditioning blowing when you are in the car. Actually that little bit will not help him anyway.
When he gets older you can take him out in his cage and place him in the shade, never in direct sun.
We can find people to help you, just say the word.
Head trauma will very often cause seizures.

[Cooley.Jessica]

I've been heating his formula to warm, not hot. I did a 75/25 mix of Fox Valley and water for his first feeding and then a 50/50 for the second.
He does have a heating pad. I have his blankets layered to where he doesn't sit directly on top of it to keep him from being too hot. He is still pretty inactive.

[Jackie in Tampa]

gash on head/ balance problems...
sounds like head trauma...:dono
any way to get pics?

[SammysMom]

Jessica, will you let us find someone to help him? We can try to find someone with access to a vet.:grouphug

[Cooley.Jessica]

I would love and welcome the help. I don't want this baby to die. I'm in Lufkin, which is in East Texas. He fell a long distance so he probably does have a neurological issue. He was acting very normal and happy until yesterday though. I'll post photos and videos in a few minutes. Working on that now.

[SammysMom]

How much FV powder to how much water did you do?

[SammysMom]

How far can you transport him?

[Cooley.Jessica]

If whoever wants to see him will post their email, I'll send it that way. I thought I could attach a picture here, but I see now that I can't.

[Cooley.Jessica]

The Fox Valley was 1 tablespoon to 3 tablespoons of warm water for the first feed. Then 1 tablespoon FV 2 tablespoons warm water.

[Nancy in New York]

If whoever wants to see him will post their email, I'll send it that way. I thought I could attach a picture here, but I see now that I can't.
*** Send away.....:D

[SammysMom]

Do you still have any of the formula you were using before FV?

[SammysMom]

Here are the pics

[SammysMom]

When were these pics taken?

[Cooley.Jessica]

Yes, I do. It is just 1 tablespoon puppy formula mixed with 1 tablespoon warm water and 1 tablespoon heavy cream.

[Cooley.Jessica]

The one with the bloody bump is last Sunday. The other is today, literally five minutes ago.

[SammysMom]

If you pinch the skin between his shoulders does it go right back down or stay tented?

[Cooley.Jessica]

Goes back down. He's not dehydrated.

[SammysMom]

It's just that his coat looks very spikey.

[Cooley.Jessica]

Is there someone that I could take him to?

[Nancy in New York]

Oh this poor little peanut, it looks like his little head is still swollen.:shakehead

[Nancy in New York]

Is there someone that I could take him to?

I think that SammysMom is contacting them now.

[SammysMom]

http://youtu.be/agR9Itd7qDE
http://youtu.be/vic8gxw78oU

[SammysMom]

How far can you travel to take him to someone?

[SammysMom]

Jessica can you tell us if you have spoken to the Skuls? If you are not comfortable calling I can call for you. Your baby is in trouble and really needs help asap. Could you drive to get him to someone? If so how far?

[Cooley.Jessica]

I spoke with Crystal and feel much better now that we have a plan. I'm going to try to get him into a vet here and if that isn't possible I'm taking him to her tomorrow.

[Cooley.Jessica]

I keep you guys posted on how it all goes. Thank you so very much!!

[Nancy in New York]

I keep you guys posted on how it all goes. Thank you so very much!!

Wonderful update thanks for letting us know. This little squirrel lucked out when he found his way to you! :bowdown
Thank you MrsSkul :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[Cooley.Jessica]

Can someone send me Jackie in Tampa's email address?

[Cooley.Jessica]

Crystal told me she has experience with brain injured squirrels and can tell me what type of meds he needs for a brain injury so I can the vet tomorrow.

[Nancy in New York]

Can someone send me Jackie in Tampa's email address?

I will email it to you!:thumbsup

[SammysMom]

Thank-you both so much!!! That is one cutie patootie of a baby you have there! Thank goodness you are a sensible person who knows their limitations. You are putting that baby ahead of yourself and that is a very special quality in a person. God bless and prayers for your baby.:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[CritterMom]

Crystal told me she has experience with brain injured squirrels and can tell me what type of meds he needs for a brain injury so I can the vet tomorrow.

Make sure you put a link to your thread so she can read it.

[SammysMom]

I PMd the thread link to both Skuls:thumbsup

[Jackie in Tampa]

:Welcome :wave123 so glad you found TSB, wish sooner.
I too think he is dehydrated..that spiked fur is a sure sign!!!!!
and def needs a vet...
ideally the baby should have been started on steroids when found..
hoping, thinking a vet may still use them.
Possibly prednisone for swelling and tramadol for extra pain coverage, his head hurts. Poor baby.
A vet may even decide he needs ABs..baytril is sq friendly.
I did get your email...thank you mrs skul.:wave123
Hoping you two can get together and get this baby some treatment TODAY.
He needs fluids TODAY, now:grouphug
dilute formula is hydrating... how often are you feeding him? how much is he eating?
thank you so much for reaching out to help for him...:Love_Icon

IF the vet thinks it's too late for steroids, meloxicam/metacam is a great pain aid and anti inflammatory, and can also be used in conjunction with tramadol.
good luck, keep us in the loop please. Mrs skul is a wonderful soul, I urge you to get the baby to her vet.

Thank you NINY.

[Nancy in New York]

Just wondering if there is an update on this little one. :Love_Icon

[Jackie in Tampa]

you hoo:poke jessica....???
how did it go?
CJ was at vet at noon..haven;t heard from her since...
sending good vibes and hoping for the best.
:grouphug :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

[Cooley.Jessica]

My baby died almost a week ago and I'm so unbelievably heart broken. He was doing well. Got him to the vet for baytril and a steroid. Eating, pooping, playing, happy and then all of a sudden he started doing funny things with his hands. Flicking them outward and waving them to the point he struggled to hold the milk syringe. He was drinking Fox Valley. It went from that to dragging his hands a little. I could just tell he wasn't acting right. Took him back to the vet but he died two days later. A few hours before he died it seemed like ge almost had a seizure. went from laying on my chest to scurrying around in a circle and then when he stopped, he dragged one leg a little. then he was ok again.
Anyone have any thoughts on what could have happened.

My heart hurts. This is different than any pet death I've ever experienced. I only had him in my home for three weeks but I miss him so much. I hope God will bless me with finding another baby in distress one day. Anyone else experienced this?

[newsquirrelmommy]

So sorry to hear:Love_Icon

[TubeDriver]

:( RIP little one.

[Nancy in New York]

My baby died almost a week ago and I'm so unbelievably heart broken. He was doing well. Got him to the vet for baytril and a steroid. Eating, pooping, playing, happy and then all of a sudden he started doing funny things with his hands. Flicking them outward and waving them to the point he struggled to hold the milk syringe. He was drinking Fox Valley. It went from that to dragging his hands a little. I could just tell he wasn't acting right. Took him back to the vet but he died two days later. A few hours before he died it seemed like ge almost had a seizure. went from laying on my chest to scurrying around in a circle and then when he stopped, he dragged one leg a little. then he was ok again.
Anyone have any thoughts on what could have happened.

My heart hurts. This is different than any pet death I've ever experienced. I only had him in my home for three weeks but I miss him so much. I hope God will bless me with finding another baby in distress one day. Anyone else experienced this?


I am so very sorry to hear this. I will have to go back and read from the beginning but from what I am guessing, there must have been head trauma at the beginning. Sometimes with trauma the seizures will show up much later, out of the blue and so unexpectedly. You didn't change out the cage or anything like that did you? Did you happen to give him anything out of the ordinary in the past week to play with or ANYTHING? We can all learn from little ones that pass like this, that's why I'm asking.

edit: OK I just read the very beginning, he had a fall and had a bloody gash on his head...when he was found. I am so sorry. Seizures will most likely develop after head trauma, as I said. It's devastating, because we never know when or if they are going to occur after a fall.

I am so very sorry for your loss. It's baby season now, and we get so many finders from your state that need help. I will definitely keep you in mind.
Once you have been loved and given love to a little squirrel, they touch your heart forever.
I am so very sorry.:shakehead

Rest in Peace
Precious Baby 201277

[MollyBear361]

So sorry Jessica. RIP little one.

[Cooley.Jessica]

Thank you guys. One rehabber I spoke with said she believed a crow attacked him. This makes sense. There were about 100 crows on the trail that day. I keep reading about MBD but I was giving him Fox Valley and had been for almost two weeks. I think it is going to take getting another distressed baby back into the wild to heal my broken heart. I mistakenly believed taking him on would be like emotional equivalent of a hamster. I was so very wrong. Told my stepdaughter last night. She cried, I cried and even Daddy cried. I will be hanging around still. You guys are great!

[Nancy in New York]

For a long time, I only did bird rehab. My mentor told me to wait until I got my first mammal, because I would fall even more in love. To be honest, I couldn't imagine loving anything more than a little robin or blue jay.
Well it happened. My very first encounter just took my heart. Not sure what it is about them. Many of the rehabbers here don't even want squirrels as they say, "They are a dime a dozen". They would rather go with something "more exotic".
Not me. Once you love a squirrel and you get it in return, nothing compares.
You're hooked, and you got it!
You are definitely one of us. :grouphug