Puncture wound

[animal_lover1]

My squirrel has a puncture wound in the crevice of his inside lower left leg, it's pretty deep and I'm sure it is going to get infected. He is acting fine now but I don't know what to do for him...Please help

[magna]

If able rinse with sterile saline water. Enroflaxin or cipro is strong and may prevent infection. How did it get punctured? That will make a big difference on risk of infection. Betadine can be used to clean it up also but they may lick some of it up so be careful if using that. You will need to post his age, weight, how it happened, and if it is bleeding or open or if possible a picture and one of the more experienced rehabbers should be able to guide you. Weight is important for dosage of meds.

[animal_lover1]

I am working on the pic, I just found the wound but think it may have happened yesterday, that's when I noticed his aggressive behavior. I'm pretty sure it is a puncture from a cat. He is about 7 months old, male fox squirrel. Working on the weight as well, he is avg size not big but not small compared to the wild squirrels outside.

[animal_lover1]

Do you mean cipro for humans?

[Nancy in New York]

Do you mean cipro for humans?

Yes you can use Cipro. We can dose it for you, but you have to have a weight. If this is a cat bite, it will kill the squirrel.

[animal_lover1]

Can I clean and irrigate it with sterile saline solution and put triple antibiotic ointment on it?

[magna]

If from a cat he will need antibiotics for sure. pm island rehabber or jackie in tampa and see about a dosage and what they recommend. If they don't respond pm me and I will go to my Plumb manual and try to find you a dose for cipro or baytril. There are several charts listed I will see if I can find you one. Do you have any antibiotics available to you and if so what are they? Pill or liquid? mg dosage? Can you handle him/her? If he/she is aggressive remember it may be in pain and be prepared to get nipped or chomped on. It will not be done to be mean but as a reflex.

[animal_lover1]

Can you give me an estimate of the cipro dosage so I can start to try to find some? I am going to walmart to get a scale now but would like to try to start to get the general amount I will need of the antibiotic.

[Nancy in New York]

Just find someone that has Cipro, it is usually a strength of 250 mg or 500 mg. We will break it down from there.
Do you have ANY antibiotics yourself, time is important.

Do you know of anyone that has had a UTI recently, it's usually prescribed for that. Actually if you have any ab, most likely it's better than nothing.

[animal_lover1]

He is fine with me, actually a little more doscile right now. Right now on hand I have:
Sulfameth/trimethoprim 800/160 mg tabs (Bactrim DS)
Metronidazole 500 mg tabs
Ketoconazole 200 mg tabs (Nizoral)

[magna]

Thank you Nancy I am leaving them in your caring hands and glad you are on this evening. good nite. :bowdown

[Nancy in New York]

He is fine with me, actually a little more doscile right now. Right now on hand I have:
Sulfameth/trimethoprim 800/160 mg tabs (Bactrim DS)
Metronidazole 500 mg tabs
Ketoconazole 200 mg tabs (Nizoral)


Hold on I will have to break down the sulfatrim. I will be right back.

[Nancy in New York]

I will send this to you in a pm. In the meantime we need a weight to dose properly. You will need to get a gram scale. I will type all the directions up. You will also need to find Baytril, as the Sulfatrim is not the drug of choice, but will hold him over until the Baytril or Cipro is found.

[Shewhosweptforest]

:grouphug Good Luck animal_lover1... Praying for you and your little guy:grouphug :bowdown Nancy in NY:bowdown

[animal_lover1]

Wound

[Nancy in New York]

You can put a little bit of neosporin on that bite too. Did you flush it out?
Does he go outside? How did he get a puncture wound? Do you have cats?

[stepnstone]

You can put a little bit of neosporin on that bite too. Did you flush it out?
Does he go outside? How did he get a puncture wound? Do you have cats?
She already said most likely from a cat... :shakehead

[Nancy in New York]

She already said most likely from a cat... :shakehead

Right I know she said a cat, but I was just wondering how, if he doesn't go outside....:dono
Does the squirrel come in contact with their cat, do they have a cat? :D

[animal_lover1]

Yes he goes outside.

[stepnstone]

Yes he goes outside.
Definitely needs to be put on antibiotics...

[Nancy in New York]

Yes he goes outside.

Oh so he is an inside outside squirrel?
I know what that's like.:D

[animal_lover1]

Yes! He comes and goes as he pleases and won't have it any other way. He comes and wakes me up at 7 am or so every day and wants to eat and then go outside. If I don't let him out he tries to chew through the door! Literally...:owned

[stepnstone]

Yes! He comes and goes as he pleases and won't have it any other way. He comes and wakes me up at 7 am or so every day and wants to eat and then go outside. If I don't let him out he tries to chew through the door! Literally... :owned

We have a member that has inside outside babies that literally
will chew through the door to come in!
... ain't that right JIT! :jump

[Jackie in Tampa]

yes Russell.. I did have a back door at one time...
and a coffee table too...pre sq days!:D

Truthfully, I would use metronidazole and The SMZ-TMP...
a combo...
unless you can get cipro/baytril.
Cellulitis can complicate things fast.
The sulfa based meds are slow to respond.

[stepnstone]

yes Russell.. I did have a back door at one time...
and a coffee table too...pre sq days! :D


I used to have a partner... pre sq days!
Another inanimate object... :rofl4

[animal_lover1]

:thrownout lol