Patchy fur loss...again.

[zoeetal]

I've had this girl for 2 years now and I can't seem to stabilize her fur situation. When I got her she was in this condition but then I fiddled with a variety of things and somehow her fur grew in beautifully and she was thriving, shiny and healthy. Now she's lost her fur again and she looks pretty rough. I'm not sure what it is. I thought it was a nutrition issue at first but I did the same things I did the first time - HHB, varied foods following the pyramid posted on Henry's squirrel nutrition site, etc. and nothing seems to be doing the trick this time around.

Does anyone know what this could be or have any suggestions on how to treat it? She has dwarfism but I don't think that would complicate things -or would it?

Thanks!

[farrelli]

She's an indoor-only squirrel? Could she have gotten mange or mites? Is he itchy?

[Starfish]

Oh my gosh, that looks awful. Is she an outdoor squirrel? I thought she was a pet but I see her on your porch so I wanted to clarify if she's wild or your pet.

Could it be bugs of some sort? Have you tried a couple of drops of revolution?

Hoping others will chime in soon.

[Starfish]

Do a google image search of "mange squirrel". I'm leaning towards some sort of invader feasting on her.

[Unikorngrrl]

She's a pet right? Is she outside in the picture. I'd me mortified that she would get away, especially in that condition... I'm with farrelli and starfish, have you considered mites? Revolution is a great place to start and it's harmless. Poor girl looks terrible. She doesn't appear to be scratching though...

[lilidukes]

Increased the protein for a older baby this year
who had fur loss and he improved very quickly.

Maybe a little pecan ensure with some extra
whey protein add might help if this is not a
parasite problem.

Still a cutie even with the hair loss:Love_Icon

[CritterMom]

I have been battling with my squirrel’s fur for years. He never gets nearly as bad as this little cutie but he has had entirely bare patches before. Like you, I am a total food nazi – he gets HHBs and healthy veggies – poor little guy – his TREATS are veggies.

What has helped tremendously is purchasing a reptile UVA/UVB lamp for his cage. Here are the facts:

If you want to try this, don’t even bother trying it with the compact fluorescents. They do NOT work like the tube style and you will just be throwing your money away .

Home Depot and Lowes sell – and this is what you want to ask for – 2 light 4 foot T-8 fluorescent shop lights for about $20 for the fixture. These are for the skinny fluorescent bulbs and the shop lights have a plug end that plugs into an outlet – most fluorescents have to be hard wired. Make certain it is a “T-8” fixture.

Then go to Pet Mountain: http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-fluorescent-bulbs/11442-504983/zoo-med-reptisun-10-0-uvb-bulb.html

And buy the Repti-sun 10.0 4 foot bulbs – you will note that they are also T-8.

My bulbs had gotten old and his fur went badly downhill this summer. I purchased a new bulb and put it in TWO WEEKS AGO and he promptly started making a point to lay under it like he was sunbathing! And in 2 weeks he has replaced about 50% of the bad fur already.

The bulbs last for a year…I plan on rotating them every 8 months myself because now, after having gone through this twice, I am a believer.

[Squirrel Girls Mom]

"was a nutrition issue at first but I did the same things I did the first time - HHB, varied foods following the pyramid posted on Henry's squirrel nutrition site, etc. and nothing seems to be doing the trick this time around."

Sorry, maybe I'm misunderstanding. Does this mean she was on the the HHB and good diet temporarily and just put on it again since her fur has started falling out this time?

[zoeetal]

Yes, she's definitely indoor only. She's on a screened-in porch in the pictures. She's never outside except on a porch like this so I can't imagine it's mites, although I have treated her with ivermectic topically just in case. The first time around I was dabbing diluted apple cider vinegar on her in case it was a fungus or something on her skin. Then I adjusted her diet to include more HHB and more natural foods like edible plants, more logs to chew and climb, nuts in hard shell to chew, and varied veggies. Her fur came in beautifully but because I'd tried so many different things I wasn't able to isolate what may have had the impact - maybe all of it. When I went travelling for 7 months she stayed with a friend of mine who has 6 bunnies and it was then that she began to lose her fur again. They never made contact but shared the same common space at different times. I wondered if there could be something transferred or if it could be an allergic reaction? I have no idea. I've had her back with me now for almost a year and she's made no progress even with me trying the same things I did before. Her patches move around and spots will grow in while others fall out. It's so strange. I've attached a photo of how well she recovered before.

I haven't tried the apple cider vinegar again this time but maybe I should. I was really thinking it was a diet deficiency. Perhaps I should give her a little Fox Valley formula to supplement to make sure she's getting enough protein? Could it also be MBD?

Thanks all! So grateful for your help.

[zoeetal]

"Sorry, maybe I'm misunderstanding. Does this mean she was on the the HHB and good diet temporarily and just put on it again since her fur has started falling out this time?"

While she was in my friend's care (also a rehabber) she was still getting a varied diet but I can't veryify what her diet or lifestyle was like exactly, although I do think it was more stressful, in the sense that she was handled and fondled more as per what they wanted. I tend to let her come to me when she's wanting interaction or affection and otherwise let her do her own thing, trying to challenge her with logs and things in my house. It's been a year though of her having the lifestyle I provided in the past. So I'm at a loss.

[zoeetal]

Thanks CritterMom, I'll definitely try that. I make sure she has access to sunlight throughout the day and she does bask in it, but it's worth a shot.

[Starfish]

If she's been like this for a year, I'd say it is unlikely mites. Still possible I suppose. (Granted that, it's still possible to get mites from the indoor porch... Mites are microscopic tiny...)

Probably go for the light thing. Especially that it could potentially help with other issues that were raised such as mushrooms.

[CritterMom]

Thanks CritterMom, I'll definitely try that. I make sure she has access to sunlight throughout the day and she does bask in it, but it's worth a shot.

The problem is that both window glass and screens block UV, and the newer your windows are, the MORE UV they block.

[farrelli]

I still wonder if this is mange. I think there are at least two kinds with one being very hard to treat. Don't have time to look it up right now though.

[Starfish]

To follow in farelli's shoes...
http://animals.pawnation.com/squirrels-lose-hair-6498.html

http://mangecure.info/Mange/mansym_MangeSymptoms.html


This is dogs but...

http://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Mange-on-Dogs

http://www.dogguide.net/mange.php

http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2012/feb/sarcoptic_vs_demodectic_mange