Squirrel sneezed formula.

[roseanne1984]

Hi--

I am a squirrel foster for 2 baby squirrels (a girl and a boy) around 4 weeks (eyes closed, slowly beginning to get fur). They are both eating well and going to the bathroom well and are active etc. My question is that today after I finished feeding the boy squirrel I felt a gentle sneeze and when I looked down, i saw a couple of teeny drops of formula on my hand so I am worried he sneezed the formula out. I am assuming this means he got in his lungs.

He is actually already on TMS because a week ago he was lethargic and wouldn't eat at all (so I took him into the wildlife shelter from which I am fostering him). His sister is also on TMS due to a possible URI.

My question is: is there anything else I can do for him, should I bring him back into the shelter? He is on TMS as I said and since I took him in this morning before the sneezing incident, he also was given fluids and an evulation and was in good health/spirits.

I feel horrible about the sneezing, he was so hungry due to being at the shelter instead of having his regular feeding at the normal time that he ate really fast and my mind was preoccupied. Is TMS the only thing to do here?

more info: They are on Fox Valley 32/40, they have a heating pad under half of their cage (using a big rubbermaid container),and i feed them with a one cc syringe. I give the girl about 5 ccs 5 x a day (she is 82 g today) and the boy about 4 ccs 5 x a day (he is around 70 g today).

any help is appreciated. i worry a lot and go to the shelter/call them a lot, so i thought since i was just in there this morning, i wouldnt bother them again less than a hour later!

[roseanne1984]

Also I am not keeping these squirrels as pets---I am just fostering them for until they are old enough to be released back into the wild.

[MJS]

DO YOU HEAR A CLICKING SOUND WHEN HE'S BREATHING??? HOLD HIM CLOSE TO YOUR EAR...WATCH THIS VIDEO...WELCOME TO TSB!!! http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?32290-Pneumonia-video

[MJS]

NOT NECESSARILY IN HIS LUNGS JUST BECAUSE HE SNEEZED.

[farrelli]

I don't think this is serious enough for a return, especially seeing that ABs are already in use. Just listen for clicking.

Also, if you don't know, here is a thread on proper feeding technique:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36777-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE!!

Finally, if you're releasing yourself, you're aware of the soft release process, right?

[cnmnnaturalist]

The babies I had sneezed from time to time and they would get a little formula out of their noses. I usually used a little nasal syringe and gently 'sucked' excess formula out of their nostrils (though it was hard with those squirmy little things!) and wiped their nose. Usually I felt pretty good that they sneezed most of it out and it wasn't a problem. If I was concerned any further, I would try and stimulate them to sneeze again by using a soft paint brush to tickle the insides of their nostrils.

[CritterMom]

There are probably some people who will completely freak out at this, but I will tell ya anyway.

First, if you feed with the syringe in the proper position, pointing UP into the babies mouth with his head tilted down, it is much harder to aspirate them because gravity is working for you - anything extra drains right out the mouth instead of down the throat.

But it can still happen. I have raised teeny little mice and just finished with a baby flying squirrel, and the smaller the critter the harder it is to feed them without issues like this. Fumbling for a baby nose bulb is awkward and uses precious seconds. If I sense that something has gone down the wrong way I IMMEDIATELY tip them NOSE DOWN and then - here comes the part that will freak some of you out - I use my mouth to suck any milk out - over the nose and mouth like you are giving a kiss but give a gentle suck and the combination of gravity and the suction will take care of things quickly.

Yeah, I'm a nose sucker. What are you gonna make of it?:grin2

[roseanne1984]

DO YOU HEAR A CLICKING SOUND WHEN HE'S BREATHING??? HOLD HIM CLOSE TO YOUR EAR...WATCH THIS VIDEO...WELCOME TO TSB!!! http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?32290-Pneumonia-video

Thank you for the response and the video! No he is not clicking! Whew :)

[roseanne1984]

I don't think this is serious enough for a return, especially seeing that ABs are already in use. Just listen for clicking.

Also, if you don't know, here is a thread on proper feeding technique:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36777-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE!!

Finally, if you're releasing yourself, you're aware of the soft release process, right?

Thanks for the reply! He isn't clicking, thankfully. I am not releasing myself, it's through the shelter so I will take them back there when it is time.

[roseanne1984]

There are probably some people who will completely freak out at this, but I will tell ya anyway.

First, if you feed with the syringe in the proper position, pointing UP into the babies mouth with his head tilted down, it is much harder to aspirate them because gravity is working for you - anything extra drains right out the mouth instead of down the throat.

But it can still happen. I have raised teeny little mice and just finished with a baby flying squirrel, and the smaller the critter the harder it is to feed them without issues like this. Fumbling for a baby nose bulb is awkward and uses precious seconds. If I sense that something has gone down the wrong way I IMMEDIATELY tip them NOSE DOWN and then - here comes the part that will freak some of you out - I use my mouth to suck any milk out - over the nose and mouth like you are giving a kiss but give a gentle suck and the combination of gravity and the suction will take care of things quickly.

Yeah, I'm a nose sucker. What are you gonna make of it?:grin2

I love your dedication! Thanks for the tips!

[roseanne1984]

The babies I had sneezed from time to time and they would get a little formula out of their noses. I usually used a little nasal syringe and gently 'sucked' excess formula out of their nostrils (though it was hard with those squirmy little things!) and wiped their nose. Usually I felt pretty good that they sneezed most of it out and it wasn't a problem. If I was concerned any further, I would try and stimulate them to sneeze again by using a soft paint brush to tickle the insides of their nostrils.

Ohhhh interesting. I am going to get one of those nasal syringes, sounds like a great idea.

[cnmnnaturalist]

You have to be very careful how much force you use when using the nasal syringes. Too much and you can injure their lungs. I just used a very slight amount of suction. The smaller the nasal syringe, the better.

[Nancy in New York]

If I sense that something has gone down the wrong way I IMMEDIATELY tip them NOSE DOWN and then - here comes the part that will freak some of you out - I use my mouth to suck any milk out - over the nose and mouth like you are giving a kiss but give a gentle suck and the combination of gravity and the suction will take care of things quickly.

Yeah, I'm a nose sucker. What are you gonna make of it?:grin2

OMG CritterMom, even before I read what you wrote, I knew what you were going to say.
I do the exact same think.
Actually to be honest, I like this method so much better than the nasal bulb,
because you can control how gentle you suck.
It is usually one gentle suck like you mentioned, and then tissue it off.
To be honest, I told Gayle just yesterday this method,
because we were going over some "basics".
Been a while since Sammy was this little.:grin2

[Mchicha]

I use the mouth-to-snout suction as well. It's faster and also far easier when dealing with a wiggly baby. I don't see anything gross about it...I'd rather do that than get peed on anyday (even though I get peed on everyday that there's a squirrel in the house it's still gross!).

Mouth-to-snout is also what is used for rescue breathing for animals - I brought a winter newborn, cold, lifeless puppy back with that technique, plus brisk chest massage and warming with a blow dryer (it was the dog's first litter and she was running around and dropping them all over the 1 acre yard - that one was the last one found and my children were crying, so I made do).

[cnmnnaturalist]

I used the mouth to nose method a couple of times in the beginning when I freaked out. My parents were absolutely horrified that I did it! I just laughed.

[roseanne1984]

That's good to know! I will try to find the smallest one possible and be very gentle. It's my first time fostering so I have a lot to learn and I am very anxious about doing everything possible to keep them healthy and happy.