New to rehab with 2 babies and a couple questions

[nicki121]

Hi all! These forums have been a great help. I'm internet savvy so I've been all over the web scouring for information on how to care for these babies. Additionally, I've been in to the local vet hospital and talked with the head squirrel lady with our local wildlife rehab. I've had both of these babies since Monday evening. They both (boy and girl) were found in front of my house next to a tree 3 days apart. At the time I didn't know that it was best to try to warm them up and leave them for mom to come back for. There's much to the story, but what I'm here for is a question about my little girl.

I've switched them from ebsilac last night over to the goats milk mixture while I am waiting for my order of formula from fox valley. They both seem to be in pretty good health. They were having some diarrhea from the ebsilac so I quickly switched them and they're now having mushy, not runny and not too firm bowel movements. My question here now comes with the girl. I'm very gentle when I'm stimulating them, I use cotton balls and I'm not vigorous. They both have done really well, but my girl appears to have a rash now and will squirm quite a bit when she does urinate. I don't know how to help her and for the past two feedings (one just 30 minutes ago) she has not urinated after stimulation. She did have a bowel movement, but little to no urine. Before the rash she was really good and easier to have urinate than the boy. I've tried soaking her in warm water and stimulating with a q-tip while she's in the water and I can't tell if she's actually going or not while she's in the water.

See the attached picture.

Help!

[kastillo]

Put some neosporin with pain relief on before and after you stimulate her.
Are you using a damp q tip when she's out of the water?

How often and how much are you feeding her also? Her belly looks a little big to me, but that may be from the esbilac.

[kastillo]

It definitely looks infected there. Just also make sure after you stimulate her you clean all the urine off with a damp warm q tip or cotton ball, this could be urine scald also. Then apply the neosporin generously.

Also a thought, could the other squirrel be sucking on her??? Have you noticed this?

[nicki121]

Put some neosporin with pain relief on before and after you stimulate her.
Are you using a damp q tip when she's out of the water?

How often and how much are you feeding her also? Her belly looks a little big to me, but that may be from the esbilac.

I use cotton balls when she isn't in the water. I've be moistening the cotton balls before trying to stimulate her.

I feed them every 2 1/2 to 3 hours and they are eating 2 1/2 to 3 cc's. I can take another picture of her if you need.

[nicki121]

It definitely looks infected there. Just also make sure after you stimulate her you clean all the urine off with a damp warm q tip or cotton ball, this could be urine scald also. Then apply the neosporin generously.

Also a thought, could the other squirrel be sucking on her??? Have you noticed this?

I think I might have caused it. She was having diarrhea from the esbilac and I was using gentle baby wipes to clean her up. I'm afraid they might not have been gentle enough and that caused the problem. I'm really on top of keeping them and their surroundings clean.

I have thought that it might be the boy, whenever I check on them (which is about once an hour) I don't see any evidence that he is.

[nicki121]

BTW- I was worried about her belly as well but she feels nice and squishy. This picture was taken right after eating and attempting to stimulate and she was a little bent forward.

[stepnstone]

I was using gentle baby wipes to clean her up. I'm afraid they might not have been gentle enough and that caused the problem.

Very possible was the baby wipes that first created the irritation.
Baby wipes contain mild detergents mixed with moisturizing agents, some with fragrance, and many with preservatives.
In the future if you feel the need to "clean" with something other then plain warm water I would suggest getting a bottle of unscented Dawn liquid dish detergent to lightly add to the bath. It is non- irritating and very safe to use with wildlife.
In the meantime I would follow the suggestions mentioned with the neosporin.

[farrelli]

For awhile, you might also try stimulating with just your finger and some KY, or maybe even the neosporin would be slippery enough.

[SQUIRRELSAREME]

:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

[Rhapsody]

FYI - Please only use Regular Neosporin --Never use Neosporin with Pain relief in it on animals.
and.... feed the babies every 3 hours as not to cause bloat. Feed @ 5-7% of their body wt.

:)

[nicki121]

Ok now, I'm worried. She still hasn't urinated and because I'm concerned about bloat I haven't fed her. I have been trying with the ky and I'm not getting anything. Should I keep her hydrated even though she's not urinating? She's not tenting. I have the support of my local vet hospital if needed.

[CritterMom]

Ok now, I'm worried. She still hasn't urinated and because I'm concerned about bloat I haven't fed her. I have been trying with the ky and I'm not getting anything. Should I keep her hydrated even though she's not urinating? She's not tenting. I have the support of my local vet hospital if needed.

Bloat and not urinating are two different things. Bloat is more closely related to digestion and things "poop" - it is caused by too frequent feeding allowing old formula to not digest and instead ferment in the belly.

I would first get your strongest glasses on and a wet q-tip and check very closely to determine whether there is a scab that has formed and is actually blocking the urethra, physically preventing urine from escaping. If this is the reason, you will want to soak it for a while to get the scab soft and then very careully work it off with the q-tip. After that you need to make sure it stays open while it heals, and neo or a similar oily wound prep is good for that.

[nicki121]

So far as I can see there isn't a scab. I went ahead and fed her and also separated her from the boy to eliminate the chance of him sucking on it. My question now is- if he was sucking on it- would that cause her to urinate and would he then have been swallowing it? Is that harmful to them?

[Unikorngrrl]

I use baby wipes to stimulate. I buy the unscented, sensitive skin kind. I tear 1 into 6 pieces and I fold 1 of those pieces until they are firm enough to use to stimulate. I then use the torn feathered edges to do the stimulating. It's much softer and much easier on their little genitals. It very much simulates the feeling of a mother's tongue also and they go quite quickly! The babies I have now are the 1st ones that I've tried this on and I'm VERY pleased. No raw skin at all and theyre cleaned off when I'm done! I also don't have to wet them and risk chilling them.

[UDoWhat]

To me this looks like her brother is nursing on her. You should immediately seperate them until this baby can heal. ( If you already have, good... I have not had time to read all posts. This is very painful for this baby. Urine can only cause it to sting and burn more and cause so much pain. I would suggest infant motrin or even a prescription drug from the Vet for pain relief. Also, a steroid cream or ointment. You can use this in extreme cases like this one. In the mean time, please also put something like Desitin ointment or Vitimin A&D ointment ( found in the baby section of stores) on this baby before you stimulate her to help coat the raw skin that urine will burn further. I think a trip to your Vet would be most helpful for this baby . This could get life threatening.
Poor little girl squirrel. :Love_Icon

[farrelli]

Yes, vet if possible. If not, tell us about the bloat. You may have already but there are so many cases it's hard to keep track. Are you giving infant Gas-X? How long has it been going on? I worry that an distended bladder might be what you think is bloat. This can be deadly, as can bloat. You must get this situation under control. And yes, keep hydrating.

[farrelli]

Oh, and is she on antibiotics? Do you have any? We can dose if necessary.

[island rehabber]

If you can get hold of some Silver Sulfadiazine (brand name Silvadene) cream, it will clear her up in a day. It is by prescription, unfortunately, but someone may have it that you know. It is always prescribed to humans for burns.

Try just barely tickling her with the corner of a Kleenex....when all is said and done, this always works for me when I have reluctant pee-ers. :tilt

[nicki121]

She peed!!! I separated her from her brother and I've been keeping neosporin on her and she finally peed! I will pick up some A&D ointment and use that when I stimulate her to help prevent burn. It's already looking much better than it was. She peed a little bit- not as much as I'm used to seeing with her, but it's progress! She's having bowel movements with no trouble.

I bring them with me to work and I peeked at them before I left for the office and noticed that he was going for her.

[UDoWhat]

She peed!!! I separated her from her brother and I've been keeping neosporin on her and she finally peed! I will pick up some A&D ointment and use that when I stimulate her to help prevent burn. It's already looking much better than it was. She peed a little bit- not as much as I'm used to seeing with her, but it's progress! She's having bowel movements with no trouble.

I bring them with me to work and I peeked at them before I left for the office and noticed that he was going for her.

So glad she peed. I had a feeling the little brother was causing the trouble. Do put the ointment on before you stimulate her. When the urine hits that raw area it is so hurtful. Kind of compared to pouring alcohol or lemon juice on a wound. If you can get the Silvadene that would be great. It would heal it faster but keep using the neosporin if Silvadene is not an option. Also keep her separated until she can heal. The repeated nursring that area will never let her heal.
Get better little baby girl sq. :Love_Icon