Lenny's hurt. :(

[lennysmom]

Went out to give Lenny some goodies just now and when he came to me, I noticed an injury right above his left front leg. At first I thought there might be a bone broken, but he seemed to be moving his arms just fine, so I'm inclined to think its just really swollen. It looks like maybe a bite or something.. I'm fairly certain he will need AB's, and I have Amoxicillin 500 mg capsules. However, since I have never given a squirrel AB's, not sure how to go about it. Do I lace a treat or block with it? If so, how? He has been in the trees a little over three months now, and I see him still a couple of times a day. However, he has gotten somewhat wild and will sometimes let me handle him and sometimes not. I managed to get a couple of decent pics which I will try to post, but I usually have problems doing so. Any help in this situation would be greatly appreciated.

[Nancy in New York]

Awe poor Lenny.
I wonder if he could have cut on something like a fence. Looks nice and clean though.
Yes you could lace a nut with the ab. as long as he comes daily and will take it.
I would keep an eye on it, watch for redness and inflammation.
Do you need me to break the ab down so you know how much to put on a nut daily?

[Nancy in New York]

Running off to feed, I will check back in a little and send a pm off to you then with dosing instructions.:grouphug

[lennysmom]

Yes, please. I really have no idea how much he would need or anything. Is it normal for it to be so swollen? I know you can't tell much from the pics, but it is swollen enough where I thought it was a bone sticking out at first. Scared me to death! Thanks so much for your quick response! I'm expecting out of town family anytime now and I want to figure out how to help him before they arrive. I'm glad that he is happy in the wild, but stressed when his squammy can't protect him! :eek. Thanks again Nancy for your help. :thankyou

[Nancy in New York]

OK I sent a pm I am also going to mention that dosing a wild with a weight guesstimate is not ideal.
Nor is the amoxi since it will have to be dosed twice daily and causes gastric upset if a probiotic is not offered.
I also wonder if this could be a bot fly. Perhaps another picture would help.
I would recommend Baytril/Cipro for the dosing advantage of doing it once a day.
However, Amoxi is better than nothing.
Please check around for anyone with Baytril or Cipro, we can dose that too.

To do this properly capturing may be necessary, but we will cross that bridge if Lenny looks
worse, red, swollen or any sign of infection.

[lennysmom]

Unfortunately, all I have is amoxicillin right now. But I should have no problem giving it twice a day. If I had a way to get cipro, I would. I will also get some yogurt for him. Hopefully, it won't get infected. I am going to try and put some Neosporin on it and hopefully that will help it not to get infected.

[Nancy in New York]

Unfortunately, all I have is amoxicillin right now. But I should have no problem giving it twice a day. If I had a way to get cipro, I would. I will also get some yogurt for him. Hopefully, it won't get infected. I am going to try and put some Neosporin on it and hopefully that will help it not to get infected.

OMG absolutely, I was unsure if he would let you get that close. Yes, Neosporin would be great.
I can overnight cipro, but as I said in the pm, the earliest you would get it would be Wednesday, being a holiday weekend.

[TubeDriver]

Maybe start with the amoxicillin and then cross taper to the Cipro when available? Or hold off and wait till the Cipro arrives?

[lennysmom]

OMG absolutely, I was unsure if he would let you get that close. Yes, Neosporin would be great.
I can overnight cipro, but as I said in the pm, the earliest you would get it would be Wednesday, being a holiday weekend.

I hate to ask you to overnight cipro, but if you could, that would be great! I did manage to get a little Neosporin on his wound, but then he started growling a little, so I didn't try to get anymore on it. He did get one dose of Amoxi, but didn't seem to really want any yogurt. I dipped an almond in it and he ate that. I've noticed when he is upset or hurt, he has a little more contact with me. Was trying to burry his wild bite in my hood today - he hasn't done that since before the release! I guess he still believes his squammy can make it all better. :Love_Icon Anyhow, hopefully he will be on the mend soon. I will PM you my address. Thanks for everything!

[Nancy in New York]

Maybe start with the amoxicillin and then cross taper to the Cipro when available? Or hold off and wait till the Cipro arrives?

Amox can be started now, and then when the cipro is gotten switched right over.:thumbsup

[Nancy in New York]

I hate to ask you to overnight cipro, but if you could, that would be great! I did manage to get a little Neosporin on his wound, but then he started growling a little, so I didn't try to get anymore on it. He did get one dose of Amoxi, but didn't seem to really want any yogurt. I dipped an almond in it and he ate that. I've noticed when he is upset or hurt, he has a little more contact with me. Was trying to burry his wild bite in my hood today - he hasn't done that since before the release! I guess he still believes his squammy can make it all better. :Love_Icon Anyhow, hopefully he will be on the mend soon. I will PM you my address. Thanks for everything!

Yes pm me your address, I will get it out Tuesday morning, along with dosing instructions.:thumbsup

[lilidukes]

In the baby food section of the store they have
yogurt drops. My adults love them and they
come in all kinds of different flavors.

[lennysmom]

An updated pic of Lenny's boo boo... The best he would let me get anyhow.213784

[Nancy in New York]

God I'm just not sure, I do wonder if that is a bot, but can't really tell.
Can you put Neosporin on it?
Lenny looks really good. I would think that if he were in trouble from too
many abs. it would have shown up by now.
Personally, I'm not sure I would do anymore until you get the Cipro, which
should be Wednesday.

[Anne]

It certainly does look like a bot. And with that large an opening-like it may drop out fairly soon.

[lennysmom]

God I'm just not sure, I do wonder if that is a bot, but can't really tell.
Can you put Neosporin on it?
Lenny looks really good. I would think that if he were in trouble from too
many abs. it would have shown up by now.
Personally, I'm not sure I would do anymore until you get the Cipro, which
should be Wednesday.

Ok, I will keep a close eye on him in the mean time. What exactly is a bot? The reason I thought it might be another squirrel that bit him is because my husband was outside and heard two squirrels barking in the woods and not too long after that, I went up there and found him injured. I managed to get Neosporin on it the first day, but anytime I get my finger near it, he jumps out of my reach. I will keep trying..

[cnmnnaturalist]

Bot is short for Bot Fly maggot. Nasty little critter. But certainly not the worst parasite that a squirrel can get. Usually unless they are actually interfering with their ability to survive (like interfere with climbing, eating or seeing), you usually let it 'mature' until the maggot pupates and drops out. Then they usually heal on their own.

[TubeDriver]

Bot is short for Bot Fly maggot. Nasty little critter. But certainly not the worst parasite that a squirrel can get. Usually unless they are actually interfering with their ability to survive (like interfere with climbing, eating or seeing), you usually let it 'mature' until the maggot pupates and drops out. Then they usually heal on their own.

The best thing about a bot is usually they look worse than they are. Not sure that Is about botfly? If it is a bot, you will know in a couple days, it will pop!

By the time you get they Cipro, if it does not look better I would start AB. .

I hope thing work out. :thumbsup

[Wonkawillie]

Sure looks like a bot fly to me! No worries it will go away on its own. They are gross though!

[cnmnnaturalist]

The exterior of the wound may get infected, but I believe the maggot itself actually excretes a liquid from it's skin that deters infections (since it would kill the maggot as well). So while the maggot is alive, it actually keeps the wound clean.

Pretty gruesome, but like I said, this is a very visible parasite but rarely life threatening. It's the little things that are really nasty.

[lennysmom]

Well, I think everyone's theory is right - from the looks of it, it is probably a bot fly. It looks pretty gross, but I got another decent picture this afternoon. After it pops, is there anything I should do for him? I just hope it doesn't end up getting infected. 213866

[TubeDriver]

Well, I think everyone's theory is right - from the looks of it, it is probably a bot fly. It looks pretty gross, but I got another decent picture this afternoon. After it pops, is there anything I should do for him? I just hope it doesn't end up getting infected. 213866

Make sure he has food and clean water. His amazing squirrel healing powers will kick in and you will not even know it was ever there in a couple weeks. :thumbsup

[lennysmom]

214363So, bot fly has gotten bigger - guess this is normal. But my concern was whether or not it was infected.... Saw a little white pocket of what could be puss or maybe part of the bot, I don't know. Got a couple of pictures today - they are not the greatest quality as its hard to get the little fuzzer to stay still long enough. Anyhow, here are a couple of the best ones I could get. 214362

[lennysmom]

214365214365One last pic to show how much bigger its gotten on his underside.214364

[Nancy in New York]

Poor Lenny. :( I sure hope this comes out soon. Keep an eye on it,
and if you can clean it and get Neosporin on it after it comes out, that would be good too.

[lennysmom]

Well, Lenny now has two bots! Ahhhhhhhh!!! :pissed The one he had is about to hatch and this new one just appeared. Wish I had a way to protect him from those horrible, nasty things. Just so everyone knows, my husband found out online that Tennessee has out a warning for an infestation of bot flys. They are probably in other states too - this wet, warm weather has made for a very buggy summer. :(

[TubeDriver]

Well, Lenny now has two bots! Ahhhhhhhh!!! :pissed The one he had is about to hatch and this new one just appeared. Wish I had a way to protect him from those horrible, nasty things. Just so everyone knows, my husband found out online that Tennessee has out a warning for an infestation of bot flys. They are probably in other states too - this wet, warm weather has made for a very buggy summer. :(

Poor Lenny. Squirrels are tough and Lenny will be fine just not quit as cute until the nasty bots are gone.

[CrazySquirrelLady]

poor lenny. :eek

[lennysmom]

Poor Lenny. Squirrels are tough and Lenny will be fine just not quit as cute until the nasty bots are gone.

Oh, he will always be cute to me - a squammy is biased. :grin

[TubeDriver]

Oh, he will always be cute to me - a squammy is biased. :grin

I know (he is still a cutie)! :grin

[lennysmom]

Well, I am just about frustrated enough to try and recapture my now wild squirrel Lenny! Went to feed him today and discovered he now has three bots IN ADDITION to the one that will come out any day if it hasn't already... I can't really tell. But seriously, at what point should I be concerned for his health?!? :confused: Lenny is not a very big squirrel as it is... But at the same time, he loves the trees and I just don't want to take that away from him and put him through all that stress unless I have to. :sigh - as of now, he has one bot on both shoulders, one near his neck (the one that should leave any day), and one not two inches from one of the ones on his shoulder. At this time, none of them seem to be impeding his movement or anything, but three of them are still really small. So, having said all that, should I just wait it out or take other measures? I know squirrels are tough and all, but he just seems so miserable with parasites all over him. :eek

[TubeDriver]

Well, I am just about frustrated enough to try and recapture my now wild squirrel Lenny! Went to feed him today and discovered he now has three bots IN ADDITION to the one that will come out any day if it hasn't already... I can't really tell. But seriously, at what point should I be concerned for his health?!? :confused: Lenny is not a very big squirrel as it is... But at the same time, he loves the trees and I just don't want to take that away from him and put him through all that stress unless I have to. :sigh - as of now, he has one bot on both shoulders, one near his neck (the one that should leave any day), and one not two inches from one of the ones on his shoulder. At this time, none of them seem to be impeding his movement or anything, but three of them are still really small. So, having said all that, should I just wait it out or take other measures? I know squirrels are tough and all, but he just seems so miserable with parasites all over him. :eek

Wow, poor Lenny! Even though he might look awful with all those nasty Bots, he should be just fine in the long run provided that the bots pop out and no infections follow. I know it must be incredibly hard, but I would do nothing other than make sure he has access to good food and water.

Keep an eye on him, as long as he maintains his weight and seems alert and healthy, he will be fine.

[MJS]

FIRST OF ALL..THIS IS JUST MY OPINION...BUT I THINK SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF RELEASES, WE MAY WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT RECAPTURING THE SQ FOR TREATMENT, WHEN NECESSARY. A SQUIRREL'S INSTINCTS CAN BE, AND OFTEN ARE, SUPPRESSED BY THEIR EXPERIENCES IN 'CAPTIVITY' AND THEIR CLOSE CONTACT WITH HOOMINS. IN THE CASE OF RELEASES, THIS EXPERIENCE IS NOT USUALLY FORGOTTEN...WE SEE COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF RELEASES CONTINUING THE RELATIONSHIP. FOLLOWING THEIR RELEASE, THE BOND AND RECOGNITION BETWEEN THE SQ AND HIS/HER HOOMIN OFTEN REMAINS, AS EVIDENCED BY THE SQUIRREL'S CONTINUED VOLUNTARY INTERACTION WITH THEIR 'CAPTOR'.

SOOOO...MY SUGGESTION, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WOULD BE TO TAKE HIM IN IF YOU FEEL THAT HE IS IN DISTRESS. I BELIEVE THAT THE BENEFIT GAINED BY BEING ABLE TO CLOSELY OBSERVE AND TREAT HIS MEDICAL ISSUES IS FAR OUTWEIGHED BY ANY TEMPORARY DISTRESS THAT HE MAY HAVE DUE TO THE RECAPTURE.

[CrazySquirrelLady]

i agree catch him take him to the vet for removal if you want.

[lennysmom]

Yeah, found a fifth one on his belly today. Here's the thing- we don't have any vets around here who will treat a squirrel. :( And I don't know if I could trust myself to remove them on my own. So really the only thing I could do if I do capture is moniter him and ensure that he doesn't get anymore of the stinkin things. It's a hard decision for me because we only had finances to build one large cage which we put in the woods for his release cage and therefore if I catch him, I have to bring him in and let him have the run of my guest room.. Which is fine by me because we kept his cube or my husband can quickly build another box... I think for the time being, I am going to prepare everything and moniter him closely - any signs of distress ie - loosing weight or signs of infection and he's coming back in the house until I can get him well again. Thanks so much for everyone's input thus far. I hope I am able to pay it forward in time. :tilt