Squirrel with cold leg and necrotic skin

[mcfccc]

17 month old make squirrel was treated for severe pressure sore and "frozen" knee on left rear leg. Skin was pulled together and sutured to close most of the gap caused by the pressure sore. "frozen" knee was freed through pressure to release the adhesions locking it in a over the back position. Three days post surgery, the skin is necrotic and the foot is cold and swollen. Have been massaging back side of leg and applying warm rice bag in an attempt to stimulate blood flow. I would appreciate any suggestions to get blood flow correctly restored and save this little guys leg. He was an MBD squirrel who was dropped off at the vets office when the "owners" found him paralyzed from the neck down and having seizures. He regained full motion of front legs and right rear leg. left leg was just starting to show improvement when another caretaker frightened him with a loud dog and he caught his leg in the cage bars causing the opening which continued to increase in size from dragging the one leg. The size of the pressure sore and over the back position made surgery necessary. Now we are dealing with scary possibilities. Please help if you can. Thank you

[SammysMom]

Is it possible for you to take a picture and post it? It would be easier for the experienced members to give informed opinions if they could get a look at it.

[farrelli]

Amputation might be considered. Do you have a vet? Here's a thread abouut finding vets in NH:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?42352-Lost-on-the-release-situation&highlight=new+hampshire

Also, there has been some reports here and elsewhere regarding the healing properties of Manuka honey when placed on wounds like that. Here's a link about one of the stories:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?42229-I-Was-Amazed-and-Still-Am!!!!!-Healing-like-I-have-never-seen

Also silver sulfadiazine mixed with insulin is frequently used here with great results but I don;t have time to search for how it's mixed.

[mcfccc]

Is it possible for you to take a picture and post it? It would be easier for the experienced members to give informed opinions if they could get a look at it.

I can do that, but it won't be until the morning. He is fast asleep with his mini rice bag snuggled against him. His appetite and attitude are great. It is the vet who saw, on recheck, that the skin was necrotic.

[mcfccc]

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I can do that, but it won't be until the morning. He is fast asleep with his mini rice bag snuggled against him. His appetite and attitude are great. It is the vet who saw, on recheck, that the skin was necrotic.214757

There is some pink this morning, although the foot is still cold and swollen. The vet says it looks a little better, but we are not safe yet. I put the little rice bag next to his leg while he sleeps and it keep it warm for quite a while. The vet gave me a wound heal cream that helps to stimulate blood flow. I layer that on twice a day. Thanks for all your great suggestions. Mary

[farrelli]

Are you/should you be doing frequent massaging of the foot to maintain blood flow?

[SammysMom]

What about the good old silvadene cream that Jackie swears by?

[CrazySquirrelLady]

apply leeches to the extremity, they will pump blood thru it and save it for you.

[mcfccc]

Are you/should you be doing frequent massaging of the foot to maintain blood flow?
I massage the leg and foot every few hours. I sit with him on my lap in the sunshine and massage his leg as well. I do have both the silver sulfadiazine and access to insulin,but the surgery site is healing. It is the minimal circulation that has us worried.

[CrazySquirrelLady]

Leeches have been used to restore circulation in amputated fingers, etc. recently with great success.

It is a brilliant idea. try it. save a leg. one leech feeding at foot all the time will save it. Leech will pull blood thru the leg and it will increase circulation, plus the leech has an anticoagulant in it's spit that will help the leg.

[mcfccc]

[QUOTE=CrazySquirrelLady;929605]Leeches have been used to restore circulation in amputated fingers, etc. recently with great success.

It is a brilliant idea. try it. save a leg. one leech feeding at foot all the time will save it. Leech will pull blood thru the leg and it will increase circulation, plus the leech has an anticoagulant in it's spit that will help the leg.[

The little squirrel was responding beautifully to treatment. His leg had warmed, the color had improved. He went to bed with warm feet and a warm leg. He woke up,in the morning with his foot black, cold and "mummified". Sweet little soul will have to have the leg amputated. The only positive I can come up with is that his leg had not regained mobility in the year he has been with us. The other three regained mobility, but the left has always dragged, had a pressure sore and not had any nerve response. Maybe this was aways the ultimate path. We will have to find him a permanent home once he recovers from the amputation as he will never be releasable. We are in Southern NH. If anyone has a contact willing to take a three legged squirrel, please let me know. Thanks. Mary

[farrelli]

So sorry, but thanks for looking out for him. When he's ready, you should put up a notice in the non-emergency section that he's looking for a home. I think we just placed one from there, via squirrel train, to someplace far away.

[CrazySquirrelLady]

Farrelli you need a squirrel. here's your chance. so close to Boston.

[farrelli]

Farrelli you need a squirrel. here's your chance. so close to Boston.

I wish. I just need a whole new life. After I move and have a normal job, I'll finally have time and space for someone other than myself. I'm really trying, but am having no luck. Know anyone hiring IT people in Northern Ontario?

[mcfccc]

I wish. I just need a whole new life. After I move and have a normal job, I'll finally have time and space for someone other than myself. I'm really trying, but am having no luck. Know anyone hiring IT people in Northern Ontario?

Surgery to amputate his leg went great. It took him about 90 minutes post surgery to wake up. Once he was awake, he got oral pain meds ontop of the injectable he was given prior to surgery. I expected him to be in a lot of pain and just want to snuggle down. What I got instead was a squirrel Lookimg for food and water. Once I got him back home, he climbed his very padded ladder to lay on his shelf and look out the window. This morning he wanted to play. They are truly amazing little creatures.

thank you everyone,
Mary

[TubeDriver]

Surgery to amputate his leg went great. It took him about 90 minutes post surgery to wake up. Once he was awake, he got oral pain meds ontop of the injectable he was given prior to surgery. I expected him to be in a lot of pain and just want to snuggle down. What I got instead was a squirrel Lookimg for food and water. Once I got him back home, he climbed his very padded ladder to lay on his shelf and look out the window. This morning he wanted to play. They are truly amazing little creatures.

thank you everyone,
Mary

Glad it went well! You should probably start a new thread in order to find him a forever home.

[Charley Chuckles]

Now comes another concern which happens often after amputation, chewing...you will need some protection so he doesn't reopen his stitches :eek

[farrelli]

Yes, please take the chewing VERY seriously. It happens all the time. You may need to fashion a cone or a vest (CC can tell you all about that). DO you know if the vet used both internal and external stitches? The internal ones are great for keeping the insides inside if the outer stitches are compromised by chewing.

[mcfccc]

Yes, please take the chewing VERY seriously. It happens all the time. You may need to fashion a cone or a vest (CC can tell you all about that). DO you know if the vet used both internal and external stitches? The internal ones are great for keeping the insides inside if the outer stitches are compromised by chewing.

Stitches are internal on multiple layers. I do have a cone, but he isn't bothering the incision site all. I also have a super yuck wound care cream if I need to use it. He is content to sit on his cage shelf and look out the window. .......and eat and eat and eat. I am using the silversulfadiazine on the incision site, but the site had already shown tremendous improvement by yesterday late afternoon. He is being such a good little patient.

[SammysMom]

:Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

[farrelli]

You've got to watch it like a hawk though. So many times a good patient ends up being opened back up in a second because they go from being good to bad in a heartbeat.

[Charley Chuckles]

Yes, please take the chewing VERY seriously. It happens all the time. You may need to fashion a cone or a vest (CC can tell you all about that). DO you know if the vet used both internal and external stitches? The internal ones are great for keeping the insides inside if the outer stitches are compromised by chewing.

Yes I will retrieve it, and if you have to have the amputation done, I suggest making one of what I will put up and bring iot to the vets office, put it on before he is fully awake ...I made this for my CC he had to wear it most his life, yours just till the area COMPLETELY heals :thumbsup
I will go find the thread and put it here////dang guess we need to make a sticky post of THE CC PROTECTIVE VEST :grin3

[Charley Chuckles]

OK go top post 22, it shows and explains the way the vest works and goes on, if you need help or maybe want me to make you one just PM me,,,,I can even explain how to make it and it is easy, it will save you valuable time just PM me your phone#:thumbsup
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?40232-Squirrel-with-a-paralyzed-leg-need-amputated-Pro-s-Con-s/page2&highlight=lilly

[AnnabellesMom]

Please, please put a vest on, until it heals! I learned the hard way. Annabelle didn't touch hers for days, and one day all of the sudden she pulled the stitch and most of it unraveled. It was horrible, but we got her put back together, it just took a long time to heal. She still has one spot that isn't pulled together well. CC's mom helped me with the vest...and she wears it all the time and only breaks out of it occasionally. But I give her out of cage time without it and she is very happy. Water therapy after four weeks, was also helpful...and improved the healing process.:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

Good luck and I pray the little one heals quickly!:grin

[Charley Chuckles]

Please, please put a vest on, until it heals! I learned the hard way. Annabelle didn't touch hers for days, and one day all of the sudden she pulled the stitch and most of it unraveled. It was horrible, but we got her put back together, it just took a long time to heal. She still has one spot that isn't pulled together well. CC's mom helped me with the vest...and she wears it all the time and only breaks out of it occasionally. But I give her out of cage time without it and she is very happy. Water therapy after four weeks, was also helpful...and improved the healing process.:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

Good luck and I pray the little one heals quickly!:grin

I am so glad your baby is doing so well :grouphug it is amazing how they get use to the vest, it is more like a hug as opposed to an e collar which is so uncomfortable and usually freaks them out :thumbsup

[mcfccc]

:Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon
He was such a good boy for 9 days. Now he must wear his special hat 216079until the new stitches come out.

[SammysMom]

Oh dear...the dreaded "cone of shame"... :grouphug:grouphug:grouphug

[TubeDriver]

He was such a good boy for 9 days. Now he must wear his special hat 216079until the new stitches come out.

:grin :thumbsup