ataxia/joint swelling in 7 week old grey...ideas?

[DipityDane]

Hi everyone....ive actually not visited TSB in some time but I had some questions about an intake from yesterday that id like some insight on. This is a roughly 7 week old grey female who was taken in by animal control a few days ago. She presented at that time with limited use of her rear legs. She was a transfer from another rehabber who had her in care for about 3 days after being with AC a day. She seemed to feel there was some improvment in the usage of the legs while she had her. Now that ive had her since yesterday I can see that shes a bit "flat" in the back end and her legs somewhat splayed. She can move them and has full sensation...they just don't work that well. Further I noticed that her left ankle and right knee are extremely swollen, painful and tender. She is eating well and hydration is great. Shes now on metacam and baytril for pain and possible infection. I am hoping to see a response with the meds but does anyone have any clue? On first glance it presents a lot like mbd deformities but this baby was in the wild, presumably with mom until 4 or 5 days ago. Thanks guys!

[island rehabber]

hi DD, nice to see you back.
I would not think MBD only because, as you said, she is young and was on mamma's milk until recently. She may have a compression fracture in her back which hopefully can heal. If she's not in too much pain you could try a little P/T with her each day, flexing and straightening her hind legs and letting her push them against your hand to build the hip muscles back up. A very REMOTE possibility also: sometimes when ankle joints and knees are swollen it is because first responders gave too much Pedialyte for too long -- the sodium causes swelling. Even more remote: this type of swelling can be the beginning of pox. I was treating a baby once for a swollen ankle and he ended up having a mild case of pox; the swollen areas came to a head, then a warty lesion erupted.

[farrelli]

Should prednisone be used to try to reduce any kind of spinal swelling? Unfortunately, I think that it and metacam contraindicate and a week would have to pass before administration. Right?

[DipityDane]

Thanks guys....spinal contusion of some sort entered my mind...but with the swollen joints I wasnt sure. It reminds me a lot of how myco infections happen in raccoons but as far as I know that isn't a concern in squirrels? The ankle is nearly to the point of opening and draining and for all practical purposes appears to be an abcess. As for the prednisone I think we should probably hold off until we know it isnt infectious. The metcam shoud help somewhat with the inflammtion if there is any of the spine.