TROOPER'S SCENT GLANDS OR IMPACTED COLON??? PLEASE ADVICE ON HIS CONDITION...

[Trooper]

My 2 years old Eastern Gray Trooper, a boy, is behaving normal, except for one thing:

1- About this past Monday I noticed he was dragging his butt (kind of like dogs do when they have worms or anal glands swollen) on my shoulder and on the couch while we watched TV. Upon inspection I found a semi-dried-up fecal ball at the exit of his anus, and some truly dried up around it. I moistened them with warm soapy water and cleaned him up, with no other worries.
2- Today, he did the same thing, dragging his butt; and this time upon inspection, I noticed that on either side of his anus, under his hide; I could feel a hard round lump, on either side of the anus and about the same size each, I estimate about the size of a small hazelnut in the shell.
3- I felt these lumps in an attempt to discern if they were part of an impacted colon, but I must say my knowledge of the internal anatomy of a squirrel leaves me at a loss. Trooper did not seem to mind my examination, staying calm as he always does when I handle him.
4- Just about a few minutes after I did the examination, he dropped three poop pellets, which stuck tighter with what it looks like a yellowish mucous substance (see photo).
5- I inspected it under microscope and did a fecal flotation with no adverse findings. The mucous was sticky and the poop smelled normal (no bad odor like coccidia or giardia).
6-Yesterday I did a urine analysis and it also came back normal.
7- Yet, when he lied in his cage at night, he held his tail horizontal and up, as if he had a discomfort on his anus (see photo).
8- Searching the web, I found some 'disgusting' blogs about hunters who were discussing skinning squirrels for food, and one mentioned about having found -only in males- these whitish colored lumps or "balls" on either side of the males anus and some of the bloggers affirmed they were scent glands.

My obvious question is: Do males have scent glands that at some time of the year the swell up and feel hard on either side of his anus or does he have an impacted colon?

He has dropped poop pellets since I examined him, all normal in color and smell but some of them kind of moist with the mucosy substance noted above. He has been meeting face-to-face with our other two females that we raised and released outdoors last thanksgiving and they were checking their genitals, especially the females on him.

Before I forget, as I know it will be asked if I don't note it here; his diet is multi-varied consisting of: Kaytee Forti-diet rodent block, kale, lettuce, carrots, artichoke, apple, fresh corn, chayote, pumping, fresh garbanzo bean, fresh peas, cucumber, zucchini, broccoli, dandelion, water chestnuts, chestnuts, almond, hazelnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, acorns and bioavailable calcium dissolved in his water. Of course he doesn't have ALL of them at once and we balance his caloric intake to a low glycemic range. He weighs as of today 746 grams and he is playful, runs throughout my lab and has his own tree and dirt and a piece of our backyard in his stainless steel outdoor cage.

Please if you can confirm whether males have scent glands that get hard and noticeable at, perhaps, mating time, it will give me one more reason to sleep at night!!

Thanks on behalf of Trooper,

Trooper's dad

[California Squirrel Lover]

Hi Trooper, so sorry I cannot help, as I'm not an expert. I truly hope he will be fine, he's such a sweet, beautiful boy :Love_Icon:Love_Icon Hoping an expert will look at the pics and give some advice soon.

[island rehabber]

It's very possible that what you're seeing is called a "coital plug". Male squirrels have the unique ability to eject a "plug" of opaque mucousy substance into the female squirrel's vagina after mating, effectively sealing her off so that no other male may impregnate her. I know over the years here people who live with male indoor squirrels have said that their boys drop this stuff from time to time and it's always a "Wha???" moment when it happens. I believe that first pic looks very similar to others I've seen. Poor Trooper...all revved up and nobody to plug. :grin3

[Anne]

:goodpost One of my adult male NRs has had this same condition in the past. It has not been noticed every year or even semi-annually. My Mitch is not willingly handled or at all cooperative, therefore I can not comment on him ever having any lumps in the anal area. I know that dogs of both sexes have anal glands that must on occassion be expressed by either our vet or groomer. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if male squirrels also have these glands. I would like to ask a vet with long time experience treating squirrels about this possibility.

[CritterMom]

Squirrely Steve's Chuck had issues with this several years ago and an inexperienced vet actually removed one of them! They appear to be a seasonable thing, but they CAN get large enough to impede pooping. I would suggest you watch THAT carefully and maybe give Trooper some additional "poop food" - a tiny bit of prune or I like to grind the HHBs and mix them with prune baby food...

[Nancy in New York]

Squirrely Steve's Chuck had issues with this several years ago and an inexperienced vet actually removed one of them! They appear to be a seasonable thing, but they CAN get large enough to impede pooping. I would suggest you watch THAT carefully and maybe give Trooper some additional "poop food" - a tiny bit of prune or I like to grind the HHBs and mix them with prune baby food...

I was looking last night through SS's posts for that exact spot where the problem started with Chuck. Haven't found it yet. :dono

[Charley Chuckles]

I too commented way back on Steve's Chuck as CC had same situation. 2 things, CC use to excrete a waxy plug out of his penis seemed like this time of year (OK anyone ready for breakfast :poke :eek :grin2) he also stopped pooping and had to have both his anal glands removed (but his vet called them something else but I can't remember) they looked like perfect shaped round plastic balls about the size of a small marble, he pooped fine after that, but if your guy is pooping then this must not be the case ....could he have a cold which produced mucus? Or maybe ate something? Has he been on antibiotics? Maybe some yogurt would help give him good floral?

[pappy1264]

Although not sure how it works in squirrels, in gliders they can become impacted/infected, generally a course of baytril works if infected. And as far as the 'plug', got to see this first hand after Bean and Black Nose mated last time on my deck (on my new loveseat to be exact! lol) I would watch him and see how he is in a few days to a week.

[Trooper]

Thank you all for pitching in. I was concerned about his pooping, since he has not been pooping a lot, as he usually does. Maybe like already commented, the enlargement may restrict the anal tract. I am concerned about the possibility of infection. He has lost some more weight, today in the morning he weighed 728 grams. Yesterday was 746 g and his usual weigh was about 780 g. I know that 780g was kind of overweight, so we had decided a couple of weeks ago to back off on carbos and sugars as well as the number of fats.

Most definitely, the mating season here on the west coast seems to be up. As mentioned, yesterday my two girls were dancing on his cage face to face with him, smelling each other behinds, as if checking for estrous condition. This morning he has run back and forth between his outside cage and the attic in my lab, some 100 feet one way, making about 5 to 10 laps of 200 feet each, just about 1/4 of a mile. Then suddenly he stops, and takes a bite of his freshies and then continues running.

When he was 7 months old, he got impatient and run just like now from window to window (he did not have the outside cage yet) looking at the outside (probably for girls) during the early spring season (west coast typical). Then one day escaped through a cracked window and was AWOL for 5 days, after which he returned back. These 5 cold and rainy days must have made an impression on him, since he did not like to look at the doors and windows anymore.

But now it seems nature must have awaken him again and perhaps the scent glands are the way they are because of mating season.

What would be the prudent thing to do, in addition to prune/juice diet change and perhaps a cautionary course of Baytril? His slow or low pooping is what worries me. To date he seems to have good spirits, wants to play and eats (slightly less than before) somewhat normally.

Thanks to all,

Trooper's dad

[TubeDriver]

I found a reference that mentions squirrels do have anal/scent glands.

http://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/mammals/gray_squirrel.htm


The weight loss does concern me especially if it continues. Otherwise, he seems active and healthy. I am no expert, not sure what I would do other than continue to observe him. If you proceed under the notion that Trooper's anal/scent glands are backed up, a course of antibiotics could help to reduce and/or treat any infection that might exist (and this appears to be fairly standard treatment for a dog with impacted anal glands).

[Squirrel Girls Mom]

It's very possible that what you're seeing is called a "coital plug". Male squirrels have the unique ability to eject a "plug" of opaque mucousy substance into the female squirrel's vagina after mating, effectively sealing her off so that no other male may impregnate her. I know over the years here people who live with male indoor squirrels have said that their boys drop this stuff from time to time and it's always a "Wha???" moment when it happens. I believe that first pic looks very similar to others I've seen. Poor Trooper...all revved up and nobody to plug. :grin3

Learn somethin' new every day!! :eek

[TubeDriver]

Poor Trooper...all revved up and nobody to plug. :grin3

I nearly spit out coffee all over my computer screen when I read this. :eek :grin

[Trooper]

I found a reference that mentions squirrels do have anal/scent glands.

http://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/mammals/gray_squirrel.htm


The weight loss does concern me especially if it continues. Otherwise, he seems active and healthy. I am no expert, not sure what I would do other than continue to observe him. If you proceed under the notion that Trooper's anal/scent glands are backed up, a course of antibiotics could help to reduce and/or treat any infection that might exist (and this appears to be fairly standard treatment for a dog with impacted anal glands).

Yes the weigh loss is what concerns me the most, as he was very hard to make him loose weight, always munching on something. The antibiotic as a course of rpevention should be Baytril or which one? Dosage for his weight of 728 grams? Any suggestion??

I already got prunes so he will start getting some of that tonight.

Thanks for the tips,

Trooper's dad

[California Squirrel Lover]

Can antibiotics cause diarrhea or loose stools? Just wanted to throw that question out there, in case you give him both antibiotics and the prunes, wouldn't want to give him dangerously loose stools. Sending you my best, and hugs to Trooper :grouphug:grouphug:Love_Icon

[Trooper]

Can antibiotics cause diarrhea or loose stools? Just wanted to throw that question out there, in case you give him both antibiotics and the prunes, wouldn't want to give him dangerously loose stools. Sending you my best, and hugs to Trooper :grouphug:grouphug:Love_Icon

Thank you neighbor!!! good point, I shall give one or the other or both in moderation, wouldn't want to have a mes on my hands. I still need to know what is the dosing for Baytril if that is what is advised for these situations.

Anyone out there???

Thanks,

Trooper's dad

[SugarBugFerret]

I hope it's ok if I mention Sandy Wayne again (a sweet squirrel I was following on Facebook). She did suffer many times from impacted anal glands, and sometimes her mommy took her to the vet to have them drained, and to get a course of antibiotics. They would affect her ability to void. I am certainly no expert either, but reading about Trooper made what I have read about Sandy Wayne pop into my head. I hope whatever it is, you can get Trooper all fixed up soon. Get well Trooper! :grouphug

[TubeDriver]

cipro/baytril is a pretty big gun AB that should knock out most infections. I dont know if it is overkill here or not?

What type of pill do you have (cipro is usually 250g or 500mg and baytril comes in 3-4 different sizes)? Can you confirm that Trooper currently weighs 728g?

[California Squirrel Lover]

Thank you neighbor!!! good point, I shall give one or the other or both in moderation, wouldn't want to have a mes on my hands. I still need to know what is the dosing for Baytril if that is what is advised for these situations.

Anyone out there???

Thanks,

Trooper's dad

No problem, neighbor! :wave123 :thumbsup My first thought was dehydration from the runs, if that's a possibility, that wouldn't be good. :shakehead Trooper's such a love. :Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

[Trooper]

cipro/baytril is a pretty big gun AB that should knock out most infections. I dont know if it is overkill here or not?

What type of pill do you have (cipro is usually 250g or 500mg and baytril comes in 3-4 different sizes)? Can you confirm that Trooper currently weighs 728g?

Tubedriver: I don't have the AB yet but I can convert from any size available to the proper ratio to his weight, which is 732g today.

Thanks,

Trooper's dad

[TubeDriver]

Tubedriver: I don't have the AB yet but I can convert from any size available to the proper ratio to his weight, which is 732g today.

Thanks,

Trooper's dad

Sent you a PM.

[Squirrely Steve]

I was looking last night through SS's posts for that exact spot where the problem started with Chuck. Haven't found it yet. :dono

Hello :wave123

Here is a link to Chucks Thread when his glands got swollen.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?22587-Chuck-needs-some-more-help-!-Please-!

Chucks glands or the one gland that is left still swells once a year.
I read Troopers Thread and it sounds like the same problem.
I hope he is doing better. :grouphug

Squirrely Steve :wave123

[TubeDriver]

Rehabbers with lots of Cipro experience please read:


Trooper has been on Cipro for two days. Stool just turned blackish colored. No diet changes during this time period.

GI bleed or color changes due to gut flora changes from the AB? Please advise! Thanks.