Sick Wild Squirrel - Weight Loss, Eye Infection?

[rattyvonratkins]

I have been feeding "Merle" for about 2 years and he/she has always been the picture of perfect health- very healthy coat, bright eyes, and very brave. He always takes nuts from my hand and is very sweet. Just recently I noticed he looks like he has a "stiff neck"... he looks like he holds his head up higher than normal and may be a little crooked. His coat also looks dull and scruffy now and he looks like he may have lost a little bit of weight. But most concerning to me are his eyes. They look squinty and might have white discharge in his left eye(?). He does not appear to have any problems getting around and his vision seems normal from what I can tell.

I attached a picture of Merle from 2 winters ago where he looks very healthy (for comparison) followed by current pics. Does he need treatment? I can get him to take food from my hand so if need be I can easily give him medicated food but I work full time so I might not always be around to give it to him. I've been saying "him" because I named him Merle long ago but 'he' might actually be a 'she'... I don't remember ever seeing a pair of "nuts" on him.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Ohhh man :shakehead he looks bad :( I really have no idea what could be wrong with him :dono but, he's definitely in need of help. I'm going to pm some people and see if they'll come look. Poor baby :shakehead :Love_Icon This may need to be in Life threatening.

[Nancy in New York]

Thank you SWSF for the alert.
Not sure if I am seeing this correctly, but is his lower tooth quite long?
If it is, that will need clipping, and that could account for the problem with his
eye if it's going into the roof of his mouth.
Also in the last picture, not sure if his mouth is a little opened there. Is he
able to close his mouth completely? The jaw looks a "little off" also in that bottom
photo. :dono
I don't like the looks of the side of him, it almost looks as though his fur
is somewhat matted(?) which makes me wonder if there is some infection going
on beneath the fur.
White tears is indicative of pain, but I don't think you could give him enough
pain reliever unless you can handle him.
I will move this thread into the emergency section to draw more attention.
What town to you live in. I just want to see if we have a trusted member
close by that may be of more help, especially if the tooth needs trimming.

[TubeDriver]

I cant see any issues with teeth, I think that one pic where it almost looks like a long tooth is a piece of nut, not tooth.


He is clearly in distress, the matted fur, the tears in his eyes and the OP's description of stiff movements confirms this.

I wonder if he has some type of neck injury and he does not have full range of movement? It would impede his ability to groom and clean himself which could lead to the matted fur? Or it could be some type of infection?

The first and forth picture show him favoring his left front leg/paw and it almost looks like the tilt a neuro squirrel might have?

I think Nancy is right, lets get location and see if there is a local rehabber who can help with this squirrel.

[TubeDriver]

What state and city are you in?

[rattyvonratkins]

Sorry for posting in the wrong category. I guess I thought since he is still moving around and eating okay that it might not be that bad. Anyway here are two more pics so you can see his bottom teeth. Although keep in mind he was chewing when I took these pictures so that could be why it looks like his mouth is never fully closed. Next time I see him, possibly later today, I'll try to get a better look to see if he can close his mouth completely. Also his fur does look matted but it had just rained so his fur was a bit wet in some places. I live in Enfield, CT. I didn't know white tears are an indicator of pain... now I feel really bad for the poor little guy. Maybe I could crush up a tiny amount of pain reliever and mix it with a PB treat?

I know there is Chris the squirrel lady in Somers, CT but on the two occasions I contacted her about 'sick' squirrels, the squirrels disappeared before I could catch them.

[TubeDriver]

Lower teeth look fine in those last pictures.

You say he is moving around fine? Not favoring a side or staying off a leg?

[rattyvonratkins]

You say he is moving around fine? Not favoring a side or staying off a leg?

I'm pretty certain he's not favoring a side. When he runs his gait looks normal, it just that his head seems a little raised and tilted.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Thanks guys! :bowdown :Love_Icon TSB Calvary:thumbsup :Love_Icon

[rattyvonratkins]

Thanks guys! :bowdown :Love_Icon TSB Calvary:thumbsup :Love_Icon

Thank you Julie for "promoting" this! I am working on uploading some videos of Merle.

[pappy1264]

Although he is patchy in his fur, overall, I can't see anything, wrong, per se, but he looks like he has 'white tears' which is a sign of pain. How friendly is he with you? Think he could be caught if needed?

[Nancy in New York]

Here's the dosing info for INFANT IBUPROPHEN.
I am guesstimating his weight at 600 grams and I believe that is quite
conservative, but it's safe.
.15 cc's can be given every 4-6 hours as needed for pain.

Link to dosing syringe so you can see where the amount should be on the
syringe.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44591-Reading-a-Syringe

[rattyvonratkins]

Although he is patchy in his fur, overall, I can't see anything, wrong, per se, but he looks like he has 'white tears' which is a sign of pain. How friendly is he with you? Think he could be caught if needed?

He comes right up to me most of the time, right up to the back sliding door. And yesterday I was sitting outside in a chair reading and he came up to me for a nut. He's quite brave and he seems to trust me more than any of the other wilds but he might still be wary of a trap. I'm willing to try though, if need be.

Here are some videos:

http://youtu.be/3XC_2Ncq8TY

http://youtu.be/hlC7FUXpjXI

[rattyvonratkins]

Here's the dosing info for INFANT IBUPROPHEN. I am guesstimating his weight at 600 grams and I believe that is quite conservative, but it's safe.
.15 cc's can be given every 4-6 hours as needed for pain.

How would I administer liquid medicine to a wild? I was imagining crushing a pill and adding the powder to peanut butter.

[Nancy in New York]

How would I administer liquid medicine to a wild? I was imagining crushing a pill and adding the powder to peanut butter.

Exactly. Not sure if it has been done with this amount of medicine.
I know that some have mixed with peanut butter, but that is usually a small
amount of an antibiotic that can easily be disguised.

[Shewhosweptforest]

The liquid med usually will cling pretty well in the creases of a pecan:thumbsup :Love_Icon

[TubeDriver]

How would I administer liquid medicine to a wild? I was imagining crushing a pill and adding the powder to peanut butter.

Merle moves quickly and was able to crack into that walnut pretty quickly so I think his limbs and mouth/teeth are alright.

He did appear to lose his balance a little when he was working on that walnut and he does have a little body tilt. Maybe he took a fall and is recovering from a concussion?

I think I would continue to help him with food and provide fresh water (change out daily). I think I would NOT give Ibruprofen on the chance that he does have a concussion, it can makes things worse. What do you all think?

If he gets better and looks stronger over the next week or so then you probably will not have to di anything (other than food and clean water). If he gets worse over this next week, then I would consider trapping and bring him to a rehabber for observation.

[RamaMama]

I do not claim to know very much, esp in this case, although it is evident
that something is quite wrong with him.

It appears in many of the pix that he IS holding his mouth open.... even
if teeth are good........ did any one else take note of this or did she just
get lucky and take several pix that way ?

[TubeDriver]

I do not claim to know very much, esp in this case, although it is evident
that something is quite wrong with him.

It appears in many of the pix that he IS holding his mouth open.... even
if teeth are good........ did any one else take note of this or did she just
get lucky and take several pix that way ?

Good point! I also noticed that but the way he drilled into that unshelled walnut made me think his jaw and teeth are alright?

[farrelli]

WOuld you be up for catching him and getting him to a rehabber for evaluation?

[rattyvonratkins]

I just saw Merle again... his balance does seem to be off. He almost fell over holding a walnut again, and then he laid down to eat it which is out of character for him. I also noticed he scratches his sides with his hind foot kind of often. Here are new pics.

[TubeDriver]

In the second pic of the last batch of these pics, Merles lower teeth DO look a bit longer thathey should be. Not long enough to puncture the roof of his mouth but long enough that I wonder what is going on?

The falling over could be from concussion or disease but at this point, I would probably trap him and:

1) get a good look at his teeth

2) check him for any other injuries

I still wonder about a fall, that could also cause dental issues.

[rattyvonratkins]

Possible dental issues aside, I am wondering if what Merle has might be a more complicated case of the health issue that seems to affect several squirrels in my area. Perhaps he has the "disease" that makes squirrels lose their coordination although I don't know what that disease is, whether it be raccoon roundworm or something else (I have seen raccoons in my yard). There have been at least 3 squirrels I've seen whose heads tilt to one side, seem to have bad depth perception & poor coordination, and/or run in circles. This afternoon Merle's balance was off and a few times when I threw him a nut, he ran past it or to the side of it which I have seen other squirrels with this problem do. I don't know if this disease is painful but if it is, it could explain the white tears but I still can't explain his squinty eyes unless that is a sign of pain too.

Let me know what you guys think since you guys have more experience with this stuff... I'm just guessing based on previous wilds in my yard. I am definitely willing to try and trap him but I work tomorrow through Thursday so unless I see him early in the AM before work and he's looking especially bad, his capture may have to wait until Friday. If I do see him before work and his condition has worsened, I have no qualms with going in to work late or not at all... I've grown pretty fond of this guy so I want to do all I can for him (or her).

[TubeDriver]

Possible dental issues aside, I am wondering if what Merle has might be a more complicated case of the health issue that seems to affect several squirrels in my area. Perhaps he has the "disease" that makes squirrels lose their coordination although I don't know what that disease is, whether it be raccoon roundworm or something else (I have seen raccoons in my yard). There have been at least 3 squirrels I've seen whose heads tilt to one side, seem to have bad depth perception & poor coordination, and/or run in circles. This afternoon Merle's balance was off and a few times when I threw him a nut, he ran past it or to the side of it which I have seen other squirrels with this problem do. I don't know if this disease is painful but if it is, it could explain the white tears but I still can't explain his squinty eyes unless that is a sign of pain too.

Let me know what you guys think since you guys have more experience with this stuff... I'm just guessing based on previous wilds in my yard. I am definitely willing to try and trap him but I work tomorrow through Thursday so unless I see him early in the AM before work and he's looking especially bad, his capture may have to wait until Friday. If I do see him before work and his condition has worsened, I have no qualms with going in to work late or not at all... I've grown pretty fond of this guy so I want to do all I can for him (or her).

It is possible that it is Baylisascaris. I hope not. You will need to trap him to really examine his teeth. I dont know that there is a way to diagnose that type of round worm other than with a postmortem exam. :(

[farrelli]

Again, would you be up for catching him for an exam? We might have someone who could take him to their vet. He may have fallen, have an ear infection, any number of things, but it's clear he's suffering.

[SammysMom]

Where are you located? I am in CT if that helps. I have vet access.

[farrelli]

She;s in Somers, CT.

[island rehabber]

This afternoon Merle's balance was off and a few times when I threw him a nut, he ran past it or to the side of it which I have seen other squirrels with this problem do.

RVR, I have two squirrels here who are blind in their left eyes, and that is exactly what they do. Both lost vision in that eye due to head trauma (one fell from the nest, the other was hit by a car). They must circle around and around before they can see what they are smelling, with their right eyes. I think maybe Merle does not have good vision on his left. :(

If you can trap him and line up a meeting with Christina Clark in Somers that would be your easiest, best bet. OR....SammysMom's vet as a longer drive but a good choice, too.

[rattyvonratkins]

I just called Chris in Somers and left her a mssg. I just saw Merle and he has white tears in his other eye now. I feel so bad for him. He ran off with some nuts but I think he will back soon so I'm going to try and trap him.

[TubeDriver]

I just called Chris in Somers and left her a mssg. I just saw Merle and he has white tears in his other eye now. I feel so bad for him. He ran off with some nuts but I think he will back soon so I'm going to try and trap him.

:thumbsup

[rattyvonratkins]

No luck today :( And storms will be rolling in this afternoon so I will try tomorrow morning... I'll keep you guys updated.

[farrelli]

How are you attempting to trap?

[RamaMama]

Hoping to hear good news that you were able to trap Merle.

[rattyvonratkins]

I have a cheaper version of a Have-a-Heart trap with various nuts as bait. I don't trust the sensor inside so I have a long string attached to the "trigger bar" so I can pull it if/when he goes inside. (I do have an old clanky Have-a-Heart but I feel like it's too small... I don't want the door to chop off his tail.) I also keep a bowl of "diversion nuts" on hand to throw to non-Merles and a towel to throw over the trap if I can actually pull this off.

[Nancy in New York]

I have a cheaper version of a Have-a-Heart trap with various nuts as bait. I don't trust the sensor inside so I have a long string attached to the "trigger bar" so I can pull it if/when he goes inside. (I do have an old clanky Have-a-Heart but I feel like it's too small... I don't want the door to chop off his tail.) I also keep a bowl of "diversion nuts" on hand to throw to non-Merles and a towel to throw over the trap if I can actually pull this off.

Please just make sure that you have a plan in place, in your mind and with everything that you will need to give her a
check up. Gloves, blankets, everything.
Trapping is very stressful, and the sooner she gets out of the trap the better.
Are you just giving her a once over, or are you taking her someplace?

[rattyvonratkins]

Please just make sure that you have a plan in place, in your mind and with everything that you will need to give her a
check up. Gloves, blankets, everything.
Trapping is very stressful, and the sooner she gets out of the trap the better.
Are you just giving her a once over, or are you taking her someplace?


I left a message for Chris from Chris' Squirrels & More in Somers CT but I haven't heard back yet.

[Nancy in New York]

I left a message for Chris from Chris' Squirrels & More in Somers CT but I haven't heard back yet.

Ok so you really have to know first if she is willing to look at the squirrel before trapping.
Can you send Chris an email? Make it short and to the point, I know she is really busy this time of year.:)
If she isn't then you will have trapped for nothing.
Did you get in touch with SammysMom? She has a vet and is also in Connecticut.

[rattyvonratkins]

Did you get in touch with SammysMom? She has a vet and is also in Connecticut.

I sent Sammysmom a PM :grin3

[SammysMom]

I will be calling the vet in the morning. It is a really long drive so I also sent Chris a message because she is so much closer and it would be less stressful for him. I have not taken an adult to the vet yet so I am not sure what he will want to do. I will make sure that it is safe to take him there before we do. Thank-you all for helping this guy. Keep him in your thoughts for getting to a vet asap.:grouphug

[TubeDriver]

I hope this all works out. It sounds like you have the trapping part all worked out, just make sure you have someone lined up and waiting to look at Merle once you get him!

Good Luck!:thumbsup

[Shewhosweptforest]

Alison you're doing a wonderful thing....Merle is soooo lucky :Love_Icon I hope it all works out....we're all so blessed to have sooo many good people here ready to help :bowdown :Love_Icon You are all my heroes :grouphug

[rattyvonratkins]

I just saw Merle for the first time this morning. He has white tears in both eyes :(
I gave him a walnut and he ran off with it but he may come back for more like he usually does.

[rattyvonratkins]

The trap is set!! I got a msg from Gayle that Chris in Somers will take him.

[TubeDriver]

The trap is set!! I got a msg from Gayle that Chris in Somers will take him.

Good luck!

[SammysMom]

Many prayers for healing. Chris is the best so I am so glad he could go to her to be cared for. Thank-you Allison for your diligence and hard work to get him help. You are really a wonderful friend to these little ones...:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[rattyvonratkins]

Success! I trapped Merle and brought him to Chris. Yay!! It broke my heart trying to trap him because he kept coming right up to me to beg for nuts and was quite persistent, but I ignored him. The hardest part was trying to keep the other squirrels away from the trap. But after 5-10 minutes, Merle gave up begging and sniffed around until he ended up in the trap, and I pulled the string to close it on him. He was oddly calm in the trap and I swear I even saw him eat a nut that was in there. He tried to chew the bars from inside during the first few minutes in the trap and he bounced around a little when I was about to cover it with a towel but other than that, he was very calm. When Chris uncovered the trap, Merle just sat there on his haunches staring back at us very sweetly. :Love_Icon

At first glance, Chris seemed to have the same concerns that you guys did about Merle leaving his mouth open. She thinks Merle is at a healthy weight and couldn't see anything physically wrong with his teeth or anything else but was concerned about the open mouth breathing. She will observe him for a few days to a week and I will call her for an update. Also Chris gave me a mini tour of the Nut House so I got see lots of cute baby squirrels! Best day ever!! lol :grin2

[SammysMom]

Isn't Chris' place awesome?!!! You are the hero of the day, Allison! :grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[rattyvonratkins]

Yes it is awesome!! I was very impressed. I told her I would love to be a volunteer if/when she needs help. She definitely takes very good care of those lil guys :thankyou

Thanks again for your help Gayle!! I couldn't have done it without you :crazy

[SammysMom]

I am happy to help! Keep my number in the event that you need help again. I am a drive, but it is not that far.:thumbsup

[Shewhosweptforest]

Yay! Success....I'm so proud of you Alison :Love_Icon You are awesome:bowdown Poor Merle really does need help or I think you would have seen a different reaction to being trapped :dono Hopefully at the Nuthouse :eek he'll get all the help he needs :thumbsup What an extra surprise to get to look around and a bonus to be able to volunteer :thumbsup Thanks SammysMom for always being there to facilitate rescues or doing it yourself ...we need a "rollin up your sleeves" smilie for you! :Love_Icon

[island rehabber]

Merle is in the best of hands! I am so happy you got him to Chris.....she has forgotten more about squirrels than most of us will ever know :bowdown Good job, RVR!

[farrelli]

So glad that he's getting care now. Hope to get updates!

[stepnstone]

RVR - Gayle
:thankyou:thankyou:thankyou:thankyou

....:bowdown....:grouphug

[rattyvonratkins]

Thanks for the support guys :thumbsup I soon as I get an update on Merle, you guys will be the first to know :)

[TubeDriver]

:thumbsup. Great job!


Keeping my fingers crossed for Merle!:grouphug. I know how deep a wild squirrel can get into your heart!:Love_Icon

[rattyvonratkins]

Update: I called Chris just now and she said she thinks Merle is doing better! :thumbsup She said Merle (who is a SHE- oops) seems stressed (which I'm sure is normal for a wild in captivity) and doesn't seem to be eating a whole lot right now but that her weight is still healthy and she can climb well. She thinks Merle was whacked in the head so Chris treated her homeopathically for head trauma and her eye discharge went away within a day. Chris didn't see anything wrong with her teeth and she said she saw a telltale sign of head injury - "head drop"??? Anyway, I'm picking her up at the clinic tomorrow morning at 9am and then I will release her in my yard. I just hope Merle still trusts me after this and will keep coming back :Love_Icon

Yay for Merley Girly!! :crazy

[Shewhosweptforest]

Awwww wooohooo Merly Girly :hyper That's great news Alison :grin3 that made my day :Love_Icon I, too, hope she will still trust you...she may be nervous at first...but I bet she'll come back around...she knows a good thing when she's got it :grin3 Pics...please (if possible) :grin3

Not to be depressing...but any Wobbles sightings? I sure hope she turns up :Love_Icon

[rattyvonratkins]

Awwww wooohooo Merly Girly :hyper That's great news Alison :grin3 that made my day :Love_Icon I, too, hope she will still trust you...she may be nervous at first...but I bet she'll come back around...she knows a good thing when she's got it :grin3 Pics...please (if possible) :grin3
Not to be depressing...but any Wobbles sightings? I sure hope she turns up :Love_Icon

I will try and post pics soonly. No Wobbs... I still keep hoping that I'll see her come around the corner but I'm pretty certain that won't happen since it's been several months now :( She had the bad balance and head tilt so maybe she had raccoon roundworm which did her in, or maybe a hawk or the harsh winter. The hardest part is not knowing, but I just hope she didn't suffer. Poor thing. I'll always remember that little sweetie :Love_Icon

[SammysMom]

OMG! I am so happy to read this!!! Chris to the rescue again!!! Thank-you so much Alison for all of your effort and commitment to your friend!:grouphug

[rattyvonratkins]

Merle has been released!! She is looking much better thanks to Chris :thankyou :grin2

I didn't get a video of Merle running back "home" since it happened so fast :madd but here are a few pics that the boyfriend took... let's hope Merle comes back soon for a treat and more pics!!

[Shewhosweptforest]

:hyper Yay! Great news:thumbsup I love that last pic where she's laying out holding onto the cage....she's in the grass and home :grouphug just waiting to run out:grin3 :Love_IconMerle:Love_Icon Rattyvonratkins/Alison :Love_Icon you are wonderful :grouphug as is Chris, who came to the rescue :thumbsup I hope you're able to help out at the Nuthouse....what an awesome experience that would be:thumbsup :Love_Icon

[rattyvonratkins]

OMG I'm such a dummy!! I just looked at my camera and I did get a video of Merle being released, as short as it is (2-3 seconds):

http://youtu.be/SboSE5HEPXc

Thanks for your support Julie :grin3 You are the best!! :Love_Icon

[SammysMom]

First pic = "On your mark!"
Second pic = "Get set!"
Video = "GO!!!"

Wonderful work Alison!!! Chris is a wonderful rehabber and human being in general... So glad she was able to help!:grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

Fantastic! I don't think Merle even waived good bye! :tap :tilt
Such a great story!

[TubeDriver]

Great update! Merle looks ready to get back to the trees!:thumbsup

[Shewhosweptforest]

:tilt Ain't nothing wrong with that squirrel anymore :eek I liked SammysMom's depiction of the "on your mark..." :thumbsup perfect :rofl4

[rattyvonratkins]

Yay, Merle came back for brunch!! However she totally ignored me so I think she's holding a bit of a grudge, not that I can blame her. :Cry Before all this, if I called her name in my annoyingly high-pitched squirrel voice and waved my hand at her to show her I had a treat, she would barrel up the steps to take it from my hand. Not today! She didn't even glance my way; she just munched on some peanuts with her back to me so I gave up trying and threw her a walnut, which she promptly ran off with. Her eyes look better :thumbsup but she is still holding her head up high and at an odd angle when she runs, although Chris said it may a take a while for a full recovery from the head trauma. I'm just glad I didn't scare her away permanently! Well she knows where the buffet is! :smilecolors It made my day to see her. :Love_Icon

Here are some pics I got today. Don't mind my messy yard, I've really got to get out there and rake up those nut shells!!

[Shewhosweptforest]

Wow, she looks like a totally different squirrel:thumbsup Hopefully, she'll have a full recovery...but, she's definitely feeling much better...and looks phenomenal :Love_Icon Hey! Don't worry she'll be eating out of your hand in no time :grin3

[SammysMom]

Alison, she looks wonderful!!! Thank-you for sharing her with us. It is always nice to have a follow-up with pictures.:grouphug

[rattyvonratkins]

Update: I've been seeing Merle about once a week and she doesn't look any better... no white eye discharge that I can see but her mannerisms and appearance make me feel awfully bad for her. I was hoping she would be showing more improvement by now. Or is she always going to be like this from now on? Poor thing. Here are some recent pics. The first 3 pics are from a week ago and the rest are from today.

[SammysMom]

She may be where she is going to be forever. I hope she is still feeling okay even if she doesn't look it. Is she pregnant?

[rattyvonratkins]

She may be where she is going to be forever. I hope she is still feeling okay even if she doesn't look it. Is she pregnant?

Well I sure hope she improves over time and I really hope she's not in pain... it pains ME just to see her like this lol. I forgot to mention it seems to take her a long time to crack nuts so I've been cracking them for her. If she did have a head injury, maybe the pressure it takes to crack a nut hurts her noggin. I'm not sure if she is pregnant..?? She does look a little... wide... in some pics ;)

[SammysMom]

That poor girl... Did you call Chris and ask her opinion? :dono

[Shewhosweptforest]

Oh she does look pitiful :shakehead As SammysMom said have you talked to Chris....did she give you any thoughts on long term improvement ....or an expected final outcome...I know this is breaking your heart :shakehead hopefully she's adapting to her handicap ....and although it looks horrible, she may feel fine, animals don't dwell on what they "use to be able to do" I'm just concerned about predators, and cars :dono Poor girl...maybe Chris will know someone willing to keep her for a longer period of time to try some therapy with meds :Love_Icon :grouphug

[rattyvonratkins]

That poor girl... Did you call Chris and ask her opinion? :dono

No, I figured I'd ask you guys first. You guys have steered me down the right path before :)
Also Chris seems to be perpetually busy and I know baby season is upon us so she has her hands full. She was extremely helpful and friendly when I brought Merle to her but I got the impression that she is overwhelmed. I think Merle was a bit of a burden since she has so many other squirrels to care for and the squirrel store to run. I'd feel bad bothering her again unless it's an emergency...

[Shewhosweptforest]

Then you may want to watch her for a while....does she stay away from the roads? Or do you know? I realize it's really hard to know where a wild goes :dono She may be fine and adjusting...no matter how hard it is for us to see, she may be ok with her limits. I would definitely make sure she continues to have food from you :thumbsup Thanks for looking out for Merle :bowdown :Love_Icon

[SammysMom]

Honestly, if I were Chris, I would be happy to answer questions since she had her in her care. I tend to feel like they are still "mine" after they have been with me. Chris may well feel the same way or similar anyway. I don't mean asking her to take her again, but just her opinion of her behavior and appearance currently. You and she are in my prayers...:grouphug

[rattyvonratkins]

Then you may want to watch her for a while....does she stay away from the roads? Or do you know? I realize it's really hard to know where a wild goes :dono She may be fine and adjusting...no matter how hard it is for us to see, she may be ok with her limits. I would definitely make sure she continues to have food from you :thumbsup Thanks for looking out for Merle :bowdown :Love_Icon

I strongly suspect Merle never goes near the roads... it's just my opinion but I always see her come from a certain corner in my backyard and she always disappears that way too, and that area is away from the roads. I've NEVER seen her in my front yard or wandering anywhere else. She seems very "predictable" in that way so that makes me feel better. I am also happy that she has been stopping by for snacks at least once a week so I can check on her... she may stop by more often and I just don't see her if I am at work. When I do see her, she usually comes by in the early afternoon (12-3). It's funny how they seem to run on a schedule sometimes... they really are creatures of habit. And no need to thank me! Seeing her cute little face is all the thanks I need :Love_Icon Thanks for your advice, it makes a lot of sense!! :)

[farrelli]

If she's bad, can you give her a home?

[rattyvonratkins]

If she's bad, can you give her a home?

Of course! I love Merle, and I already have a giant cage on hand. I would definitely try to trap her again and keep her safe in a cage if need be. BUT she seemed very unhappy when Chris had her caged and she was "flipping out" for lack of a better term. I just don't want to stress her out if I don't have to. She seems to have a level of trust with me when she's outside but I think that trust will be non-existent if she's in a cage.

[farrelli]

It's a hard call that you'll have to make, but if she's going down hill and seems to be doing as poorly as she seems to be, I think you should take her in. It seems that most eventually get used to indoor life.

[rattyvonratkins]

Update:

So, the bad news is that I haven't seen Merle in many weeks and I don't think she made it. I have many regrets :(
I wish I took her in and kept her safe but I kept thinking about how stressed she looked when I saw her in a cage at Chris' place. I thought I should let her be because although she wasn't getting better, I was seeing her almost every day so I could at least monitor her. I think I made the wrong decision but who knows if I could have done anything else to treat or help her anyway. Poor girl. I do miss her very much. She was the bravest squirrel out of the whole bunch and was the first to ever take a nut from my hand. I hope Wobbles and Merley Girly are collecting nuts and frolicking wherever they are.

Then there's more bad news. Another one of my favorite wilds, Puma, is showing early symptoms of whatever befell Merle, which is now making me wonder if Merle really had a head injury at all. When Merle first started showing signs of her "illness," one of her eyes looked abnormal. I'm not sure how to describe it... I guess you could say it looked swollen around her eye. Then eventually it happened to both eyes and her condition deteriorated. Anyway, Puma now has a swollen-looking eye and I'm worried her case will progress like Merle's. Any thoughts??? I'm very worried; I don't want to lose another one of my friendly wilds.

The pictures below are as follows:
1. Puma's "good" eye
2. Puma's "bad" eye
3. Frontal view

[Shewhosweptforest]

:dono :thinking No clue what's up...I would think it's just a case of irritation that will take care of it's self....but, after Merle :dono you've got to wonder. You guys are in my prayers Alison.:grouphug

On a happier note ...the kids at school have loved the wagon pic on the calendar :grin3 :thankyou :hug

[CritterMom]

I swear, this looks more like a tooth issue - like an upper molar, but having the same thing happen to two different squirrels seems highly improbable.

[TubeDriver]

It is easy to second guess yourself after the fact. It is possible that Merle has moved to a different territory, wilds do this fairly frequently. One thing that comes through very clearly is how much you cared for and how hard you tried to help Merle.:grouphug

I like to think that Merle will show up again, don't give up hope yet.

I agree that something looks wrong with Puma's eye. Since it looks similar to what happened to Merle, I wonder about something in the environment that is making them ill? Parasites, or some illness.

I think I would consider giving Puma a fairly broad spectrum anti-wormer like Ivermectin. Easy to give.

Add immune booster to fresh water. Get it here:

http://www.caoh.org/liqimbarecbe.html

This can help to support their immune system in case their is some type of infectious agent involved.

If this gets worse, then consider trapping for observation and treatment.



Can up you do a careful walk though in and around your yard? Look for anything (chemical containers, paints etc) that could be leaking into a water source, just try to rule out any type of environmental toxin.

Do you see raccoon? Raccoon parasites (found in the feces) are extremely dangerous to humans and squirrels). I would consider leaving out large hav-a-hart to trap them and relocate far from your yard.

[rattyvonratkins]

Thanks TubeDriver, I will buy the immune booster. I'm willing to try anything. I don't want to lose a third squirrel this year! It's just my opinion but I don't feel like they would have moved on to another territory since they had it made here... my wilds get yummy walnuts, pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts almost every day. It doesn't leave me with much money for any other 'hobby' but it makes me happy and them happy so it's worth it :)

I do have ivermectin so I can try that. How much should I give? And do I give a dose once/week for 3 weeks? I think I've done this in the past but I don't remember the specifics. As for the environment... I do see raccoons at night, particularly a mama raccoon and her 2 fluffy babies. But I thought squirrels infected with the raccoon roundworm have head tilt, go in circles and have bad balance. Is head swelling another symptom?

I give a bowl of fresh water every day and I rinse it pretty thoroughly every morning before refilling it. Maybe I should bleach it or something. The only other connection between Merle and Puma is that they both take nuts from my hand. Most of the other squirrels take nuts too but not directly from my hand- I have to throw the nuts to them since they're not as brave. Could it be me?? Something I'm passing to them? Seems unlikely but I don't know what else to think at this point.

[TubeDriver]

I feed my wilds almonds, walnuts and pecans and some still move to new territories. I have had some come back so I know they are alright. One of my favorite wilds, Spaz, only shows up 1 or 2 days every 6 months or so during mating season.

This is VERY important. What strength is the Ivermectin that you have? How you dose will depend on what strength the Ivermectin is.

There could be many symptoms from raccoon round worms including neurological but the worms can also damage other organs including heart and eyes.

Fresh water is good. I can't think of anything that you would be passing on by hand feeding, after all if this was the case it would also effect nuts that you throw.





Thanks TubeDriver, I will buy the immune booster. I'm willing to try anything. I don't want to lose a third squirrel this year! It's just my opinion but I don't feel like they would have moved on to another territory since they had it made here... my wilds get yummy walnuts, pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts almost every day. It doesn't leave me with much money for any other 'hobby' but it makes me happy and them happy so it's worth it :)

I do have ivermectin so I can try that. How much should I give? And do I give a dose once/week for 3 weeks? I think I've done this in the past but I don't remember the specifics. As for the environment... I do see raccoons at night, particularly a mama raccoon and her 2 fluffy babies. But I thought squirrels infected with the raccoon roundworm have head tilt, go in circles and have bad balance. Is head swelling another symptom?

I give a bowl of fresh water every day and I rinse it pretty thoroughly every morning before refilling it. Maybe I should bleach it or something. The only other connection between Merle and Puma is that they both take nuts from my hand. Most of the other squirrels take nuts too but not directly from my hand- I have to throw the nuts to them since they're not as brave. Could it be me?? Something I'm passing to them? Seems unlikely but I don't know what else to think at this point.

[TubeDriver]

One extra thing, it took several weeks to get that immune booster shipped. It might be worth it to pay extra for faster shipping if you can afford it.

[rattyvonratkins]

That's weird... I haven't really noticed any squirrels coming and going. They all seems to be pretty constant customers, or at least the ones that I can recognize/tell apart. I think the only exception is that some of the females don't seem to frequent my yard as much during breeding season and of course I don't see much of anyone during snowy days. Anyway, that's beside the pint... squirrel behavior never ceases to amaze me lol.
I have 1.87% Ivermectin paste. I really hope it's not raccoon round worm since that is fatal, right? She doesn't seem to have any neurological symptoms affecting balance/coordination etc so I really hope not. Also it might be worth noting that there are quite a few skunks, mice, and foxes in my area in addition to the raccoons (not sure if they carry any parasites or diseases). I was trying to Google eye/facial swelling in squirrels and couldn't really come up with much other than a head injury, roundworm, and Chagas Disease, which doesn't seem likely.

[TubeDriver]

That's weird... I haven't really noticed any squirrels coming and going. They all seems to be pretty constant customers, or at least the ones that I can recognize/tell apart. I think the only exception is that some of the females don't seem to frequent my yard as much during breeding season and of course I don't see much of anyone during snowy days. Anyway, that's beside the pint... squirrel behavior never ceases to amaze me lol.
I have 1.87% Ivermectin paste. I really hope it's not raccoon round worm since that is fatal, right? She doesn't seem to have any neurological symptoms affecting balance/coordination etc so I really hope not. Also it might be worth noting that there are quite a few skunks, mice, and foxes in my area in addition to the raccoons (not sure if they carry any parasites or diseases). I was trying to Google eye/facial swelling in squirrels and couldn't really come up with much other than a head injury, roundworm, and Chagas Disease, which doesn't seem likely.

That is the correct strength Ivermectin paste. Each treatment should use an amount the same as a 1/2 of a piece of uncooked white rice. You can repeat in 10-14 days and then due a final 3rd treatment again in 10-14 days. The amount used would fill up this "O". Place the ivermectin on a walnut or mix in with a small amount of peanut butter.


Most of my wilds are around consistently but I have had a couple that have moved to other locations.

[rattyvonratkins]

OK, thank you! I will try to start Puma on the Ivermection ASAP- maybe even today if I see her again. Also I ordered 2 bottles of the immune booster liquid and paid for priority mail shipping. What ratio of liquid-to-water do you use?

[TubeDriver]

OK, thank you! I will try to start Puma on the Ivermection ASAP- maybe even today if I see her again. Also I ordered 2 bottles of the immune booster liquid and paid for priority mail shipping. What ratio of liquid-to-water do you use?

I have a bowl that I put out and I fill up up the cap of the bottle and dump into the bowl. I don't think the amount is critical one way of the other.