Car hit (probably) newbie...she needs prayers...

[SammysMom]

Last night I got a call from a local person who had a squirrel in her backyard who couldn't move her back legs. Against my better judgement off I went. Mind you, it was dark and not in a great area, but I went anyway. She had gotten her under a cardboard box. I lifted the box and scooted her into a cat carrier with a little help from the finders. She is enormous and very frightened...:sad
I took her to the vet today feeling she would likely be euthanized, but when I called the vet to check on her they had done an x-ray and there are no visible fractures so he gave her a shot of dex and a shot of Baytril and sent me home with a combo of the two for a 1x daily dose.
I will keep her to see if she improves. I pray that she shows improvement and can be released...:grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

Last night I got a call from a local person who had a squirrel in her backyard who couldn't move her back legs. Against my better judgement off I went. Mind you, it was dark and not in a great area, but I went anyway. She had gotten her under a cardboard box. I lifted the box and scooted her into a cat carrier with a little help from the finders. She is enormous and very frightened...:sad
I took her to the vet today feeling she would likely be euthanized, but when I called the vet to check on her they had done an x-ray and there are no visible fractures so he gave her a shot of dex and a shot of Baytril and sent me home with a combo of the two for a 1x daily dose.
I will keep her to see if she improves. I pray that she shows improvement and can be released...:grouphug

I too pray that she can be released, and that it's a speedy recovery then back to the trees.
Is she on any pain meds?
Thank you Gayle for giving her a chance. :Love_Icon

[CritterMom]

I too pray that she can be released, and that it's a speedy recovery then back to the trees.
Is she on any pain meds?
Thank you Gayle for giving her a chance. :Love_Icon

Remember dex is a steroid so only pain med you can use will be Tramadol. :thumbsup

[Fireweed]

Poor girl. :( :grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

Remember dex is a steroid so only pain med you can use will be Tramadol. :thumbsup

Right! I believe she has Tramadol.

[SammysMom]

Thanks to a WONDERFUL friend I DO have Tram...:grin3

[Shewhosweptforest]

Ohh she looks like an old girl....poor baby. I want to add my thanks Gayle, like you don't already have your hands full :bowdown :tilt You're an awesome rehabber..you answer your phone...you go out ....even in the dark :grin3 You're my hero :Love_Icon

Get well sweet Wild! :Love_Icon

[lennysmom]

Many prayers for this little one Gayle.:grouphug Hoping the meds will help. I know she has the best chance possible with you. :thumbsup

[island rehabber]

No fracture -- how wonderful is that! Healing energies and prayers going out to you and this big gal right now, Gayle! :Love_Icon

[farrelli]

Poor girl! I hope she starts feeling more at home soon. Is she just hiding? Will she eat?

Thanks for taking care of her.

[SammysMom]

Lena is scared, but she did eat a couple of pecans that I put into her cage. She is under everything in the cage, but I have seen her moving around and she was out of the pile when I checked on her earlier. I pray that she recovers and can be released, but if not and she becomes more people friendly, I have a potential home for her. She has chances in several arenas if she chooses them. I pray that for her, she can go back to the trees...:Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

[Chickenlegs]

She IS a big girl. She's sure blessed to fall into your hands. Um--she isn't expecting is she? I'm sure the vet (and you) would have noticed if she's nippleating--but she looks really round. Feel better big beautiful girl :Love_Icon

[California Squirrel Lover]

Poor love, she'll be in my prayers for healing :( :grouphug:grouphug:Love_Icon

[SammysMom]

Last night when I picked her up to put her into the carrier, I thought for sure she was expecting. However, the vet did an x-ray and he said he saw no babies. She feels so round to the touch as well as looking round! I pray God that my "I'm so jealous..." remark to Mary about Charlotte doesn't come back and bite me in the behind...:eek

[Shewhosweptforest]

:eek :rofl4 :Love_Icon

[sid'smommy]

She IS a big girl. She's sure blessed to fall into your hands. Um--she isn't expecting is she? I'm sure the vet (and you) would have noticed if she's nippleating--but she looks really round. Feel better big beautiful girl :Love_Icon

Thinking the same thing.... that's a big grey ... :thumbsup

[SammysMom]

Well, she was found on Lenox St. so her name is Lena. She is a big beautiful and quite angry gray. I am still not convinced that she isn't pregnant, but I guess x-rays don't (usually) lie. :dono
My concern is that she is just not eating. When I gave her her meds, I tried to feel her belly for and overly full bladder and I didn't feel it so she must be voiding on her own. I know she is pooping but pee is harder because she keeps spilling her water bowl.
I MIGHT have seen some movement in her tail so I am still trying to be hopeful about her potential for recovery. She may or may not have eaten some apple pieces that I put in for her. I believe she ate a pecan that was not in the shell. I hauled her out of her cage today, using Pappy's method of holding her head, and gave her the .5cc of med that I had to give. You know...that is a lot of med to get into a pissed off giant squirrel's trap!:eek but we got it. I just shot it into her mouth that was open because she wanted to bite me...:rofl4
Keep those prayers and positive thoughts coming...she needs all that she can get...:Love_Icon

[farrelli]

Have you tried molasses to stimulate appetite? Or try Ensrue or Nutra-Cal to get something into her?

[SammysMom]

Have tried all but the molasses and nothing doing. I am waiting her out rather than forcing her. I want people to be a good thing, not a scary thing for the moment. I am able to grab her, but darned if it really takes 2 hands because one doesn't go around her. I feel like she will eat when she gets good and ready to eat. I do think she ate a bit of apple, but will know better when I haul her out and change her blankies again later.

[lilidukes]

Since Lena can't sit up to eat dicing her food into smaller
one handed pieces might make it easier for her to eat.

Wishing you both the very best.

[SammysMom]

Thank-you Lisa! I have cut up food into pieces that were more manageable for her. She just seems too frightened to eat. I will put some melon and other fruits in later when the workers finish our deck. There is a lot of noise and activity going on. Not good timing for her...:shakehead

[Shewhosweptforest]

Come on Lena .....you've got to eat to get back to the trees....as in food, not SammysMom :nono I'm pulling for ya, SammysMom and Lena :grouphug :Love_Icon

[Fireweed]

Gayle, another idea to try to get her to eat would be to put the bite size pieces right on her bedding... if that doesn't quite work because they are too wet or whatever, use a small, shallow lid - like a margarine container lid, for example. Make it as easy as possible.
Do you have a water bottle? You could try that, as well - put a little bit of molasses or benebac or something yummy on the end so she'll try it.

What's pappy's method of head-holding? Need to learn it, I think! :tilt

[Chickenlegs]

What's pappy's method of head-holding? Need to learn it, I think! :tilt

Metoometoometoometoo! All these great techniques need to be in a single place and on video. This Board is a collective PhD in squirrel management!

[SammysMom]

The head hold is just like you do for a snake actually except that I use the blanket that she is already under, over her body. From the back of the head, with my left hand, thumb on one side, index finger on top of head and middle finger on the other side. Then you support the rest of her with your other hand. I kind of put her against the left side of my body and used my arm to secure her so that I could use my right hand to give the meds. I can then hold her like that (sort of like a bagpipe :grin3) so as to be able to change her bedding and clean up the cage a bit. It does stress her, but at least she is secure and has a blanket around her.
I just gave her meds and she still has no feeling in at least one, probably both, of her feet. She does not appear to have a wet tummy, so I guess she is urinating somewhat on her own. I am still not sure what the ending to this story will be, but for the moment, she is eating a bit and seems to be a bit less frightened of me. I really hate the idea of her being terrified and unable to get away from what she fears most, me. Maybe it is because I have MS (totally under control for the time being) but it is what upsets me the most. I guess it is putting some of my own emotions onto her, but it does seem like what animals fear most. I will show her caring and love and try to make her as comfortable as possible. I just pray that I am not the horrible source of terror that I fear I am for her. :sad
As far as feeding her, I have given her a fruit/veggie kabob that I put through a corner of the cage so it was elevated enough for her to eat without trouble reaching it from her bed. She did eat at least part of what was on the kabob as well as at least some of the other things in her bowl of chopped salad. She seems to have eaten all of the avocado and she likes apple.

[farrelli]

I think shell learn to relax and accept you in time. It seems to happen in most cases like this, right? I just hope some signs of improvement are seen, or at least there is some hint of a cause.

[Shewhosweptforest]

You know SammysMom I don't think she fears you as much as you think...not after the initial first few encounters....even now Poppy will act frightened....then she's fine. I just think it's so ingrained in them to be flight animals that they react instinctively...not really a thought process :dono They are very smart and it doesn't take them long to know you're there to help not harm...they may not always like it...TD's Henry...but they know:thumbsup Keep up the good fight :Love_Icon you're doing fantastic:bowdown

[SammysMom]

I MAY have seen a reaction to my pinch of her passenger side rear foot! I hope it isn't just wishful thinking...:Love_Icon

[czarina]

Gayle, there are so many wonderful people here, but sometimes they deserve to be acknowledged.
What a gal! We all know how busy you are already, but off you went anyway, and to a scary area to boot. Please do not ever think you are not appreciated, because you are.
Thank you for saving Lena, my heartfelt prayers are coming your way.
:Love_Icon:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug:Love_Icon:g rouphug:Love_Icon

[SammysMom]

There is no other aspect of my life that makes me feel as loved and appreciated as TSB. :thankyou:Love_Icon:thankyou

[Shewhosweptforest]

Gayle, there are so many wonderful people here, but sometimes they deserve to be acknowledged.
What a gal! We all know how busy you are already, but off you went anyway, and to a scary area to boot. Please do not ever think you are not appreciated, because you are.
Thank you for saving Lena, my heartfelt prayers are coming your way.
:Love_Icon:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug:Love_Icon:g rouphug:Love_Icon

:goodpost :Love_Icon Hey, that's an excellent sign ....the initial trauma may be subsiding....come on Lena:thumbsup

[Nancy in New York]

Gayle, I know she had a shot of pred. and then you dosed her once at home, correct?
Did the vet say anything about continuing it for 4-5 additional days? We can do the weaning off
if needed. :dono If I'm correct with just the two doses, that doesn't seem like enough. :dono

[SammysMom]

She is getting a Dex/Baytril suspension that the vet gave us for 5 days. Does that sound right to you Nancy?

[Nancy in New York]

She is getting a Dex/Baytril suspension that the vet gave us for 5 days. Does that sound right to you Nancy?

Good, I like the 5 days! :thumbsup I thought it was only 1.
Jeffrey did a taper off for an additional 5 doses when
he was on Prednisone, for a total of 10.

[Chickenlegs]

Maybe after she,s had a chance to heal and learn to trust you some physical therapy can get those legs talking to her brain again. She's got an angel in her corner :bowdown

[SammysMom]

Well, no question about it, we got reaction to the pinch test today. Lena was under her blanket, but her foot was sticking out. I gave the pad a good pinch and she yanked it up under the blanket... Perhaps there is hope after all. I am going to do the very best that I can, but she is not going to be able to stay here unless she is recovering and can be released. I want her to be a happy squirrel and not one who is just kept alive, but I do have a possible candidate for her as a forever home IF she comes around to human contact.
If you could see the look in her eyes, you too would laugh at the idea of physical therapy. I might need it if I attempted it for when my hands heal and they can give me the prosthetic fingers I would need when she is done with me...:eek
For now, we are going to carry on. I am letting her eat what she wants for the most part, but she does eat some blocks. Naturally, corn on the cob seems to be her favorite thing...:shakehead She eats a bit of avocado and some berries. Greens are not her thing thus far. I give her a salad like everyone else has, but she mostly eats the avocado out of it...:tap

[stepnstone]

Sometimes the obvious is so hard to see, it has only been five days
and we are speaking of a wild squirrel here...
Your doing great! :grouphug

[pappy1264]

A day at a time, baby steps, all moving in the right direction.:Love_Icon

[Chickenlegs]

If you could see the look in her eyes, you too would laugh at the idea of physical therapy. I might need it if I attempted it for when my hands heal and they can give me the prosthetic fingers I would need when she is done with me...:eek

:rolf:rolf: Hey--you could sell those through Chris's Squirrels and More. Bet there's a market.