Need help with a tail problem.

[Dawn]

I released a squirrel that I over wintered in June. He is one year old now. When he was about six months the very tip of his tail go stepped on and he lost just the tip. When I watch him outside the back third of his tail is limp and drags. We have had a lot of rain the last week or so and the bottom of his tail is always wet. I noticed this morning that the limp part of tail is bright red. Is this because of dragging the tail or is there possibly something else going on? I have never noticed it before so I am not sure if it is something new, I image it is because I am sure I would have noticed this. I don't have a picture but can try later.

[stepnstone]

Is the "limp" section hairless?
Being limp suggests he's had a break or fracture,
being red suggests he still has some circulation
but may have infection which of course is never
a good thing. A picture would be very helpful.

[Dawn]

The limp section does have hair, I will get a picture when he comes back around this afternoon. Thank you!

[stepnstone]

The limp section does have hair, I will get a picture when he comes back around this afternoon. Thank you!

Still having hair on it tells me that section is still alive but the
red is really a concern if it's due to inflammation.

[Dawn]

He didn't come back around until a few minutes ago. I tried to get a picture but he was too fast for me. From what I can see it wasn't quite as bad but it was really hard to see it well because the fur was dry. I am going to try again in the morning as his tail is usually wet from the dew. Unfortunately while he will sit on my shoulder he won't let me handle him so I have to try while he is sitting by me.

If it is inflammation what would you normally do to try and treat it? Would it be a cream or some form of antibiotic? Hopefully it was just raw this morning and will look better tomorrow.

[Dawn]

I got a picture this morning and will try to get it up here, I haven't posted a picture before. It doesn't look quite as bad as yesterday. I wasn't able to see it from the top of his tail but I don't know if that is because the fur is not as wet. In some places it looks almost like more of a bump.

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[Dawn]

Wow, sorry that is so big, I know that is not good for the site but I am not very handy with this sort of stuff.

[czarina]

I wonder if he is chewing on it? But what is the underlying cause. Is it still limp?
If he's chewing it, it is probably from pain, or nerve damage.
He could be treated with antibiotics and pain meds while being left out, but I would think it might be better to bring him in, at least for a little while, untill you can establish what is really going on.

See what the others suggest.

[LindaR]

I wonder if he is chewing on it? But what is the underlying cause. Is it still limp?
If he's chewing it, it is probably from pain, or nerve damage.
He could be treated with antibiotics and pain meds while being left out, but I would think it might be better to bring him in, at least for a little while, untill you can establish what is really going on.

See what the others suggest.

I agree perhaps the antibiotics will help. if it does not get treated infection could very well set in if it hasn't already. have you tried a topical salve to the infected area? Perhaps cleaning the area with saline will help clean away potential bacteria and/or dirt. Keep us posted, and keeping the little one in prayers :) :grouphug:Love_Icon

[Dawn]

I just noticed this the other day. About 6 months ago the tip of his tail got stepped on when he ran under my foot while cleaning his cage. The very tip came off, it didn't seem to bother him at the time but he did go through a period of wanting to be alone from the other squirrels. I released them all in June so he has been running around for two months and I don't know if this has been a gradual thing from the end of the tail dragging or if because we have had so much rain the last couple of weeks it has gotten raw. I will try to get him inside. What kind of antibiotics or salve would he need? Is there something I can buy or would I somehow have to get it from the vet?

Thank you all so much for your help.

[CritterMom]

I think that he either got it stuck in a pinch point - perhaps between branches - and partially "degloved" his tail; or a predator got him by the tail and he pulled away. Honestly, I would put my money on him doing it to himself by getting it stuck someplace.

Their tails are designed to do this so that if a predator gets them by the tail, all they get is tail - the squirrel gets away. This happens all the time, and you see lots of squirrels with stubby tails. It is very likely that he will lose the part of the tail below the raw area, bit it will take a while. The bone will turn black and die and eventually fall off or he will chew it off. The hair will grow back over the little stump but the tail won't ever grow longer.

I would just keep an eye on it - I know it looks just awful, but they usually do fine. If he is tame you can keep him inside and monitor, or even do a precautionary round of antibiotics to be absolutely sure. Poor baby - now his name is "Bob."

[Dawn]

Thank you Crittermom, this makes me feel much better. It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all. He isn't really tame, he likes to come visit and will jump onto me but he really is just looking for a nut to go hide and jumps right back down, otherwise he doesn't let me touch him or handle him. I don't think he would like to be caged back up but I would certainly do it if it was needed.

Is there such a thing as a spray topical antibiotic? Just trying to figure out how I could get any to him without losing a finger :eek

Bob:) :thinking he did need a name as all I have ever called him is Little Boy, it kind of stuck

[czarina]

Dawn, Crittermom is an extremely knowledgeable and experienced rehabber. She knows her squirrel stuff. You are in good hands with her. I would follow her advice, and just monitor it the best
you can.
If it gets worse, we can help you figure what medication is needed and tell you how to dose it.
Squirrels have an amazing ability to heal, so I don't think I would risk scaring him by spraying something on his tail, then he might not come back, and you wouldn't be able to monitor it.

Crittermom might have ideas if she thinks you should try to spray it, and could suggest a medication.

Please keep us posted. We are worriers.

[CritterMom]

Dawn, Crittermom is an extremely knowledgeable and experienced rehabber. She knows her squirrel stuff. You are in good hands with her. I would follow her advice, and just monitor it the best
you can.
If it gets worse, we can help you figure what medication is needed and tell you how to dose it.
Squirrels have an amazing ability to heal, so I don't think I would risk scaring him by spraying something on his tail, then he might not come back, and you wouldn't be able to monitor it.

Crittermom might have ideas if she thinks you should try to spray it, and could suggest a medication.

Please keep us posted. We are worriers.

Need to correct one thing here - I am NOT a rehabber, just a squirrely person who hung around and learn as much as I can about these little cuties. And I have experience with the tail issue because God help me, I stepped on my boy P's tail when he was a young whippersnapper and did this to him (and have been beating myself for the past 4 years over it).

If he lets you touch him at all, you can load up thumb and forefinger with a little blob of either silvadene or neosporin and run your hands over his body and down the tail - and when you get to the sore part, run that between the fingers that have the meds on them (sneaky ninja wound dressing). I did this, but honestly, he mostly just ignored it and one day the nasty looking spike of a bone that was sticking out was gone.

If this wasn't completely degloved it is *possible* that he will keep the tail but the fact that it drags makes me think it may no longer really be viable. In that case it is better gone that staying there, because it will drag and get wet and/or frozen as winter approaches.

[Dawn]

Thank you both so much. Crittermom I understand how you feel. I was so upset that I stepped on his tail, it still eats at me and I beat myself up so bad. I was ever so careful after that when I let them run around the room, he was under my foot so fast.

I will try to see if I can get some Neosporin on his tail and continue to monitor it. I certainly don't want to scare him away as he is the last of the 4 that will still come to see me. We went through so much together.

I will keep you updated :thankyou

[Dawn]

Hi everyone, my little guy came by last night, he has been a little elusive that last couple of days. His tale was looking better with just 2 smaller areas that looked like there was a little gauge in them. The tail was a little pink but I could see white.

This morning, after another good dumping of rain it looked red again but he is back hanging around in the morning like usual. I am assuming that the dragging of the tail combined with the wet irritates it. The tail injury is definitely new and probably happened the night before I noticed the injured tail. That may explain why he was on the deck at 10:30 at night which is highly unusual. I can see now by the way the tail is hanging that it is much higher up than the original little spot that slumped before from when it was stepped on. If the tail does come off where the injury is it looks like he will have half a tail, poor guy. I know it happens but does this not affect their balance and ability to keep themselves warm etc.?

[CritterMom]

From what I have seen on the "squirrel cams" all over the internet, they pile in together to sleep when it gets really cold. I used to watch one in Minnesota and you could literally tell the temperature outside by the number of squirrels jammed in the box at night! So I would not worry about the cold, nor the balance - they seem to do just fine without. It is helpful if the tail is long enough to double back and cover at least part of the back - they do this to look like limbs from above, in order to hide from hawks - but I have several stubby tailed wilds that have been around here for quite a while...

[Dawn]

Thanks CritterMom, his tail looks so normal when it is dry. It looked much better tonight. Just keeping my fingers crossed that it may heal and be okay. That is so cute the way they cram themselves in to keep warm, poor little ones :Love_Icon

[Dawn]

So today's update. When he came around this morning his tail was looking about the same, I wasn't sure if it might not be looking a little tiny bit better. He took a nut and went off to bury it and when he came back through the bush it was bleeding, there were a few drops of blood about the size of a dime and then it was smears when he was walking, it seemed to stop bleeding fairly quickly but my first instinct was to get some neosporin on my fingers to try and get it on his tale. I think I had half the tube on my hand so I wouldn't miss but he was able to dodge it. I then remembered reading somewhere to be careful with the neosporin because it would also have stuff stick to it and could introduce more bacteria. I'm not really sure what to do. :dono I am wondering if it was healing and he pulled a scab off. I am going to see how it looks when he comes around later. Hopefully things are looking better. Any advice would be great. :thankyou