Constipation? Bloat? Pinky help needed!

[lgyure85]

241595

Hopefully the picture uploaded. That's the belly on my tiny one. 22g as of last night. She hasn't pooped in at least 6 hours, and, although soft, her belly is big. She was nabbed by a cat, and has received antibiotics, but I have only had her 24 hours. She is warm, active, and peeing. I've been stimulating with a soft gauze as much as I can but I don't want to irritate her bits... Help?

[ALittleNutty]

Belly looks "lumpy" to me. I am used to smooth bellies but it may just be the lighting in the photo. If you look from the side is it mostly flat or rounded? Hoping someone else will chime in soon with better input.

[lgyure85]

Belly looks "lumpy" to me. I am used to smooth bellies but it may just be the lighting in the photo. If you look from the side is it mostly flat or rounded? Hoping someone else will chime in soon with better input.

I can clearly see the intestines, full of formula :/ Definitely not smooth...

[Mommaluvy]

I agree with nutty .. . Looks lumpy. Is that what you ment about seeing her intestines ? Maybe immature musculature ?

Hope someone with more experience pops on.

[Nancy in New York]

What kind of formula are you feeding?
Do you have her on low heat, under the container, half on and half off so
she can get off the heat if she gets too warm?
Have you ever raised squirrels before?
What kind of abs did you give her?
Are you giving probiotics?
She almost looks burned or bruised in that area, it's so red/purplish. :dono
Don't stimulate her with gauze, you want something smooth like a warm damp cotton ball.

[Milo's Mom]

Whoa boy, not good.

Do you have any honey in the house?

IR, was able to bring one around from this a few weeks ago using honey water. I do not know how much honey to how much water though.

[lgyure85]

What kind of formula are you feeding?
Do you have her on low heat, under the container, half on and half off so
she can get off the heat if she gets too warm?
Have you ever raised squirrels before?
What kind of abs did you give her?
Are you giving probiotics?
She almost looks burned or bruised in that area, it's so red/purplish. :dono
Don't stimulate her with gauze, you want something smooth like a warm damp cotton ball.

Got the heat right. I have never raised squirrels, but I am apprenticing someone that has. She has not seen this before. This baby was grabbed by a cat. The zoo gave her antibiotics before I got her, so I don't know what kind. I am only feeding the Fox Valley 32/40 the zoo here uses, with 2-3 drops of water after feeding, and 2-3 drops of pedialyte in between feedings. She has has trouble with digestion since the zoo got her a few days ago, but her milk line did go away this morning (I think for the first time since she's been with us).She does have a bit of noticable bruising on a shoulder, and a few tiny scratches, but nothing in that area. The picture is not very good. Her skin is a bit reddish, but it looks like newborn human skin (except a little more translucent). She still has her umbilical stump, so she is very new. It isn't really gauze. It's almost as soft as a cotton ball, but it doesn't leave as many fuzzys on her bits.

I have her in my shirt now, in case she was too hot.

Thank you. I am posting another pic or two in the main post.

[lgyure85]

241604241605

2 more pics...

[ALittleNutty]

Yep, definitely bloated. See how rounded the belly is from the side? Just wondering exactly the proportions of the formula you are mixing? Are you adding anything to it? I would stop the pedialyte totally. If you want to give extra hydration use sugar water in between feedings.

[lgyure85]

Will do on the sugar water. I've done 1:2 formula to water. That is what I was told at the zoo...

[ALittleNutty]

Will do on the sugar water. I've done 1:2 formula to water. That is what I was told at the zoo...

You can safely go to a 1:3 mixture to help things get moving again. Some don't do as well on the 1:2.

A cold squirrel will not process food. I know we like to cuddle them but in your shirt is really not the best place to keep her temperature regulated so it's best to keep her in a container with her heating pad under half of it. She will move to where she is most comfortable. Formula and water should be served very warm too. Putting it in a shot glass set in a cup of hot water is what a lot of us use. If you have a cup warmer to keep the temp steady until the end of feeding it's even better. Just test it first on your inner wrist, it should be warm but not hot.

I personally prefer a cotton swab dipped in warm water to stimulate pinkies. Stroke from top of belly towards groin and from the leg creases towards groin area. You can also try soaking her bottom half in warm water and gently massaging her belly. Sometimes this relaxes them enough to pass gas or poop. Just be sure to get her completely dry and back on her heating pad as quickly as possible.

[lgyure85]

She just passed a tiny little stool. It's smaller than a grain of rice, but what worries me is that it *may* have a bit of blood in it...pic to come

[lgyure85]

241607

[Nancy in New York]

Fox Valley 32/40 has been causing terrible bloat problems in neonate squirrels.
I would stop that formula immediately.
Can you get Esbilac powdered with probiotics?
I will bet that part of her problems is the formula! :shakehead
We used to promote it like we had stock in it, most loved it....but something has changed
and it's causing deaths in the little ones.
The milk line won't go down, and they aren't digesting it well, so they bloat.
So sad. :(

[lgyure85]

I didn't know if it would be better for her to be against my skin, so I thought I would try. I am going to go grab warm water and try holding her in it and rubbing her belly at the same time. I may have a cup warmer of some sort around, too. Keep the tips coming, I'll be gathering supplies.

[Nancy in New York]

I didn't know if it would be better for her to be against my skin, so I thought I would try. I am going to go grab warm water and try holding her in it and rubbing her belly at the same time. I may have a cup warmer of some sort around, too. Keep the tips coming, I'll be gathering supplies.

I have to go feed my littles now. Good luck.
You can give infant gas x (simethicone) too if you have it. Just a couple of drops to start.

[ALittleNutty]

I didn't know if it would be better for her to be against my skin, so I thought I would try. I am going to go grab warm water and try holding her in it and rubbing her belly at the same time. I may have a cup warmer of some sort around, too. Keep the tips coming, I'll be gathering supplies.

Our body temps run a couple of degrees lower than a squirrel's. Even our hands can chill them so I always wrap them in fleece to feed. Baby should feel warm to the touch and if not then warm her first before feeding.

Hope the warm bath works. Don't be surprised by the amount of poop this can bring on if it does.

I am going to feed to but will check back in before I hit the sack.

[lgyure85]

No poop on warm bath. Gave 0.5ml of 3:1, water:formula + 3 drops of water. She's toasty, but not too (and able to move if needed). She is snuggling with the bigger baby, so her temp should be the same as his (and he is, so far, doing well). I'll check back in about a hour when I try to stimulate her again...

[lgyure85]

Her tummy is a bit smoother, so that's good?

[ALittleNutty]

Her tummy is a bit smoother, so that's good?

Yes that is a little bit of a good sign. Snuggling with the other one is great. They comfort each other when they have company.

Hopefully things will start moving along. I forgot to add you could massage a drop of oil on her bottom to keep things moisturized. I prefer coconut oil but olive, baby oil and even vaseline would work.

[HRT4SQRLS]

:eek I would NOT put another DROP of FoxValley in this baby. I would get the Esbilac w/ probiotics OR goats milk immediately. FoxValley will kill this baby. He is unable to digest it. I hope you can get that moving. That is so sad. Good luck to you and baby. :Love_Icon

[lgyure85]

So I lost her around 4. I was too tired to post at the time. I don't think there was anything I could have done. She could have had an internal injury we were unaware of, from the animal attack. I did learn a lot from this, however, so I like to think it wasn't in vain.

Another ray of hope, the little boy is doing AWESOME (knock on wood) so I'm just going to keep plugging along with him. Should I see if anyone around has an extra orphan, so he isn't alone?

Thank you all so much. I'll post pics of the handsome little guy in a bit.

[HRT4SQRLS]

lgyures85, I'm so sorry that the little girl didn't make it. Thanks for trying. You did give her a chance. :grouphug

I would definitely try to get a friend for your baby boy. They do so much better with a buddy to snuggle with. Is the little boy a pinkie also? If he is a pinkie, I would seriously consider getting the Esbilac w/ probiotics. It seems that many are finding that Esbilac and FoxValley mixed 50:50 is giving the best results. The problem with FoxValley 32/40 causing bloat/inability to digest is a problem that started last year during baby season. Before that, it had always given good results and was the 'go to' formula for raising baby squirrels. When people started comparing notes, it was apparent that the problem was widespread and now most rehabbers won't use it on pinkies. They just can not digest it. It will 'set up' in the GI tract and just will not move. Your baby was classic for a FoxValley problem baby. There was no way that you could know that, especially when your mentors are using it. I would bring the issue up with the rehabbers at the zoo. Ask have they noticed it. Surely they have. It might be time for them to do some research also.

Please hang around. There are many people here who love to help others especially newbies like yourself that really want to learn. :tilt Again, I am so sorry that you lost the little girl. :(

[Mommaluvy]

So I lost her around 4. I was too tired to post at the time. I don't think there was anything I could have done. She could have had an internal injury we were unaware of, from the animal attack. I did learn a lot from this, however, so I like to think it wasn't in vain.

Another ray of hope, the little boy is doing AWESOME (knock on wood) so I'm just going to keep plugging along with him. Should I see if anyone around has an extra orphan, so he isn't alone?

Thank you all so much. I'll post pics of the handsome little guy in a bit.

I am so so sorry. This one reminds me of my Pepita. She has had bloat and milk line issues on FV ... And then diarrhea on the esbilac with probiotics. She is back on the FV with mixed results. Seems to me that she can not digest either one.

[Nancy in New York]

I am so so sorry. This one reminds me of my Pepita. She has had bloat and milk line issues on FV ... And then diarrhea on the esbilac with probiotics. She is back on the FV with mixed results. Seems to me that she can not digest either one.


We have a member on the board that went through something very similar. Not sure how old your baby is, but this member decided to wean her little one off of all formula, and BAM he started thriving. She believes he was allergic to ALL milk products. :dono

[ALittleNutty]

So sorry to hear you lost the little girl. :grouphug Yes, a buddy would be great for the little boy.

[Mommaluvy]

We have a member on the board that went through something very similar. Not sure how old your baby is, but this member decided to wean her little one off of all formula, and BAM he started thriving. She believes he was allergic to ALL milk products. :dono

Nancy- she is 2-3 weeks - but maybe older. Long story short she came to me on FV with milk line issues from another Rehabber. She is full as a tick after 5% . She had solid poo in FV but bloat. And a consistent milk line that won't budge.

I use Esbilac with pro b so I transitioned them ... after transition several of them got the runs. And can not seem to stop. There are 4/5 that are sick.. not of the same litter. I doubt it's just her. There is a lot going on with that story. I don't want to hijack the thread here .

But now they are back on FV and the others are improving and she is fighting bloat with soft stool.

What did that board member use instead?