could it be worms?

[cline]

I was looking through old pictures of Dima the other night and, though I knew she's lost weight recently, I didn't realize how much! Admittedly, she was a bit of a porker about 6 months ago, but I can feel all of her bones when I hold her now. She stayed in an outdoor cage over the summer--we were trying to release her, but it...didn't go well, so she's inside again. I'm wondering if it's possible that she has worms? She's eating normally--HHBs and misc. veggies. She just got a brand new big cage, so she's got plenty of space to run around and play while I'm gone, plus she gets a few hours out of the cage every day. She's been a lot cuddlier since I brought her back in (about a month ago) than she was before and she licks EVERYTHING. I don't know if any of that could be indicative of worms or stress or something else. I don't have an scale, so I can't get an exact weight on her, but she is...very small. I haven't noticed anything too weird about her poops--no diarrhea or anything. They're maybe a little softer and stinkier than usual, but they're still solid. If she had worms, I'd find them in her poops right?

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There's a picture from probably...July? Just before she went outside.

And here's a few from today:
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[Rhapsody]

She does look a little under weight --you can take a poop sample to your vet and have a fecal test done to see if she has worms and if she does they will give you some meds to treat the worms with. In the mean time keep up the good diet with hhb 2x a day, healthy vegetables, wild plants, and a few nuts / fruits. You can add in some good old avocado if she will eat it --they are great for putting on weight in our fuzzy friends and healthy for them too.

[cline]

She does look a little under weight --you can take a poop sample to your vet and have a fecal test done to see if she has worms and if she does they will give you some meds to treat the worms with. In the mean time keep up the good diet with hhb 2x a day, healthy vegetables, wild plants, and a few nuts / fruits. You can add in some good old avocado if she will eat it --they are great for putting on weight in our fuzzy friends and healthy for them too.

Unfortunately, I don't live in a place where I can have a squirrel. Thought about taking in a poo sample and saying it's a pet rat, but I'm wondering if a vet would know the difference...

[Rhapsody]

Unfortunately, I don't live in a place where I can have a squirrel.
Thought about taking in a poo sample and saying it's a pet rat, but I'm wondering if a vet would know the difference...
I think you can do that..../.. but I will leave that up to some one that lives in an illegal squirrel state
to say for sure, as I live in Florida and we are allowed to have squirrels --squirrel friendly down here.

[cline]

I think you can do that..../.. but I will leave that up to some one that lives in an illegal squirrel state
to say for sure, as I live in Florida and we are allowed to have squirrels --squirrel friendly down here.

Definitely considering moving to Florida after college for that very reason. I feel like the worst animal-mom because I can't take her to the vet.

[Rhapsody]

Definitely considering moving to Florida after college for that very reason.
I feel like the worst animal-mom because I can't take her to the vet.

Hang in there..... I understand and please know that you are doing a good job with your baby.
This may not be worms, it may just be lack of eating due to the summer heat and being inside
and getting some TLC from you with a good balance diet might just solve the thinness you are
seeing your squirrel.

And there are meds that you can get at Tractor Supply if needed to treat her with for worms.

[cline]

Just called my vet asking if I could just bring in a stool sample from my "pet rat," and they said I'd have to actually bring her in, so now I'm kind of at a loss...

[Rhapsody]

Just called my vet asking if I could just bring in a stool sample from my "pet rat," and they said I'd have to actually bring her in, so now I'm kind of at a loss...
You could just tell them that you have a pet squirrel and see if they will let you bring in the
poop sample and put it down under a rat as the client......... my vet did that for me when I
needed a tube of Revolution ASAP!! --they put it down under my name as a new kitten. :)

[cline]

You could just tell them that you have a pet squirrel and see if they will let you bring in the
poop sample and put it down under a rat as the client......... my vet did that for me when I
needed a tube of Revolution ASAP!! --they put it down under my name as a new kitten. :)

I'm thinking about doing that. I really don't want her to be taken away, but I also don't want her to be sick and not be able to help, so I'm in a real pickle here.

I wonder--is it safe to give a dewormer to an animal that DOESN'T have worms or would that really mess her up?

[Rhapsody]

I wonder--is it safe to give a dewormer to an animal that DOESN'T have worms or would that really mess her up?
I personally wouldnt do it as some of the dewormers can be harsh on their systems.
I would go the route of explaining to the vet about having a squirrel, but DO NOT
take the squirrel into the office, just take its poop sample in for a fecal. Good Luck.