6 week old gray squirrel with possible brain danage

[Bella's Mom]

Hello everyone! I am new here and having an issue I'm hoping someone can help me with. A week and a half ago I rescued two baby gray squirrels approximately 5 weeks old. I named the girl Nugget and the boy Squirt. I have been doing everything required to care for them and they were both doing well until last Saturday. On that day, Squirt began arching his head back and having seizures. I read online that he was having a hypogylcemic seizure and I was supposed to give him a couple drops of Karo syrup on his tongue to bring him out of the seizures. It worked and he seemed to be doing fine after that, although he had a bit of a decreased appetite and was really tired. On Monday afternoon, he began tilting his head to the left. Later that night he got worse. His head tilt got worse, his whole body was falling to the left, he was running in circles, and seemed to have a large decrease in balance and coordination. On Tuesday I took him to the vet. After examining Squirt and discussing his history with me, the vet said he probably suffered brain damage due to the seizures and he put Squirt on Prednisone. Then he said Squirt may not live much longer. When he said that I started crying right there in the vet's office! I know I have only had him not even two weeks but I already love him so much! My plan was to raise Nugget and Squit and do a soft release when they were ready. But now I am facing a dilemma about that. Has anyone raised and cared for a squirrel with brain damage? Does anyone know the chances of survival for a squirrel with brain damage? If Squirt does survive will he ever recover and be able to live a normal life? Will he ever be able to be released or will he be an NR? I have so many questions about this but I will ask the rest of them later. I am so worried about Squirt and I really hope someone can help me with this issue. Thank you.

[stepnstone]

We have several members with squirrels with neuro issues, it's not always bleak some actually recover.
Come morning you should get some experienced responses with neuro's to your concerns.
I am going to move your thread to Life Threatening to get the attention you need for better responses.

In the meantime can you explain how they were found, was a fall involved?
What is his cage set up, could he have taken a fall?
Seizures can develop from dietary issues, a calcium deficiency can cause seizures.
Please describe in detail his formula /diet.

Also please give the weight of baby and prescribed dosage of Prednisone

[Bella's Mom]

Thank you so much for your response and moving my post for more responses. The girl, Nugget, was following a neighbor around his yard, he said, for several hours one afternoon. He brought her to me because he knows I have raised a squirrel in the past. The neighbor has a tree in his backyard with two squirrel nests in it. I don't think she was injured during a fall. She is doing excellent. I asked the neighbor to please keep an eye out for other baby squirrels because I thought since the one he brought to me was orphaned, there may likely be siblings in need of help. A day and a half later, a woman who lives ascross the street from my neighbor called me and said there was a squirrel about the size of the other baby I just got in her front yard trying to eat bird seed out of a bowl. I went to her house and got him. He is the boy I named Squirt. He seemed to be fine neurologically at the time. He was just dehydrated and he was thinner than the girl we got before that. Since I don't know what happened to him out there the day and a half before he was found, I suppose he could have suffered a fall before I got him. His temporary cage is not tall enough for him to have suffered a fall and it has lots of padding in the bottom. He can't even climb up it to have fallen. He did not start having seizures until 4 days after he was rescued. They were both warmed and hydrated with Pedialyte when I rescued them. After I hydrated them I transitioned them to Esbilac. I have ordered Fox Valley and am waiting for it to arrive. The first two feedings they each drank 4cc water mixed with 2cc formula. The third and fourth feedings they each drank 3cc water mixed with 3cc formula. The fifth and sixth feedings they each drank 2cc water mixed with 4cc formula. After that Nugget started drinking full strength formula. That is when she started getting diahrrea. Squirt was still only drinking 2cc water mixed with 4cc formula because when I tried to feed him full strength formula, he refused to drink it. That is when he started getting diahrrea. They both had been getting fed every 4 to 5 hours around the clock. They both had a great appetite until the diarrhea started. Nugget's appetite remained fine. Squirt refused to drink any formula when he got diahrrea. I kept offering it to him but he didn't want it. So I just kept him hydrated. They both got the diarrhea on Friday. A vet suggested I give them each 0.1 cc of yogurt with acidophilus daily. I did this and the diarrhea stopped Saturday. But Saturday evening is when Squirt started having seizures. He hadn't had anything but Pedialyte all Saturday before he started having seizures. He is on Prednisone 0.1ml twice daily for 5 days, then once daily for 5 days, then every other day for 5 treatments. Squirt's appetite has been much better since I took him to the vet Tuesday. He is now drinking 6 to 7cc formula when he eats. There just has not been very much improvement with his neuro state. Both of them have been nibbling on small pieces of papaya and kale, starting yesterday, because I know they both have a good calcium to phosphorous ratio. Squirt’s weight is 84 grams.

[lilidukes]

I want to say that I hope you know that you have a wonderful vet.
The treatment your vet has described is exactly what I would of suggested.:thumbsup
A member jbtartell has a boy named Alex whose neuro issues are
severe enough that he is on Pred for life.
Neuro's make wonderful "pets" most of the time. Usually they are
really great eaters.
For now keep Squirt where he cannot climb and fall. Good nutrition
and loving care go a long ways.

:grouphug

[CritterMom]

OK. The thing with injuries is when the animal that is injured is also dehydrated and in bad shape from being without their mama, the shutting down of the body that starts during dehydration ALSO slows down the inflammation from whatever damage may have occurred - from a fall from the nest, for example. You might not notice it upon intake - but as they get warmed and hydrated and start getting better, it ALSO allows the inflammation to progress. It is one of those awful "da*med if you do, dam*ed if you don't" things. The prednisone is an EXCELLENT choice. It is a very powerful anti-inflammatory, and if there is some nerve bundle that is being pressed on or pinched by inflammation, causing the neurological symptoms, the prednisone should take care of that. How much damage? You won't know until you know. The pred also amps up their appetites, which is good for this little one. Being without food makes all of this worse. Little one is on full strength esbilac now? Which Fox Valley formula did you get - I am hoping it is the 20/50??

[magna]

Just throwing this out there. One thing to check for very close is an ear infection. First off it is hard to tell as their ears are so tiny. An inner ear infection can exhibit the exact same symptoms you describe. Looper, one of our rehabs came in at approximately 5-6 wks old with his siblings and was fine for a few days. We then noticed he was having a problem nursing and would push his head to one side and act like he was maybe choking or gagging with his head up. Within 24 hrs he could not stand or walk but would dart in circles with his head down chin dragging the cage bottom. Upon a very close exam and handling him all over I noticed he pulled his head away from my touch if I was anywhere near his right ear/jaw line. Later in the day his ear fur was damp and under a strong magnifying glass I could see it was wet inside, this is not normal. Started AB's and two days later his ear ruptured and there was a large streak of discharge on his head. It has taken him over 4 weeks to be able to walk straight or be coordinated but now he is back to 99%. He still will tilt his head like a puppy once in a while but has no motor skill issues now.

[Bella's Mom]

Thank you all so much for the much needed information. I really appreciate the responses, as I was so worried about my little Squirt! I am not letting him get to places where he could possibly fall. When I took him to the vet I asked if it might be a possible ear infection. The vet checked his ears and said his ears look good. But he did also put him on an antibiotic for 5 days in case Squirt did have some sort of infection. Yes, I think he is a great vet and I know he did the right thing with the Prednisone. Squirt is doing a little better today. He has been sleeping a lot but today he has been up and a little more active. He has a check up on Monday. If he never fully recovers, then I am more than willing to do whatever it takes to take care of him for the rest of his life. I love him and I am 100% committed to him and doing anything and everything he needs to be a happy, healthy squirrel. Yes, the Fox Valley I ordered is the 20/50. It actually arrived yesterday. At first the little ones were not too sure about it. I guess it was because they were used to the Esbilac. But now they love it and I know it is much better for them. Again, thank you all so much for your reponses. I am so relieved to know there is quality help out there. There is so much information on the internet, much of it misinformation, and I feel this is the best place to find quality help and information!