SEVERE URI, no vet until Monday...

[xoniac]

Hi,

My 6 mo old grey has a uri. It came on suddenly, overnight, with a vengence. Started with lack of energy, congested nose, watery eyes, fever and within two days... She is on deaths doorstep. She went to the vet (well, vets replacement since he is on vacation for the week) who put her on Bactrim, but the following day she was gasping so X-rays were done. No sign of pnemonia but had gas in the abdomen. My guess? Swallowing air while she eats. Vet decided it was a reaction to abs and took her off. She is on antiinflammatories and is due to go back Monday... But I am afraid she won't make it til then.

Today, she spent most of the day flat on the bottom of her hospital cage, mouth breathing with her eyes barely open. We periodically cleaned her nose off, this morning her nose had blood crusted over it but it turned to straight snot later in the day. She did not move a whole lot today. I purchased a vaporizer and set it up for the night, blanket over cage, with some Vicks rubbed on some blankets. She has lots of blankets and water and her rodent blocks, but she is to the point where she just lys there and doesn't even struggle when we wipe her nose or give her meds. I will be getting water in her as much as I can, but is there anything else I can do to keep her alive until she can see the vet on Monday? THis came on so suddenly and I can't imagine loosing her as just four days ago she was a happy, healthy squirrel. :(

[SammysMom]

Do you have access to human antibiotic Cipro or to veterinary antibiotic Baytril? SHe needs an antibiotic now.

[xoniac]

No I do not, unfortunately.

[xoniac]

Do you have access to human antibiotic Cipro or to veterinary antibiotic Baytril? SHe needs an antibiotic now.



I do have veterinary azithromycin...

[SammysMom]

I would suggest calling friends and family to see if anyone has a single pill of either. We can help to dose it, and if you find some do NOT give any without a proper dose though!

[xoniac]

I would suggest calling friends and family to see if anyone has a single pill of either. We can help to dose it, and if you find some do NOT give any without a proper dose though!


I have so,e liquid vet azithromycin...

[SammysMom]

Hang on...let me check, but I have never used or dosed this one that I remember. I will look it up.

[Nancy in New York]

Just let me ask as I am on my way out for a minute, the vet did NOT find upper respiratory infection or did.
What you are describing now is that a reaction to the Bactrim?
Gayle do you think that Benedryl should be used?
OK running out for about 15 minutes.

[xoniac]

Please keep in mind that she is not technically MY squirrel. She belongs to the zoo I work with or else I would have Already rushed her to an emergency vet. They had her in an oxygen tank for a little while and she improved, and she improves slightly for a few hours after the antiinflammatory is given. Since she belongs to the zoo, I can't technically give her any kind of drug that isn't approved by our vet or collection manager. However, if it comes to her life, I am not opposed to sneaking it to her.

Do you think she has a chance of making it to Monday, or should I really be praying for a miracle?

I may have some other antibiotics hidden in my medical kit, but if I do, they are likely old and possibly expired.... But I will check.

[xoniac]

Just let me ask as I am on my way out for a minute, the vet did NOT find upper respiratory infection or did.
What you are describing now is that a reaction to the Bactrim?
Gayle do you think that Benedryl should be used?
OK running out for about 15 minutes.


The temporary vet has no idea what he's doing in my opinion. He assumed uri but then took her off antibiotics the following day because he believed the gasping was a reaction, not a symptom. No pnemonia was found in her lungs though, apparently they were completely clear. He didn't want to put her on more antibiotics because he wanted the reaction to clear up first.

I've had rats in the past and I'm pretty sure she has a severe URI.

Vet put her on.... Metacam and Buprenex because he believed her stomach is causing her discomfort. So I have to be careful not to sneak her anything that will react badly to that.

[SammysMom]

Look in your medical kit and see what you might have. I am unfamiliar with this drug except that I think it is what a Z-pack is for humans and it is time released. I am not sure about time released drugs with a creature whose metabolism is so fast. :dono

[xoniac]

More bactrim which is whT the vet thinks is causing issues (smztmp), a single pill cephalexin, human clavamox expired late September, human doxy expired early july

[SammysMom]

What strength is the clavamox?

[xoniac]

What strength is the clavamox?

875mg tablets. I guess technically it's called Amox-clav for humans, but I assume it's the same thing.

[SammysMom]

Hang on. Making sure this is the way to go, but I think clavamox is the best choice. I will have dosing and confirmation shortly.

[xoniac]

Hang on. Making sure this is the way to go, but I think clavamox is the best choice. I will have dosing and confirmation shortly.


Thank you so much.

I cannot give whatever drug to her until tomorrow - do you think she has a chance?

[MollyBear361]

I would do what I needed to do to save the squirrel.

[Nancy in New York]

Can I assume that you have a stethoscope there? Can you hear anything when you listen to her chest?
You took her to the vet thinking that she had a URI due to the symptoms she was displaying, yet the vet found nothing to indicate that?
He put her on Bactrim, just in case, and she had an allergic reaction to it, and has gotten worse since? Correct?

Could she also have an allergic reaction to any other anitibiotic that is given? Why is she on Metacam AND Buprenex ?
Was the Buprenex an injection?

[SammysMom]

So she isn't with you now? She is at the zoo? She still certainly has a chance.

[xoniac]

She is at the zoo in a hospital cage with a vaporizer on. I will be there by 830am and can give her whatever she needs at that point. If she makes it that long, fingers crossed. When I give her the antibiotics, how long does it typically take before I notice any improvements? What else can I do to keep her alive and comfortable until then?

no, the vet said he believed it to be a URI but no signs of pnemonia as xrays showed her lungs were perfectly clear. However he thinks she reacted to the bactrim (I disagree). She is on both meds as a pain reliever and anti inflammatory as he found some gas in her intestines he feels makes her uncomfortable. Both are injectable. Today before I left, I noticed a small, very quiet clicking when I listened to her chest - this was not there previously. I'm guessing this is a sign that it us becoming pnemonia now.

[SammysMom]

I would give her the clavamox. With the two injectibles, I would be afraid to give more pain meds. She is on heat, correct? Careful with the vaporizer as you don't want too much fluid being breathed in if it is becoming pneumonia. Vaporizer is good for upper (sinus) type of breathing issues. For pneumonia, you just want to be a bit careful as you are already battling fluid in the lungs.
I will go back and look, but if you did not give a weight yet, can you? I will PM a dose for the clavamox when I have the weight.

[xoniac]

I would give her the clavamox. With the two injectibles, I would be afraid to give more pain meds. She is on heat, correct? Careful with the vaporizer as you don't want too much fluid being breathed in if it is becoming pneumonia. Vaporizer is good for upper (sinus) type of breathing issues. For pneumonia, you just want to be a bit careful as you are already battling fluid in the lungs.
I will go back and look, but if you did not give a weight yet, can you? I will PM a dose for the clavamox when I have the weight.

546g as of Wednesday.
The pain meds ARE the injectables. She Only has one Dose Left Of metacam.

[missPixy]

With all the fluid she lost with the runny nose and breathing out of her mouth, and on external heat, dehydration seems possible now along with the uri. Should we check her hydration level now and consider the home pedialyte recipe? If she's severely dehydrated the abs may not be as efficient as we'd like~~

[SammysMom]

Good thinking misspixy!!!:thumbsup

[xoniac]

Oh I'm pretty sure she's dehydrated. She wasn't tenting a whole lot, but there was a little bit going on I noticed when I was giving her the injections.

I have no pedialyte.... is sugar water or just plain water okay? I don't think the corner store sells it or I'd pick some up on the way in...

[farrelli]

Yes, plain water is fine, add a bit of sugar or juice if she's not so interested.

[SammysMom]

Yes, plain water is fine, add a bit of sugar or juice if she's not so interested.

Exactly! She doesn't need the sodium in the pedialyte anyway. You do want her hydrated for the antibiotics to do their best work and so as to avoid taxing her organs.

[xoniac]

Thank you so much guys!!

Will be going in in just a few hours. I did not sleep well tonight - too worried. Fingers crossed she is still with us and ok.

[xoniac]

245941

Here's my baby a month or do ago when we moved her into her new enclosure. :)

[SammysMom]

One of my first thoughts was your baby when i awoke. :grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[xoniac]

One of my first thoughts was your baby when i awoke. :grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

I prepared the abs.
now the only syringe I have that is small enough for that small amount is an insulin syringe, which is in units instead of cc. Syringe says 30 units = 0.3cc, so I'm assuming .175 cc would be 17.5 units. Is this correct?

[SammysMom]

I have never seen one, but it sounds correct. Anyone else have a comment here?

[xoniac]

I have never seen one, but it sounds correct. Anyone else have a comment here?




I looked it up on a nursing website. It's correct! On my way! Fingers crossed she's still with us.

[Spanky]

Yes, I agree this seems correct. Insulin comes in a standardized concentration of 100Units per 1 ML/CC.

[xoniac]

She is actually doing pretty good this morning! Her nose was pretty snotty when I arrived but she was up trying to drink water. When I tried to catch her up, she definitely had some spunky in her. Chattering and squirming and all that. She's definitely looking SO much better today, I'm assuming the vaporizer helped a lot. However, she is very mad at al of us. She chatters if we get anywhere near her and when I offered her treat, she tried to bite me. Her little squirrelly attitude is back, so I guess that's a huge positive. First dose given.245942245943

this is her this morning.

[SammysMom]

This made my morning!!!:Love_Icon
cranky = feeling better for sure!
Thank goodness...:grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

Well this just made my day! Prayers that she continues the road to recovery!
She's a beauty!

[xoniac]

Curious if the metacam is making her drowsy. She had one more shot I had to give her today and within a half an hour she sunk back down and laid there. Still Chattering at me but not quite as alert as she was. That was the last shot so I guess we'll find out later when it wears off but... curious.

I don't work tomorrow, but she's due to go back to the vet in the morning. Fingers crossed our regular vet is in and all works out. Who knows, maybe it's viral and she'll fight it off before tomorrow. :P

[SammysMom]

I persoally think that oral meds are better for these little guys. You might want to ask the vet for meds to give orally rather than injected. It is really easy for them to develop abscesses at injection sites. You don't want that on top of other things.:eek

[xoniac]

I persoally think that oral meds are better for these little guys. You might want to ask the vet for meds to give orally rather than injected. It is really easy for them to develop abscesses at injection sites. You don't want that on top of other things.:eek

agreed. She is all done with the injectables now. That was her last one. Antibiotics are always oral from this vet.

[Nancy in New York]

I found this info about Buprenex.
I don't think I would give this again if there are respiratory problems.

Buprenorphine is a narcotic which is thirty times more potent than morphine. Trade names include Buprenex (USA) and Vetergesic (UK).

Side Effects
In humans, 2/3 of people using this medication experienced drowsiness.
Buprenorphine can cause a drop in heart rate as well as blood pressure.

Because respiratory depression is a possible side effect, buprenorphine should not be used in patients with respiratory compromise, including heart failure or head trauma.

[xoniac]

I found this info about Buprenex.
I don't think I would give this again if there are respiratory problems.

Buprenorphine is a narcotic which is thirty times more potent than morphine. Trade names include Buprenex (USA) and Vetergesic (UK).

Side Effects
In humans, 2/3 of people using this medication experienced drowsiness.
Buprenorphine can cause a drop in heart rate as well as blood pressure.

Because respiratory depression is a possible side effect, buprenorphine should not be used in patients with respiratory compromise, including heart failure or head trauma.




.....wow....

[SammysMom]

If she needs pain need we can f infant ibuprofen too.

[xoniac]

If she needs pain need we can f infant ibuprofen too.

No I don't think she's in any pain at all. :)

[SammysMom]

How is the patient doing? Are you able to bring them home with you or did she have to stay in her own cage at the zoo?

[xoniac]

How is the patient doing? Are you able to bring them home with you or did she have to stay in her own cage at the zoo?


Unfortunately, she has to stay at the zoo. But she's in a nice heated building.

I am off work for the next two days but will be in very close contact with the other keepers. She is set to go to the vet tomorrow morning and I'm hoping she'll stay there until she's stable.

She was hanging in there when I left today but was definitely worrying me. She was getting a bit limp, head buried in her blankets just mouth breathing. I just kept telling her to fight for one more night, tomorrow, help comes. To be fair, she was worse yesterday and seemed better this morning, so perhaps the same will be true in the morning.

I will keep you posted.

[Nancy in New York]

Do you plan on continuing with the Clavamox? Were you able to dose her twice today?

[SammysMom]

Is she on actual direct heat under her container? Not just heated building, but a heating pad on low under half of her container? She really needs contact heat in her condition.

[xoniac]

Pistachio made it! This morning she was having a rough time of it but was still complaining loudly. My coworkers got her to the vet already this morning. She's a little fighter, so let's hope she can get some relief today and recover quickly!

She will probably stay at the vet for a few days in critical care, so clearly I can't give her the clavamox, but she did get both doses yesterday. They just have all the resources there that she would need, including an oxygen box to help her breathe better!

Thank you guys for all your help! You're awesome! I will keep you updated on her condition!

[Nancy in New York]

Pistachio made it! This morning she was having a rough time of it but was still complaining loudly. My coworkers got her to the vet already this morning. She's a little fighter, so let's hope she can get some relief today and recover quickly!

She will probably stay at the vet for a few days in critical care, so clearly I can't give her the clavamox, but she did get both doses yesterday. They just have all the resources there that she would need, including an oxygen box to help her breathe better!

Thank you guys for all your help! You're awesome! I will keep you updated on her condition!

Fantastic update. Thanks for letting us know.
I can tell you sure do love this little girl.
Keep us posted, and I'm sending tons of
healing thoughts for this precious girl to get well soon! :hug:Love_Icon

[xoniac]

She made it to the vet... they did what they could.

Pistachio passed away today.

[CritterMom]

Oh I am so very, very sorry to hear this. It iwas obvious that you loved her - how could you not, right? :grouphug:grouphug

[xoniac]

Oh I am so very, very sorry to hear this. It iwas obvious that you loved her - how could you not, right? :grouphug:grouphug

My poor baby.

[Milo's Mom]

:grouphug:grouphug:grouphug:grouphug:grouphug

[SammysMom]

Godspeed precious Pistachio... :Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

I am so very sorry that this little one passed. She took with her a piece of your heart, but try to remember that she left a piece that is the very same size and shape that will fill in with time...:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[xoniac]

The official cause of death was sepsis. Antibiotics and fluids did not come soon enough.

Too bad she couldn't have gotten to the vet sooner.

[SammysMom]

You tried so hard to help her. Thank-you for being so persistent...:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

I am so very sorry that little Pistachio passed.

Rest in Peace
Precious Girl 246017