Squirrel with paresthesia

[squirrelkat]

I have a 4 month old grey squirrel with a spinal injury. He drags his hind legs and one is very raw. the skin is scraped off his lower leg and the top of his foot. His urine is burning it and I can't keep salve on it since he rubs it off as he scoots around. Anyone had experience with anything like this? Don't want to have to amputate as he does have some reflexes. Thanks for your help!

[farrelli]

I have to run, but there are people here with this experience. Does he have a drag bag to glide around in? Is his cage lined with fleece? Does he chew his leg? When did the injury happen? How was it treated? WHat is his diet?

[squirrelkat]

Thanks for your quick reply. My dog brought him to me when he was about 4 weeks. I fed him FoxValley formula. Now he eats Monkey chow, walnuts, acorns, a few sunflower seeds as treats.He eats very little fruits andbag vegetables. He doesn't seem to like them. I was told to give him some high quality rodent pellets so I bought some today. I would love to know how to make a drag. It would be soaked with urine before long though. His bedding is receiving blankets and other very soft material (kept clean of course). Are you thinking MBD? The most immediate problem is healing the s..craped up foot and leg. Is there some way to keep a bandage on it?



Thanks for your help!

[HRT4SQRLS]

I believe SweetSimonsMommy could give you the best advice concerning the care of a spinal injury. Simon had the same issues. If I remember correctly, Simon's urine scald was much worse if he ate acorns. She gave him water therapy every day and that also cleaned the urine off of him. Silver sulfadene is the best ointment for healing a wound like that. It's used on burn patients. It's a prescription but if you're interested I can tell you where to get it online.

You really should limit the nuts and I would give VERY few, if any, sunflower seeds. I would substitute almonds for the walnuts for his treat as they have a more favorable Calcium to Phosphorus ratio. Have you tried things like avocado, Butternut squash, acorn squash, broccoli, sugar snap peas, kale or cucumber? Squirrels are a lot like people with varying taste preferences. :) This will sound nutty but if I buy bagged salad, I wash it and then soak it in water for an hour or two before I give it to my flyers.
They like crispy greens and won't even look at a limp veggie. Spoiled brats! :grin2

[farrelli]

Have you seen the healthy diet thread?

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

What kind of rodent chow did you get? Much of what you find in stores is quite bad.

So, he's been this way for three months now?

If you could provide some pics of him and where he lives, that would be great. A vid would be even better. It will help us make suggestions, and will attract people to the thread who can help.

Does he have any bladder control? Does he poop OK?

Back leg. right? Yes you can bandage, but having him not remove it is the challenge. There are ways though, ranging from e-collars, to vests, to wrist bands around the mid section. We have seen paralysis many times before here, so people will help, just give it a little time.

[squirrelkat]

He has had the open wound for a couple of weeks but yes, the paralysis for 3 months. He doesn't chew it. I don't think he has bladder control but poops just fine. I. will check out the diet thread and will post pics or video if I can figure out how tomorrow. Thanks again!

[Shewhosweptforest]

:wave123 squirrelkat :Love_Icon thank you for working with this little guy :shakehead so many don't give them a chance :( I have a little girl with hindleg paralysis (I also had one back in the 80's, yes 1980's :eek) neither suffer/suffered from urine scald My first girl had to have her bladder squeezed, so that helped :dono it could also be because girls pee differently :thinking also, mine get up on their knees. Does your little guy get up on his knees (I know not really a knee, but what you'd think of as a knee)? My Poppy is in a fleece lined cage with lots of fleece hammocks and ramps...I think when she's active hopping from one to another it may also cause her bladder to empty...and she's not sitting in it, but moving away:dono just some ideas....cuz I'm not really sure why some suffer from it and some don't. I think, as HRT4SQRLS said, the baths that SweetSimonMommy gives Gio (another boy) help alot...but, my Poppy would rip me a new one if I were to bath her often (I did get her when she was older) also as HRT said the silver sulfadene is a real miracle worker...and I don't believe it has to stay on for long:thumbsup Good luck :Love_Icon I look forward to pics :dance and :Welcome :grin3

[squirrelkat]

Thanks for all the great advice. I have had some success with a product called Natural Seal skin protectant. It's a spray. I would like to know where to get the silver sulfate though. I have been keeping Mickey in a plastic tote lined with receiving blankets and soft fleece blankets. He is bored out of his mind though. When I had him in his outdoor cage he clmbed and jumped almost like a normal squirrel! Of course that's how he got into this condition.... .It would be great to see pics of a cage that someone with experience has fitted for a paralyzed squirrel. Will try to post video and pics on my lunch break. Gotta go to work.

[HRT4SQRLS]

http://www.mountainside-medical.com/silvadene-cream-1-silver-sulfadiazine-20g-tube.html :thumbsup
No Rx needed.