Wild with Swollen Jaw...Nursing female?

[AGS]

This wild girl is special to me and has been visiting my window for over a year. The swelling to her jaw was first noticed about 5 days ago. I have kept food out for her and she has continued to eat well and been energetic until this morning. She is beginning to have trouble chewing.

I have used the search feature and realize that the swelling to her jaw can be life threatening, but I am at a loss for what to do. She was caring for young until very recently as can be seen in the picture of her chest area. Last week her nipples were red and irritated and she was carrying small amounts of food back to her nest.

The rehabbers in my area are pretty much not taking new cases. I have called the vet who was recommended by a rehabber, and they said they don't treat squirrels at this time. They suggested I call the local wildlife park, who said I could bring her in, but I don't want her to become raptor food. Then there is the issue of her babies...can they afford to be without her? Does she look like she is still producing milk?

I ordered the ingredients for boo balls last week after reading the previous threads. I don't have any Abx, but I might try to treat her without capture if I could get the appropriate meds. If you all think she needs to see a doctor, I could trap her (maybe), but I don't have a doctor to take her to.

The squirrel and I live in Asheville, NC. We would appreciate suggestions,

Thanks.

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[Chickenlegs]

There is a large community of rehabbers in that area. I don't know them but Sissy does--pm her for info. Maybe she can connect you with someone who can help. Her jaw does look swollen. Would she take a medicated treat from your hand? Likely she has late fall babies so you certainly don't want to seperate her from her family. Hopefully it's not her teeth. Can you get a closeup of her mouth? Jbtartell is outside of Charlotte and has a good squirrel vet.

[AGS]

Thank you for the reply. I have been through the list of rehabbers and all but one is no longer taking cases. The rehabber who is still active is usually traveling and unavailable. I can't get a better picture of her mouth, but I don't see any obvious injury or teeth at bad angles.

[Chickenlegs]

Get in touch with Laura (jbtartell) she's closest to you and may be able to get ABs to you fastest as she's in the same state. Anybody you know might have antibiotics? Maybe Cipro or Baytril prescribed for a UTI? I'm in Iowa and will be back tomorrow. I may have something useable but if you go to the pet store and get fish flox or something comparable that might get the little girl started way before anything could get to you via post office. We have folks who can dose it for you.

[CritterMom]

Actually, clavamox or clindamycin would be best for a head located abscess but research needs to be done to determine if it could be given to a nursing mother.

[AGS]

Thank you, I will contact Laura. Yes, the fact that she's nursing is a complication.

I have some Clindamycin 300MG capsules in my cabinet but they are 7 years old. Are they still usable and is it safe for a nursing mother? Could her babies be weaned already and not be in any danger?

[jbtartell]

AGS I pmed u my number.. I have abs on hand call me and we can get this figured out..:thumbsup

[Nancy in New York]

Thank you, I will contact Laura. Yes, the fact that she's nursing is a complication.

I have some Clindamycin 300MG capsules in my cabinet but they are 7 years old. Are they still usable and is it safe for a nursing mother? Could her babies be weaned already and not be in any danger?

Well those abs are too old. I am looking to see what is safe for nursing mom's, if I find anything I will post it here.
BUT as CritterMom said you would need either Clindamycin or Clavamox. Could you possibly get just ONE of those pills, we can dose it for you.
Let me see what I can find on nursing mom's.

[jbtartell]

thank you nancy, I texted the vet and waiting to hear back. please if you see what is safe let me know.. I have baytril smz and amoxi. also have clora but I don't think that would abe a safe one to give nursing moms..

[jbtartell]

Well those abs are too old. I am looking to see what is safe for nursing mom's, if I find anything I will post it here.
BUT as CritterMom said you would need either Clindamycin or Clavamox. Could you possibly get just ONE of those pills, we can dose it for you.
Let me see what I can find on nursing mom's.

ok the vet said either of those or amoxi would be safe to give to her, he will need help dosing it. I am no good at dosing. I have amoxi but he said he was going to try to get some abs from vet in morning and he may need help to dose soo please watch this... thanks sooo much...:serene:thumbsup

[AGS]

That's very kind of you Laura, thank you.

[Nancy in New York]

Laura if I send you the dosing from the WMB book, could you forward that to your vet?
Just in case I'm not on in the morning.
We need to make a guesstimate of the weight, so your vet can dose properly. I will look at the photos again,
and hope that other's weigh in as well.
AGS ~ how old is this squirrel?
AKKKKKKKKKK, I just looked at the photos again. Is there any chance of getting a full body shot?

[jbtartell]

That's very kind of you Laura, thank you.

your more thank welcome and thank you for helping her and noticing she needed it.. and thank you for trusting us..:grouphug

[jbtartell]

Laura if I send you the dosing from the WMB book, could you forward that to your vet?
Just in case I'm not on in the morning.
We need to make a guesstimate of the weight, so your vet can dose properly. I will look at the photos again,
and hope that other's weigh in as well.
AGS ~ how old is this squirrel?
AKKKKKKKKKK, I just looked at the photos again. Is there any chance of getting a full body shot?


yes I will get them to her asap.. thank you and my guess on weight ould be between 500 and 600 grams?? what do u think.. that is average for a full grown gray. pluss she has winter and baby fat on her...:Love_Icon

[AGS]

We need to make a guesstimate of the weight, so your vet can dose properly. I will look at the photos again,
and hope that other's weigh in as well.
AGS ~ how old is this squirrel?
AKKKKKKKKKK, I just looked at the photos again. Is there any chance of getting a full body shot?

Hi Nancy,

She has been coming to my window for 16 months and was a small adult when I first noticed her. I could only guess her age. Here are some full body pictures...thanks.

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[Nancy in New York]

Hi Nancy,

She has been coming to my window for 16 months and was a small adult when I first noticed her. I could only guess her age. Here are some full body pictures...thanks.

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These are perfect, thank you!
She's beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jbtartell]

ohh my what a beauty,, and yes she is deffinately nursing..lol when she is done you wont see her teets like this..lol the fur will cover them..:serene ohh my hope she brings babies down to eat too would love to see them..:thumbsup:poke:poke:poke

[AGS]

She really is a beautiful squirrel, and loaded with personality too. She will stare through my kitchen window if I've neglected to put out her nuts.

This morning her swelling is improved and she ate her pecans without any hesitation. I've called my old vet who treated my dogs, and asked if he could provide me with one or two Amoxicillin. His receptionist will give him the details about the squirrel and get back to me. She said he usually prescribes a liquid Amoxi for small animals, I told her that wouldn't be necessary.

Here is a medication guide for rats I was reading online. Are rats and squirrels pretty similar in their reactions to meds?

http://ratguide.com/meds/antimicrobial_agents/amoxicillin.php

[Nancy in New York]

She really is a beautiful squirrel, and loaded with personality too. She will stare through my kitchen window if I've neglected to put out her nuts.

This morning her swelling is improved and she ate her pecans without any hesitation. I've called my old vet who treated my dogs, and asked if he could provide me with one or two Amoxicillin. His receptionist will give him the details about the squirrel and get back to me. She said he usually prescribes a liquid Amoxi for small animals, I told her that wouldn't be necessary.

Here is a medication guide for rats I was reading online. Are rats and squirrels pretty similar in their reactions to meds?

http://ratguide.com/meds/antimicrobial_agents/amoxicillin.php

Similar though not all meds for rats can be given to squirrels.
If your vet does this in suspension, we can dose it for you with a guesstimate weight of 600 grams.
I will pm you the dosing chart if you want to pass this along to your vet.
Also please check in before dosing, we have seen vets make mistakes before when dosing squirrels, so
we will just double check. :)

[Chickenlegs]

TSB angels to the rescue AGAIN! Thank you everybody for helping this little girl--and her babies who need their mama :blowkiss

[AGS]

Yes, you're right CL !!!

Here is the Clavamox Oral Suspension I got from the vet today...

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Each ml contains 62.5mg of Clavamox. My vet recommended one full dropper twice per day, and that is obviously too much assuming a 1 ml dose per dropper full.

According to dosing information provided by Nancy, at a strength of 62.5mg/ml, the squirrel should receive .032 ml per 100 grams of body weight. For a 600 gram squirrel, that equals .192 ml per dose. Please check my math.

I assume she should receive two doses per day. She comes to my window before 9am and again around 1-3pm. That's as spaced out as I will be able give the two doses. Will that be okay?

Thank you each and all.

[Nancy in New York]

Yes, you're right CL !!!

Here is the Clavamox Oral Suspension I got from the vet today...

248529

Each ml contains 62.5mg of Clavamox. My vet recommended one full dropper twice per day, and that is obviously too much assuming a 1 ml dose per dropper full.

According to dosing information provided by Nancy, at a strength of 62.5mg/ml, the squirrel should receive .032 ml per 100 grams of body weight. For a 600 gram squirrel, that equals .192 ml per dose. Please check my math.

I assume she should receive two doses per day. She comes to my window before 9am and again around 1-3pm. That's as spaced out as I will be able give the two doses. Will that be okay?

Thank you each and all.

Yes you are right about the dosage and that this is twice daily.
Thank you SO much for checking with us before dosing. :eeks


Here's the amount she should get twice daily. (0.192 mls or 0.19 mls just to make it easier.)
The photo is a 1 cc/ml syringe.
http://nmognoni.smugmug.com/photos/i-JQgxps9/0/M/i-JQgxps9-M.jpg (http://nmognoni.smugmug.com/Other/TSB-resizing-2/n-GmzqZ/i-JQgxps9/A)

[jbtartell]

yayyyyy I am sorry I am just getting on...lol I ave been really busy today, had dr apt and hot line all day till 9.. getting 6 new babies in Friday... busy I am.. and more busy Friday...lol soo have you gotten her to take a dose yet?? soo interested in seeing how she does with meds...:serene:thumbsup

[SammysMom]

Wonderful work AGS! Of course great work TSB rescue squad! That reall y is a lovely squirrel!:Love_Icon

[AGS]

Good morning. She just left my window and has had her first dose of Clavamox (.19 mls). As suggested by another member somewhere on the forum, I mixed her medicine with peanut butter and filled in the ridges on her pecans with the mixture. She was fine with that.

I will have her next dose ready for early afternoon, as that is the only other time I will see her today. I hope the doses won't be spaced too closely.

Her swelling had gone down some on its own, but the center of the swelling is still the size that it was on the first day I noticed it. I am happy to help her with the medicine for as long as necessary.

Thanks for all the kind words and support.

[Nancy in New York]

Good morning. She just left my window and has had her first dose of Clavamox (.19 mls). As suggested by another member somewhere on the forum, I mixed her medicine with peanut butter and filled in the ridges on her pecans with the mixture. She was fine with that.

I will have her next dose ready for early afternoon, as that is the only other time I will see her today. I hope the doses won't be spaced too closely.

Her swelling had gone down some on its own, but the center of the swelling is still the size that it was on the first day I noticed it. I am happy to help her with the medicine for as long as necessary.

Thanks for all the kind words and support.


Good thinking about mixing it with peanut butter, I thought of that some time during the night, and forgot to post. :tilt
Can you get some probiotic capsules for her tummy. Pull them apart and add just a pinch to her peanut butter and ab.
This is suppose to be given 2 hours prior to after dosing abs. BUT in this case we don't have a choice. It may help her tummy as cillin drugs can be harsh on the stomach.

[jbtartell]

I am sooo glad she is taking it good with the peanut butter.. :thumbsup great update

[AGS]

She is late to my window this morning. I hope I didn't space her doses too closely together yesterday and cause her to feel sick. I will buy some probiotics today, but I will have trouble spacing her doses because of her visiting times.

[Nancy in New York]

She is late to my window this morning. I hope I didn't space her doses too closely together yesterday and cause her to feel sick. I will buy some probiotics today, but I will have trouble spacing her doses because of her visiting times.

That one time wouldn't hurt her. Many will dose the first dose twice the recommended amount, it's called a loading dose. So you doing this yesterday, hours apart is OK.
How many hours apart will you typically see her?

[AGS]

That one time wouldn't hurt her. Many will dose the first dose twice the recommended amount, it's called a loading dose. So you doing this yesterday, hours apart is OK.
How many hours apart will you typically see her?

She has been coming at 8-9 am and again between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. She did just arrive at my window shortly after my last post and her appetite was definitely off. I had split her medicated PB between 5 medium sized pecans and she had trouble finishing them. She usually eats what's out for the birds after she eats her pecans, but not this morning.

So, will any probiotic do or should I look for a proven brand? Would a small amount of yogurt be as good?

Thanks for following my posts everybody.

[jbtartell]

if she will eat the yogurt it is better than none... and its good for her:thumbsup and if she will eat yogurt put her meds in just a little of that...so she gets both at once:thumbsup

[Nancy in New York]

She has been coming at 8-9 am and again between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. She did just arrive at my window shortly after my last post and her appetite was definitely off. I had split her medicated PB between 5 medium sized pecans and she had trouble finishing them. She usually eats what's out for the birds after she eats her pecans, but not this morning.

So, will any probiotic do or should I look for a proven brand? Would a small amount of yogurt be as good?

Thanks for following my posts everybody.

No I wouldn't do the yogurt only because on this drug (cillians) she needs something stronger.
The probiotic capsules from CVS are FINE, actually this was suggested by Leigh as she
said that many rehabbers are now using this instead of Benebac.
Tube Driver had a wild squirrel that was on antibiotics (he took the squirrel inside while treating)
and he used the CVS probiotic capsules and his Henry did excellent. He was on abs. for close to a month, sometimes
even stacking them with no adverse reaction.

[Annabelle's papa]

if she will eat the yogurt it is better than none... and its good for her:thumbsup and if she will eat yogurt put her meds in just a little of that...so she gets both at once:thumbsup

Hi Nancy,:wave123 So as jbtartell mentioned, are you saying she needs something heavier on her stomach in order to keep the meds. down.:dono Would adding heavy cream or formula to the yogurt be enough, or does it have to be something solid, such as the block you said TD used? Thanks.

[Nancy in New York]

Hi Nancy,:wave123 So as jbtartell mentioned, are you saying she needs something heavier on her stomach in order to keep the meds. down.:dono Would adding heavy cream or formula to the yogurt be enough, or does it have to be something solid, such as the block you said TD used? Thanks.


Oh sorry if I mislead anyone.
The squirrel needs a GOOD probiotic since she is on cillin drugs.
All penicillins can cause gastric upset so giving a probiotic can help control this.
If we give it from a capsule, which is actually a little sweet tasting, we just sprinkle a
little on a nut or something the squirrel will eat. Sometimes they won't eat all of the yogurt,
and the capsule probiotics is actually more "heavy duty" than yogurt.

[Annabelle's papa]

Hi Nancy. :wave123 I wasn't mislead, my thinking was totally in Left Field,Ha. Now I understand you meant the Yogurt alone wouldn't provide enough Probiotics without being supplemented. Thank You.

[Nancy in New York]

Hi Nancy. :wave123 I wasn't mislead, my thinking was totally in Left Field,Ha. Now I understand you meant the Yogurt alone wouldn't provide enough Probiotics without being supplemented. Thank You.

Exactly! :hug

[Annabelle's papa]

Thanks Again, I Really Appreciate All Of The Information Everyone Here Has To Give. And Our Little Annabelle Has A Wonderful Life Because Of It.

[sdreamcatcher]

I don't have any advice, just wanted to say Star (one of my long time wild buddies) had a very similar issue back in June; her face was also swollen from an abscess, then it burst and drained and she did make a full recovery. Good thoughts/vibes/prayers going out to your little girl; thank you for helping her :Love_Icon :Love_Icon.


For comparison, this was Star before her abscess burst:

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/sdreamcatcher/Facebook/Star%20001/10300170_10152443557166745_5080376019621146656_n.j pg (http://s68.photobucket.com/user/sdreamcatcher/media/Facebook/Star%20001/10300170_10152443557166745_5080376019621146656_n.j pg.html)

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/sdreamcatcher/Facebook/Star%20001/10406500_10152453677376745_5754635294217436311_n.j pg (http://s68.photobucket.com/user/sdreamcatcher/media/Facebook/Star%20001/10406500_10152453677376745_5754635294217436311_n.j pg.html)

She also had babies which complicated things. A rehabber did send me meds at the time, and I added echinacea to her water while waiting. She ended up not needing the meds, but like your girl, she comes often enough she would have been pretty easy to dose (she lives in our maple).

[Nancy in New York]

I don't have any advice, just wanted to say Star (one of my long time wild buddies) had a very similar issue back in June; her face was also swollen from an abscess, then it burst and drained and she did make a full recovery. Good thoughts/vibes/prayers going out to your little girl; thank you for helping her :Love_Icon :Love_Icon.


For comparison, this was Star before her abscess burst:

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/sdreamcatcher/Facebook/Star%20001/10300170_10152443557166745_5080376019621146656_n.j pg (http://s68.photobucket.com/user/sdreamcatcher/media/Facebook/Star%20001/10300170_10152443557166745_5080376019621146656_n.j pg.html)

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/sdreamcatcher/Facebook/Star%20001/10406500_10152453677376745_5754635294217436311_n.j pg (http://s68.photobucket.com/user/sdreamcatcher/media/Facebook/Star%20001/10406500_10152453677376745_5754635294217436311_n.j pg.html)

She also had babies which complicated things. A rehabber did send me meds at the time, and I added echinacea to her water while waiting. She ended up not needing the meds, but like your girl, she comes often enough she would have been pretty easy to dose (she lives in our maple).
Akkkkkkkkkkk that is some abscess! :eek
What a beautiful squirrel she is too....glad she is all better! :Love_Icon

[sdreamcatcher]

Akkkkkkkkkkk that is some abscess! :eek
What a beautiful squirrel she is too....glad she is all better! :Love_Icon

TY :Love_Icon :Love_Icon. She is very special; she also lost two toes at that time and skinned up her tail (the fur grew back in white), but she is still going strong. She currently has another litter of 4 or 5 (little tykes won't stay still and line up nice :grin2). Best guess on age is close to 8 years now- I think she was born in 2007.

One thing I noticed with her a day or so before her abscess burst, she was rubbing her face on branches and scratching at it a lot. These pics were taken that same time.

AGS, I hope your girl feels better very soon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[jbtartell]

No I wouldn't do the yogurt only because on this drug (cillians) she needs something stronger.
The probiotic capsules from CVS are FINE, actually this was suggested by Leigh as she
said that many rehabbers are now using this instead of Benebac.
Tube Driver had a wild squirrel that was on antibiotics (he took the squirrel inside while treating)
and he used the CVS probiotic capsules and his Henry did excellent. He was on abs. for close to a month, sometimes
even stacking them with no adverse reaction.

but he cant bring her in she has babies..

[Nancy in New York]

but he cant bring her in she has babies..

I KNOW that the squirrel can't come in.
I was explaining that TD had a squirrel on abs. for over a month and also
had him on probiotic capsules, and he had NO tummy issues, even after a month.

My point being, since they thought they dosed the squirrel too closely once that wasn't my concern.
I used TD as an example of a squirrel getting antibiotics for over a month, being put on probiotics capsules (a pinch), and had NO issues.

AGS was concerned about her little one because,


She has been coming at 8-9 am and again between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. She did just arrive at my window shortly after my last post and her appetite was definitely off. I had split her medicated PB between 5 medium sized pecans and she had trouble finishing them. She usually eats what's out for the birds after she eats her pecans, but not this morning.

So, will any probiotic do or should I look for a proven brand? Would a small amount of yogurt be as good?

Thanks for following my posts everybody.

[czarina]

I just saw this thread, and had to pipe in with how absolutely beautiful she is! Poor baby, you know that hurts her.

Thank you so much for caring about her enough to research and end up here. We love all squirrels, and love seeing squirrel pictures. And boy, she is photogenic. She should be on a magazine cover.

And don't worry about giving the abx too soon, Nancy is right. Often in the hospital, we give a loading dose, which translates to a double dose. If anything, it will help her, by getting a good level of abx into her bloodstream.

Lots of healing prayers and vibes coming your way.

Get better soon, pretty mama. :Love_Icon:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug:Love_Icon:g rouphug:Love_Icon

[AGS]

Thanks for all the replies, the pictures of Star (swelling is identical) and the well wishes. Things are not going the way I had hoped.

She showed up yesterday afternoon at 2:30, was feeling better and had a good appetite. She ate all of her medicated pecans and then some additional food that was out for the birds. Her swelling is down, that's the good news.

I had gone to Whole Foods yesterday morning and picked up a bottle of Solaray Multidophilus 12. I sprinkled a small amount on top of a PB'd pecan and gave it to her with her afternoon medication. I hadn't seen the suggestion for the CVS product at that time, but I hope mine was an okay choice.

This morning she came around 9 am and her appetite was off completely. She took a pecan with the Probiotic and then ate only one of her Clavamox pecans before leaving. She also drank some water.

She only got about 1/4 of her morning dose. I saved the rest of the pecans in the refrigerator for when she returns, hopefully feeling better. I am concerned by her loss of appetite and don't know if this treatment plan is going to be successful or not.

Will medicating her only once a day be beneficial or does it risk causing resistance to the Clavamox? I don't want to do any harm to her.

[Nancy in New York]

I'm not convinced that her appetite is due to the antibiotics, I'm wondering if the teeth issues/abscess is her problem more than her tummy. :dono
I would be surprised if it were the abs. only because she has hardly had anything, and she experienced this the first
day after being dosed.
What is the amount you are dosing?
Yes the probiotics that you have is fine.
I am NOT sure about doing a double dose of antibiotics at once. I don't think I would risk that.
The point of dosing twice with a lot of drugs is so that it stays in their system.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge can help with this question.

[jbtartell]

I'm not convinced that her appetite is due to the antibiotics, I'm wondering if the teeth issues/abscess is her problem more than her tummy. :dono
I would be surprised if it were the abs. only because she has hardly had anything, and she experienced this the first
day after being dosed.
What is the amount you are dosing?
Yes the probiotics that you have is fine.
I am NOT sure about doing a double dose of antibiotics at once. I don't think I would risk that.
The point of dosing twice with a lot of drugs is so that it stays in their system.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge can help with this question.


this is true nancy I was thinking the teeth hurt too which will also cause upset tummy... she may come back later and finish everything off.. and I did misunderstand what u wrote earlier..lol remember my eyes are messed up soo my reading gets jumbled sometimes too, I knew you knew she could not be brought in that is wy I was confused..lol blonde came out..hehehe

[AGS]

I'm not convinced that her appetite is due to the antibiotics, I'm wondering if the teeth issues/abscess is her problem more than her tummy. :dono
I would be surprised if it were the abs. only because she has hardly had anything, and she experienced this the first
day after being dosed.
What is the amount you are dosing?
Yes the probiotics that you have is fine.
I am NOT sure about doing a double dose of antibiotics at once. I don't think I would risk that.
The point of dosing twice with a lot of drugs is so that it stays in their system.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge can help with this question.

She came back today at 1:30 pm and finished her morning dose of medicated pecans and then ate like she was starving for another 30 minutes. That's the same way she acted yesterday, and I can only say that it is a change in her behavior from before the antibiotic. She did not seem to be in any discomfort while eating this afternoon or yesterday, but mornings could be when she is having pain.

I am giving her .2 mls twice per day, at least that was the plan. Today she will only get .2 mls because I don't expect for her to come back before tomorrow am. I don't want to double dose her, I was wondering about the risk of her only getting one dose (.2 mls) per day if that's all I can manage to get in her.

Unless I find a better way to get her to take the morning dose, I might not be able to give her the full amount of medication that she needs. That's my concern, I realize that antibiotics have to be taken correctly to be effective.

Laura mentioned a small piece of bread as a place to hide her Clavamox. She's never eaten bread but I will try if it will make the morning dosing more successful. I am open to suggestion, thanks!

[sdreamcatcher]

She came back today at 1:30 pm and finished her morning dose of medicated pecans and then ate like she was starving for another 30 minutes. That's the same way she acted yesterday, and I can only say that it is a change in her behavior from before the antibiotic. She did not seem to be in any discomfort while eating this afternoon or yesterday, but mornings could be when she is having pain.

I am giving her .2 mls twice per day, at least that was the plan. Today she will only get .2 mls because I don't expect for her to come back before tomorrow am. I don't want to double dose her, I was wondering about the risk of her only getting one dose (.2 mls) per day if that's all I can manage to get in her.

Unless I find a better way to get her to take the morning dose, I might not be able to give her the full amount of medication that she needs. That's my concern, I realize that antibiotics have to be taken correctly to be effective.

Laura mentioned a small piece of bread as a place to hide her Clavamox. She's never eaten bread but I will try if it will make the morning dosing more successful. I am open to suggestion, thanks!

Does she like avocado? Wondering if meds can be hidden in mashed avocado; anyone with more knowledge? Or peanut butter? I have heard that is a good way to dose.

I hope she improves; I know you are so worried about her :grouphug I'm glad she returned and she is eating; that in itself is a good sign.. :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[TubeDriver]

I have used peanut butter with Cipro which is VERY bitter with a fair amount of success in wilds. I have also used peanut butter with Clavamox, SMZ-TMP and other ABs. Clavamox is much sweeter so I think mixing the Clavamox into a little ball of peanut butter will work.


The key is to make the peanut butter ball as small as possible so she does not eat some and then drop it. Also, give the peanut butter ball laced with AB first and don't give her anything else until she eats it.

Dosing wilds in the wild is tricky but it can be done. I would almost rather double dose than miss doses but a couple of missed doses will probably not matter that much over the course of a 7-10 day treatment.

One of the reason I like Cipro for outside wilds is that you can give a single large dose per day which is a LOT easier than trying to dose 2x per day. Not sure if you can do that with Clavamox but if you can I would definitely try for a single large dose per day.

The probiotic you are using is probably fine! I used a VERY small pinch of the probiotic powder daily and my squirrels never had any serious GI issues.

[AGS]

Success this morning. She came at 8:15 am as I was mixing her Clavamox and PB.

I did my best to use the least amount of PB necessary, and rolled the mixture into a ball and stuck it on the back of a single pecan. She ate it without hesitation and then took the Probiotic dosed pecan after that.

She is still eating regular pecans at this moment. Her appetite is good and her swelling is down at least 60-70%.

Thanks again everybody, I appreciate each of your posts.

[jbtartell]

yayyyyyy good work...:clap:dance

[pjjere]

Great job!! So glad to hear she is getting better!! :)

[Chickenlegs]

Merry Christmas sweet squirrel. Because somebody cared you're gonna be just fine. One of the choicest blessings is caring. :Love_Icon

[sdreamcatcher]

Success this morning. She came at 8:15 am as I was mixing her Clavamox and PB.

I did my best to use the least amount of PB necessary, and rolled the mixture into a ball and stuck it on the back of a single pecan. She ate it without hesitation and then took the Probiotic dosed pecan after that.

She is still eating regular pecans at this moment. Her appetite is good and her swelling is down at least 60-70%.

Thanks again everybody, I appreciate each of your posts.

AWESOME NEWS!! :bliss:bliss:bliss:bliss

[AGS]

Hi everybody. The young mother continues to improve and visits my window with regularity. I think she will be a success and I have all of you to thank for that.

On the other hand, I've had a second nursing female who visits my window each day and I'm afraid that I found her dead in the road about 100 feet from my home, shortly after noon.

I had come home from the store and saw what might be a casualty down the street. I always walk to my mailbox at the roadside with a bit of anxiousness over what I might see, but fortunately it had been a while since one of my squirrels had been lost.

I didn't want to face the sadness of it, but I had to know who it was. So I walked down the road and found a beautiful and familiar mother squirrel. I had to look closely at the ears to be sure it wasn't the girl I have been helping with her jaw. I've had trouble telling them apart at times.

After seeing her in the road, I of course couldn't leave her there, so I brought her to my home and buried her in my yard. I don't know if her babies are weaned or not, and I 'm not sure of the location of her nest. I will look in the neighbors yards for her young, but I pray they are well enough on their own.

Caring for wild animal demands a great deal of empathy but I realize I must guard against excessive tenderheartedness. That is easier said than done. I know you all understand.

[farrelli]

Yes, please do keep checking. And listen for their cries:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?37716-BABY-SQUIRREL-CALLING-FOR-MOM

If they're old enough to leave the nest on their own, they'll often approach people for help, so you might want to put the word out, if possible.

[AGS]

Yes, please do keep checking. And listen for their cries:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?37716-BABY-SQUIRREL-CALLING-FOR-MOM

If they're old enough to leave the nest on their own, they'll often approach people for help, so you might want to put the word out, if possible.

I went to the house where her nest might be located. At least for certain she was hit in front of this house and there is a nest in a tree in the front yard. I spoke to the owner and told him what had happened and to please watch for desperate young squirrels. He said he was leaving for 4 days but would tell his roommates. I will check personally as often as I can over the coming days. She was a beautiful squirrel, I hope her babies are okay.

[SammysMom]

Godspeed sweet little one... :Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

Thank-you for trying to help her babies and for giving her the respect of burying her. Not to disregard her in any way, but I am thankful it was not your special girl...:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

Thank you for respecting her life enough to
take her home and bury her, that means a lot.

When you guard against excessive tenderheartedness,
you stop picking them up. I KNOW that will never happen
to you, they have already taken your heart, and there is
no going back.:hug

Rest in Peace
Precious wild squirrel 248889
Your life mattered.

[AGS]

Thank you SB friends. Though not as connected with me as the other, she has been my most frequent visitor this fall and I will miss seeing her. I promised her that if I saw her babies, I would take care of them.

[AGS]

I want to update this thread to thank all of you and for the sake of future visitors using the search feature.

The Clavamox was effective. I was able to dose her twice per day, though usually only 4-5 hours apart. She responded well and the swelling was down over 90% in a little over one week. By the 10th day she was losing interest in the medicated pecans and on days 10 and 11 she was only dosed once per day.

On day 12 she disappeared! She did not return for a few days and I was fearing the worst. Nancy assured me she would come back and I'm happy to say that she did. I was considering changing her antibiotic in case the swelling was still present, but when she returned (14 days after beginning treatment), the swelling had continued to go down and her jaw now looked normal.

I continue to watch her for a recurrence, but so far she is looking great. Thank all of you for your support, AG

[SammysMom]

Thank-you for a wonderful update! Good job taking care of this little friend...:thumbsup:Love_Icon:thumbsup

[Duckman]

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

[Nancy in New York]

I forgot to post, where's my head? :dono
I'm thrilled that your little one came back and she's looking so good.
It's tough out there for our little ones, and I'm glad that they have you
to watch over them. :hug
Now since she left for a while, did you get her a cell phone so she can
call if she's going to be late again coming home? :tap

[Nancy in New York]

Yesterday AGS sent me a photo of a young squirrel in his yard that had a shoulder wound.
He was able to see what looked like bite marks on his shoulder, one puncture top and one on the bottom
For the past 4-5 days he was putting NO weight on it.


When he came yesterday he was moving much better on his front leg but the wound had exploded
and left an open gashing wound about 1 inch long.
It is not bleeding, but it is being stressed with his movements and the freezing cold could be causing it to crack.
He doesn't know what did this. It isn't oozing but it is raw, deep and painful looking.
He was jumping all around yesterday morning but had started to limp again before he left for the day.

He does feel if he is worse today or if the wound has gotten any larger he will be in trouble.

Asking for opinions on what the chances of dosing him with Cipro ONCE daily would be of any help.

He has never trapped a squirrel before or cared for one in his house.
He will however, do what is in the best interest of this squirrel.

249743

[Nancy in New York]

Just bumping this up for some opinions please. :shakehead

[pjjere]

We noticed a squirrel with similar (although a little smaller) wounds on the top of it's head and a large but shallow gash down it's back. The 2 wounds appeared to be punctures and were just behind the ears. We thought we may have to give AB's but all 3 wounds have healed in a matter of days! I saw the squirrel close up this morning and it's hair has almost covered the wounds and it looks fine. My opinion would be to just observe and as long as this squirrel continues to use the leg well I wouldn't do anything. I am amazed how fast these nasty looking wounds healed. When we first saw the squirrel we thought it was done if we didn't help. Good luck and we are praying for him (or her). :)

[TubeDriver]

Thank you to AGS for helping his wild neighbors. :thumbsup

The life of a wild is tough, having a concerned guardian angel can be a big help!:w00t

That injury look pretty deep but I don't see any signs of bad infection. I think that as long as it does not become infected, it will quickly heal.:thumbsup

If it becomes infected, I think Cipro would probably do the job. A single daily dose would be the most effective since BID dosing is hard with wilds.

I would watch closely, provide clean water and some food daily. I would order some Cipro just in case it is needed, having it on hand ready to go is a good thing.

[czarina]

AGS, you have now earned your squirrel angel wings! Congratulations!
Interestingly, once you help one, others tend to find you. We suspect they have a little, tiny squirrel hotline, with human names and addresses that they refer to in emergencies.

And, guess who's now on the list?

Besides stocking up on meds, which is ususlly really easy to do, just start calling family and friends, almost everyone has a pill or two left over from an Rx, and, all it takes to treat a squirrel for a full course of antibiotics, is one pill!

You can ask for antibiotics, and maybe some Meloxicam and Tramadol, these are both for pain, and again, one pill is all you need.(just make sure the Tramadol doesn't have acetaminophen (tylenol) in it ) . You can also pick up a bottle of infant ibuprophen.

And, you might want to invest in a Hav-a-Heart trap.( just in case)

I am worried about the little squirrel. Only because it appears young, and it is so cold out. It may not have had time to develop strong survival skills yet. I agree that the wound looks clean, but I would keep a close eye on it, and continue providing food and water for this little one. If you notice ANY signs of weakness or lethargy, I would consider treating or possibly trapping and bringing it in to treat, as it will be easy prey if it weakens.

Thank you so much for looking out for the little ones in your neck of the woods!:serene

[AGS]

Thanks for posting the picture Nancy and the bump. The injury looked alarming to me, but I wasn't sure if it rose to the level of life threatening . It's funny how he/she couldn't use the front leg when it looked okay, but now is using it quite well that it looks so terrible. They are tough little animals, but that's got to hurt!

He did not come today, but our weather was rainy. The dangerous cold is gone for now, so that should help. I will continue to watch him closely for infection as you all have suggested.

I am happy to be on the squirrel hotline, :grin2. I take pleasure in just watching them, and am glad to help them if I can.

Here is another picture taken yesterday...

249816

[Nancy in New York]

Thanks for posting the picture Nancy and the bump. The injury looked alarming to me, but I wasn't sure if it rose to the level of life threatening . It's funny how he/she couldn't use the front leg when it looked okay, but now is using it quite well that it looks so terrible. They are tough little animals, but that's got to hurt!

He did not come today, but our weather was rainy. The dangerous cold is gone for now, so that should help. I will continue to watch him closely for infection as you all have suggested.

I am happy to be on the squirrel hotline, :grin2. I take pleasure in just watching them, and am glad to help them if I can.

Here is another picture taken yesterday...

249816

Gee I think that is looking remarkably better. It seems to be drying up and getting smaller.
I really think his little body is taking care of this quite well.
They are tough little ones for sure.. It must feel better if she/he is using the leg better.
Glad that she has you to keep an eye on her, we all need a guardian angel. :hug

[TubeDriver]

Hopefully the next thing you will see us that redness on the edges going away! Lucky little squirrel to have a friend like you!:thumbsup