I think it is MBD!!!

[Guga]

Hello all,
some of you know our history.
We were growing 2 Eurasian red squirrels, one got sick from MBD. Unfortunately it was too late and my little girl passed away.
We did not have the necessary knowledge and information to deal with the problem, when we knew what was going on it was too late. Thankfully our male squirrel grows in excellent health.

The problem is this,
this evening we accidentally met our known, which was also raised a squirrel that he has found fallen from its nest as a baby. This happened in March this year. But soon the squirrel is not good. When we went to see it, I realized that this little creature has MBD.
Sleeping too much, do not want to eat, it is rather weak.
Not paralyzed, thank God, but walking it is very clumsy. Not jumping and running.
Immediately gave them calcium carbonate that I have at home, I explained that the first week they must give a large dose of it (about 500mg). As I read here in the forum in the second week should reduce the amount of 250mg, and from the third to the eighth week should daily be given on 100mg of calcium per day.
Furthermore, it appears that they feed her only with treats: nuts, fruits, carrots and cucumbers and dried fruits. This little girl did not accepted any additional vitamins and calcium.
I gave them vitamins which we every day give to our squirrel.
I gave them even meloxidyl, which i took from the veterinary doctor, when Molly was in pain :(. Their squirrel also has pain, when I try to touch she growls and tries to bite.
We explained to them everything we know about nutrition, exposure to the sun and rising.
They provide her a great place to live. A whole room just for her, with branches, toys and rope bridges.
I would be very glad if this little squirrel survive.
She is very slight, but her fur is not in bad condition.
What other advice to give them about raising a squirrel?

[SammysMom]

Since she has MBD, she should not really climb and jump until she is much better. Thank-you so much for sharing your information to help save this little girl. She will need to eat rodent blocks. Your squirrel eats block, right?

[stepnstone]

Can you check her for hydration?
If she is not eating, she may not be drinking.
Dehydration can also take these babies down
fast and be another thing she's dealing with.

I would also rub a little molasses or syrup on
her gums to boost her blood sugar.

[island rehabber]

Guga, I am so happy that your squirrel is so much better. You are such a good person for trying to help your friend's squirrel as well. Your friends need to be VERY strict about the MBD protocol if this one is going to survive. She should be in a smaller cage, no higher than 20inches so if she falls she will not be badly hurt. Her bones are brittle right now. They must cut out the nuts and dried fruit from her diet immediately.

Is it possible for you to put our Emergency MBD Protocol into a translator for them? It is as follows:


Emergency Treatment for Metabolic Bone Disease (updated 3-31-09)

Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW. Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

You will need:

--Tums or calcium pills (any kind)
--a syringe, eyedropper, or spoon

Crush one Tums or calcium pill and add a little water or fruit juice. Use the syringe, eyedropper, or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone. Feed a total of 600-800 mg of calcium, and spread it out through the day and night to keep his blood calcium levels as steady as possible.

If the squirrel is having seizures, weakness, or paralysis, the symptoms will usually improve within a few hours, but this does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take many months to rebuild the calcium in the bones.

Long-Term Treatment for MBD

The next step to curing MBD is to fix the diet.

1. Remove ALL seeds, nuts, corn, and treats.

2. Follow the Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels, which can be found at the top of the “Squirrel Nutrition” forum. (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=16093 (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16093)) Your squirrel MUST eat rodent block or squirrel blocks every day. If your squirrel doesn't like rodent blocks, you can try crushing them up with peanut butter or avocado temporarily. You can also make a tastier version of squirrel blocks using the recipe at the top of the Squirrel Nutrition forum.

3. In addition to the Healthy Diet, you will need to continue giving extra calcium every day for several weeks. Either use the syringe/eyedropper or you can try putting the calcium on a small piece of fruit.

Week 1: calcium = 500 mg per day
Week 2: calcium = 250 mg per day
Weeks 3-8: calcium = 100 mg per day

The cause of the acute symptoms—weakness, lethargy, seizures, paralysis—is a drop in blood calcium levels. If these symptoms return at any time, you will need to give another emergency dose of calcium.

More Tips
MBD causes brittle bones that break easily. Try to keep your squirrel away from high places, where he might jump and break a bone. Also, if he is in a tall cage, either place him in a smaller cage, or pad the bottom very well.

Heat is very soothing for a squirrel with MBD. A heating pad turned to low and placed so they cannot chew the pad or cord, or a rice buddy (a sock filled with dry rice/beans and microwaved for about 20 seconds) will work.

(http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=403417)



Administration


Guga it is so important that they begin this immediately and stick with it! We are here to answer any and all of their questions, too. :)

[farrelli]

Do the vitamins have vitamin D in them? D is necessary for the calcium to be absorbed, but too much is toxic.

[Guga]

Since she has MBD, she should not really climb and jump until she is much better. Thank-you so much for sharing your information to help save this little girl. She will need to eat rodent blocks. Your squirrel eats block, right?
Thank you all for answers,
yes i gave them from ours rodent blocks. Because here, in Bulgaria, there isn't any kinds of rodent blocks in petstores i started to bake a homemade rodent blocks, the receipe i get from squirrelrefuge.org
I started to gave them to my squirrel Choko, but it turned out that the whey protein we found here isn't pure enough, so i stopped feeding him with it. I improvise and make him different rodent blocks, i just follow the rule: no yeast, no sugar and salt in them. So i made this:
200gr whole grain flour
1/2 tea spoon baking soda
different kinds of seeds and nuts i have at home (linseed, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and etc.)
approx. 1000mg Calcium carbonate
approx. 2-3tabl. from the vitamins we gave him daily (I gave him approx 1/4 tabl Vitamins "VitaBon" 248857

[Guga]

Can you check her for hydration?
If she is not eating, she may not be drinking.
Dehydration can also take these babies down
fast and be another thing she's dealing with.

I would also rub a little molasses or syrup on
her gums to boost her blood sugar.

She is hydrated i think, she drinks a lot of water, eats cucumbers and etc.
Can we use honey instead of molassa?

[Guga]

Guga, I am so happy that your squirrel is so much better. You are such a good person for trying to help your friend's squirrel as well. Your friends need to be VERY strict about the MBD protocol if this one is going to survive. She should be in a smaller cage, no higher than 20inches so if she falls she will not be badly hurt. Her bones are brittle right now. They must cut out the nuts and dried fruit from her diet immediately.

Is it possible for you to put our Emergency MBD Protocol into a translator for them? It is as follows:


Emergency Treatment for Metabolic Bone Disease (updated 3-31-09)

Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW. Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

You will need:

--Tums or calcium pills (any kind)
--a syringe, eyedropper, or spoon

Crush one Tums or calcium pill and add a little water or fruit juice. Use the syringe, eyedropper, or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone. Feed a total of 600-800 mg of calcium, and spread it out through the day and night to keep his blood calcium levels as steady as possible.

If the squirrel is having seizures, weakness, or paralysis, the symptoms will usually improve within a few hours, but this does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take many months to rebuild the calcium in the bones.

Long-Term Treatment for MBD

The next step to curing MBD is to fix the diet.

1. Remove ALL seeds, nuts, corn, and treats.

2. Follow the Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels, which can be found at the top of the “Squirrel Nutrition” forum. (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=16093 (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16093)) Your squirrel MUST eat rodent block or squirrel blocks every day. If your squirrel doesn't like rodent blocks, you can try crushing them up with peanut butter or avocado temporarily. You can also make a tastier version of squirrel blocks using the recipe at the top of the Squirrel Nutrition forum.

3. In addition to the Healthy Diet, you will need to continue giving extra calcium every day for several weeks. Either use the syringe/eyedropper or you can try putting the calcium on a small piece of fruit.

Week 1: calcium = 500 mg per day
Week 2: calcium = 250 mg per day
Weeks 3-8: calcium = 100 mg per day

The cause of the acute symptoms—weakness, lethargy, seizures, paralysis—is a drop in blood calcium levels. If these symptoms return at any time, you will need to give another emergency dose of calcium.

More Tips
MBD causes brittle bones that break easily. Try to keep your squirrel away from high places, where he might jump and break a bone. Also, if he is in a tall cage, either place him in a smaller cage, or pad the bottom very well.

Heat is very soothing for a squirrel with MBD. A heating pad turned to low and placed so they cannot chew the pad or cord, or a rice buddy (a sock filled with dry rice/beans and microwaved for about 20 seconds) will work.

(http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=403417)



Administration


Guga it is so important that they begin this immediately and stick with it! We are here to answer any and all of their questions, too. :)



Emergency Treatment for MBD was the first thing I thought when I saw her. I translate them this information and gave them Calcium Carbonate to give her strictly like there is written. I inform them that this is serious condition and that they shoud be very strict wit this treatment if they want her to survive.

[Guga]

Do the vitamins have vitamin D in them? D is necessary for the calcium to be absorbed, but too much is toxic.

Yes this vitamins have Vit.D.
They are VitaBon from Vitacraft company www.vitacraft.de

She is approx 200-210gr. and i told them to give her 1/6 tabl.