SquirrelRefuge
03-31-2015, 02:00 AM
I have received a request for help from a man in India with a very sick palm squirrel.
Attached is the picture (its small so Im trying to get a better one). The squirrel has swelling around its mouth. below is the email followed by questions I asked and his responses. I'm thinking it may be an abscess or a infection of the tooth but he said he provided SMZ-TMP with no improvement.
He says he has access to a vet and can get whatever medications are recommended; however, the vet has no experience with squirrels.
I'm thinking the vet should try to drain the area and use a stronger antibiotic with metacam for discomfort. Any thoughts on that?
Original Email:
My daughter rescued a squirrel and looked after her for 31/2 years. She(Choti) has developed a kind of an infection in her right side of the chin and not able to open her mouth and eat. We are feeding her liquid food through the left side. She constantly wants people to hold and caress her. Sending you photos of the infection. Please advise treatment if you can diagnose from the photos. It is very difficult for us as we do not have veterinary doctors who know much about squirrels. Choti is an Indian Palm squirrel.
We have so far tried her on antibiotics septran and then later on aciclovir and local application of betadyne.
Indian Palms are quite small, about 100 grams as adults. This is an adult. Septran is a brand name for SMZ-TMP and acyclovir is an antiviral.
Questions Ive asked so far and responses
Q. When did you first notice the problem and how rapidly did it develop? How long has she been like this?
A. the symptoms appeared a month back. For the first 2 weeks it looked like a small boil but within the next week it swelled up and reddened, the hair around fell. About a month she has been like this.
Q. What was her normal diet like before and what are you feeding her now?
A. She eats cucumbers, corn bread, multigrain bread, tender coconut, sometimes pinenuts and almonds, muesli. Now she is not able to eat from the infected side. Keeps going to the kitchen and drinks milk with some biscuits soaked in it. She is unable to open the mouth so tilts her face and drinks the milk which she never drank before. I will advise that a change in diet is in order
Q. How are her bottom teeth? Do both of them appear healthy and straight?
A. The bottom teeth are yellowish and does not look healthy but are straight He may not be aware that tooth discoloration is normal.
Q. Does the squirrels breath smell different from normal or does the wound smell?
A. breath does smell different. Actually we cannot make out where the smell comes from her breadth or from the wound as she is not able to open the mouth.
Q. When you press on the area is it firm, soft or lumpy?
A. The wound area is slightly soft and lumpy.
Q. Is it warmer than the healthy side of her face?
A. It is warmer than the healthy side.
Q. Is there any fluid or pus draining either from inside the mouth or from the cheek?
A. There is discharge (white) from the eye.
Attached is the picture (its small so Im trying to get a better one). The squirrel has swelling around its mouth. below is the email followed by questions I asked and his responses. I'm thinking it may be an abscess or a infection of the tooth but he said he provided SMZ-TMP with no improvement.
He says he has access to a vet and can get whatever medications are recommended; however, the vet has no experience with squirrels.
I'm thinking the vet should try to drain the area and use a stronger antibiotic with metacam for discomfort. Any thoughts on that?
Original Email:
My daughter rescued a squirrel and looked after her for 31/2 years. She(Choti) has developed a kind of an infection in her right side of the chin and not able to open her mouth and eat. We are feeding her liquid food through the left side. She constantly wants people to hold and caress her. Sending you photos of the infection. Please advise treatment if you can diagnose from the photos. It is very difficult for us as we do not have veterinary doctors who know much about squirrels. Choti is an Indian Palm squirrel.
We have so far tried her on antibiotics septran and then later on aciclovir and local application of betadyne.
Indian Palms are quite small, about 100 grams as adults. This is an adult. Septran is a brand name for SMZ-TMP and acyclovir is an antiviral.
Questions Ive asked so far and responses
Q. When did you first notice the problem and how rapidly did it develop? How long has she been like this?
A. the symptoms appeared a month back. For the first 2 weeks it looked like a small boil but within the next week it swelled up and reddened, the hair around fell. About a month she has been like this.
Q. What was her normal diet like before and what are you feeding her now?
A. She eats cucumbers, corn bread, multigrain bread, tender coconut, sometimes pinenuts and almonds, muesli. Now she is not able to eat from the infected side. Keeps going to the kitchen and drinks milk with some biscuits soaked in it. She is unable to open the mouth so tilts her face and drinks the milk which she never drank before. I will advise that a change in diet is in order
Q. How are her bottom teeth? Do both of them appear healthy and straight?
A. The bottom teeth are yellowish and does not look healthy but are straight He may not be aware that tooth discoloration is normal.
Q. Does the squirrels breath smell different from normal or does the wound smell?
A. breath does smell different. Actually we cannot make out where the smell comes from her breadth or from the wound as she is not able to open the mouth.
Q. When you press on the area is it firm, soft or lumpy?
A. The wound area is slightly soft and lumpy.
Q. Is it warmer than the healthy side of her face?
A. It is warmer than the healthy side.
Q. Is there any fluid or pus draining either from inside the mouth or from the cheek?
A. There is discharge (white) from the eye.