Seem to be losing a whole litter of babies...

[SammysMom]

I took a litter of 4 babies the day before yesterday who had fallen from 20 - 25 feet. They were bumped and bruised, but seemed like hydration was the way to start and then move to formula. They were VERY emaciated. I lost 2 of them last night. They had seemingly perked up and then crashed. The crash sort of started with clicking that quickly changed to wheezing and other terrible breath sounds. They were given cipro at the very first click to no avail.
The two who remain are in really bad shape. One has a head tilt and the other a swelling on the side of the face. Can't tell if it is an abscess or not yet. I fear that I will lose her tonight. I started both of the remaining pair on cipro, but the face swelling one is now clicking. The question I have is, is it possible that their organs are failing and that the clicking is more from a lack of circulation than pneumonia?
I just don't know what to do at this point. Keeping them warm and hydrated. I hold them until they want to be put down. I hesitate to use the pred I was going to use because of the potential for an existing infection. I am so lost...:dono

[Nancy in New York]

Gayle, can you post a good picture of the one with the swelling?
I really wished I knew the answer to this one honey! :shakehead

[stepnstone]

Wish I had something positive to offer... :(
Maybe you are doing all that can be done,
your keeping them safe, warm and loved until
they are called to their next journey.
This too is important... :grouphug

[island rehabber]

:grouphug Gayle
Just got home and I'm seeing this now....are the two still with us?
Do you have doxycycline? If you do, I would stack it with the Cipro in the event that this is bordatella. The rapid onset of clicking and wheezing.....maybe.
If these babies were that emaciated they were up in that nest for a long time without mamma, before they finally fell. The trauma of the fall may have been too much for their emaciated little bodies....a lung may be collapsed, or other organ damage. :(

[Shewhosweptforest]

I'm so sorry Gayle :hug This is horrible:sadness I believe you're doing all that can be done....unfortunately, they appear to have the odds stacked against them. Sometimes, they're just too compromised :sniff and you have the hardest job...fighting a losing battle...but you're a true "trooper" like your vets at the VFW :great You don't give up:Love_Icon and these babies will know love and comfort for however long they have, I'm praying for a long time:bowdown :Love_Icon

[HRT4SQRLS]

I started both of the remaining pair on cipro, but the face swelling one is now clicking. The question I have is, is it possible that their organs are failing and that the clicking is more from a lack of circulation than pneumonia?
I just don't know what to do at this point. Keeping them warm and hydrated. I hold them until they want to be put down. I hesitate to use the pred I was going to use because of the potential for an existing infection. I am so lost...:dono

SM ... I wish I knew what the answer is for these poor babies. :sadness

As far as your question, I do think this is a pneumonia but it could be complicated by extreme inflammation of the airways. Circulation is more a function of the heart and hydration. Any condition that would affect circulation would cause decreased circulation to the extrimities like the legs and arms. The body will always try to maintain circulation to the body core where the vital organs are. If circulation is reduced to the vital organs, survival is unlikely.

A pneumonia that is advanced can cause septic shock as the bacteria enters the blood stream through inflamed capillaries in the lungs. Septic shock causes the blood pressure to drop very low and death follows.

I had a healthy 10 week old crash last year with clicking. I used Cipro with NO response, I added SMZ-TMP and no improvement. I was going to add prednisone to reduce the swelling of the airway. The baby died before I got home. I feel your pain. It was a helpless feeling. :sadness

I pray that these babies can hold on. If this a pneumonia that is not from aspiration, maybe the Cipro just won't work. IDK.

[HRT4SQRLS]

:grouphug Gayle
Just got home and I'm seeing this now....are the two still with us?
Do you have doxycycline? If you do, I would stack it with the Cipro in the event that this is bordatella. The rapid onset of clicking and wheezing.....maybe.
If these babies were that emaciated they were up in that nest for a long time without mamma, before they finally fell. The trauma of the fall may have been too much for their emaciated little bodies....a lung may be collapsed, or other organ damage. :(


That's a very good idea as the doxycycline would cover the atypical pneumonias including Bordetella and Mycoplasma.

[SammysMom]

Down to one...:sad Doxy is the ONE ab I don't have. I really do think it may have been circulatory as they all got cool to the touch shortly before they passed. They didn't seem to hold heat at all for a while. This last boy is holding his own. He has head tilt, but we will worry about that when he is feeling better. I simply couldn't bring myself to give prednisone with the possibility of infection. The immune suppressing properties just scared me...::shakehead I hope I didn't kill him by not giving it.
This little boy ate vigorously like none of them have yet. I had gone back to just hydrating using pediasure sidekicks for the last couple of feedings just to try to get them straightened out. I am so confused about them. They were just so far gone...I hope I didn't miss something...:sad

[island rehabber]

Down to one...:sad Doxy is the ONE ab I don't have. I really do think it may have been circulatory as they all got cool to the touch shortly before they passed. They didn't seem to hold heat at all for a while. This last boy is holding his own. He has head tilt, but we will worry about that when he is feeling better. I simply couldn't bring myself to give prednisone with the possibility of infection. The immune suppressing properties just scared me...::shakehead I hope I didn't kill him by not giving it.
This little boy ate vigorously like none of them have yet. I had gone back to just hydrating using pediasure sidekicks for the last couple of feedings just to try to get them straightened out. I am so confused about them. They were just so far gone...I hope I didn't miss something...:sad

I'm sure you didn't, Gayle. If you need doxy, want to drive halfway to me tomorrow and I'll give you some? :)

[Shewhosweptforest]

:Love_Icon :hug

[SammysMom]

Thank-you Maura. I am afraid that I am not able to do that tomorrow because of my work/baby schedule.
I actually think that Eunice may have some so I will call her tomorrow. I am supposed to be bringing her some supplies that I will share so it will work fine. Hopefully I will still need it tomorrow...:Love_Icon

[island rehabber]

Thank-you Maura. I am afraid that I am not able to do that tomorrow because of my work/baby schedule.
I actually think that Eunice may have some so I will call her tomorrow. I am supposed to be bringing her some supplies that I will share so it will work fine. Hopefully I will still need it tomorrow...:Love_Icon

IF Eunice doesn't have, let me know and I will drive it right up to you. :)

[Nancy in New York]

I'm so sorry Gayle that this little one passed. I know how hard you worked for them to have a good life.
I pray this little boy can stay healthy and not succumb to the conditions he is battling now.
Come on little one.........you can do it. :hug:Love_Icon:hug

Maura what a sweet offer to drive it to Gayle. :hug:Love_Icon:hug

[lennysmom]

:grouphug:grouphug

[SammysMom]

I can't thank-you enough, Maura. This is not a good way to start off the season...:shakehead

[Kristi S]

I know you've had heaps of experience, and because of that I doubt this is the reason, but I'll put it out there, anyway. If these babies were very emaciated and they were hydrated a bit too quickly, or there's some electrolyte balance issue going on (e.g. too much sodium), it's possible that they are getting pulmonary edema - lungs flooded with fluid. This can have a cardiac element - the heart can't handle a sharp rise in blood pressure brought on by something like a surge in blood volume. I suggest this because it seems kind of odd that they would all get pneumonia at once or have the same type of injury (another possibility) and right after they've come into your care. What have you been using for hydration, just out of curiosity?

Do you have oxygen on hand? That should help, regardless of the cause.

[TubeDriver]

I am so sorry!:grouphug:(

They were given the best chance possible by ending up with you but sometimes it is just not meant to be.:(


I don't know what else you could do? If it was pulmonary edema as was suggested, possibly treatments include diuretics and possibly steroid treatment. But giving diuretics and/or steroids to an emeciated, dehydrated, injured little squirrel would be very risky too.

I think that organ failure, pneumonia with sepsis, pulmonary edema are possibilities and you have given everything within your power to try and help these little ones. Sometimes they are just given to you in order for you to help them over. I am sorry and I pray for them and for you as well.:grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

Just checking in to see how the little one is doing. :hug

[island rehabber]

I took a litter of 4 babies the day before yesterday who had fallen from 20 - 25 feet. They were bumped and bruised, but seemed like hydration was the way to start and then move to formula. They were VERY emaciated.


This to me is the key to what happened here.....the bruising. We don't know the extent of internal injuries, and we never really CAN know the extent of internal injury. When an animal is in shock after a fall like this, organs are quiet so long as no systems are active (they're not drinking or eating). When hydration or feeding begin, injured organs are forced to activate again and that's where the trouble starts. I've seen this myself, once with four 7-wk olds who, despite sub-Q around the clock and nebulizing, all died the next day. SO sorry, Gayle.

[SammysMom]

Well, here is Bleu...named because the proverbial cheese stands alone. Adding a touch of levity to a terrible situation. He took formula this morning, though not as happily as last night. I will hydrate between, but try to get this boy to EAT! His head tilt is bad, but not as bad as it appears in the pics as he kept nodding off.
As always, thank you all for your help and kind words. I would be lost without TSB.:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

Awe precious little Bleu.........:Love_Icon
Gayle, is this a puncture mark on his little body?
Notice the color of the arrow, it's in honor of his name. :)
It doesn't look like there is bruising around it, thank goodness. :shakhead
It also looks like you may have put some antibacterial ointment on it! :thumbsup
http://nmognoni.smugmug.com/photos/i-DjhVV6W/0/L/i-DjhVV6W-L.jpg (http://nmognoni.smugmug.com/TSB-resizing-22315/n-S8DK9/i-DjhVV6W/A)

[stepnstone]

:grouphugGayle:grouphugBleu:grouphug

[lennysmom]

Aww Gayle, Bleu is so precious - his coloring reminds me so much of Nash.:Love_Icon Praying for this lone little one.:grouphug:grouphug

[stepnstone]

How is baby Bleu doing today?

[SammysMom]

Thanks guys for caring for my sweet Bleu. He is doing much better! Here are a few pics of him today. It is quite a miraculous turnaround in my opinion. I was so very sure that they would all succumb to starvation and trauma. Not Bleu...he is hanging in like a trooper! In no doubt, the prayers that come from all of the wonderful squeeps here in our TSB family are a HUGE reason for that miracle. Thank-you all for thinking of my sweet boy...:grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[stepnstone]

Wonderful! :w00t
He's a cute little tyke that's for sure! :Love_Icon

[HRT4SQRLS]

I'm happy to hear Bleu has turned the corner. :) Great news! :thumbsup

[island rehabber]

He looks Bleutiful !! :thumbsup

[SammysMom]

"Bleutiful" he is!!! Pretty funny when he growls and carries on during syringe swap too...lol

[lennysmom]

Yay, I am just so happy to reads that little Bleu is doing much better!:w00t This is the kind of news I love to wake up to. :) He pictures are precious.:Love_Icon

[Carol Lynn]

Great news about beautiful Bleu!!! What a handsome little man he is!!! :Love_Icon:Love_Icon

[Mommaluvy]

He looks fantastic .. And I can't remember who said ( maybe Nancy) about the bruising ... Man.. Once they have fur it so hard to see ... I think the fall or maybe internal injuries ...

Blue looks like your TLC has done its work.

[SammysMom]

Thanks Stephanie! It was a combo of things I believe. They were hours from death when they were found is my guess. I just prolonged it a little while...:dono

[Shewhosweptforest]

Just checking in on Bleu...I love Maura's "Bleutiful" :great He's so cute and feisty (it would appear) wrestling your hand....as hard as it was I'm so glad you were there to help the others move on :Love_Icon :bowdown

[SammysMom]

Bleautiful Bleu has gone neuro again. Head tilt is back with a vengence...:sad I love this darling boy and I would be ever so grateful if some TSB prayers could come his way...:Love_Icon

[Shewhosweptforest]

You know we're all praying for this sweet miracle boy :Love_Icon Bleu :Love_Icon

[SammysMom]

Thank-you Sweeper... He is a happy little tilty boy... Runs around like a loon and has a great time biting everyone else in the cage...:Love_Icon

[Annabelle's papa]

:grouphug

[stepnstone]

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/christian/prayer-smiley-emoticon.png Prayers sent...

[redwuff]

Hey Gayle,

Just saw this thread. Sounds like a tough loss to see your other three babies die w/out being able to help.

Bleu is a beautiful boy. Sorry to hear about his head tilt. It seems odd that this head tilt would 'come back' with a vengance unless there were some kind of event like a possible stroke or even a parasite that could cause brain damage.

Marty and I just lost a sweet little baby girl whose autopsy showed a pinhole leak in her bladder. All she wanted to do was eat one last time, but we could not get her to pee and her abdomen was filling with fluid.

Wishing you the best. Hope your baby season goes smoother than it has started.

Trysh

[island rehabber]

oh Trysh how horribly sad......poor little baby.....
Regarding Blue, I am also thinking parasites. I wonder if a round of Panacur or the like would be a good idea? :dono

[SammysMom]

I am so sorry to hear about your baby, Trysh! Godspeed little one...:Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon
Please tell me what parasites I am possibly dealing with that would cause this tilt to come back. Is Panacur the only choice for treatment or is there anything else? I have to go look through my meds for Panacur, but I am not too sure that I have that one.
He is as bright as the sun and just wants to play when he isn't in the big squirrel pile in his cube. Gosh, I pray he is going to be okay...:Love_Icon