Chipmunk baby - foot bitten off.

[Fireweed]

Found this baby just now trying to crawl across the road. S/he has an oldish wound (it isn't bleeding) that is still red with a splinter of bone sticking out from what I can tell at this time. Lots of fleas. As soon as I put him in my glove he went to sleep. He's in a safe container right now. I am starting hydration.
Do I do anything about the fleas at this time or should I wait? Also, wrap the leg? Put anything on it first? What antibiotic is best? I've yet to weigh him. Gonna try pedialyte first and will let you know then how much he weighs.
Anything else right now?

[Nancy in New York]

Found this baby just now trying to crawl across the road. S/he has an oldish wound (it isn't bleeding) that is still red with a splinter of bone sticking out from what I can tell at this time. Lots of fleas. As soon as I put him in my glove he went to sleep. He's in a safe container right now. I am starting hydration.
Do I do anything about the fleas at this time or should I wait? Also, wrap the leg? Put anything on it first? What antibiotic is best? I've yet to weigh him. Gonna try pedialyte first and will let you know then how much he weighs.
Anything else right now?

I would let him rest for a while before tackling the fleas. Do you have any type of safe flea spray that you can spray on a tissue and wipe him down? If so, do that. If not and you need to bathe him, let him relax for a while first.
Do you have Silvadene cream? If so, I would flush the wound out, and then apply the cream. I don't know what good wrapping would do, other than keep it clean, but this may also irritate him more having something wrapped around, and most likely won't stay anyway.

Do you have Clavamox? What abs. do you have?

[CritterMom]

I would see if you can wipe him down with some water that has dishwashing soap in in - not real strong - and wipe that off and get him warm and dry again - it won't get all of the fleas but a fair number. Poor baby.

Do you have silvadene cream? I would put some on there and see if you can cover it maybe with some vetwrap (not tight). I think I would hold on even doing a lot of cleaning up - he's shocky now and a little more time isn't gonna matter, especially if you get the silvadene on him. I think you need to stabilize him before you complete the de-fleaing and possibly cleaning up the amputation.

What do you have for antibiotics?
And pain meds - he could at least have some ibuprophen.

[CritterMom]

Get out of my brain, Nancy.

[Fireweed]

Ok, I've got vet wrap and silvadene. I'll apply a little silvadene and try to lightly wrap it (or leave it be depending on how he takes the wrap). The wound looks relatively good (but mangled) so I think I can wait a bit for a thorough clean-up anyway.

Was able to pick some fleas off - so a light wipe down with dawn and a good dry might work for now. Will do that later when I clean him up. I'll give him a chance to rest.
I have him on low heat but he keeps moving off. Never a good sign.

I've got tramadol and ibuprofen. I've got clavamox (one tablet augmentin 875). Lots of cipro and metro and clyndamicin.
I'll be back with a weight if you can help me with dosing.
Thanks, friends.

ETA: He weighs 38 grams

[TubeDriver]

Sounds like you have what might be needed!:thumbsup

He is probably shocky so quiet, warmth, darkness and a fleece to hide under for a couple hours would be great. Offer him some water, hydration can help with his blood pressure which is probably low due to blood loss and shock.




Ok, I've got vet wrap and silvadene. I'll apply a little silvadene and try to lightly wrap it (or leave it be depending on how he takes the wrap). The wound looks relatively good (but mangled) so I think I can wait a bit for a thorough clean-up anyway.

Was able to pick some fleas off - so a light wipe down with dawn and a good dry might work for now. Will do that later when I clean him up. I'll give him a chance to rest.
I have him on low heat but he keeps moving off. Never a good sign.

I've got tramadol and ibuprofen. I've got clavamox (one tablet augmentin 875). Lots of cipro and metro and clyndamicin.
I'll be back with a weight if you can help me with dosing.
Thanks, friends.

ETA: He weighs 1.34oz

[Fireweed]

Scratch the one tablet of clavamox - I got a whole bottle.

He weighs 38g.

[CritterMom]

Excellent. What size is the tramadol? I would like to get some major pain meds on board right away - if he doesn't hurt so much the shock may get better.

[Nancy in New York]

Excellent. What size is the tramadol? I would like to get some major pain meds on board right away - if he doesn't hurt so much the shock may get better.

CM are you going to dose or do you want me to write it out?

[Nancy in New York]

CM are you going to dose or do you want me to write it out?

I just sent the dosing for this, is the Tramadol 50 mg?

[Fireweed]

What size is the tramadol?
50mg

[Nancy in New York]

50mg

Just sent.:thumbsup :Love_Icon

[CritterMom]

You are getting the info you need. Hydrate, hydrate and get the tramadol into him. I'd give him a few hours rest after that and then start the clavamox. I just want to get him a little more comfortable and the tramadol should do that.

He's gonna need probiotics, too. At least two hours before or after his meds.

[PearlofaSquirrel]

Poor baby! Good thing you got to him when you did! :grouphug:Love_Icon

[Fireweed]

Ok, got all the info. Thanks all!
Will let you know how he is later tonight. He moved on to the heat and under the fleece after he got some pedialyte so that's good.

[Nancy in New York]

Ok, got all the info. Thanks all!
Will let you know how he is later tonight. He moved on to the heat and under the fleece after he got some pedialyte so that's good.

That is good. I really hate when they move off the heat. :shakehead

[Fireweed]

Well, scratch the baby part. I'm thinking he's an underweight adult. They usually weigh between 42-53g. Don't know much about Least Chipmunks. I know this: He's the smallest thing I've ever fed! Tiiiiiiny leetle fingers.

He was much more alert when I went in to give his meds. And he tried to eat the nipple sucking down some more pedialyte. He's now taken about 10cc all together with little encouragement. Got the tram and clav into him, too.
So things are definitely looking better.

What's so lucky for this little dude is that Moss was going to town to pick up mail. I said Hey, I wanna go. Get out of this house for a change so I don't have to worry about the squirrels for at least an hour. There's been more than enough horrible squirrel events this spring to last me several years so I thought a drive would be somewhat relaxing. But 4 miles down the road I saw this guy on my side crawling slowly out into the middle. A truck with three hunting dogs had passed him not five seconds before we came upon him. Thank goodness he wasn't farther into the road.

This can be taken out of the emergency section now.

[Nancy in New York]

Well, scratch the baby part. I'm thinking he's an underweight adult. They usually weigh between 42-53g. Don't know much about Least Chipmunks. I know this: He's the smallest thing I've ever fed! Tiiiiiiny leetle fingers.

He was much more alert when I went in to give his meds. And he tried to eat the nipple sucking down some more pedialyte. He's now taken about 10cc all together with little encouragement. Got the tram and clav into him, too.
So things are definitely looking better.

What's so lucky for this little dude is that Moss was going to town to pick up mail. I said Hey, I wanna go. Get out of this house for a change so I don't have to worry about the squirrels for at least an hour. There's been more than enough horrible squirrel events this spring to last me several years so I thought a drive would be somewhat relaxing. But 4 miles down the road I saw this guy on my side crawling slowly out into the middle. A truck with three hunting dogs had passed him not five seconds before we came upon him. Thank goodness he wasn't farther into the road.

This can be taken out of the emergency section now.

Well I definitely think someone was watching out for this little one!
Seriously, what are the chances of this happening? :thinking :dono
Sounds like he is definitely on the right road now that he has you as his angel. :Love_Icon

[island rehabber]

Fireweed thank goodness you saw this poor little one! You got excellent advice here from Crit and NINY so I'll just be thankful that this little chippie is in your hands. Remember that they are fast as lightning, even when they're injured or ill, so keep a lid on that container. :grin2

[stosh2010]

O.K.
The little guy is stabilized...
1---need a photo
2-- need a name

(When you find the time....)

[UDoWhat]

Fireweed thank goodness you saw this poor little one! You got excellent advice here from Crit and NINY so I'll just be thankful that this little chippie is in your hands. Remember that they are fast as lightning, even when they're injured or ill, so keep a lid on that container. :grin2

Not to mention can slip out of your hands like a silky shapeshifter of some kind. Crazy little things!! Also, they do not mind biting you one little bit!!:)

[Fireweed]

O.K.
The little guy is stabilized...
1---need a photo
2-- need a name

(When you find the time....)
Hi, Stosh! :Love_Icon I'm gonna have to wait for Moss to help me. No way I'm trying to take a photo of this little guy without help. He's getting faster, and soon he'll be easily slippin through my big paws. Unfortunately, we have him in a suboptimal cage. Not sure if he'll be able to squeeze through the half inch bar spacing on the other one I have and I'm not taking the chance. Hopefully I can get a photo of this cutie soon! No way he's as cute as your JD though. Hee.

[Fireweed]

Not to mention can slip out of your hands like a silky shapeshifter of some kind. Crazy little things!! Also, they do not mind biting you one little bit!!:)
UDOWHAT! :blowkiss This little one is very docile (so far) which has surprised me. Hasn't tried to get away from me, hasn't struggled, hasn't bit (yet). He is obviously feeling much better because he's been out and about the cage and he crawls pretty fast. He's now taking some diluted milk without hesitation. Still loves his sugar-water (I took the salt out).

It's freaking me out how tiny he is for an adult. How do people handle these guys? I can't imagine it's going to get easier... Where's the Least Chipmunk experts around this place? :poke

Update:
I named him Wabi-Sabi. :)
He is all cleaned, silvadene on. No wrap though. I couldn't get it to stick to his tiny leg. He hasn't touched it yet (fingers crossed) so I'll see how this goes.

He has a big, long, old wound on the right side of his head and over his ear. The ear is flat on that side, too. He has a rather large wound on his left hip and I'm not positive but it looks like I can see some bone there. He has a couple of other smaller wounds about his torso. He's still got a toe left on his bad leg but the biting moves up his leg a bit - I wonder if he chewed his own foot (please, no). He drags that leg around like there is no feeling in it.

[Nancy in New York]

Boy I would love to know his story! :shakehead
It sounds like whatever happened to him, was quite serious. :(
I also wonder how in the heck he made it out of the situation and is
still alive. Poor little peanut. :Love_Icon
LOVE the name. You don't hear that one too often. :tilt:highfive
:Love_Icon Wabi-Sabi :Love_Icon

[stosh2010]

ETA: He weighs 38 grams

YIKES-----------38 grams is what the Cruiser DUDE eats for Breakfast.

[tomcics]

Boy I would love to know his story! :shakehead
It sounds like whatever happened to him, was quite serious. :(
I also wonder how in the heck he made it out of the situation and is
still alive. Poor little peanut. :Love_Icon
LOVE the name. You don't hear that one too often. :tilt:highfive
:Love_Icon Wabi-Sabi :Love_Icon



Ditto to that post Nancy. Wabi-Sabi is very cool name too.

FireWeed, trust me the chips can fit thru very narrow openings in cages, occasionally I catch one squeezing under small crack under door (head looks about quarter of an inch thick then), brings to mind the X-Files episode 'Squeeze' :)

[stosh2010]

LOVE the name. You don't hear that one too often. :tilt:highfive
:Love_Icon Wabi-Sabi :Love_Icon


Wabi-sabi (侘寂?)
represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".[2] It is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence (三法印 sanbōin?), specifically impermanence (無常 mujō?), the other two being suffering (苦 ku?) and emptiness or absence of self-nature (空 kū?).
Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes

[UDoWhat]

Remember chippies are very much like squirrels when it comes to their health care and feeding. Their habitat being the major difference. ( Not to state the obvious). :grin3 However, when it comes to medications, wound management, feeding schedules, formula, solid foods, etc., these factors are all very much like squirrels. Wabi Sabi (love the name and its meaning) will most likely rather be covered or wrapped up to be examined and fed. Remember, his natural habitat includes being underground. He lives in small chambers and maneuvers through small tunnels. Not a lot of light or wide spaces. AND once again a word to the wise, feed and care for him in a small space where you can easily catch him when he does his shapeshifing thing and melts out of your hands before your eyes. Chippies are fun like that!! :serene Can't wait to see pictures when you get a chance.

[Bravo]

Sakes... what a little warrior. Take care, little Wabi Sabi. :grouphug

:chip2