I think my baby (9wks) has pneumonia

[pamela26]

First, thank you for allowing me to be a part of this group :) I got Gilbert at 2 weeks old. He's recently been eating kale, grapes, blackberries, green beans, broccoli, strawberries. Yesterday I noticed he wasn't awake when I got up to get ready for work. He didn't come out from covers until late morning and was just not himself. He at at the front of his cage falling asleep sitting up. He was cold to the touch. I took him outside immediately and he just curled up in my lap, breathing fast, closed eyes. I couldn't reach my amazing go to rehabber friend so I sent my gf to the store for Pedialyte and calcium pills and got that in him immediately. When I got home with him I noticed a "clicking" when he was breathing. I was terrified he wouldn't make it thru the night. I text my rehabber at 5 am saying I think he has pneumonia. She sent me to another lady and she gave me amoxicillin and baytril. I gave him a small dose and within an hour and a half he was nibbling on my fingers so I've been letting him luck yogurt off to get something in him. Please, any info/suggestions are very welcome! I will try to attach a photo of him.

[stepnstone]

First, thank you for allowing me to be a part of this group :) I got Gilbert at 2 weeks old. He's recently been eating kale, grapes, blackberries, green beans, broccoli, strawberries. Yesterday I noticed he wasn't awake when I got up to get ready for work. He didn't come out from covers until late morning and was just not himself. He at at the front of his cage falling asleep sitting up. He was cold to the touch. I took him outside immediately and he just curled up in my lap, breathing fast, closed eyes. I couldn't reach my amazing go to rehabber friend so I sent my gf to the store for Pedialyte and calcium pills and got that in him immediately. When I got home with him I noticed a "clicking" when he was breathing. I was terrified he wouldn't make it thru the night. I text my rehabber at 5 am saying I think he has pneumonia. She sent me to another lady and she gave me amoxicillin and baytril. I gave him a small dose and within an hour and a half he was nibbling on my fingers so I've been letting him luck yogurt off to get something in him. Please, any info/suggestions are very welcome! I will try to attach a photo of him.

What did you give him the Amoxy or the Baytril and how was it dosed, was it dosed by weight?
What is the formula he is eating?
I see your diet does not list any rodent block?

[pamela26]

He's still on milk 3 times a day. Esbilac /goat mix due to a scare early on. He's really done quite well. We changed nipples and I believe that's what caused this. He got baytril dose about 9:30 this morning. He's eating some yogurt and avocado!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Hi pamela26
Welcome to TheSquirrelBoard

Here is a video of the proper feeding technique. It is a video in post #1 of this link. http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36776-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE!!

The nipple should be pointed upward so that milk doesn't run into the lungs.

We can help you dose the Baytril correctly by weight if that is needed. I'm glad you got him started STAT because they fail very fast with pneumonia.

He doesn't need the calcium supplement while he is on formula. :thumbsup He is getting plenty of calcium from it.
I have had a couple of squirrels that just LOVED yogurt. It is very good for him. :tilt

[pamela26]

Thank you so much! He latched on twice and got more than he needed. New syringe so it was flowing! I only gave calcium yesterday, as he was so sick and lethargic I was afraid it was MBD. Since I couldn't get him to drink anything I thought yogurt would be easy to lick. (SO glad that you confirmed is ok! ) he's still not wanting anything so I disguised a couple of chunks of avocado under yogurt and he actually grabbed them when he came across them and ate them up! I just chose what I thought would give nutrition as well as not be hard for him to eat. He's 180-200g. Would love proper dose so I can give this evening. I cried when he actually devoured first bit of yogurt. Lol
Thank you again!
Pam

[HRT4SQRLS]

Thank you so much! He latched on twice and got more than he needed. New syringe so it was flowing! I only gave calcium yesterday, as he was so sick and lethargic I was afraid it was MBD. Since I couldn't get him to drink anything I thought yogurt would be easy to lick. (SO glad that you confirmed is ok! ) he's still not wanting anything so I disguised a couple of chunks of avocado under yogurt and he actually grabbed them when he came across them and ate them up! I just chose what I thought would give nutrition as well as not be hard for him to eat. He's 180-200g. Would love proper dose so I can give this evening. I cried when he actually devoured first bit of yogurt. Lol
Thank you again!
Pam

Is the Baytril liquid or a tablet? We will need the concentration of the solution or the milligrams of the tablet.

[pamela26]

She put some in a syringe for me. I believe she said it was 20 mg.

[HRT4SQRLS]

:thinking Do you think it might have been 25mg?
http://animalhealth.bayer.com/ah/5248.0.html

I found this oral solution of Baytril that is 25mg/ml on this link.
We don't like to guess. Approximately how much did she say to give and I can try to calculate it backwards if it seems correct. I'm just curious if the amount seems to be in the ballpark. Without the exact concentration, we can't dose it.

[pamela26]

I'm waiting on her answer. I gave a very small dose this morning to just get it in him. She gave me a small amount of pdr amoxy as well. I thought baytril was the better choice since he was so sick.

[stepnstone]

I'm waiting on her answer. I gave a very small dose this morning to just get it in him. She gave me a small amount of pdr amoxy as well. I thought baytril was the better choice since he was so sick.

Baytril is the better choice and not as hard on their stomach as Amoxy.
Still need to give a probiotic 2 hours before or after giving an ab.

[island rehabber]

She put some in a syringe for me. I believe she said it was 20 mg.

Just chiming in here, guys. It MIGHT be 20....I just bought a brand new bottle of Baytril from my vet and to my surprise the strength is 20 mg/ml, NOT 22.7 or 25, which is what we're all used to. :dono

[pamela26]

I haven't heard back from her. Idk whether to give the baytril this evening or mix the amoxy. He is doing much better! Even drank 12cc formula!:grin3

[stepnstone]

I haven't heard back from her. Idk whether to give the baytril this evening or mix the amoxy. He is doing much better! Even drank 12cc formula!:grin3

Stick with the baytril.
How much were you told to give and how often?
It either has to be a dosed for a full 24 hours or split between 12.

[pamela26]

O.2 from a 1.0 syringe. I will look when I get back. She filled a 1.0 cc syringe to give me plenty.

[pamela26]

Amoxy dose was .20cc 2x a day, but I went with baytril because he was seriously near death. Don't want to give too much. Anything I need to keep an eye out for? His energy and appetite are so good I don't want to do anything to set him back.

[HRT4SQRLS]

If you gave 0.2ml I would not give another dose today.

If the 20 mg/ml is correct that dose is too large so today's dose has been delivered and then some. :tilt

The Baytril saved his life, it's OK. As long as he has an appetite and energy, you're headed in the right direction.

[island rehabber]

Amoxy dose was .20cc 2x a day, but I went with baytril because he was seriously near death. Don't want to give too much. Anything I need to keep an eye out for? His energy and appetite are so good I don't want to do anything to set him back.

Very smart to go with the Baytril. It is faster and more effective for pneumonia than any of the other drugs and causes the least amount of GI issues, in my experience.
Keep him well-hydrated, even when you think he may not even need it. ABX do cause dehydration to some extent.

[pamela26]

So I would have known if I had given too much? Yes, if she hadn't given these to me he would surely have died.

[Nancy in New York]

Seems to me that the Baytril dose of 0.2 is for a 500 gram squirrel.
IF your little one weighs 180-200 grams this dose is too high.
IF the Baytril is 22.7 mg/ml the dose would be 0.08 for the ENTIRE day.

Typically we like to dose twice daily, which would then be 0.04 twice, 12 hours apart.

Are you saying that your Baytril is 20 mg/ml?

[Nancy in New York]

I can't stress this enough. ALWAYS give a probiotic 2 hours prior or 2 hours after dosing any antibiotic. Do this every time before or after administering.
I get the probitocis capsules from CVS.
Pull them apart and add a tiny bit (~ 1/4 top of pencil eraser) to formula or anything he likes to eat.

[pamela26]

I just have organic yogurt but will Def get some tomorrow. for future rescues, what if I do give too much? I want to have all info I can possibly get.

[Nancy in New York]

I just have organic yogurt but will Def get some tomorrow. for future rescues, what if I do give too much? I want to have all info I can possibly get.

Do you mean if you give her too much antibiotics?
If you think you gave too much antibiotics, I believe the only thing you can do
is hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and also stimulate, even if they are older and no longer need stimulation, it
will force the urine out.
We use the Wild Mammal Babies Book most of the time to dose.
You will have to figure out strengths etc. and do some math, but after you
get the right strength, you dose according to the chart.
The only place I have found this book is at Squirrels and More.
http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/rehab-supplies/books-for-animal-enthusiasts.html

[pamela26]

I'll get that, too. Thank you both so, so much! This has been quite a scare for sure!

[Nancy in New York]

I'll get that, too. Thank you both so, so much! This has been quite a scare for sure!


Never a problem helping, that's what we're here for.
IF you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. :hug