Please help- food seizures?

[princessleia]

Hi there, I am new on the board and I have a little baby that I rescued about 3 weeks ago. I believe him to be about 5-6 weeks old, his eyes opened a couple of days ago. He has had his ups and downs but lately has been eating really good and seemed to be doing great. However, I am really concerned b/c last night and this morning when I went to feed him, he keeps having those food seizure type episodes, where it looks like they are gasping for air, almost immediately after trying to have his formula(I have him on the Esbilac puppy formula). :( I managed to get about 4 cc's in him last night, but this morning was a big failure. I know that the seizure things are common, and he has had them before when I fed him, but he always got out of them very quickly and resumed eating. But this morning it was not good at all and he seemed very lethargic. :'(

Could there be something else going on? Do you have any suggestions on what I should try to do? I am very worried and upset, I really want this little guy to make it. Any ideas you have would be much appreciated. I have successfully raised another gray squirrel to adulthood many moons ago so I know the road can be a little rough when they are that little but he just looked so sad this morning, I thought I would reach out to see if anyone else has had this issue.

Thank you in advance for your help. :)

Lisa

[pappy1264]

Is he only doing it when you try to feed him? In other words, do you see any seizure activity outside of feeding? How much does he weigh? Try doing the syringe w/o the nipple.

[LaurelLynn]

Is it just when he's getting into feeding? Like a fish out of water (I don't know how else to explain)

Because some babies go into a feeding trance that looks alarming but is actually ok

[LaurelLynn]

Looks like this video I found on you tube

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg5_BbQbpP4

[princessleia]

Yes, it is only when he is feeding. Yes, exactly like a fish out of water! That is a perfect way to describe it. I know that it happens, and he has done it before but now it seems like every time he goes to eat, he gets one and can't eat anything. :( He does not "snap out of it" like he should. It's so sad and I don't want him to suffer and not be getting any formula in him. :(

I have been doing the syringe without the nipple from the start. That was how I fed my other baby before.

I am not sure how much he weighs but he always has a nice round belly after eating, and he seemed to be doing ok until last night.

I was going to get him some fruit to see if he would gnaw on some until we get past this phase but I am concerned that something else might be wrong? He normally eats really well, I thought he may have been choking himself or something but I always feed him very slowly.

[princessleia]

Looks like this video I found on you tube

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg5_BbQbpP4



This is exactly what he is doing.... but it is happening so often he can't really even eat at all. :(

[LaurelLynn]

I've had a couple that were like that no matter what I did. You can blow gently or wipe face with damp cloth but if nothing else, you can keep feeding while they are doing this. Just go slowly and be careful like when feeding any baby, but they still swallow and eat during the trance

[pappy1264]

Ok, first off, you need to know what he weighs, as you should be feeding him 5-7% of his body weight per feeding. You will need a scale the weighs in grams. How much and how often are you feeding?

[princessleia]

Ok, first off, you need to know what he weighs, as you should be feeding him 5-7% of his body weight per feeding. You will need a scale the weighs in grams. How much and how often are you feeding?

I do not have a scale, I will have to ask around to find one. He has been eating about 4 to 5 cc's 3 times a day. And he was eating very well up until these episodes started. I got him to finally get 4 down last night, this morning was only about 2. I got him some fruit and sweet potato when I was at lunch so hopefully he can try some of that until I can get some more formula into him.

[princessleia]

I've had a couple that were like that no matter what I did. You can blow gently or wipe face with damp cloth but if nothing else, you can keep feeding while they are doing this. Just go slowly and be careful like when feeding any baby, but they still swallow and eat during the trance


I noticed that when I wipe his face, it seems to snap him out of it. But not every time. It just looks like it is painful for him and made me worry. Ok cool, I was hoping he was still getting some down, I just was not sure. I am just concerned b/c of the frequency upon which they are happening.

[CritterMom]

I had a gaper and I used to bop him (gently) on top of the head with the syringe when he did it. It seemed as though the surprise would snap him out. You might try blowing in his face - short and sharp, not a gentle breeze! You may want to mess with the formula a bit too - a little warmer, maybe not AS warm...

[pappy1264]

Three feedings a day is not enough, he should be getting at least four at his age (depending on his weight, five even.)

[princessleia]

I had a gaper and I used to bop him (gently) on top of the head with the syringe when he did it. It seemed as though the surprise would snap him out. You might try blowing in his face - short and sharp, not a gentle breeze! You may want to mess with the formula a bit too - a little warmer, maybe not AS warm...

Ok, thank you so much, maybe I will make it a little warmer his next feeding. :) I was just not sure if something else was going on since he just started to do it so badly in the last couple of feedings. I will just keep on keeping on....he's a fighter and so am I. Determined to get this little guy back into the trees someday.

[LaurelLynn]

Three feedings a day is not enough, he should be getting at least four at his age (depending on his weight, five even.)

All mine that recently opened their eyes are at 4-5 feedings a day. The only ones who are only fed four times a day are the ones who started being not hungry at 5x day and were decreased.

This might be part of the reason for his feeding trance. ... he's over excited because he needs more frequent feeding :-)

[princessleia]

All mine that recently opened their eyes are at 4-5 feedings a day. The only ones who are only fed four times a day are the ones who started being not hungry at 5x day and were decreased.

This might be part of the reason for his feeding trance. ... he's over excited because he needs more frequent feeding :-)

Ok I am on it as soon as I get home. Thank you everyone for all of your help. :)

[pappy1264]

You can get a scale at Walmart. You really need to get one, so you can know how much to feed but also to keep an eye on his weight and make sure he is gaining properly.