Very Worried New Squirrel Mom

[NewSquirrelMom]

I cant help but think my little baby is suffering and Im not doing the right things despite all the research I have done in the 2 weeks that I have had her. When I got her she was not a pinkie but she also didnt have any hair yet but slightly grey. She now has some hair on her head and is starting to get a little bushy tail. Some very fine hairs on the rest of her body and fuzzies on her arms and legs.

I feel like she is not growing at the right pace. I do not know how big she should be for the age I think she is. I believe she is about 4 weeks old but she barely weighs 51g.

She has seemed to lose her appetite recently. She used to eagerly suckle at the bottle but now she will barely open her mouth. I had feared that she was still dehydrated so I have been giving her some pedialyte in between feedings to help rehydrate her.

I just want her to be strong and healthy. She can barely lift her head. She does not have pneumonia or any other obvious ailment that I can see.

Please if any of you can give me guidance and pointers I would so greatly appreciate it!!
I worry constantly she will pass away on me just because she seems so weak sometimes.

Thank you!

[CritterMom]

I see in your other thread that you are using the right esbilac.

How are you making it? How much water, how much powder? Are you adding anything else?

How much are you feeding and how often?

Are you using a 1cc syringe? Has she ever aspirated? Got the snorts and had formula come out her nose?

You mentioned that you have been offering hydration off and on. Dehydration can wipe out their appetite. At this point I would use just sugar water - a teaspoon of sugar to a cup of water. I would give her a bit IN BETWEEN her normal feedings.

[Sara in NW MS]

What formula are you feeding her and how many cc's does she get per feeding? Are you keeping her on heat with the option of getting off it? Are you sure she didn't aspirate at all? I noticed you mentioned bottle and they can aspirate easily with a bottle. A 1cc syringe is the best choice when it comes to feeding.

Some more experienced people should answer you soon.

Some pictures might be helpful also.

[Sara in NW MS]

CritterMom beat me to it. :grin3

[Spanky]

She used to eagerly suckle at the bottle but now she will barely open her mouth.

Ditch the "bottle" and get a syringe to feed her. Throw it away right now! Ask the pharmacy for a 1ML syringe to feed a kitten (just easier).

[NewSquirrelMom]

I have syringes but they are not 1cc they are 10ml ones that I got from my pharmacy. I give her about 2cc each feeding or as much as she is willing to take. I have her on a heating pad half off of her plastic container. I mix 1 part powder 2 parts liquid and 1/4 part heavy cream as i have heard from many people. I am currently waiting on my supplies to be delivered from Fox Valley. I ordered propper syringes with the small mothering nipples and the 20/50 Day One Formula.

I am trying my best to do it right. I first started out with the syringe but when i would go to let some liquid out it would jut out of the syringe and get on her face no matter how slow I would try to feed her the syringe was just cheap i think and just not proper for feeding a tiny baby. I only switched to the bottle because it would let me get out one drop at a time.

Yes she has aspirated before in the begging when I first got her from my lack of knowledge. But I do not hear crackling in her chest when I put her up to my ear and I dont hear her struggling to breathe like the videos and posts I have seen on this forum.

I appriciate all of your advice please keep it coming I'm so worried about my Piper! She is really dehydrated, I know but it just doesnt seem to be getting better. I will try to keep rehydrating her. Here are a few pictures of her back from when I first found her until just recently to show you all the progress she has made. I have only had her for 2 weeks. How old do you guys think she is?

[NewSquirrelMom]

I have syringes but they are not 1cc they are 10ml ones that I got from my pharmacy. I give her about 2cc each feeding or as much as she is willing to take. I have her on a heating pad half off of her plastic container. I mix 1 part powder 2 parts liquid and 1/4 part heavy cream as i have heard from many people. I am currently waiting on my supplies to be delivered from Fox Valley. I ordered propper syringes with the small mothering nipples and the 20/50 Day One Formula.

I am trying my best to do it right. I first started out with the syringe but when i would go to let some liquid out it would jut out of the syringe and get on her face no matter how slow I would try to feed her the syringe was just cheap i think and just not proper for feeding a tiny baby. I only switched to the bottle because it would let me get out one drop at a time.

Yes she has aspirated before in the begging when I first got her from my lack of knowledge. But I do not hear crackling in her chest when I put her up to my ear and I dont hear her struggling to breathe like the videos and posts I have seen on this forum.

I appriciate all of your advice please keep it coming I'm so worried about my Piper! She is really dehydrated, I know but it just doesnt seem to be getting better. I will try to keep rehydrating her. Here are a few pictures of her back from when I first found her until just recently to show you all the progress she has made. I have only had her for 2 weeks. How old do you guys think she is?

here are 2 more current pictures of her

[CritterMom]

OK, drop the heavy cream from the recipe. It may be too much for her right now. Just make the esbilac 2 water to 1 powder.

I have a nagging feeling that despite the no obvious symptoms, that this one has aspiration pneumonia. The bottles will do that and so will a 10cc syringe. That is why everyone uses the 1cc - you have to refill them often but they dispense the formula in such small amounts it is MUCH easier to prevent it.

Continue hydrating her. Do you have access to any antibiotics? Ideal would be Cipro. Women take it for UTIs and it is also prescribed for upper respiratory issues. Ask you friends. You would only need one. Hopefully she doesn't need it but if I were you I would start lining it up now.

If you need to dose her you will need to know the size in milligrams of the pill, the weight of the squirrel, and you MUST have a 1cc syringe to dose with.

In the meantime, hydrate, hydrate and keep her warm.

[HRT4SQRLS]

NSM, what are you using for hydration fluid? I would use the homemade solution. They seem to take it better than the store bought Pedialyte.

1 quart warm water
3 Tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt

I get very concerned when a baby gets lethargic and has a loss of appetite. I ALWAYS worry about aspiration pneumonia even if I can't hear the clicking. Just to be on the safe side I would go ahead and try to locate an antibiotic to have on hand just in case. When you hear the clicking, it is critical at that point and hours can make the difference between life and death. The best antibiotic is Ciprofloxacin or Baytril. One tablet would be sufficient. If you can't get that, others might work. We could help you dose it if it becomes necessary.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I have a nagging feeling that despite the no obvious symptoms, that this one has aspiration pneumonia. The bottles will do that and so will a 10cc syringe. That is why everyone uses the 1cc - you have to refill them often but they dispense the formula in such small amounts it is MUCH easier to prevent it.

I have the same feeling.

[NewSquirrelMom]

NSM, what are you using for hydration fluid? I would use the homemade solution. They seem to take it better than the store bought Pedialyte.

1 quart warm water
3 Tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt

I get very concerned when a baby gets lethargic and has a loss of appetite. I ALWAYS worry about aspiration pneumonia even if I can't hear the clicking. Just to be on the safe side I would go ahead and try to locate an antibiotic to have on hand just in case. When you hear the clicking, it is critical at that point and hours can make the difference between life and death. The best antibiotic is Ciprofloxacin or Baytril. One tablet would be sufficient. If you can't get that, others might work. We could help you dose it if it becomes necessary.

I will have to go out and buy some sugar all I have on hand is Sweet N Low. Also I have all the proper supplies on their way I hope they come in time. So should I just focus on hydrating and not on the formula?

I also dont have any antibiotics. My local rehabber wont get in touch with me. I got her cell phone number from our DFW Wildlife Coalition and they direct locals to their rehabber, I leave voicemails but she never returns my call.

[CritterMom]

The Cipro is a human drug - one of your friends or relatives may have one left over. It happens a lot. The stuff works really fast and lots of people don't finish their prescription. It doesn't matter what size it is as long as we know.

PLEASE get the syringe. They can and will suck the formula down way too fast on their own.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I will have to go out and buy some sugar all I have on hand is Sweet N Low. Also I have all the proper supplies on their way I hope they come in time. So should I just focus on hydrating and not on the formula?.

The baby needs hydration AND formula but hydration is critical right now. No, the Sweet and Low won't work. If you have the store bought hydration (Pedialyte) I would use it. They generally like the hydration fluid and will readily take it.

[NewSquirrelMom]

I got all of my supplies ordered and is on its way from that Henry website everyone on here speaks so highly of.

I just sent out a facebook status asking anyone for a single Cipro but so far no luck. Im so worried about my baby she has stopped moving as much and seems so weak everytime i go to pick her up to give her the pedialyte.

Thank you all for your replies. I was feeling so alone and worried for a while. I dont want to lose her:sadness:sniff:boohoo:panic

[NewSquirrelMom]

a freind of mine just responded to my post saying that they had some CEPHALEXIN or SULFAMETHOXAZOLE but not sure if any of that will work.

[NewSquirrelMom]

The baby needs hydration AND formula but hydration is critical right now. No, the Sweet and Low won't work. If you have the store bought hydration (Pedialyte) I would use it. They generally like the hydration fluid and will readily take it.

how often and how much should i be doing the hydration and the formula? I will make some more formula but without the heavy cream added in.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Will she suck or does she let fluid run out of her mouth?

[NewSquirrelMom]

Will she suck or does she let fluid run out of her mouth?

she barely opens her mouth but she makes tiny sucking noises ans most of the fluid runs out :(

[HRT4SQRLS]

she barely opens her mouth but she makes tiny sucking noises ans most of the fluid runs out :(
:( She has to have antibiotics or she won't survive. I know you're doing everything you can to save her. :grouphug The Cephalexin won't work. The Sulfamethoxizole would work eventually but it is way TOO slow. She doesn't have time for this to work.
(Augmentin, Clavamox, Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin, Baytril )


I would give her a drop at the time but she has to swallow. It can't go in her lungs.

[NewSquirrelMom]

:( She has to have antibiotics or she won't survive. I know you're doing everything you can to save her. :grouphug The Cephalexin won't work. The Sulfamethoxizole would work eventually but it is way TOO slow. She doesn't have time for this to work.
(Augmentin, Clavamox, Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin, Baytril )


I would give her a drop at the time but she has to swallow. It can't go in her lungs.

so any of those drugs will work? I will try asking facebook for them, im nearly in tears i dont know where to find this stuff and i dont want her to die omg im a wreck :(

[stepnstone]

a freind of mine just responded to my post saying that they had some CEPHALEXIN or SULFAMETHOXAZOLE but not sure if any of that will work.

HRT, won't the "SULFAMETHOXAZOLE" (smz) help and be better then nothing at this point?

[HRT4SQRLS]

so any of those drugs will work? I will try asking facebook for them, im nearly in tears i dont know where to find this stuff and i dont want her to die omg im a wreck :(
Yes, try to get any of these drugs. Honey, hold her on your chest. Let her feel your heartbeat and warmth. Love her and keep her warm. :grouphug

[HRT4SQRLS]

HRT, won't the "SULFAMETHOXAZOLE" (smz) help and be better then nothing at this point?


YES, I would go ahead and use the SULFAMETHOXIZOLE if it's all you can get. It is definitely better than nothing.

We could always ADD another antibiotic if something else better comes available.

[Nancy in New York]

I am sending you contact info in a pm to 2 members in Dallas.
Please give them a call.