Scooter's TOES!

[Chickenlegs]

Just before we left Iowa, Scooter ran on Willi's cage. The fleece covering the top of the cage slipped off and Willi bit his toes? They're healing--she got him pretty good--BUT they're swollen. The pictures are of his right and left feet. He's scraped his leg again and that's healing well but his poor toes are REALLY swollen. He knocked the scab off one of the toes on his left foot and the toenail is missing on one toe on that foot--an injury from awhile back. I can get him to the vet this week but what can I do in the meantime to help those toes?

Left
Left
Right

[Shewhosweptforest]

So sorry Willi got lil Scooter....the paralyzed squirrels cannot keep their feet from hanging in the cage when they are on top and it's an easy target :shakehead Pat do you have any derma gel or silver sulfadene? I would imagine that would help...it's very difficult to wrap:dono I think ....just from watching how Poppy moved....that his little toes are getting banged around and it's just adding to the initial injury. If it were me I would limit his movement...and make sure his whole area is padded and soft....that will help with the trauma:Love_Icon

[island rehabber]

I agree -- the silvadene cream can work wonders, and the poor boy should definitely be in a Nancy in NY-approved environment until he heals: no less than 14 inches of fleece under him at all times. :grin2

[Chickenlegs]

So sorry Willi got lil Scooter....the paralyzed squirrels cannot keep their feet from hanging in the cage when they are on top and it's an easy target :shakehead Pat do you have any derma gel or silver sulfadene? I would imagine that would help...it's very difficult to wrap:dono I think ....just from watching how Poppy moved....that his little toes are getting banged around and it's just adding to the initial injury. If it were me I would limit his movement...and make sure his whole area is padded and soft....that will help with the trauma:Love_Icon

Hi Julie
I did get his trash can out and emptied of a good portion of the fleece that was in there. I have Dermagel, Carracyn gel, SSD, and maybe a few other things. Of course he rubs it off. I can wrap legs but feet are hard. I did wrap last night. This morning it was off. I don't want to draw attention to the toes in case he suddenly decides to chew on em. He never has chewed himself tho there were times I wondered. I was thinking of starting him on something systemic. I know Dr. G will give him Baytril. Has she ever NOT prescribed Baytril! The toes ARE better but the swelling worries me. If I'm going to give him something, I want it to be for his specific issue--not just a broad spectrum antibiotic I may need to address something in the future. He's been with me a good part of the morning. If he's on my shoulder or hiding nuts in the addition I know where his toes are and what they're doing!

[CritterMom]

Well, some of that redness and swelling may be some infection but most of it is swelling from trauma. So how about giving the little guy some infant ibuprophen? It IS an anti-inflammatory.

[Chickenlegs]

I agree -- the silvadene cream can work wonders, and the poor boy should definitely be in a Nancy in NY-approved environment until he heals: no less than 14 inches of fleece under him at all times. :grin2

When I got his trashcan out it was full to the brim with fleece. I took just enough out to make it impossible to climb out of. That's maybe 16/18 inches of fleece. I do NOT want to get a :tap from Nancy. I took his beloved cage away. He'd JUST got it redecorated to manly perfection and now mom's gonna put fleece on all the walls and pillows everywhere. Tsk!

[Chickenlegs]

Well, some of that redness and swelling may be some infection but most of it is swelling from trauma. So how about giving the little guy some infant ibuprophen? It IS an anti-inflammatory.

An absolute will do!

[Chickenlegs]

Scooter went to the doctor today and has Baytril for 10 days. Dr. G said rodent bites are bad (oh yeah! We all know that). He's missing the end of one toe--got a thread wrapped around it awhile back. That made me sick. It was a tiny thread from a piece of cloth I was using for a cage cover. He may lose the nail bed on another toe. That one from Willi biting his toe. He was SO good! That boy is the SWEETEST little squirrel! He's been hiding in his cube all evening. One of the cockatiels is out. Scooter does NOT like birds!

[Shewhosweptforest]

Well....poor Scooter :( good news is he doesn't use those toes :dono as long as they heal ok and he doesn't bother them :great you know I put cardboard all around Baby's cage so Poppy couldn't climb up it...Baby wasn't in her cage when Poppy ran (she's tucked in our bed:Love_Icon) but I was afraid she'd fall or catch her leg in the bars and break it :facepalm I worried and adapted so much for my girl...I sure miss her :sadness

[Chickenlegs]

Well....poor Scooter :( good news is he doesn't use those toes :dono as long as they heal ok and he doesn't bother them :great you know I put cardboard all around Baby's cage so Poppy couldn't climb up it...Baby wasn't in her cage when Poppy ran (she's tucked in our bed:Love_Icon) but I was afraid she'd fall or catch her leg in the bars and break it :facepalm I worried and adapted so much for my girl...I sure miss her :sadness

Normally Scooter doesn't have an opportunity to run on Willi's cage. This was when we were getting ready to leave. The fleece covering her cage slipped off one corner and she got him. He's just such a sweet guy--well--to his mama. A friend walked up to me as I was reaching for Scooter last Sunday and he charged my hand. Guy left and my boy scooted over all contrite and licked my hand until I had to give him a hazelnut to stop. Every night I wash off his lower belly with wound wash--saline by any other name. He pees on himself and can get scalded in a heartbeat. If I wash him off, dry him carefully, and slather him with diaper ointment or A&D ointment, he doesn't get scalded. I put Dermagel on his toes and legs, and now give him his Baytril. He does NOT like being messed with, but as soon as I let him out of his fleece wrap, he's my lovey boy. He's going to the conference with me this weekend. His cage has fleece on all walls and extra on the floors. He'll have the run of the room if I'm there and a nice secure place when I'm at meetings. What is it about these little crippled babies that's so inspiring. They wrap around your heart with the way they embrace life-- no excuses, no quarter, no compromises. They LIVE! I know there's a Poppy size hole in your heart. That little girl will always be with you. That sort of flame just doesn't go out.