Possible aspiration pneumonia

[Nikkolai]

Please help. I have a little pinky that I've been taking care of for over a week now, he was probably around 10days-2 weeks when I found him orphaned after falling out of a tree. I'm doing the espilac with probiotics every two hours with a nippled syringe. He's aspirated slightly a few times and I've inverted him and used the baby nose aspirater very gently to help him along, he still eats extremely enthusiastically and is active but I think I might hear a slight clicking? I also might be a hypochondriac... but I'm in charge of his life right now and I don't want to risk it.

I live in the Indian River County, FL area and was wondering if anyone knew of a good doctor to prescribe me some baytril or something of the sort?



And he's also peeling? Pictures attached

[redwuff]

Have you done any rehabbing before or is this your first experience? Welcome!

It is always good to have Baytril on hand because they can go down quickly with AP. We do have many members in Florida. Let's see if we can get you to a vet. Another thing you can use is Cipro, the human form of Baytril. Check around with your friends to see if any has 1tablet of it. We can dose it for you.

Time is of the essence if you feel he is clicking. Does he click all the time? Looks like your baby could use a few feedings of hydration fluid. Do you weigh your boy every day? To be able to dose a med for you we will need his weight in grams.

Trysh

[HRT4SQRLS]

Welcome to TheSquirrelBoard

If you think you hear clicking you probably do. Is it with each breath?
Other antibiotics will work. Do you have any other antibiotics? Ask friends and family. Let us know what you can get. We can help you dose it.

[redwuff]

He looks like he is about 2weeks old now. What are you keeping him in? We use a baby food jar filled with water with holes in the top to provide humidity in babies bin to help drying out. (Peeling skin)

[Nikkolai]

I think he may actually be a little older, he's got his bottom two teeth and the hairs are coming in all over him, his toes have spread and his ears are unpinned from the side of his head, correct me if I'm wrong but I'm thinking he's closer to 3-4wks and was just very malnourished when I got him. I weigh him daily, he weighed 16.9 grams when I got him and he's now up to 31 grams. I have him in a plastic sterilite container(holes in the lid) with a pillowcase lining, a rice buddy and a small shot glass with a warm sponge, half on and half off a heating pad and I have an actual humidifier in the bedroom itself. He's still enthusiastically eating about 2-2.5ccs formula each feeding and his bowel movements are healthy and his urine is clear.

The clicking isn't all the time, I'm not sure if it's him clicking his tongue for more food, bc I don't believe it's with every breath, but I'd rather be safe then sorry considering he has been aspirated

This is my first time rehabbing a baby squirrel, I've taken care of rabbits and hamsters before.

I don't have any antibiotics myself but I will ask around for cipro

I've called two different vets in town so far and they said they cannot help me bc they don't have wildlife licenses 😩😩

[HRT4SQRLS]

Usually when they have aspiration pneumonia they don't have an appetite.

[redwuff]

I forget the squirrels in Florida are so much smaller.

In the emergency section, there is a sticky concerning a clicking baby that has AP, (sorry I don't know how to transfer it here) see if it sounds like your baby. AP progresses pretty quickly and one of the first thing that occurs is loss of appetite. They can click sometimes with breathing that is a nasal click, and that is not AP, but you want to get this right cos AP is deadly.

No matter what, get some either Baytril/Cipro, Clavamox, SMZ-TMP to have on hand.

Anyone know a vet or TSB member in this area of Florida?

[Nancy in New York]

Not sure if you already answered this, but what size syringes are you using and are you
using a nipple?
What LARGE city are you closest to?
Go to this link, and then follow the other link and it will give you great informaiton about
baby squirrel care.
Also what kind of formula are you feeding?
It should be powdered puppy esbilac with probiotics.
OR look for the third ingredient, it should say Dried Whey Protein Concnetrate

Also when you put in the baby food jar with the spone, make sure you put it on the heated side
of the container. Make sure to dampen it daily.
Remember heating pad set UNDER the container, on LOW. :thumbsup

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?51708-4skwerlz-Baby-Squirrel-Care

[Nikkolai]

I watched the video, it's not nearly as identifiable as that baby, much softer not every breath for my little guy

I started with a 1cc and now that he's eating more I have a 3cc both with a nipple.
I'm using the powdered esbilac

The closest large city would be Melbourne north of me or Vero beach/ Ft Pierce south

Yes I've been rewetting the sponge and its on the heated side, and the pad is underneath the container

I just want to make sure I'm giving him the best care possible, I've read about every webpage and forum I could find when I first got him. I've taken into account everything I've read, I just want him to be alive and healthy and cover all my bases

I'm still having trouble locating meds

[Nancy in New York]

I watched the video, it's not nearly as identifiable as that baby, much softer not every breath for my little guy

I started with a 1cc and now that he's eating more I have a 3cc both with a nipple.
I'm using the powdered esbilac

The closest large city would be Melbourne north of me or Vero beach/ Ft Pierce south

Yes I've been rewetting the sponge and its on the heated side, and the pad is underneath the container

I just want to make sure I'm giving him the best care possible, I've read about every webpage and forum I could find when I first got him. I've taken into account everything I've read, I just want him to be alive and healthy and cover all my bases

I'm still having trouble locating meds

Stay with the 1 cc syringe. The 3 is much too large for a little one this size.
What you can do is make up several syringes, put the nipple on and put them in a glass
of hot water for feeding purposes so you don't have to reload.

I will ask a member to reach out to some Florida members who may be in your area
to see if they have any Cipro or Baytril, just in case.

[Nikkolai]

That would be beyond wonderful and extremely helpful! I've reached out on Fb and I haven't gotten one response. I'll downgrade back to the 1cc and get a few for feeding.

[Nikkolai]

I have someone who can give me amoxicillin, cephalexin, or nitrofurantoin. Would any of those work?

[Nancy in New York]

I have someone who can give me amoxicillin, cephalexin, or nitrofurantoin. Would any of those work?

Out of these I think Cephalexin would be the best choice for pneumonia.
We are still searching for something else, so not to worry.
PM me your address, and I can put something in the mail Monday for you.

We need a weight on the little one, and the mg of the pill, and we can dose it for you.

Are you sure that it's needed now, or is this "just in case"?
Have you seen this little one aspirate?

[Nikkolai]

Thank you thank you! :Love_Icon

I've seen him aspirate a handful of times from eagerly eating, I've immediately inverted him when it happens and I put the sponge humidifier in his crate.
So it's more for just in case for my own sanity bc he has aspirated and I feel like I hear a click, but I just want to be preventative if it's not the case right now
and have the means to the meds in case he does start to rapidly decline or if it happens in the future

He weighs 31g

I'm attaching a pic of all the stuff I have access to at the moment

I'm also PMing you my address

I also read in another thread that cephalexin will not work, I added the screenshot, so now back to square one? 😭😞

[Nancy in New York]

Thank you thank you! :Love_Icon

I've seen him aspirate a handful of times from eagerly eating, I've immediately inverted him when it happens and I put the sponge humidifier in his crate.
So it's more for just in case for my own sanity bc he has aspirated and I feel like I hear a click, but I just want to be preventative if it's not the case right now
and have the means to the meds in case he does start to rapidly decline or if it happens in the future

He weighs 31g

I'm attaching a pic of all the stuff I have access to at the moment

I'm also PMing you my address

I also read in another thread that cephalexin will not work, I added the screenshot, so now back to square one? 😭😞

WAIT, you have clavamox, it's the last one on the right! :w00t
In the Wild Mammal Babies book it does say that Cephalexin is used for Respiratory.
I can't read the strength on the last one Amoxi/Clav.
Can you tell me what that says?

http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv95/nancym518/Bronx%20Babies%202012/Bronx%20Babies%20%20part%202%20%202012/Wild%20Mammal%20Babies%20Medical%20Section/2042.jpg (http://s673.photobucket.com/user/nancym518/media/Bronx%20Babies%202012/Bronx%20Babies%20%20part%202%20%202012/Wild%20Mammal%20Babies%20Medical%20Section/2042.jpg.html)

[Nikkolai]

!!!

The cephalexin is 500mg
The Amox/Clav is 875mg

[Nancy in New York]

!!!

The cephalexin is 500mg
The Amox/Clav is 875mg

I just sent dosing instructions for the Clavamox 875mg. :w00t