Squirrel fell from tree, dragging hind legs

[Tyrannosaurus]

I watched a young squirrel fall out of the tree, drag itself up again just to fall back down. I got him to crawl inside a carrier for me. He's currently in a cage in my bathroom (I have cats and I rescue ferrets so the bathroom is predator-free). He's alert, eating (black oil sunflower seeds he usually snags from the feeders outside), and drinking.

I took him with me to town because I figured I could drop him with the local licensed rehabber (just have 1 here), but she just texted me and said his spine is likely broken and I should have him put to sleep. My vet wouldn't see him even to euthanize, but the emergency clinic will euthanize. But, he's so alert, I feel wrong even considering it.

I figured this didn't belong under the life threatening one because he's eating and drinking. I saw some small poops in the carrier when I switched him to the cage as well. He's okay with me...But I have not attempted to actually handle him. He knows me because I fill the feeders all the time and once helped him when his foot was stuck about 2 or 3 weeks ago. But once I got home and he was outside with me while I washed up a cage, he was chewing on the carrier door and spazzing, trying to get free. But I can't let him go or he'll have another nasty fall!

I do have Prednisone on hand if that will help him. I have 5mg pills that I cut for my ferrets with insulinoma.

Oh and since he has a red stripe down his back, I assume he's a red squirrel.

[Nancy in New York]

I watched a young squirrel fall out of the tree, drag itself up again just to fall back down. I got him to crawl inside a carrier for me. He's currently in a cage in my bathroom (I have cats and I rescue ferrets so the bathroom is predator-free). He's alert, eating (black oil sunflower seeds he usually snags from the feeders outside), and drinking.

I took him with me to town because I figured I could drop him with the local licensed rehabber (just have 1 here), but she just texted me and said his spine is likely broken and I should have him put to sleep. My vet wouldn't see him even to euthanize, but the emergency clinic will euthanize. But, he's so alert, I feel wrong even considering it.

I figured this didn't belong under the life threatening one because he's eating and drinking. I saw some small poops in the carrier when I switched him to the cage as well. He's okay with me...But I have not attempted to actually handle him. He knows me because I fill the feeders all the time and once helped him when his foot was stuck about 2 or 3 weeks ago. But once I got home and he was outside with me while I washed up a cage, he was chewing on the carrier door and spazzing, trying to get free. But I can't let him go or he'll have another nasty fall!

I do have Prednisone on hand if that will help him. I have 5mg pills that I cut for my ferrets with insulinoma.

Oh and since he has a red stripe down his back, I assume he's a red squirrel.

Can you post a picture of this squirrel?
In order to dose Prednisone we would need a weight.
Without an x ray you'll never really know what's going on with him,
so at least you can give predisone a shot.
Does his back look normal to you?
How are his legs, is he able to stand/move them?
Do you have any tramadol?
Seems like you're his only hope so lets get this little one
started on something, ok?
Thank you for helping him.

[Mel1959]

If you can post a picture that would be helpful. We would need to either know his weight or estimate his weight for dosing.

Hopefully if his problem with his leg is a result of inflammation from a fall the prednisone may help or maybe someone can recommend something better.

Thank you for helping this little guy.

[Tyrannosaurus]

Can you post a picture of this squirrel?
In order to dose Prednisone we would need a weight.
Without an x ray you'll never really know what's going on with him,
so at least you can give predisone a shot.
Does his back look normal to you?
How are his legs, is he able to stand/move them?
Do you have any tramadol?
Seems like you're his only hope so lets get this little one
started on something, ok?
Thank you for helping him.

288028

Hopefully that pic attached.
I don't know how much he weighs.
I don't have tramadol, I personally take Percocet so I have that and about .1ml buprenorphine leftover from a sick ferret. This guy is little, but not a baby. He's fairly energetic so not sure if I can get a weight on him.

[Nancy in New York]

288028

Hopefully that pic attached.
I don't know how much he weighs.
I don't have tramadol, I personally take Percocet so I have that and about .1ml buprenorphine leftover from a sick ferret. This guy is little, but not a baby. He's fairly energetic so not sure if I can get a weight on him.

Oh yeah, that's a little red, my favorite squirrel.
Actually I LOVE them all.
When we givePrednisone, the only other pain reliever we
can give with it is Tramadol but Pred has some pain reliever in it as well.
Does he appear to be in great discomfort?

[Nancy in New York]

Do you have metacam or gabepentin?
Just trying to think of the best course of action.

Edit: Do you have TWO 5mg of Pred?
Do you think he weighs more than 200 grams?
I know he's not a baby, but it's difficult to tell the weight.

[Tyrannosaurus]

Oh yeah, that's a little red, my favorite squirrel.
Actually I LOVE them all.
When we givePrednisone, the only other pain reliever we
can give with it is Tramadol but Pred has some pain reliever in it as well.
Does he appear to be in great discomfort?

Honestly not really. He has been grooming himself, eating, drinking, and he was biting at the carrier trying to get out once I got him back to my home and his territory. Otherwise he has been calm. I'm not certain what the pain signs are in squirrels.... In ferrets it's licking gums, grinding teeth, etc. But I haven't seen this guy do anything unusual.

[Tyrannosaurus]

Do you have metacam or gabepentin?
Just trying to think of the best course of action.

Edit: Do you have TWO 5mg of Pred?
Do you think he weighs more than 200 grams?
I know he's not a baby, but it's difficult to tell the weight.

That's just under half a pound right? I'm honestly not sure. I have a lot of pred on hand as I have 8 rescues on pred so I get 150 of the 5mg pills each month or so as each ferret takes 1.25-2.5mg twice a day.

[Nancy in New York]

I will dose the prednisone for a 200 gram squirrel.
We should get him started on that immediately, and I feel
200 grams is conservative.
I will write this up in a pm and send it to you.
So basically he is just dragging his back legs correct?
This will take me a minute to write up and send so bare
with me.
I will also show you the marks on the syringe where the amounts should be.

[Tyrannosaurus]

I will dose the prednisone for a 200 gram squirrel.
We should get him started on that immediately, and I feel
200 grams is conservative.
I will write this up in a pm and send it to you.
So basically he is just dragging his back legs correct?
This will take me a minute to write up and send so bare
with me.
I will also show you the marks on the syringe where the amounts should be.

I don't need marks on the syringe. I'm a certified caregiver and give meds at work and run a rescue. I just need the mg so I can cut the pill.

Also, what a good mixer is for a squirrel. I usually give carafate first and salmon oil for ferrets, but they're obligate carnivores and entirely different.

[Nancy in New York]

I don't need marks on the syringe. I'm a certified caregiver and give meds at work and run a rescue. I just need the mg so I can cut the pill.

Also, what a good mixer is for a squirrel. I usually give carafate first and salmon oil for ferrets, but they're obligate carnivores and entirely different.

Dosing sent. Sorry, so used to putting marks on the syringes so mistakes aren't made.
We use water when breaking down the prednisone.
You can give a little water with a TOUCH of honey for taste.

[Tyrannosaurus]

https://youtu.be/VI_kLb4EmZI

Here's a link to him freaking out on me. I removed a damp blanket and gave him a clean and dry one (he has a fleece cuddle sack and a fleece blanket), and he did this in response. Now he does this whenever I come into the bathroom. I'm a little worried he will no longer allow me to reach into his cage to change his food/water. I'm picking him up veggies and his own food/water dishes in the morning after work. I'm at work for the night now.

[Tyrannosaurus]

What do I do if his legs do not get better?

Is anyone in the North Dakota/Minnesota area ?

So far his legs have remained paralyzed. He's VERY spunky and climbs around a ton. I have not tried to pick him up because he is pretty crazy (see video).

[Squirlgirl]

Are we speaking of a Red squirrel? Does it have pinch reflex from hind legs and tail?

[Tyrannosaurus]

Are we speaking of a Red squirrel? Does it have pinch reflex from hind legs and tail?

Yes he's a red squirrel

I don't know. He goes bananas if I attempt to open the cage. He pulls himself around by his arms and chews on the bars. He's a wild man. Sometimes he slows if I get close and talk to him, but I haven't attempted to pick him up at all because I'm unsure if he will bite me. He pulled himself into the carrier after he fell from the tree.

[Nancy in New York]

Are you giving the prednisone as directed?
This is a must if he has any hope of recovery.
I think you are his only hope.

[Tyrannosaurus]

Are you giving the prednisone as directed?
This is a must if he has any hope of recovery.
I think you are his only hope.


Yup. He wouldn't eat any of the food I put it on. I'm guessing because pred has a pretty strong taste. But when he's hanging on the bars, I've been able to stick the syringe up to his mouth and he just pauses and lets me do it.

[Tyrannosaurus]

So on one of his feet, his toes are now curled vs limp like they previously were and like they still are on his other foot.

That has to be a good sign, right?

Will he be okay without the lab blocks for a bit? Funds are tight until next Friday (rescue ferret needed an emergency urethra unblocking procedure). He's primarily eating the seeds. I've tried to entice him with banana and he has no interest. He did let me change his water dish (he also has a water bottle but no idea if he knows how to use it) today while he was hanging from the top of the cage staring at me.

[Tyrannosaurus]

Can somebody please reply?

I don't know what to do. He has urine irritation on his bottom half. I don't have bite proof gloves (what do I need?). I tried grabbing him with some crappy gloves and a towel. He freaked out, tried to bite me, and wiggled partially free due to the lesser grip of the towel. Then he angrily swung around the cage after that. I was going to bathe him in small animal chlorhexidine shampoo and apply silver sulfadiazine cream. I had a hedgehog that insisted on sleeping in her pee so I've seen this a million times.

I think one side of his hip is busted due to how it sits flat and unlike the other side.

Is anyone near me that could take this guy? He's very energetic and I'd hate to see him put to sleep, but I am struggling here. I have an entire rescue on my hands and I know next to nothing about squirrels. And my entire house smells like ferrets which I am certain is upsetting to this guy and could also be why he freaks on me.

[Nancy in New York]

Send a pm to jo_schmoe.
She's about an hour away from Fargo and has
raised many reds.
Hopefully she can help you. :hug

[Milo's Mom]

I sent Amy a message on FB with a link to this thread. Looks like she's 5+ hours from Fargo.

[Nancy in New York]

I sent Amy a message on FB with a link to this thread. Looks like she's 5+ hours from Fargo.

Ugh. I checked an older thread where she
said she was an hour away from Fargo.
She must have moved. :(
Thank you MM! I hope she knows somebody closer.

[Milo's Mom]

Just heard from her, she's about 2 hours away. I gave her a few details and asked her to log on and take a look. I have to finish feeding my crew.

[jo_schmoe]

Hi! What's going on with this little guy. I'm about 2 hrs from you .

[Nancy in New York]

Hi! What's going on with this little guy. I'm about 2 hrs from you .

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bowdown :grouphug

[jo_schmoe]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bowdown :grouphug

I sent them a message with my number. Just waiting to hear from them.
Hi Nancy! Been a long time. :grin2

[Nancy in New York]

I sent them a message with my number. Just waiting to hear from them.
Hi Nancy! Been a long time. :grin2

TOO LONG!
I miss you and your posts.:tap:grin2:hug:Love_Icon

[jo_schmoe]

Ok, I read the thread. Sounds like he messed up his back. Thank you for not following the advice to euthanize. Squirrels recuperative abilities are outstanding!
You are going to want to get some leather welding gloves. Not so much for handling but for simple things like changing bedding and switching food bowls. I would keep the handling to an absolute minimum. He needs to heal and it's quite possible he will. Good advice on meds.
The fact that he's attacking you is a good sign. Is he making any noises? Reds have a sort of rattlesnake call.
I'd try a good dose of calcium to help with the healing. Offer him a tums. Offer things like watermelon to help keep him hydrated. He might calm down a little but honestly not much. Reds are super cute....and super mean. Little fluffy demons!
Watch for urine scalds is he's not moving his back half. Not a whole lot you can do but keep his cage dry and clean. Get him on a good diet now. Stop with the seeds. You will just create a spoiled monster that will refuse anything good for him. Reds love mushrooms, blueberries, spring greens. Try and get a hold of some pine nuts. The natural food store downtown had raw organic ones. They are about 50% of their diet in the wild. Make him comfortable and put some branches and leaves in his cage. I hope some of this helps and thank you so much for saving this guy!

[Tyrannosaurus]

Thank you guys!!!!

She is taking him. He'll have a way better chance with someone that knows what they're doing. I had to Google Dandelion greens to figure out what they were -_-

[Milo's Mom]

Thank you Amy!!!!

Thank you Tyrannosaurus!!!

This thread just made my day! YES! :multi

[Chickenlegs]

Outstanding! Sometimes all they eed is a chance--and you gave him one. Sainthood suspenders for you ! HI JO! Missed you!

[jo_schmoe]

Looks like I get a new fur baby for mothers day! She calls him Dangly legs which is hilarious. I'll keep up with that train of thought and name him Forrest. He can teach us all how to dangle!!!
I will start him a thread when I get him to keep you guys up to date with his progress.
I'm home full time now enjoying being a farmers wife and my 3 month old granddaughter. Yes....I have a skin baby too!