Sammy - Problem or Not?

[Jen413]

A little background for those that aren't familiar with Sammy and his problems. He fell from a tree and his right bottom jaw was crushed. The bones around his right eye are not right anymore either. I believe because of that he will always have white tears in that eye. He started having white tears and then in October I noticed there was a hole in the roof of his mouth by his back teeth. He gets regular teeth trimmings because his jaw is not in line. He did really good on meds (clinda) as far as symptom management but the hole never healed up. Took him in March to Dr. E who cleaned out the dead bone, removed several teeth, and closed the hole. He was released on clavamox and metacam. After being off clinda and on clava for about a week or so his symptoms started getting worse and he was just acting funny so I put him back on clinda. Symptoms went away. Finished the course of the meds. He was off of them for about a week and a half when he started acting funny. Appetite wasn't good and his fur started to get this puffed up look like he does when he sits in the sun. Made me think he had chills. I noticed the roof of his mouth was extremely red and he had been sneezing. I started him back on clinda and Dr. E sent some nasal AB's. He was on those for two weeks and they were discontinued two weeks ago which brings me to today.

I don't want to jump the gun and put him back on ABs but I don't want to ignore anything. This is what I'm seeing from him right now:
Eating fine
Mouth looks normal
Yesterday the left (good) eye was stuck together in the middle which said to me he had had white tears. I almost never see white tears in that eye.
Right eye had a little white accumulated at the tear duct
Overall the white tears have not been bad this time
Still has a sneeze (never went away while on AB's)
Last night he sneezed boogers from the left nostril and I pulled a large one from the right. (Photos are on his thread)
He's not quite as wide open as he normally is but he's not SO different. In the morning he's not a crazy boy trying to get out of his cage and then running all over the place. He sits still a bit longer than normal but then he does run around like a crazy boy. It's only subtle changes there.

I'm curious if maybe because he's been on meds so long that he's just got a little cold that his immune system is having to learn to fight on it's own for the first time since he's been two or so months old? Overall I'm not saying "I've GOT to get him back on meds ASAP" like I was this last time, but I'm just watching him closely. I guess my biggest worry is because they hide illness so well that I'm underestimating something. I just wanted some opinions. I really do NOT want to have to put him back on meds. Is there anything that stands out to anyone? My gut is telling me to leave him be right now. My gut is telling me that this isn't big enough of a problem right now and to let his body try to work it out on it's own. I've trusted my gut so far but I'm far from experienced when it comes to a squirrel with medical issues. Sammy is the first baby I've ever had that was injured or sick. I appreciate any and all input.

[Milo's Mom]

What color were the boogers and does he have any today?

[Jen413]

They were a normal color? Kind of white? Definitely not yellow. The big one was tinged gray but I believe that came from the dirt in his nose when he played in the dirt yesterday. It was just the first time I'd seen him have them. I'll get on my phone and post this pic here. I have one of the boog in his nose and one of it on my finger.

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Talking about picking his nose makes me chuckle and think, love is: picking squirrel boogers.

[Mel1959]

I can understand you wanting to stay on top of anything small before it becomes major. If you think this could be a cold or something similar, the only recommendation I have would be to order some of that CAOH immune booster liquid. Others have had great luck using it on squirrels with pox, so I think it would work well for boosting the immune system for colds and other ailments. It has to be purchased online and it comes from California. I have been putting it in my wilds water just to give them a little extra vitamin boost. I have even taken it myself, it doesn't taste bad. Good luck with Sammy.

[Jen413]

I'll go look for it online and buy it now. I still feel right now I should just watch unless someone with more knowledge thinks otherwise. Maybe purchasing and giving that to him could be just what he needs to let his body fight this on his own. Definitely worth a shot. THANK YOU for the suggestion.

His right eye is a little crusty now.

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[cava]

I agree that should watch him right now. Not everything that makes the body have mucus is an infection. Does he have sinus abnormalities due to the hole and dental work? Is it possible he will always have a bit of a sniffle or eye drainage due to the original injury?

Just throwing ideas out there. I sure hope he's ok because he sure is a cutie patooty!

[Jen413]

I absolutely believe there will always be something off about him because of the damage done when he fell. Patti and I have talked about that too. I just really don't know what all was damaged beyond what an X-ray can tell me. It's going to be a learning curve on what to let be and accept as "normal" and what is a sign of a bigger issue. I think he will always have white tears and a wateriness with his right eye. There is a bump in the bone near the tear duct that I believe is where a break was. His entire face is shifted to the right. On his X-rays you can see the eye sticks out further off the head than the other. Not the eye ball but the bone structure of the eye socket sticks out further. The sneezing didn't start until after the hole was closed. Not sure if that has any relevance. I've also wondered if that was a seasonal thing?

I'm just absolutely terrified of missing something and it resulting in an emergency situation for him. I just want to make sure no one sees anything important/worrisome in what I'm seeing. Im always so thankful to have TSB as a sounding board!

[PennyCash]

You said that Sammy was playing in the dirt. Is it dry? Could he have maybe accidentally snorted some fine dust which the body sees as foreign material?
I'd say trust your gut, it's done you well so far right?
In the meantime I'm praying that Sammy is fine :grouphug

[HRT4SQRLS]

Jennifer, is the sneeze a 'real' sneeze or the pfffft thing they do? They do make a snorting sound with their nose that's not a real sneeze. I've seen them do that when digging in the dirt. It's sorta like they are blowing dirt out of the nose. :tilt

[cava]

It started after the hole was closed--I wonder if the body was using that for drainage and that's why it never closed on its own. He would have just been swallowing it.

Also, I have ferrets with tiny nasal passageways. If I let them outside and they dig, they will be snorting and sneezing for days.

I hope he's doing well today. :Love_Icon:Love_Icon

[Jen413]

Penny, it's possible the boogies were from him digging in the dirt. Never even thought about that. He's just never had them before. Patti, this is definitely a sneeze. He's done the pffft thing too and it's always been a dry sound. Just air pushing out the nose. This is like a wet sneeze. Sometimes his nose is a little wet. Always clear though and not often. The wet sneeze started only after the hole was closed though. I actually shot a video of him making his hanger nest in the closet the other night and you can hear the wet sneeze toward the end. Now that I go back and watch it on the video it's hard to distinguish it from the sound of him moving the hangers around to his liking. It is a sneeze though because I remember thinking I'm glad I caught that on video! It's at the 2:14 mark. https://youtu.be/jo5khxUnf0w Cava your suggestion about the hole allowing drainage makes me wonder if the wateriness and white tears in that eye drained through the hole and maybe now it's stuffing up his nose? He seemed much more himself this morning. He hasn't been acting too off or anything but this morning he was his normal non stop self. I think whatever is going on with him is something that his body is fighting on it's own and succeeding in. I'm feeling like maybe it was something simple but his body had to learn to do it on it's own without the AB's to help him. He's had the AB's to help him almost his entire life. At least this is what I'm hoping for. There's still so much about Sammy's head/face that is a mystery to me. It's just all a matter of figuring out what his "normal" is and what is not. :tap

By the way, after he stole that TP and situated it exactly where he wanted it in the hangers, I closed the toilet room door so he couldn't steal anymore. Little turd started tugging at the bottom of my shirt trying to pull it up into the closet!!