Diarrhea and sniffles?

[astra]

A 5wk old boy, 100g (he is a bit underweight because of diarrhea - was gaining and lost some after diarrhea hit).

1) His diarrhea:
1 day (almost) - on hydration to flush the system
1 day (almost) - added kaopektate and baby rice cereal to his formula (baby banana food was all sold out, so just used rice cereal).

Some improvement: It's no longer greyish colour and no longer mucusy. Right now it looks like bright yellow watery stuff. Pictures attached - the color in the pics is fairly accurate. When it comes out, it's even brighter yellow.
But despite some improvement, it's still diarrhea.

2) He seems to have some sort of sniffles.
Initially, it seemed to be part of all the pfts and snorts that baby squirrels make. But after a couple of days I think it's not just pfts. It sounds as if his nose was a little bit stuffed: generally, his breath is quiet, but from time to time it's as if he has something in his nose because he sounds like someone who has a stuffy nose. As in, for instance, when you blew your nose, but there is still something remains, and as you try to breath, your nose sounds "sniffly." This sniffling sound can be with every breath sometimes, other times - occasionally. It also seems that in certain positions it is more pronounced, as in when he tries to look up and hold his head up the sniffles become audible, when he bows his head, they disappear.
It's not chest clicking (i listened), it's coming from his nose/face area, not chest.

So, given his diarrhea and these sniffles, should he be treated with abs?

Tomorrow morning will have been 24hrs since kaopektate started. If his diarrhea does not improve by then, maybe, abs are needed?
He needs to start gaining and catching up with good weight for his age, but this diarrhea prevents that.
Although the diarrhea started after the finder's cow's milk, now I am beginning to think that maybe it became a coccidia flare-up?...
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Otherwise, his activity level - normal, appetite - improved, actually. Eats well. Pees fine.

If abs, what will be best?

This is what I've got:

Cipro 500mg (expires 10/2017)
Sulfa Trim 800/160mg (expired 1/2016)
Metro 250 mg (expires 3/2016) - although I don't think he has giardia, because his diarrhea does not have a strong foul smell and isn't greish-green, which is what a giardia diarrhea is supposed to look and smell like.

[astra]

just a quick update on his poop:

the last time it came out in watery blobs, not total running water-like, but not solid either. That it is a blob - is a tiny improvement (even if it's watery and easily absorbs into paper towel so that in a little while there is no blob on the paper towel, but a bright yellow spot).

BUt it's still diahrrea, still not normal.

Color - same bright yellow (, i guess, one could call it 'golden' yellow). But he's had about 5 kaopektate doses. Shouldn't his poop turn black on kaopektate?... why is it yellow?

So, if after 5 doses he still has diarrhea and his poop color does not become black, does it mean that kaopektate isn't working and it could be coccidia (or something else)?
In which case he would need abs.
Or should I wait and see some more? another day or so?

And during the last feeding his breathing was completely quiet, no sniffles. So, these sniffles are frustrating.
I do not want to medicate unnecessarily, but from time to time his nose does sound like he has a little bit of sniffles.

So, to start abs or not to start?

[island rehabber]

astra, is the poop sickeningly sweet-smelling? It sure looks and sounds like you have a case of coccidia there. Baycox would be the best choice for treatment but Albon ((sulfadimethoxine) may work as well. Cox' is present at all times in squirrels' systems but when they are stressed or debilitated for some other reason, it raises its ugly head. And, characteristically, it is so 'strong' that kaopectate, Dia-Stat and even Deliver don't work well on coccidia.

[stepnstone]

I would stop the kaopektate if you haven't seen black poops even in the diarrhea, obviously it is not working.
I have answered your pm with an alternative. :grouphug

[astra]

astra, is the poop sickeningly sweet-smelling? It sure looks and sounds like you have a case of coccidia there. Baycox would be the best choice for treatment but Albon ((sulfadimethoxine) may work as well. Cox' is present at all times in squirrels' systems but when they are stressed or debilitated for some other reason, it raises its ugly head. And, characteristically, it is so 'strong' that kaopectate, Dia-Stat and even Deliver don't work well on coccidia.

Thank you very much checking here - when the diarrhea first started, it had the sickeningly sweet smell and looked greyish-green or something like that.
But after I began to flush his system with hydration for a few feedings, the smell kind of went away, couldn't smell it anymore, but the diarrhea itself stayed. That's why I wasn't sure, whether it was coccidia or not.
Although a few years ago I remember dealing with coccidia, but there was no smell (or maybe, it wasn't coccidia... but it responded to the treatment, so it must have been)
I have neither baycox nor albon, so would have to ask around.

[astra]

I would stop the kaopektate if you haven't seen black poops even in the diarrhea, obviously it is not working.
I have answered your pm with an alternative. :grouphug

Ok, I will stop kaopektate. And I will check my pm. Thank you very much, stepnstone!

[astra]

What about the sniffles? ... is this something to be concerned about?... like I said, from time to time he sort of snorts out/sneezes (?) that sounds like he has something in his nose. But there doesn't seem to be any consistent discharge from his nose.
And other times - his breathing is completely silent.
Now not sure whether it's part of the common pfts that babies make, or if it's something that needs to be taken care of...

[Nancy in New York]

What about the sniffles? ... is this something to be concerned about?... like I said, from time to time he sort of snorts out/sneezes (?) that sounds like he has something in his nose. But there doesn't seem to be any consistent discharge from his nose.
And other times - his breathing is completely silent.
Now not sure whether it's part of the common pfts that babies make, or if it's something that needs to be taken care of...

astra I have a "little" girl (3+ years) that had/occasionally still has, the sniffles.
Periodically there is discharge from her nose.
She was on antibiotics in the beginning, from Dr. Pilny
and then again from my vet.
They did nothing.
She has since seemed to outgrown the discharge, but occassionally
I still hear that sniffles/congestion.

Maura currently has two little ones that were not responding to antibiotics,
but still continue with the sniffles.
I wonder if this is something viral with your little one.
How does he act otherwise?

[astra]

astra I have a "little" girl (3+ years) that had/occasionally still has, the sniffles.
Periodically there is discharge from her nose.
She was on antibiotics in the beginning, from Dr. Pilny
and then again from my vet.
They did nothing.
She has since seemed to outgrown the discharge, but occassionally
I still hear that sniffles/congestion.

Maura currently has two little ones that were not responding to antibiotics,
but still continue with the sniffles.
I wonder if this is something viral with your little one.
How does he act otherwise?

Thank you, Nancy.

Otherwise, he is active and doesn't seem bothered by it.
It's just a couple of times during feeding whatever "sniffling" he did sounded like he aspirated and I got worried. But afterwards there was no clicking and he seemed fine, so it must have been the sniffles. And then I thought that maybe these sniffles are something that needs to be treated, but wasn't sure because it's on and off. Overall his breathing seems fine (knock on wood,) but occasionally it's like he's got something in his nose and he snorts it out. But again - no discharge to speak of.

[Nancy in New York]

Thank you, Nancy.

Otherwise, he is active and doesn't seem bothered by it.
It's just a couple of times during feeding whatever "sniffling" he did sounded like he aspirated and I got worried. But afterwards there was no clicking and he seemed fine, so it must have been the sniffles. And then I thought that maybe these sniffles are something that needs to be treated, but wasn't sure because it's on and off. Overall his breathing seems fine (knock on wood,) but occasionally it's like he's got something in his nose and he snorts it out. But again - no discharge to speak of.

If you would feel more comfortable dosing antibiotics, I can help you with that.
I'm not sure it's necessary though, but if you want to be "on the safe side"
you have that option.
If he's active and eating like normal, I don't think it's a concern.

[astra]

If you would feel more comfortable dosing antibiotics, I can help you with that.
I'm not sure it's necessary though, but if you want to be "on the safe side"
you have that option.
If he's active and eating like normal, I don't think it's a concern.

Then I won't medicate him unnecessarily.
Thank you!!