Maybe squirrel pox

[music01]

I have about it a 7 week old baby that I got from a rehab that I’m fostering for them. He has a swollen one swollen toe that is only the first digit. They want to put him down because they say that can’t release him and they said I could keep him and maybe treat him but If I treated him he would be a non-release I have another baby that he was with that’s not his brother but has been raised with him since their eyes were closed he doesn’t have any signs of it. I think he might have gotten his toe caught in the cage ( I transfer them back and forth to work and him in a travel bird cage). He has no other spots or bumps. He’s such a sweet boy and a true fighter. He’s on meds that they gave me because all the babies from the hurricane seem to be getting the same cold and he started the meds last week. And just got the swollen toe yesterday. The babies are separated until I know if it is or not. I really don’t want to put him down for a maybe

[Grinderhead]

Can you get some pictures.
That will help to determine.

[music01]

294992 this is the only one I have right now I can get better ones tomorrow. He got it yesterday and it hasn’t gotten any bigger or any redder. And I had cleaned it before this picture. To make sure there was no broken bones showing. It was after his second feeding now I could have not noticed it the first two feedings but I’m sure it wasn’t there

[music01]

He has no other signs of it spreading or anything else showing up on his body. He’s such a fighter I don’t want to see him be put down because of a maybe.

[Grinderhead]

Could he got it caught on something?
There will be some other members looking at it.
Juts hang tight. To me it doesn't look like pox.
Never dealt with it first hand just pictures.

[music01]

Ok thank you. And yeah the cage is a fold up cage so it moves back and forth really easy. He was always getting in play fights with his brother and they would like rob each other off the side off the cage all the time.

[island rehabber]

I don't think it's pox. Please check to be sure there isn't a hair or string wrapped around the toe; this happens often with baby squirrels and they can get gangrene this way and lose the toe. It looks angry so I am glad he's on meds in case of infection.

[music01]

There is no hair or string that I can see on him

[island rehabber]

He probably pinched it, then, between the cage panels. Does it look better, or worse, today?

[cava]

I agree it looks like a pinch. If you are using a fold up cage, it probably has pinch points where the sides line up. My folding cages do.

[Spanky]

I have treated pox babies only once, so this is not definitive BUT I did find that they both had lumps along their tails. Grab his tail gently and run your fingers down the length feeling for those potentially tell-tale lumps.

It does resemble an owie more than pox, but if it is pox more should show up rather quickly (within days).

[music01]

295002295002295003295003295004. It doesn’t look like it’s gotten any better or worse he doesn’t have as much irritation or redness but the swelling hasn’t gone down

[music01]

And no he doesn’t have bumps anywhere else on his body at all the lady who said I should put him down even checked him all over and couldn’t find any other spots at all

[LR]

What meds is he taking for the hurricane illness? If he is on an anti biotic already would it necessarily be the correct one to treat a small infected puncture wound? Just thinking- most wire cages have a few sharp points...

[music01]

Baytril I’m doing it subq. He started that yesterday and was on baycox last week. She said she was seeing more recover from the Baytril cuz for some reason the baycox wasn’t working as good. It looks like he got his toenail caught and then just pulled on it and I’ve seen where squirrel pox spreads really fast and his isn’t spreading at all so far

[island rehabber]

And no he doesn’t have bumps anywhere else on his body at all the lady who said I should put him down even checked him all over and couldn’t find any other spots at all

I have no idea why this person told you to put this baby down, but I would steer clear of her....forever pretty much.

[music01]

Well I can’t because it’s the rehabilitation’s baby they want him back as soon as he’s old enough to release I think I might keep him and just tell her that imma keep him as a pet and release him when he’s old enough I don’t think it’s poxes it’s not spreading or moving

[TubeDriver]

I agree 100%. I can't even imagine what would make a person choose to euthanize a squirrel because of that toe bobo? :shakehead


I have no idea why this person told you to put this baby down, but I would steer clear of her....forever pretty much.

[music01]

Well I still don’t know if it’s just a hurt. It’s not spreading but could it possibly not spread?? Does everyone who get it does it spread really fast??

[music01]

It doesn’t look like any of the pictures I saw of it on the toes area. I want to put him back with his brother because I know he is stressing being away from him. He doesn’t seem to have the cold anymore but I’ll continue with the meds to help the toe heal. Can someone come look at him for me that had seen it before??? I really want to make sure it’s not it

[TubeDriver]

That really does not look like Pox to me. But the sure way of know is to wait a week or so. If no Pox lesions form during this period then it is almost certainly not Pox and just an injury or small infection. With squirrel Pox, the diagnosis is made based on clinical symptomatic evidence. I don't think anyone here or most vets will do PCR to determine if this is Pox virus. Just wait a bit and see how this develops. If you are convinced it is Pox, you could start him on anti-virals.




It doesn’t look like any of the pictures I saw of it on the toes area. I want to put him back with his brother because I know he is stressing being away from him. He doesn’t seem to have the cold anymore but I’ll continue with the meds to help the toe heal. Can someone come look at him for me that had seen it before??? I really want to make sure it’s not it

[music01]

Ok thank you he’s had it for three days now and it doesn’t look like any different he did scratch the scab off a little and it was already had a little of the clear stuff that forms to make a new one

[TubeDriver]

I would just continue to watch him for the next week. Keep him apart from any other squirrels during this period just in case.


Ok thank you he’s had it for three days now and it doesn’t look like any different he did scratch the scab off a little and it was already had a little of the clear stuff that forms to make a new one

[music01]

Ok I will!! I’m really worried about him stressing about being alone he’s pacing the cage. And he won’t go under the shirt to sleep he just sits on the top and looks so sad and doesn’t sleep much :/

[TubeDriver]

Maybe put the cages close by so they can see each other but not touch? If the consensus is that this is not Pox, then you could put them back together now but there is some slight risk if this does turn out to be Pox. Perhaps separate for just a few days and hopefully the toe starts to heal and no other symptoms turn up?



Ok I will!! I’m really worried about him stressing about being alone he’s pacing the cage. And he won’t go under the shirt to sleep he just sits on the top and looks so sad and doesn’t sleep much :/

[music01]

I did put it to where they can see each other but it didn’t help he still does it I think the only time he sleeps is when I hold him and I can only do that so much at work he eats just fine and everything so I’m not to worried about him getting to depressed. How many more days do you think I should wait?? I noticed it Monday

[TubeDriver]

If there are no additional symptoms by Friday then I would think he is fine but this is just a guesstimate and it could vary on a case by case basis.


I did put it to where they can see each other but it didn’t help he still does it I think the only time he sleeps is when I hold him and I can only do that so much at work he eats just fine and everything so I’m not to worried about him getting to depressed. How many more days do you think I should wait?? I noticed it Monday

[music01]

Ok I’ll wait till then

[JoeysMom]

294992 this is the only one I have right now I can get better ones tomorrow. He got it yesterday and it hasn’t gotten any bigger or any redder. And I had cleaned it before this picture. To make sure there was no broken bones showing. It was after his second feeding now I could have not noticed it the first two feedings but I’m sure it wasn’t there

This looks very similar to a toe injury Joey had last year. I had him on antibiotics and nothing was helping to heal it. I ended up taking him to his vet. Whatever caused the injury, the bone ended up protruding through the skin underneath the nail. I never could see any bone because of it constantly scabbing over. His vet amputated the tip of the bone and sutured the skin and nail back in place. He doesn't have full use of his toe but it doesn't hinder his climbing abilities.

295017 295018 295019 295020

[music01]

It does look like his!!! His is more swollen though. I don’t really have the money to take him to the vets and do surgery though:/. My moms in and out of the hospital and she just went today too so I really don’t have that much money to even use on him if I did I would:( But I don’t want him to suffer though:/ I mean it doesn’t bother him and I can touch it but as long as I don’t squeeze it to hard he doesn’t mind it at all. Any suggestions?? I’m so glad I didn’t leave him with that lady to be put down!!!

[TubeDriver]

You could put a TINY amount of antibiotic cream on the injury, it may help to prevent an infection.



It does look like his!!! His is more swollen though. I don’t really have the money to take him to the vets and do surgery though:/. My moms in and out of the hospital and she just went today too so I really don’t have that much money to even use on him if I did I would:( But I don’t want him to suffer though:/ I mean it doesn’t bother him and I can touch it but as long as I don’t squeeze it to hard he doesn’t mind it at all. Any suggestions?? I’m so glad I didn’t leave him with that lady to be put down!!!

[music01]

What name brand should I get ??

[music01]

It’s not going down his toe and it’s still swollen but it doesn’t look as bad and it’s not red anymore

[music01]

29506029506129506229506329506429506529506629506629 5067
I know they aren’t the best photos but this is today

[cava]

I think it looks much better so far.

[music01]

Yeah so does my mom I’ve been getting her to look at it once a day since I see it all day when I feed him and take care of him so she would notice if it changes. Tomorrow I think imma put him back with his brother. Would pox spread to all over his body if he started out with one bump??

[Spanky]

Would pox spread to all over his body if he started out with one bump??

Yes, if this is pox it would start to spread within a a few days to a week especially if not receiving treatment (anti-virals).

[LR]

Did you find the ointment? Moms probably got a tube in the medicine closet with the bandaids...

[music01]

No cuz I asked what kind and nobody said anything will neosporin work??

[CritterMom]

You can use a teeny tiny bit - not a blob; you just want enough to barely coat the area. Honestly, it looks really good at this point so I think you are likely using the neo more to make yourself feel better - moms do that...

While pox often shows up on the feet, this looks more like a pinch point injury. Cages with wire bars rather than welded pieces of bar stock have many places, especially where the sides meet, that a toe can slide into and get caught. If they would pull it out the way it went in it would be fine but when they can't just pull it straight out they panic and yank. This is why cages for smallish birds are not a good idea (and they are just as bad an idea for the birds, BTW - they do the same thing).

[kcassidy]

I have dealt with Pox a lot, sadly. That is not Pox. It would never be just one digit and there would also be pox bumps in the genital area, all 4 feet would have all of the toes swollen. Also it doesn't look that color.

I've attached a pix of one of my squirrels (who survived) genital area. These pox lesions at this area appeared at the same time as her swollen digits and eye bumps.

[music01]

Ok thank you everyone!!!! I feel a lot better about it now and it looks better the color is going back normal the swelling hasn’t gone down much but it looks a lot better. I was so worried for him and I am so glad I kept him instead of giving him to that lady I would have never be able to live with myself! He’s such a strong boy. I’m having a little problem with him being bloated could that have something to do with the toe?? I just uped his amount of food because he gained some weight so I go back down??

[Mel1959]

Could you post a picture so folks can see how bloated? You might need to cut back a little on the food if bloat is happening. It’s best to increase food very gradually.

[TubeDriver]

If he is really bloated, skip the next feeding and just provide water. No point in sending in more food if it already is not properly digested. Skipping a meal and giving water allows the gas and poorly processed food to work its way through the system.


Ok thank you everyone!!!! I feel a lot better about it now and it looks better the color is going back normal the swelling hasn’t gone down much but it looks a lot better. I was so worried for him and I am so glad I kept him instead of giving him to that lady I would have never be able to live with myself! He’s such a strong boy. I’m having a little problem with him being bloated could that have something to do with the toe?? I just uped his amount of food because he gained some weight so I go back down??

[Nancy in New York]

Ok thank you everyone!!!! I feel a lot better about it now and it looks better the color is going back normal the swelling hasn’t gone down much but it looks a lot better. I was so worried for him and I am so glad I kept him instead of giving him to that lady I would have never be able to live with myself! He’s such a strong boy. I’m having a little problem with him being bloated could that have something to do with the toe?? I just uped his amount of food because he gained some weight so I go back down??

Here's a chart that may help you to feed according to the 5-7% "rule of thumb" for their weight in grams.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Feeding-Chart/i-Xhkv352/1/e1841dc2/X2/001-X2.jpg

[music01]

That’s the chart I follow. But I skipped one and he went back to normal I went back down instead of going up. His toe swelling is going down it lookes like his nail got caught that’s why it swelled up but it’s looking a lot better

[music01]

He’s toenail is most definitely going to fall off. It looks like his body is pushing it out the redness has gone away but now his toenail is almost all the way to the right and it looks like it’s pushing it out:/. Does seem to bother him but it still is weird to me!!!! My older girl lost half of her tail and I had to wait till the bone dried up and fall off that was a pretty surprising experience and it creeped me out so bad to just see the bone there so hopefully I can deal with the toe lol

[HRT4SQRLS]

music, I'm glad this wasn't pox. Don't worry about the toe nail. It will be fine even if he loses the nail. Even if he lost the entire toe it wouldn't affect his ability to survive in the wild. A missing single nail won't slow him down at all.

I wanted to tell you that I'm happy that you finally got babies. I remember how much you wanted to rehab so I'm glad that it finally happened. I'm also happy that you trusted your instincts and didn't give up on him based on a wrong diagnosis. :hug

[music01]

music, I'm glad this wasn't pox. Don't worry about the toe nail. It will be fine even if he loses the nail. Even if he lost the entire toe it wouldn't affect his ability to survive in the wild. A missing single nail won't slow him down at all.

I wanted to tell you that I'm happy that you finally got babies. I remember how much you wanted to rehab so I'm glad that it finally happened. I'm also happy that you trusted your instincts and didn't give up on him based on a wrong diagnosis. :hug

Thank you for helping me out and yeah I don’t think I could have lived with myself if I gave him to her and he would have been put down from a hurt toe I think that’s why I couldn’t give him up.