What else to do for over 100gm weight loss due to loose stools?

[TonyaRN1970]

I've gone back and forth about life threatening vs non-life threatening...chose here due to daily weight loss and 0930 vet appt this morning and I (Grand-mama) want to have suggestions to show vet.
Long story short first (but all details below): Healthy 3 yr old squirrel
July--loose stool then normal
Sept--loose/mucous stools=vet visit, stool check there and sent to outside lab (negative), sub Q fluids, home w/ probiotic called Propectalin x 5 days...stools normal again
3 days after finished probiotic loose stools again then a bit of blood with stool then no blood...back to vet when after work noted just blood from rectum, mucous only from
rectum-size of back foot-while at vet...sub Q fluids, Propectalin again
Oct-- To different vet "squirrel specialist" when probiotic not working=antibiotic called Metrondazole x5 days (wouldn't do anything unless Alex was sedated completely
Antibiotic did not help, asked 1st vet to do things without sedation=blood drawn, x-rays taken, assessment done, sent home on Baytril x 10 days
Finished that antibiotic last night
Stools go from loose to loose & mostly mucous, from dark/normal color to very light, and from a "normal" amount to way too much, but stools haven't been normal "pellets"
since 1st probiotic given but there hasn't been blood in stools like the one day either...just a trace here and there.
Last week started her on Critical Care and Digestzyme-V but only ate once (see below for how) and fights until we r both covered in green mush if I try to "force feed"
Her weight in Sept was approx 316 grams--obvious weight loss visible
Her weight in the last week has fluctuated up and down from 205 grams to 250 grams with yesterdays weight being 215 grams
Due to the abnormal amount/texture/consistency/etc, she has lost all the hair around her bottom

**Alex's History: (3 yrs ago) 3ish day old grey squirrel found at bottom of tree-(nest approx 20 feet up-all birds, squirrels etc in the yard had been chased away by ?hawks). She was covered in red ant bites, mouth gaping open and cold...told to make her comfortable, most likely wouldn't make it thru the night....that was 3 yrs ago in Sept. Not only did she (Alexandria) survive but she thrived with only a slightly damaged eye as a reminder of her beginnings. Fast forward to this past July when she had some loose stools- My daughter (Mama) said had shared too much fruit with her recently. The stools returned to normal when the fruit was cut out for a week and decreased after that. Middle of Sept the loose stool happened again, we thought maybe she was hiding her rodent blocks around the room (she uses my daughters top bunk (has pillows, stuffed animals etc) as her playground) and eating her veggies and fruit=lopsided diet. Reinforced to her mama the need of watching Alex's diet more closely. Again, stools got better but not completely back to normal then loose again and way more than normal=1st trip to vet (see above list)
**Critical Care eaten once when made by directions then mixed with a little coconut oil and one peanut (ground into mush), made into 4 small balls and baked. Repeated the next day but she just took a few nibbles then refused them--even when mushed peanut was rubbed on side of one.
*Wednesday night she ate petite sweet baby peas--about a half a cup or more but she only eats innards of peas, not "shell"
Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions
Grand-mama of Alex

[cava]

Fast forward to this past July when she had some loose stools- My daughter (Mama) said had shared too much fruit with her recently. The stools returned to normal when the fruit was cut out for a week and decreased after that. Middle of Sept the loose stool happened again, we thought maybe she was hiding her rodent blocks around the room (she uses my daughters top bunk (has pillows, stuffed animals etc) as her playground) and eating her veggies and fruit=lopsided diet. Reinforced to her mama the need of watching Alex's diet more closely. Again, stools got better but not completely back to normal then loose again and way more than normal=1st trip to vet (see above list)


Alexandria certainly has had a tough time lately. Based on what you wrote, the only time she got better is when her diet was modified. If the trips to the vet and rounds of antibiotics didn't help and removing fruit did, it seems reasonable that she should be put on a VERY strict diet and have records kept daily of what she is offered, what she eats, what she tolerates based on stools.

If she hates the critical care so much, consider looking for boo ball recipes, which are packed with lots of nutritious stuff. (Seems like it really stresses her if you are both covered in it, and not worth it if she's not even getting it. Plus, stress can exacerbate diarrhea). I can't find it right now, but hopefully someone who makes them will chime in.

It would also benefit her to be on a probiotic all of the time. You can buy human probiotic capsules and sprinkle a little bit out (the amount of a nail head), mix with a few drops of water, suck in to syringe and give. Twice a day. You can also purchase a product called Benebac at petstores and give as directed on the back.

Be sure she has plenty of fresh water at all times. Take care of that toosh skin by keeping it clean and dry, and you can apply some A&D ointment to it if the skin is compromised.

Poor gal. I sure hope she feels better soon!

[TonyaRN1970]

Thank you very much for those suggestions. As far as fruit goes, I tried little bits of banana around the first time Alex went to the vet then no more so it's been over a month since she had fruit of any kind. We also tried just rodent blocks for a few days but even that didn't help. I think I saw a post with the boo balls recipe recently. It's like the food goes almost straight through her, she isn't pooping and then she eats and a few minutes later it just starts coming out. Possibly was the same when she was healthy but with healthy poop, I didn't notice when it came and when it didn't. Keeping track of the food and the poops is a great idea, I'll start doing that right away and I'll look for the probiotic after her appt this morning. Thanks again for your help.

[Mel1959]

How’s Alexandria doing? Did you ever try the boo balls? If you’d like my recipe for them, just send me a private message and I’d be happy to share it with you. All my guys eat boo balls in place of block.

If you haven’t tried the Benebac probiotic, I would suggest you do. It comes in a tube that you can twist the base of to measure dosing. It’s a semi-firm gel and the squirrels seem to like the taste of it. I just crank out the measured amount and hold it to their mouth and they usually just bite off the gel and eat it.

It sounds like her gut flora is all messed up. Did the vet check for coccidia? I don’t know if metronidazole treats that or not.

My dwarf squirrel had diarrhea for a long time and the vet suspected a sensitivity to the formula. I realize your girl isn’t on formula, but there could be some sensitivity to a food that has developed. The vet even tried giving my guy poop soup by taking poop from a healthy squirrel and feeding it to my guy to resupply the healthy gut flora. Yuck!