Arch back & Baby fine hair

[dextersmom]

I noticed one of my 4 month old when eating has a curvature back.the others do not. her hair is different than the others,hers is baby fine hair. What can this be? She only plays with me,and wants no part of the others which are the same age. Which means shes my favorite.....

[LR]

Could you post some pictures of her especially one that shows the "curvature ". Also please list all of of the foods that she is actually eating. These will be the start of being able to help you figure out what is happening.

[Diggie's Friend]

I noticed one of my 4 month old when eating has a curvature back.the others do not. her hair is different than the others,hers is baby fine hair. What can this be? She only plays with me,and wants no part of the others which are the same age. Which means shes my favorite.....

I believe what you are describing is known as "Kitten fur syndrome". Here is a partial post of a member that quoted this article on this condition on the board years back. Not sure about the text in blue, so I thought to highlight it and allow one our rehabbers confirm or correct it if needed. Please wait then to have these instructions verified, or clarified as needed.


"Kitten Fur Syndrome refers to a collection of symptoms sometimes found in
young gray squirrels. Penelope Eastham was first to recognize this as a health
problem and to develop a protocol of treatment for them. The cause of this
syndrome is most likely nutritional and may be a stage of metabolic bone
disease.

Kitten Fur squirrels have a soft fluffy coat similar to that of a kitten. They usually
come in for rehabilitation from the wild at about 8 weeks old. They look healthy
but seem developmentally delayed. They are very lightweight and usually have
trouble thermoregulating. Treat these squirrels as though they are infants.
Make heat available to them. Start their feedings with rehydration formula and
transition carefully to full formula."

If the babies seem to do well on straight (Esbilac, begin to add Multi-Milk powder??) when you prepare the formula, until you reach a mix of one part Esbilac powder, one part Multi-Milk powder, and two parts water.

Always offer the formula warmed. Offer solids (rodent chow and
monkey chow ??) but keep feeding formula at normal
amounts for the animal's weight for at least two weeks.
Begin to wean at the normal age but monitor their weight carefully.

Ms. Eastham recommends that these babies continue on this regimen for 4-6 weeks.
When the babies are no longer choosing to be on heat, the heat source can be removed.
If a squirrel comes into your care and you aren't certain that it has Kitten Fur Syndrome,
it is safest to treat it as though it does."

[Diggie's Friend]

Sorry I ran out of time; here is the section I'm not sure about;
specifically as to whether "Esbillac" , "Multi milk", or "Monkey chow" is still recommended for this issue or not?


If the babies seem to do well on straight (Esbilac, begin to add Multi-Milk powder??) when you prepare the formula, until you reach a mix of one part Esbilac powder, one part Multi-Milk powder, and two parts water.

Also:
Offer solids (rodent chow and monkey chow)

[dextersmom]

She definitely has Kitten Fur disorder. Is this a big deal? will it go away on its own? Her diet consists of Henrys blocks first thing in the morning,and than puppy milk along with lettuce,broc.califlower,brussel sprouts,later in the afternoon another Henrys block and more milk..In the middle of the night I wake them up and give her another block total of 3,4 blocks a day they love them! They get water as well. should I be adding something else?

[LR]

What type of puppy milk are you using?

[LR]

A couple of things I would for your squee.

They are 16 weeks old and plenty old enough to go all night without eating. Don't wake them up in the middle of the night to feed them. Move to a schedule of three times a day such as 7-1-7:00.

Too much/many calcium and vitamins can cause as many problems as not enough. Stick to one HHB in the morning and one at night. Leave a good rodent block in the cage for times they might want something in between meals.

Watch how many fruits and nuts you are feeding. They are treats only.....

This is the link for the healthy diet:

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

[dextersmom]

They drink the Esbilac puppy milk with the adorable white puppy. aka the correct one. I will for sure stop waking them, and I will only give them 2 per day of the Henry blocks. if you feel that I may be overdosing them with calcium. Would giving them too much Henrys blocks create one out of 4 to have the kitten fur syndrome?

[LR]

The powdered Esbilac right? Not the premixed one. How much is she taking still?

I'm not saying that I think you are giving her too much calcium. Just that too much of any thing can cause just as many problems as not enough.

Someone else will need to discuss the "Kitten Fur" with you. I don't know enough about it to be confident in any reply I might make. If she has a food sensitivity of some sort though it could possibly aggravate it?

[dextersmom]

Yes the powder. She does not eat or drink as much as the others,she comes from a different litter.She adores me and only plays with me,so I thought maybe the bald patches were nerves. If I put her own she runs so fast back to me. Its difficult for me to type shes so needy but playful. If anyone knows of the kitten fur syndrome please let me know what needs to be done.there is nothing out there regarding treatments..Thanks

[LR]

Where are the BALD PATCHES???? Have you tried to post pictures of her yet? They might really be helpful in determining what is happening with her.

[Chickenlegs]

Is this baby a dwarf? Some of the issues she has sound like dwarf issues.

[Scooterzmom]

What you are describing sounds just like my little Down syndrome/dwarf baby, Ayanna. The curvature, the limited solid food eating, and certainly the bald patches... and the special attachment, that needy side. Now my girl is a dwarf but she is not teeny-tiny. Dwarfs are not all super small - i.e. some are slightly larger than others, but not full grown of course. My little girl got almost bald until we installed her in a terrarium with a heat lamp (and a large jar of water with hole in the lid to supply humidity) - an incubator would be best but we just couldn't find one at an affordable cost. :(

When you pick her up, have you noticed if her feet are cold/cool or are they warm, like the other guys'? Does she seem to have issues of balance shen she sits up or tries to jump?


Pictures of her, full front, when she sits, and those patches.... all would help us. The more the better to help us spot the problem.

[dextersmom]

I am trying to post some pictures of her. I think I have a learning disability trying to upload picture I just cant seem to get it! Today I had to give her milk with her old eye dropper,and she was thrilled to drink it this way. The bald spot on the back of her neck is now filled in,yet a new one popped up on her top hind leg.Her arch in her back is double the size of a "normal" arch. I dont feel a coldness to her hands or feet as someone had asked me regarding dwarfism. I will keep trying..Is there a special diet for these squirrels? Are they releasable? again I will continue trying to upload

[Nancy in New York]

I am trying to post some pictures of her. I think I have a learning disability trying to upload picture I just cant seem to get it! Today I had to give her milk with her old eye dropper,and she was thrilled to drink it this way. The bald spot on the back of her neck is now filled in,yet a new one popped up on her top hind leg.Her arch in her back is double the size of a "normal" arch. I dont feel a coldness to her hands or feet as someone had asked me regarding dwarfism. I will keep trying..Is there a special diet for these squirrels? Are they releasable? again I will continue trying to upload

email me the pictures and I will post them on the board when I get home.
Sending you a pm with my email address.

[Nancy in New York]

Here's the little darling! :Love_Icon
Has her fur always been like this, or is she molting?
Cute little one for sure! :klunk

296795296796296797

[dextersmom]

She came to me when she was 3 weeks old.She was given an antibiotic which was 10 x too strong. Than I received her. The next day 3 more came to me maybe one week older,so I put them all together.She was never really accepted fully by them I felt,so she stayed by herself,or looked for me.she never caught up growing as they had,but drank her milk well,and loved her Henry blocks Than I noticed her hair became soft and fine..Her back arched higher than the others,and one bald spot behind her head,than another as seen in the pic.The bald spot on her head filled in overnight,which was strange.I believe she is malting. She does not eat as well as the others and lately I feel I must be on top of her to drink.Her activity level is energetic,and loving.Can anyone make a diagnoses looking at her picture?. Is there anything I should do? Is she a non releasable? ANY help is very much appreciated!

[LR]

Multi -milk
296819

It appears that the Multi-milk referred to in Diggies post was/is used to increase fat/caloric intake similar to the UltraBoost from Henry's Healthy Pets that we use now. After reading about it , it appears that the Multi-milk is a low lactose formula.

Could these little ones with Kitten Fur Syndrome possibly require a diet that is closer to lactose free?

[dextersmom]

So she has "kitten fur syndrome" not dwarfism? So basically the only treatment recommended is this milk? I need a bit more data. Example: breakfast: I should feed her? and how much? Lunch? snack?dinner? also again,is she a releasable or shes with me forever? thanks again..

[LR]

We were discussing the possibility of her being a dwarf.

Diggie posted an old link about the "Kitten fur" you are seeing and I did a Google search on one of the products that was suggested to correct it. The Multi-Milk.

[Diggie's Friend]

Again, beyond it sounding like "Kitten hair syndrome", I know little about which formulas to use; this especially since the time this info was posted there were some serious problems found back then with some milk formulas. One of the veteran rehabber would know which formulas, their order,and dosages to use for this baby.

[dextersmom]

Ok thanks I will try the multi-milk..How many times per day and the ratio. is it the same as the puppy formula? thanks again! and is this type of squirrel able to be released?

[dextersmom]

I got it I will try this. thanks again!

[Mel1959]

Ok thanks I will try the multi-milk..How many times per day and the ratio. is it the same as the puppy formula? thanks again! and is this type of squirrel able to be released?

My understanding of kitten fur syndrome is that the squirrel is developmentally delayed and usually underweight. They may not be able to thermoregulate their own heat so additional heat should be offered until they no longer choose to be on it. The multi milk powder should be used in conjunction with formula. You should work up to one part formula, one part multi milk and 2 parts water. These babies need more time and nutritional support than other squirrels.

I’m not sure what is in the multi milk, but it sounds like it’s similar to Fox Valley Ultraboost, which I have used successfully.