Swallowed a Bead!

[EarlsMom]

My 5mo old squirrel just swallowed a bead! I'm afraid it is going to create a blockage. How can I make her vomit it up?

[TubeDriver]

I dont think you can make a squirrel vomit. That bead is small, it might just pass through him? You could add a small amount of mineral oil to his food to help smooth things out and help pass the bead? Also, I would keep him well hydrated and give only soft foods (yogurt, cream) because we want things to flow and not get blocked up?

Do you have vet access?

[EarlsMom]

>>Do you have vet access?

My SIL is a vet. Unfortunately she is limited in what she can do outside of private support. Certainly surgery is not an option. :(

[CritterMom]

Are you ABSOLUTELY certain? They normally don't gulp large items like that in one swallow - they daintily hold them like a nut and chew little pieces off. I have watched many a shirt button/wooden furniture plug/remote control button disappear down my squirrel (until I can wrestle it away) but NEVER in one piece. They WILL hide it in their mouth so you can't see or get to it but normally when you stop harassing them they spit it out and go back to nibbling it...

[SammysMom]

I would almost bet that the little bugger held it in her mouth and looked as though it was totally gone. Then off she went to hide it somewhere. That is a very large object for a little one to actually swallow. It seems like in comparison, it would be like a person swallowing something larger than a cherry whole. :dono

[EarlsMom]

Sadly, I'm positive she swallowed it. Once I got her cornered in her cube, she looked right at me as I went to reach for her AND GULPED!! I checked her cube to be sure after I pried her mouth open!

The bead is about 6mm (or about 1/4" ) hex-shaped with a thread hole in it.

I don't have mineral oil on hand. Will olive oil, canola oil or coconut oil do? (I'm in the eye of a lake effect snow storm at the moment so I can't get out to the store.) and is formula still okay to feed her?

[TubeDriver]

Formula is fine as is anything soft but I would not give blocks or veggies until that bead passes. Mineral oil is really what you want but in a pinch maybe canola oil will do? Don't over do it with the oil but you want to get some of it to coat and lubricate her GI tract.


Sadly, I'm positive she swallowed it. Once I got her cornered in her cube, she looked right at me as I went to reach for her AND GULPED!! I checked her cube to be sure after I pried her mouth open!

The bead is about 6mm (or about 1/4" ) hex-shaped with a thread hole in it.

I don't have mineral oil on hand. Will olive oil, canola oil or coconut oil do? (I'm in the eye of a lake effect snow storm at the moment so I can't get out to the store.) and is formula still okay to feed her?

[EarlsMom]

Thank you Tubedriver. :hug
I gave her canola oil (1/2 tsp, which in hind-sight may have been too much. She was hungry and lapped it right up). Praying it's well greased for passage!

Since she can have her formula she won't get hungry, but I still removed her twigs and leaves so she isn't ingesting anything bulky (left her log). I took a weight on her and cleaned up her cage so I can monitor her poopy output. I guess it's going to be a wait and see situation.

Btw, how much mineral oil...guesstimate? There is a lull in the storm.

[EarlsMom]

Dramatic change in stools in five hours since this morning!

[SophieSquirrel]

I don't think the bead shown will pass through the Duodenum. I have attached a diagram of the squirrels digestive system. I am afraid the only way to tell for sure is to have a vet use Iso to effect and take an x-ray. Sammysmom is correct as they usually don't swallow whole objects and grind all food thoroughly. I take it in NY it's hard to get a vet to see wildlife. In Florida there are great exotic vets that welcome squirrels.

296828

[stepnstone]

Dramatic change in stools in five hours since this morning!

Which is the before and now, right left?

[Fuzz24butt]

I would almost bet that the little bugger held it in her mouth and looked as though it was totally gone. Then off she went to hide it somewhere. That is a very large object for a little one to actually swallow. It seems like in comparison, it would be like a person swallowing something larger than a cherry whole. :dono
Roscoe would hide thumb tacks it scared me to death he's fine keep a eye om him

[EarlsMom]

Which is the before and now, right left?

The stool on the left was in the morning, and the stools on the right were 5hrs later.
Since the posting of that picture her stools went back to a more normal size several hours later, much to my relief!

I have been palpating her abdomen some and not felt the bead yet, not that I know what I'm doing!

[stepnstone]

Passing the bowel is a pretty good sign there is no blockage happening...:dono

[Rocky1]

There might be the possibility that it could hang out in the stomach for quite some time and not cause major problems besides causing the stomach to get full faster. Keep a close eye on her and let us know about any new symptoms asap. If she is doing well, that would also be great to hear about.

[EarlsMom]

So here we are, way down the line, and no sign of the bead! Gearl has been back on her regular diet for many weeks and happy as can be! So either, she indeed fooled me and never swallow that bead. Or, as both my vet sister-in-law and Rocky1 suggested, the bead can remain in the stomach indefinitely without causing any adverse effects.

Thank you all for your comments! They were a comfort when I was fraught with worry.