BLOAT!

[Chickenlegs]

Boybaby is bloated. He blows up any time he eats. I’ve given him some baby simethicone. He had some water and a soak. He feels lousy. This little man fell then lay on a cold sidewalk all day. He was chilled to the bone. Please, any suggestions to beat this new obstacle are appreciated.

[SammysMom]

I've given simethicone with every feeding preemptively on occasion. Poor baby...I think the cold does it.

[Chickenlegs]

Been diluting his formula and simethiconeing. He did poop a little. It was kind of runny but it’s going through. I don’t think he’s peeing enough. Prayers please.

[Diggie's Friend]

Have you added any prebiotic like this one into the diet? This source supports digestion with nursing young, and so helps to normalize the bowels and the urine also.

https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Goodpet-Probiotics-prebiotics-High-Potency/dp/B007AK0FRQ

I include 1/64 Tsp for maintainence in my squirrel diet. I would think that wouldn't be in excess for a clinical dosage in this case.

That said, I haven't used this with babies, so I don't know the optimum recommended dosage to add.

[Diggie's Friend]

I thought to do a check on this soluble fiber base in this product, "Fructooligosaccarides". It support the growth of good bacteria, yet wouldn't it support the good of the bad also? Still it makes sense to have a prebiotic base, and a product that supplies just the good bacteria which battles the bad bacteria. It is lactose free, which is a positive factor.

Perhaps it would better and quicker to get a plain organic yogurt like Green valley, that is lactose free to add in in this case? The live good bacteria in this source can be seen under a microscope, so no doubt it is alive in there.

https://greenvalleylactosefree.com/product/lactose-free-plain-yogurt

[Mel1959]

:Love_Icon prayers :Love_Icon

[island rehabber]

CL, this is Duckman's protocol for bloat and he swears by it. Others have tried it successfully as well! (I have not, thank God, had the need to try it yet.) He saved so many FV 32/40 babies during that horrible summer when EVERYONE was bloating and dying, so it's worth a try:

The trick for me seemed to be getting in as much water, as quickly as possible, once you see and feel the hardness in the belly. Not sugar water or Pedilyte, but plain water. I did this every hour (giving about .2-.3 ml) and ensure you stimulate after each, for 2 reasons. 1. You have to get that water out of the bladder, and it will burst if you don't. 2. You want that water to start working on the crud in the belly. After 8-10 hours, you should start seeing some movement out of the bowel (they will continue to poop, but you will start to see it more watery, which is what you want). At that time, start introducing diluted formula at the ratio of 25% Esbilac, 75% water. Feed this for the first half day. The second half day, I bumped up the ration to 50/50. I fed this for a day and then went to 75% Esbilac, 25% water and introduced full food the next day (and the blockage was gone!). So far, I am at 100% success rate. One note though. I check my pinkies after every feeding, so see if their bellies are hard or squishy. I would suggest everyone get in the habit of checking them after every feeding as habit and you can't go wrong in catching them before they bloat up. Once they take on that angry red color on their bellies (this is when their system goes septic), they are gone and can't be saved, so the trick is to catch them before this happens (hence, getting in the habit to see if their tummies are hard or not).

[redwuff]

What formula are you feeding?

[redwuff]

I had a devil of a time with esbilac last year with all babies under 3 weeks not passing and digesting the formula and bloating. For pinkies I fed the 3:1:1 goats milk formula and as they aged I would start cutting it with esbilac.

Since this little one was probably ice cold for Way too long, there is a worry about organs shutting down. I would feed smaller amounts more often with 100% GMF until he seems stable.

298804

These guys came in 5 Feb, they were on GMF until a few days ago when I started introducing FV 20/50. The little piggies are now over 70 g.

[4Puddles]

I am not sure how safe or effective this would be in a squirrel, but how about passing a feeding tube to release the gas buildup up? I know it is done with bloating horses and dogs to release the pressure. It works very well as long as the stomach hasn’t twisted and closed off the opening making it impossible to pass the tube. While it doesn’t treat what is causing the bloat after each feeding, decompressing his tummy would help him feel more comfortable.

[Javarat]

I am not sure how safe or effective this would be in a squirrel, but how about passing a feeding tube to release the gas buildup up? I know it is done with bloating horses and dogs to release the pressure. It works very well as long as the stomach hasn’t twisted and closed off the opening making it impossible to pass the tube. While it doesn’t treat what is causing the bloat after each feeding, decompressing his tummy would help him feel more comfortable.I would NOT attempt this with something this small. A horse or dog are so large that you can 'feel' what the tube is doing. You could kill a squirrel without noticing the tube felt 'odd' or was resisting being pushed.

[ScrappyDo]

Listen to ir and redwulf! That advice saved one of my boys and the goat milk formula made him thrive! 😀 In fact, the other 2 I was rehabbing that were close to the same age wanted a taste and that's all they wanted after that! They grew to be very healthy and fluffy and shiny!

[ScrappyDo]

I also did hourly soaks in a cup of warm water up to his armpits for a few minutes and let him sleep on my chest inside my shirt

[Diggie's Friend]

So you all know the prebiotic Fructooligosaccharides is soluble fiber, not insoluble. Insoluble pulls in water to the bowel, but soluble doesn't. Soluble has it's place, but on further consideration of this source, I wouldn't use it. There has to be a balance of soluble and insoluble fiber. Fructooligosaccharides are soluble fiber. Perhaps it is better not to add fiber to baby formula at all; I don't see it included in the formulas I have looked at so far?


https://lifespa.com/eat-the-right-fiber/

Risks
Too much soluble fiber can pull in excessive water in the gut and create an uncomfortable distended belly
• Too much soluble fiber can dehydrate the gut. Have you ever added water to psyllium in a glass? Being a soluble fiber, it will attract water and expand quickly in the glass. If too much soluble fiber is taken, it may pull water away from the gut wall, drying it out.
• The expansive effect of soluble fiber can also overly distend the gut. This could cause chronic constipation, a distended bowel, and sluggish absorption of certain nutrients such as sugars and fats into the bloodstream.

•Insoluble fiber tends to speed up the passage of food through the stomach and intestines, adding needed bulk to the stool.
•It is also in charge of maintaining the proper pH of the gut, which regulates the balance of good bacteria in the gut.

[Chickenlegs]

Thank you everybody. Boybaby is still bloaty but better. He’s in transition to goats milk and full fat yogurt—small amounts frequently fed with water in between. He’s been pooping and peeing. Still blows up the second he’s fed but with plenty of stimulation he’s not so bad. So should he just get water? He acts like he’s starving—those little lips smacking. I have colestrum—it’s bovine. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas re adding a pinch to his formula which right this second is GM/yogurt and Esbilas. Next feeding he’ll be mostly GM. My babies tummy hurts. I think it’s a little better tonight at least. His sister is fine but she wasn’t as cold as he was. He felt as cold as a rock picked off cold ground. It took him a long time to warm up.

[SammysMom]

Less is more, Pat. You are going in the right direction. GMF is so easy to digest. You can switch right over without transitioning in my experience. I generally go a couple of days at least without the cream and then add slowly.
You've got this! :Love_Icon

[Chickenlegs]

Good deal. GM it is! Should I give him water in between? How about the simethicone? He IS pooping and peeing—sometime the poop is firm and sometimes watery. Right now he has a blob of white in his belly. I’m guessing it’s milk crud. I’d really like to see that gone. More water in a half hour or so.

[Rattriffic]

you said above .2-.3 ml per time but it seems this person was talking about tiny guys... what would be the recommended amount for a 2 1/2 week old? still the same?

[Spanky]

you said above .2-.3 ml per time but it seems this person was talking about tiny guys... what would be the recommended amount for a 2 1/2 week old? still the same?

Do you have a bloated baby? The Gas-X is a relatively safe drug but I would think 0.3ML for a 2.5 week old should do the trick. If not repeat in a few hours.

What are you feeding your baby? Let's try to figure out why she has bloat...

[Rattriffic]

Do you have a bloated baby? The Gas-X is a relatively safe drug but I would think 0.3ML for a 2.5 week old should do the trick. If not repeat in a few hours.

What are you feeding your baby? Let's try to figure out why she has bloat...

I have 4 with it now.... 3 came to me this way. I have never had a baby bloat until 1 of mine did... she is approx. 3 weeks old, is eating the exact same as 6 others her size, same conditions same everything. I was feeding so many and did not catch she has puffy and started to feed her... she ate about 1 cc before I realized OMG she is still really fat. Im sure that did not help the situation. I feed fox valley mixed per the directions, and I have never had an issue. now I have 3 more that came in this afternoon... 2 are not in great shape the person that had them did not know and just kept feeding them over the last few days until they absolutely refused...those two might not be savable at this point but Im willing to try anything to try and save them.

I have done a few soaks, and have given gas drops and a little bit of water, but they are going to dehydrate fast, and the other two are already dehydrated....I deal with a lot of sick and injured babies but Im overwhelmed by this bloat.

I was going to try the above mentioned but think it was for tiny pinkies.... these guys are all between 68-77 grams.... how much water every hour should I give? 1/2 cc? 1 cc? they want food so bad, and look miserable I feel terrible for them :-(

[Spanky]

Let me go find the protocol we have been seeing lots of success to deal with bloating... in the meantime, are you feeding the Fox Valley 32/40 by chance?!?!?

[Spanky]

Here is the Duckman Protocol for bloat:

"The trick for me seemed to be getting in as much water, as quickly as possible, once you see and feel the hardness in the belly. Not sugar water or Pedilyte, but plain water. I did this every hour (giving about .2-.3 ml) and ensure you stimulate after each, for 2 reasons.
1. You have to get that water out of the bladder, and it will burst if you don't.
2. You want that water to start working on the crud in the belly. After 8-10 hours, you should start seeing some movement out of the bowel (they will continue to poop, but you will start to see it more watery, which is what you want). At that time, start introducing diluted formula at the ratio of 25% Esbilac, 75% water. Feed this for the first half day. The second half day, I bumped up the ration to 50/50. I fed this for a day and then went to 75% Esbilac, 25% water and introduced full food the next day (and the blockage was gone!). So far, I am at 100% success rate. One note though. I check my pinkies after every feeding, so see if their bellies are hard or squishy. I would suggest everyone get in the habit of checking them after every feeding as habit and you can't go wrong in catching them before they bloat up. Once they take on that angry red color on their bellies (this is when their system goes septic), they are gone and can't be saved, so the trick is to catch them before this happens (hence, getting in the habit to see if their tummies are hard or not). "

If you are using Fox Valley 32/40, please switch to Esbilac.
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?54409-WARNING-DO-NOT-FEED-Fox-Valley-32-40&p=1169772&highlight=#post1169772

[HRT4SQRLS]

Are you feeding Fox Valley 32:40?

If so, you need to switch immediately to either Fox Valley 20:50 or powdered puppy Esbilac formula.

FV 32:40 has had problems. The babies can't digest it. They bloat and die so we no longer recommend it. There have been no problems with Fox Valley 20:50.