First aid kit for my squirrel?

[Seymour's mom]

What should I have on hand for Seymour? In case of cold/fever/illness? As far as urine test strips, can I get the ones from Chewy.com that's for dogs and cats? How do you know if they have a fever and what can I safely give?What do all the experienced squirrel owners typically have on hand?

[Toddy]

What should I have on hand for Seymour? In case of cold/fever/illness? As far as urine test strips, can I get the ones from Chewy.com that's for dogs and cats? How do you know if they have a fever and what can I safely give?What do all the experienced squirrel owners typically have on hand?

As for urine test strips, I would purchase the ones that test for all 10 parameters including protein, ketones, pH, glucose, blood, specific gravity, etc. With all these parameters covered in one strip, you can easily monitor liver and kidney function, dietary pH, UTI's, diabetes, as well as other potential health issues. The human grade strips by Rapid Response are the best and most accurate.

[Seymour's mom]

Thank you 😊😊

[Toddy]

In addition to the test strips, I also keep the following on hand in case of emergencies: gauze pads, vet tape, popsicle sticks, bandages, syringes of varying sizes, rubbing alcohol, Polysporin, peroxide, INFANT Motrin, kitten Revolution, a heating pad, and a chew proof pet carrier. There are probably more things I have for "just in case" situations, but these are the ones that come to mind at the moment.

I also plan to order FV 20/50 and more syringes/nipples from Henry's the next time I place an order.

I'd rather have the supplies I need before I need them, rather than scrambling at the last minute. It is good to be prepared for anything when our squees are involved :Love_Icon

[cava]

Saved antibiotics, syringes (1, 3, 6 and 12), dermagel, normal saline, stuff to give SQ fluids, probiotics, infant gas x, infant ibuprofen. Sterile bandage material, vet wrap. Betadine, a revolution, ivermectin, just in case. Latex gloves, alcohol prep pads.

I always have an unopened infant banana baby food and rice cereal.

Little measuring glasses, tiny funnel, little bottles for mixed meds. Teet canulas are helpful.

All off the top of my head

[SophieSquirrel]

As for urine test strips, I would purchase the ones that test for all 10 parameters including protein, ketones, pH, glucose, blood, specific gravity, etc. With all these parameters covered in one strip, you can easily monitor liver and kidney function, dietary pH, UTI's, diabetes, as well as other potential health issues. The human grade strips by Rapid Response are the best and most accurate.

Keep your test strips dry and in the sealed package. I keep a large desiccant packet in my "Go-Kit" to reduce moisture. My Go-Kit is for emergency response (squirrels only) and for in-house treatment on weekends when the vet & his facility is not available. I carry numerous controlled substances for use under his strict guidance only, and every bottle has script with it. FWCC has had a "look see" from time to time. I also have his cellphone for emergencies. He is very involved in rehab and has an infirmary for wildlife set up in his office as well. Hey, this is Florida after-all! It's all by the book but there is more leeway here especially if you work with/under a vet who is also a rehabber - plus you learn a LOT!

Photo of my kit and contents while someone in infirmary cage looks on

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[Seymour's mom]

Those are impressive first aid kits 😁 thank you ,, there's alot I never thought about. Is there an antibiotic I can get without a script just in case?

[SophieSquirrel]

Those are impressive first aid kits �� thank you ,, there's alot I never thought about. Is there an antibiotic I can get without a script just in case?

My kit is for rehab and response to emergencies (squirrel hit by car but still alive) etc. Everything in there is courtesy of vets who trust me to call them before using certain items. Like I said I have prescriptions for everything especially when transporting outside the home to avoid legal issues. In farm country there are some antibiotics available in the cold case & on the shelf of farm stores like Rural King. Dosing requires experience and there are only a few on here who can help. You would need to identify the antibiotic and the specs. Example: "Each ml contains 200 mg (AB name)". One of the experts on here can advise dosing and most important is if the antibiotic is even applicable to squirrels. It's hard to assemble an effective and safe antibiotic kit without proper vet assistance. Then there is administration: PO (Oral), IM (Intramuscular) & SQ (under skin). Some antibiotics will burn the mucosa in improperly administered. Also most antibiotics have a shelf-life, many have to be refrigerated and some are better for specific conditions than others. There is a lot to know about "keeping some on hand". A safe bet is if you can get a bottle of Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP) from your vet with dosing instructions by weight.