New boy not thriving

[kaatybird]

Hi everyone,
It’s been a while since i posted, but this season has gone very smoothly u til yesterday! :( i was brought a little red male. Approx. six weeks old, which was perfect because i have three females who are seven weeks and thought, perfect! Unfortunately my girls are all eating veggies and blocks with formula supplements and are ready to move into their larger hutch. ANYWAY.
I can’t seem to figure out what’s up with this little guy. He’s very skinny, so I’ve been hydrating and feeding fox valley. He’s eliminating just fine, but he almost seems like a wobble kitten. Not very coordinated and somewhat listless. I know that before i picked him up they were feeding esbilac 🙄 and trying to make him eat fruit. But then i asked again about anything u usual and they told me they had put a dab of kitten frontline on him due to fleas..... could this be causing him not to thrive?

I’m going back to every two hour formula feeds and heating pad etc like a newborn. Any other advice would be helpful. Thanks so much!!! xx

[Nancy in New York]

Hi everyone,
It’s been a while since i posted, but this season has gone very smoothly u til yesterday! :( i was brought a little red male. Approx. six weeks old, which was perfect because i have three females who are seven weeks and thought, perfect! Unfortunately my girls are all eating veggies and blocks with formula supplements and are ready to move into their larger hutch. ANYWAY.
I can’t seem to figure out what’s up with this little guy. He’s very skinny, so I’ve been hydrating and feeding fox valley. He’s eliminating just fine, but he almost seems like a wobble kitten. Not very coordinated and somewhat listless. I know that before i picked him up they were feeding esbilac �� and trying to make him eat fruit. But then i asked again about anything u usual and they told me they had put a dab of kitten frontline on him due to fleas..... could this be causing him not to thrive?

I’m going back to every two hour formula feeds and heating pad etc like a newborn. Any other advice would be helpful. Thanks so much!!! xx
Do you know when they gave him the frontline?
Was he fine before that?
I found this on the board about frontline.
A good dawn bath would have taken care of the fleas.
I would NEVER use any medication like this on a little red, they are so small
to begin with and when she says she put a dab on him,
who knows how big her dab is?


I would try Capstar before the frontline, only because I have seen Frontline kill baby squirrels, and I had a cat who had a bad allergic reaction to it. :dono

[kaatybird]

Thanks so much, I’ve ebded up with a lot of reds in my area over the last few years and I’ve never given them any medications. I’ve painstakingly picked fleas off for hours before. He’s doing a bit better after this last feed but still very behind for his age, and seems to possibly be a little incontinent. I’ll keep you updated, may give him a little dawn bath.

[kaatybird]

Do you know when they gave him the frontline?
Was he fine before that?
I found this on the board about frontline.
A good dawn bath would have taken care of the fleas.
I would NEVER use any medication like this on a little red, they are so small
to begin with and when she says she put a dab on him,
who knows how big her dab is?


I messaged but i haven’t heard back, he just came to me yesterday. I have had a dog have strange reactions to frontline before and this little guy is so small for his age i think he was a runt to begin with so who knows. I know people are just trying to help but sometimes it can be so frustrating! Especially with medications. I’m going to give him a dawn bath, and he seems to like the yogurt/goat milk/cream mixture better than the fox valley so i may just let him eat that today or mix them. Desperate to just get some calories into the little guy.

[Nancy in New York]

Do you still see fleas on him?
What formula are you feeding?
Do you have a weight on him?
Thanks of helping, reds are my favorite! :Love_Icon

[kaatybird]

Do you still see fleas on him?
What formula are you feeding?
Do you have a weight on him?
Thanks of helping, reds are my favorite! :Love_Icon

Started him back on fox valley, 5+ week formula. He really likes my full fat yogurt so I’ve added some of that in along with some goat milk. Just looking fo calories. He munched a little dark spinach earlier as well. I see no fleas or mites sr all’s i don’t have my scale as it’s at work but i will be weighing him tomorrow am. They’re mine too, he seems to have a strong will. But he just can’t seem to stay upright. :/

[kaatybird]

The more i watch him the more I’m wondering if this could possibly be a neurological issue.... maybe that’s why he was pushed out of the nest? (That’s the story i got) i hope it’s not the case, but if it is as long as i can get him to grow maybe he will just be a unique little fuzz? :blowkiss

[Mel1959]

I have had great results with Ultraboost added to formula for some extra calories.

I would definitely give him a bath and try to wash some of the frontline off, if that’s even possible. I think you could see some neurological issues if he’s reacting to the frontline. It’s a fairly potent chemical being absorbed through the skin. Who knows what harm it could cause. :dono. Poor little guy :Love_Icon

[Nancy in New York]

The more i watch him the more I’m wondering if this could possibly be a neurological issue.... maybe that’s why he was pushed out of the nest? (That’s the story i got) i hope it’s not the case, but if it is as long as i can get him to grow maybe he will just be a unique little fuzz? :blowkiss


Did you ask the person that had him before if she saw any issues with him?

Edit: At 6 weeks old, he should be on formula for another week or two.
Then introduce a good quality rodent block.
No veggies until they are eating their block well.
Are you feeding FV 20/50?
How many times daily are you feeding, and how much?

[stepnstone]

Please post a picture of this little, it could possibly help to assess his condition.
A video of his movement could also be valuable.

[cava]

I've seen clients put large dog doses of frontline on a small dog by accident and it definitely caused neuro issues (ataxia, tremors, nystagmus, vomiting and diarrhea) We treated with IV fluids and supportive care until it was flushed out of the body. Hopefully this little guy will process it, with your support, and thrive once he has. Maintain hydration.

[kaatybird]

I’ll try and answer everyone’s questions as best I can, and thank you all so much. I’ll preface by saying that he is doing well, not dehydrated, not wobbling AS much, but is sleepy.
-he is strictly on formula, i did put him in a nest with my 8-9 wk old females when I grocery shopped earlier for the companionship and warmth and when I came home there he was munching away on spinach. (The girls have been on blocks for a week and I’ve been introducing leafy greens)
-I can’t with him until tomorrow, but for a little at 5 weeks or so (eyes open) I can tell that he is small.
-currently I can only get about 2cc’s of fox valley 20/50 mixed with some full fat baby yogurts in him at a time before he starts to resist (I’m scared he will aspirate if I push) about every 2/3 hours.
-I’ve been adding pedialyte and extra water every hour or so in hopes of flushing any flea meds out of his system.

I will post a video at next feed.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Nancy in New York]

I’ll try and answer everyone’s questions as best I can, and thank you all so much. I’ll preface by saying that he is doing well, not dehydrated, not wobbling AS much, but is sleepy.
-he is strictly on formula, i did put him in a nest with my 8-9 wk old females when I grocery shopped earlier for the companionship and warmth and when I came home there he was munching away on spinach. (The girls have been on blocks for a week and I’ve been introducing leafy greens)
-I can’t with him until tomorrow, but for a little at 5 weeks or so (eyes open) I can tell that he is small.
-currently I can only get about 2cc’s of fox valley 20/50 mixed with some full fat baby yogurts in him at a time before he starts to resist (I’m scared he will aspirate if I push) about every 2/3 hours.
-I’ve been adding pedialyte and extra water every hour or so in hopes of flushing any flea meds out of his system.

I will post a video at next feed.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I would give him just water if he will take it in between feedings.
or water with a touch of honey for taste.
Also, try to stimulate him to pee as often as possible, it will help
take the toxins out of his system faster, by peeing them out.