Chewing or scratching off skin around legs

[WhistlingPete]

Petey has started chewing at his skin, especially around his legs. At first I thought it was either because he is older and urinating while he sleeps, or he had rubbed against something. It has gotten progressively worse in the last day or so. The wound on one side is really deep. I had been applying silvadene but Im not sure what to do now. I havr some cipro so I started him on that yesterday in case it is a bacterial infection. I think it could just be him aging and this may be it, but before I try to find someone who could help him end his squirrel time gracefully, I thought Id check for any last ideas. Ive thought about a little childrens benadryl to sedate him and let it heal some. Any other ideas?

Thanks all.

[redwuff]

Could he have some mites? Does he get dirt time? Benedryl would give him some relief from the itching. I'm not sure they just because he has some age on him that it causes itchy legs. Is there a reason that you think that?

[WhistlingPete]

Could he have some mites? Does he get dirt time? Benedryl would give him some relief from the itching. I'm not sure they just because he has some age on him that it causes itchy legs. Is there a reason that you think that?

I was thinking that because he isnt controlling when he urinates that the urine sitting on his skin could have caused the irritation. He doesn't move around and climb like he used to.

I thought about mites but I dont know how he possibly would have gotten them. He doesn't leave his cage anymore unless Im holding him. I don't know much about mites though.

[WhistlingPete]

Here is a pic from last night. It is worse and deeper this morning.


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[CritterMom]

Oh, wow - that is nasty. Poor Petey...

I absolutely swear by diluted betadyne (10% povidone iodine) for washing and rinsing this off. The dilution you want is about 20 - 25 drops per 1/4 cup water - it will be the color of iced tea. It is absolutely painless so it isn't going to hurt him and it is antibacterial and antifungal. I would clean the area with the betadyne, dry it well, apply a small amount of the silvadene cream, and cover it somehow. Can you rig up something that will prevent him from getting to himself? A sock, a cone - something? Because even when these begin to heal they are gonna itch and drive him to go after them. I would clean and dress several times a day until you are seeing clear healing.

[WhistlingPete]

Oh, wow - that is nasty. Poor Petey...

I absolutely swear by diluted betadyne (10% povidone iodine) for washing and rinsing this off. The dilution you want is about 20 - 25 drops per 1/4 cup water - it will be the color of iced tea. It is absolutely painless so it isn't going to hurt him and it is antibacterial and antifungal. I would clean the area with the betadyne, dry it well, apply a small amount of the silvadene cream, and cover it somehow. Can you rig up something that will prevent him from getting to himself? A sock, a cone - something? Because even when these begin to heal they are gonna itch and drive him to go after them. I would clean and dress several times a day until you are seeing clear healing.

Oh yeah, I have been putting the diluted betadyne on it 2-3 times a day. I have been applying the silvadene after I do that. On the places where it is really bad, it is oozing enough that it is hard to get the silvadene to really stay there, if that makes sense. I did try putting bandaging over it, and he didn't pull it off, but as he moved around it exposed the area. That's part of why I was thinking about trying to sedate him. Ive thought about wrapping him in gauze of some sort. I hadn't thought about a sock. I don't know if I can get something on him that is tight enough, especially around the bases of his legs, that he can't just push it out of his way. Honestly the most effective thing is that I was just holding him this weekend for hours at a time so he wouldn't move and get at it. He sleeps wrapped up in a ball of fleece, so I've been wrapping him more tightly to keep the wounds from drying out and itching more, but he can still reach them. I almost have to keep him from being able to curl into a ball to keep him from making it worse.

[WhistlingPete]

I think I may get a roll of gauze and the children's benadryl.... wrap him up like a little squirrel diaper and hope it stays, then sedate him a little. Any arguments against that at this point?

[CritterMom]

Can he move and walk normally? I know he is less active, but if he wants to, can he? I am wondering if there is some nerve related issue here - neuropathy of some kind causing numbness or tingling and making him want to chew.

Has ANYTHING changed? New detergent, new soap, shampoo, other personal care or household products?

Benadryl will help with itching and if this IS some sort of allergic issue it would help with that too, but I am unsure of how long you would want to give it. It may or may not make him sleepy - we have seen squirrels that got quite amped up by it so it may be an individual thing.

Vetwrap over gauze may be your best bet. Any pet store will have it. Be very careful not to make it too tight.

Can you get your hands on any antibiotics? Clavamox (human drug name Augmentin) would be nice.

[WhistlingPete]

Can he move and walk normally? I know he is less active, but if he wants to, can he? I am wondering if there is some nerve related issue here - neuropathy of some kind causing numbness or tingling and making him want to chew.

Has ANYTHING changed? New detergent, new soap, shampoo, other personal care or household products?

Benadryl will help with itching and if this IS some sort of allergic issue it would help with that too, but I am unsure of how long you would want to give it. It may or may not make him sleepy - we have seen squirrels that got quite amped up by it so it may be an individual thing.

Vetwrap over gauze may be your best bet. Any pet store will have it. Be very careful not to make it too tight.

Can you get your hands on any antibiotics? Clavamox (human drug name Augmentin) would be nice.

He doesn't walk normally but he hasn't for awhile now. One leg is sort of spastic, but he does move around the cage and can go between levels.

There are two cats in the house now, but he had one wound already when the cats arrived. We may have switched the detergent we are washing his fleece in.

I started him on Cipro yesterday and gave him a 2nd dose this morning.

[WhistlingPete]

I just came home to check on him again. He got the other side again and theres blood around his mouth so he is definitely chewing. I found a vet that will see him in the morning.

[Chickenlegs]

How old is Petey and is he a paralyzed guy? Neuro?

[CritterMom]

Run his bedding and everything through a second wash cycle without detergent when you wash it - it will really rinse everything if that is an issue...

[WhistlingPete]

Petey is 5.5 years old.. The researcher that studies these ground squirrels said he is now the oldest male he has seen.

Just threw all his bedding in the wash with just hot water.

[TubeDriver]

I would treat with Revolution, just to rule out mites or many other parasites. A single, small drop of kitten Revolution given orally should do it.

For nerve pain, Gabapentin would probably help to reduce nerve pain and also slightly sedate him (reduces anxiety).

:( Poor little Petey. I have been a big fan of him since he was first here on the TSB. I hate to see him like this and I hope you can treat him and give him some more quality time. :grouphug

[Chickenlegs]

Can you fashion an e collar for him. He’ll hate it but it’ll keep him from chewing himself until his problem has been figured out. How is the Benadryl working?

[WhistlingPete]

What would I make a collar out of?

Where could I get gabapentin at?

I haven't tried the benadryl yet. He's only 200-250g. Should i just give a drop of it?

[TubeDriver]

Gabapentin would come from a vet/MD unless you have a friend or family member who has a leftover pill sitting around.

Dosage for Children's Benadryl (12.5mg/5ml strength on bottle) for a 225g Petey would be 0.18ml. You can give it up to 3x per day (every 8 hours or so). Every once in a while, some folks and animals get a paradoxical reaction to Bendaryl and instead of getting tired/sedated, they actually get wound up and anxious. So just give him his first dose when you can keep an eye on him, if he gets worse, stop the Benadryl. This is not common but can occur.



What would I make a collar out of?

Where could I get gabapentin at?

I haven't tried the benadryl yet. He's only 200-250g. Should i just give a drop of it?

[WhistlingPete]

I gave him the benadryl and then tried to fashion a sort ofnsquirrel diaper around his leg wounds (stayed on for 30 seconds) and an e collar (1 second). There ground squirrels are just built like little amorphous bodies of jelly so they can squirm through tunnels.

Other than waking up while I was doing those things and trying to clean him, he's been asleep on my lap, which he doesnt do normally for very long so I do think the benadryl hs sedated him.

I have the vet appt in the morning but the other vet here that treats exotics called back and said they wont work with ground squirrels. They said something once about needing a state certification to have him. Im afraid im going to go to the other vet and they'll realize the front desk person made the appt in error.

I do love my little Petey and he is still so enthusiastic about avocados. But if I cant protect him from hurting himself worse Im not sure it is right to keep him. Sigh. The tough part of loving little creatures, right?

[SammysMom]

I have tons of gabapentin that I could share! Call before your appointment and flat out ask if they will take him from you. Don't go if they will. A sock with a hole for his head and two for his arms might work better since it would be more secure and he might not bother with the trouble to pull up his "skirt".

[WhistlingPete]

I got him wrapped up a little last night. He actually isn't bothered by it being on but then when he moves around in his fleece it just slides down and right off of him.

I'm attaching a picture of what he currently looks like. I can't tell if it's worse this morning. I don't see new blood on his fur so i think he maybe didn't chew last night. I just gave him another dose of Benadryl.

[WhistlingPete]

I tried wrapping him up with much thinner layers than what i did yesterday.

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[TubeDriver]

Please PM SammysMom about her generous offer. Just maybe this is one bad episode and some Gabapentin can get him though this and allow him some more quality time with you. Some people are on Gabapentin for long periods of time for nerve related pain. I would still get some kitten Revolution and him a single, small drop orally to treat for most external parasites (and some internal ones too).

If this can't be stopped, then only you will know when it comes to the time to help end Petey's suffering.:( But I think you have several treatment options to try first IMHO.

:grouphug Petey :grouphug

[WhistlingPete]

Rest in peace, little Petey.

I took him to the vet and she was very kind. She gave me some suggestions, the same you all had suggested. But she did show me the spots that he had urine scalding. Even if I could get him to stop chewing, it would have been almost impossible to keep the urine off of him and out of his wounds. I've been trying things for awhile to keep him clean and safe and he lived a nice long life of luxury.

Thank you all for your help these 5 years.

Blessings,
Jennifer

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[TubeDriver]

Awww... you gave Petey a long and happy life. :grouphug I remember how hard you worked at finding ways of keeping him happy, his little boxes of digging dirt, sleeping in your dresser drawers and so forth.

You saved him from suffering too much at the end of a long, long happy life.

Godspeed little ground squirrel Petey. :(

[CritterMom]

Oh, I am so very sorry. I loved Petey. You probably thought I was a crazy stalker person, the way I always jumped on his posts.

It was a difficult choice, I know. I am just so sorry it had to come so soon - not for him, I know, but we want them all to live forever.

This is the pic that got me. My heart got stuck on that burr on his little paw and I never did get it loose.

RIP, Petey. I am so very sorry :grouphug:grouphug

[Diggie's Friend]

I just found your thread on Petey; I had been wondering how he was doing. So sad to hear he had passed.

What a special boy you were blest with, a special companion for part of the journey. He will long be remembered. :Love_Icon