View Full Version : Found baby..busted nose..worried about clicking
304905We found a baby squirrel yesterday in the yard. Best we can tell she fell from a tree. Her nose was pretty busted up. She sneezed blood a lot yesterday. I don’t think her jaw is broken but this is our first experience with a squirrel. Anyways, tonight she is randomly mouth breathing with clicking when she does it. But it’s not constant. I don’t hear it when she is sleeping. She’s very active when she’s awake. She seems to be eating okay today. I want to post a video of her to get some advice on the clicking but it appears that videos aren’t accepted. I’m hoping it’s because her nose is stuffy from dried blood. Could she have aspirated some of the blood from her nose bleed? If it were pneumonia, how long would it take for her to click with every breath (she’s not doing that as of right now)? I have been unsuccessful finding a vet that can treat her so far. I also have not been able to locate a rehab that isn’t full.
That first pic is yesterday afternoon. This one is today from the video of the clicking. The spots of blood I’ve see today appear to be really watered down, like what would be on a cloth if you wet it and wiped her nose.304906
Spanky
09-20-2018, 07:53 AM
This seems like a typical scenario, when the fall the usually land on their head. The intermittent clicking may well be from the blood in her nose and the watery version is probably because it is mixed with some nasal drainage.
Watch for a head tilt or circling when she walks, that could mean brain trauma / swelling.
Watch for a loss of appetite and lethargy, which along with clicking could mean aspiration pneumonia.
Here is a 6 page primer on baby squirrel care, it is 6 pages long:
https://www.henryspets.com/1-basic-setup/
If you share you location we can try to locate help for you if you'd like. We can also guide you on caring for her yourself.
This seems like a typical scenario, when the fall the usually land on their head. The intermittent clicking may well be from the blood in her nose and the watery version is probably because it is mixed with some nasal drainage.
Watch for a head tilt or circling when she walks, that could mean brain trauma / swelling.
Watch for a loss of appetite and lethargy, which along with clicking could mean aspiration pneumonia.
Here is a 6 page primer on baby squirrel care, it is 6 pages long:
https://www.henryspets.com/1-basic-setup/
If you share you location we can try to locate help for you if you'd like. We can also guide you on caring for her yourself.
Thank you so much for the reassurance. I’m going to read through the information you linked and do the best I can with her. I’m in Tennessee, about 20 miles outside Memphis.
aricac
09-20-2018, 08:31 PM
Thank you so much for the reassurance. I’m going to read through the information you linked and do the best I can with her. I’m in Tennessee, about 20 miles outside Memphis.
How far are you from Harrogate TN? That is, if you're looking for someone to take care of her.
How far are you from Harrogate TN? That is, if you're looking for someone to take care of her.
According to google maps that is more than six hours away. I am going to try to care for her. I’ve just never had to do it before. I see pneumonia everywhere in my search for information and so every sound she makes worries me. I check on her breathing every 15 minutes it seems. She is eating REALLY well today. I just don’t know if I’m doing everything right.
aricac
09-21-2018, 01:16 AM
According to google maps that is more than six hours away. I am going to try to care for her. I’ve just never had to do it before. I see pneumonia everywhere in my search for information and so every sound she makes worries me. I check on her breathing every 15 minutes it seems. She is eating REALLY well today. I just don’t know if I’m doing everything right.
You can upload a video on YouTube and post the link here, just to be sure she isn't clicking.
The link Spanky left is very helpful, so be sure to read it all. I suggest buying a couple of Mini Miracle nipples and 1cc syringes from Henrys Pets. You want to be sure to use a 1cc to prevent aspiration. Each time I have ordered from them, I got my items in 3 days. Until then, you can go to a local pharmacy and ask for an 1cc syringe, tell them it's for a kitten. Be sure to feed with the syringe pointed towards the roof of her mouth, not down toward her throat.
What are you feeding her now? You want to get Esbalic puppy formula in powder form. Be sure that it has the blue label on top stating it has probiotics. I bought mine from Tractor Supply.
One last thing, depending on her age, she may not be able to generate her own heat yet, so be sure to put a non auto shutoff heating pad under half of her bin. Thank you so much for helping this precious baby!
aricac
09-21-2018, 01:21 AM
I also forgot to mention that you need to feed her based on her weight. You'll need a scale that will weigh in grams. You need to feed her 5-7% of her body weight. IE if she weighs 100g, you'll need to feed her 5-7mls
I also forgot to mention that you need to feed her based on her weight. You'll need a scale that will weigh in grams. You need to feed her 5-7% of her body weight. IE if she weighs 100g, you'll need to feed her 5-7mls
Yay! I’m doing something right! I weighed her the first day - 86g. She’s getting the correct formula, also from Tractor Supply. I’ve been giving her 4-4 1/2 cc every 4 hours or so, sometimes she doesn’t want all of it.
I didn’t have a plastic bin (I read that cardboard isn’t so great). For now she’s in a large make-up type tote with a warmed up sock full of rice and room to get away from that if she needs to.
Finally this morning she is acting more like the videos I’ve seen. She couldn’t get the formula fast enough this morning but I don’t let her control the flow bc I don’t want her taking too much too fast. I got two 1cc syringes yesterday and already had the nipple. She hasn’t taken to the nipple yet so I’ll just have to keep trying on that.
I cleaned her nose up really well with a barely damp q-tip and she’s breathing much better today. I haven’t seen her mouth breathing or heard any clicking so far today.
She knows what that tote is. When she gets done eating and I set it back up after I warm the rice, she bolts in there and digs in.
I appreciate this board so much. There is so much helpful information, especially compared to local vets who seem to just not give a crap bc it’s a squirrel. I feel like we are finally on the right track with her. ��
Here is a link to the video that had me questioning the clicking.
https://youtu.be/tQLoCWzC8KQ
This one is the open mouth breathing. Towards the end she closes her mouth and twitches like she’s dreaming.
https://youtu.be/W3ZrcsJ241U
Mel1959
09-21-2018, 12:24 PM
The clicking in the first video sounds like it’s from the blockage in her nose. To listen to her lungs for clicking hold her to your ear like a phone. The clicking from AP will be with each breath.
I’m sure the mouth breathing is from the blockage in her nose. After you cleaned that up has she stopped mouth breathing completely? Is there any more nasal discharge?
It sounds like you’ve got everything under control. :great. If you have any questions just ask. We’re here to help you the best way we can.
Since you are going to raise her, it will be worth it to invest in a non-shut off heating pad. They can be purchased at drugstores, target and Walmart for less than $15. It’s much more efficient than heating a rice buddy every few hours. :grin3
The clicking in the first video sounds like it’s from the blockage in her nose. To listen to her lungs for clicking hold her to your ear like a phone. The clicking from AP will be with each breath.
I’m sure the mouth breathing is from the blockage in her nose. After you cleaned that up has she stopped mouth breathing completely? Is there any more nasal discharge?
It sounds like you’ve got everything under control. :great. If you have any questions just ask. We’re here to help you the best way we can.
Since you are going to raise her, it will be worth it to invest in a non-shut off heating pad. They can be purchased at drugstores, target and Walmart for less than $15. It’s much more efficient than heating a rice buddy every few hours. :grin3
Yes, it seems that the mouth breathing has stopped since I got her nose cleaned up. Which probably explains the change in how she eats? Much easier to eat if she doesn’t have to stop to breathe bc she couldn’t very well through her nose.
I’ll head out and pick up one of those heating pads that doesn’t shut off today.
Mel1959
09-21-2018, 01:43 PM
Yes, it seems that the mouth breathing has stopped since I got her nose cleaned up. Which probably explains the change in how she eats? Much easier to eat if she doesn’t have to stop to breathe bc she couldn’t very well through her nose.
I’ll head out and pick up one of those heating pads that doesn’t shut off today.
:great:great
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