DO NOT GIVE YOUR SQURRIELS TUMS!

[Debby]

After one of my squirrels broke her leg I was told tums would help with the healing process and to give them to all of my squrriels until I could get calcium! The fruit Ones with no added vitamin d so I did now a few hours later I have three dead squirrels! We are heart broken so to everyone out there told to give tums to their babies don’t it will kill them

[Spanky]

I am sorry for the loss of your babies, but I assure you that we use Tums (without the D, as a readily available source of calcium) all the time when squirrels are suffering from Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).

I fear perhaps your babies' MBD was simply too advanced to save them perhaps? The broken leg may well have been a symptom of the weaken bones caused by advanced MBD.

[stosh2010]

YIKES---- I have offered TUMS for supplemental calcium for years---but only to adults. Is it possible that they broke off too large of a piece ?? Could it have caused a breathing obstruction ???
My prayers for your BABIES.

[TamiKakes]

oh no! I am so sorry to hear! Did you give them a full tablet each?

[island rehabber]

Tums will NOT kill a squirrel unless that's the only thing you ever fed them...:tap
I suspect some other cause --- MBD due to low calcium in the diet? What were they eating?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Debby, I'm very sorry for your loss. There has to be more to the story than Tums. We have been megadosing Tums for the treatment of Metabolic Bone Disease for many years. I have never seen an adverse reaction to Tums, especially in 3 squirrels.

I know right now might not be a good time to talk about this but when you can we would like to help get to the bottom of this sad situation. I am saddened by your loss. :grouphug

[Diggie's Friend]

I'm very sorry to hear about this loss of life.

https://www.tums.com/antacid-products/?gclid=CLHQ3diM3N0CFZ6KxQIdmLIE7g&gclsrc=ds&dclid=CJv27diM3N0CFRECrQYdNUEJLQ

Would you mind sharing which one of these products you used, and if not one of these, what that was?

When giving any calcium source it is best to crush it fully and then add water to it to make it into a paste.

[Javarat]

I'm so sorry....

How old were they?

[TessiesMom]

I am so sorry this happened to you. I know that some varieties of Tums use artificial sweeteners (sorbitol, I think). I always read the bottles because my mother is very sensitive to any type of artificial sweeteners. I don't know how they would affect a squirrel, though.

[dr3am]

I'm so sorry you had to go through this. :sadness I know it was awful.

Please let us know what type of Tums they were, I have also offered them to my baby.

[cava]

Did they contain Xylitol?

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/the-skinny-on-xylitol-stevia-aspartame-and-other-sugar-free-stuff

[Javarat]

All I have been able to find on the dangers of Tums is that if you give Tums to someone with an elevated Calcium count, Osteoporosis, or kidney problems, it can result in Milk-alkali syndrome, which can cause kidney failure and death. Osteoporosis, which can increase the chance of breaking bones, can be caused by a lack of vitamin D. This sounds like you could run into a domino effect.. low vitamin D, Osteoporosis, a broken bone... creating a situation where Tums to would cause Milk-alkali syndrome.

I know that with flyers, its always a battle between too much vitamin D (which can cause MBD) and not enough. But flyers, and other nocturnal rodents have adapted to metabolising vitamin D2 from vegetables since they do not get sun, while squirrels use it less because they get vitamin D3 from sunlight. All of this sounds like a diet with low or no vitamin D could setup a squirrel where a Tums could be dangerous.