Lethargic Baby

[Winter112]

Hurricane Michael knocked this baby boy from his nest. I got him dry and warm then waited for the weather to pass over. Once all was clear I placed him back outside under the tree to see if mom would come back for him. Unfortunately she did not. He hasn't had an issue maintaining his body temp (he is warm to the touch) but I have kept a warmed water bottle in the box with him if he chooses to snuggle up to it. He has absolutely no interest in formula and only wants/takes very small portions of water (maybe 1cc every 6 to 7 hours. He is very lethargic, just lying around.. my question is could this be shock? He is not clicking, seems to breathing just fine, just honestly not interested in nourishment. Any ideas?


Best I can tell is he is about 5 to 6 weeks old.

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[Minaluvri]

I didn't catch how long you've had this baby, but I would focus on getting him rehydrated. If he has been out of the nest for a bit it is likely that he is dehydrated which may contribute to his lethargy. You may want to consider trying to give him Unflavored Pedialyte if you have access, or making a rehydrating solution using 1 tsp salt, 3 tsp of sugar, and 4 cups warm water. This will help him regain his fluid and electrolyte balance, which is important before he begins taking formula. Also if he is not interested in drinking it may be that the formula/fluid is not warm enough. If you test it on the inside of your wrist it should feel quite warm. Although he may not require a heating pad/warm water bottle at this age, it wouldn't hurt to keep it in there for awhile since this baby has likely been through a traumatic few days. What formula do you have and what are you feeding with?
Thank you for saving this little one :)

[Winter112]

I only got him Wednesday afternoon. He had a very traumatic experience. He fell from about 20 to 25 ft up only to be snatched up by a dog. Thankfully my husband was able to get him before any real damage was done however we are not sure how long he laid out in the pouring rain. I have two warm water bottles to either side of him. I have offered him water about every 2 hours and formula only a couple of times. I will try pedialyte and the solution first before offering formula again. I have rehabbed several in the past but it was always rather apparent what the issue was if any other than just orphaned. I'n wondering if it's more of a combo with this little guy. Utter shock from the circumstances and dehydration.
Thanks for the advice!

Oh Esbilac with prebiotics and probiotics.

I do have some Henry's rodent block left for one of my other babies that is just now transitioning.. think I should offer some to him? Best I can tell by hair development and teeth he is about 5 and a half maybe 6 weeks..

[Minaluvri]

Poor baby definitely seems to have been through a lot. It is always a safe bet to rehydrate for the first few feedings with any baby, especially when we do not know how long they've been without their mom. To clarify you only need the Pedialyte OR the homemade rehydrating solution. Pedialyte is preferred because it contains more electrolytes, however the homemade solution will also do just fine if you don't have Pedialyte.

It should ONLY be used for 24 hours. After that, the salt can actually begin to dehydrate the baby more. If you think the baby is hydrated enough after feeding rehydration fluids for several feedings, you can check it's turgor by pinching up a bit of skin on the belly area and looking for tenting. If the skin remains raised for more than a second it indicates that the baby is significantly dehydrated. In a healthy baby, the skin should be elastic and bounce back immediately.

In any case, I would definitely opt for a full 24 hour rehydration for any baby acting lethargic or who has been through a traumatic experience such as this, as they can go much longer without food than they can without hydration. When you do start formula after a period of hydration, it is a good idea to introduce it slowly, diluting it with 50% water, 25% water and so on, gradually increasing at each feeding. You can definitely offer him an Henry's rodent block once he is hydrated. He may or may not eat it, but he is about the age where you can definitely begin to introduce solids such as blocks.

[redwuff]

Really watch him for AP. I have found that when babies have been out in severe weather, especially wet, as soon as they get hydrated they start clicking.

Do you have any meds on hand. I think he is betw 6-7 wks. He definitely still needs to be on formula.