SEVERELY INFECTED HUGELY SWOLLEN BLACKENED TISSUE EYE ON SQUIRREL! HELP!

[Lindaj31]

I found a squirrel who frequents my yard creeping quietly around my front porch which they usually do not do. He turned to look at me and his one eye looks horrifying! It is swollen to twice the size bulging badly and covered in a film it looks like a giant glassy mucus covered black marble. The tissue surrounding the eyeball resembles a volcano swollen up with the swollen infected eye at the center.
That volcano shaped swollen tissue surrounding the eyeball is completely black, like charcoal. I threw him a few peanuts which he ate and I put out some water which he drank immediately after eating the peanuts then went back to his tree. What can I do? I do have a hav-A-hart squirrel trap. I am very concerned as I have completely perplexed as to what this blackened tissue could be other than gangrene/dead tissue. Has anyone ever seen this or have any idea what it could be? There are wildlife rehabbers in my area, but what can be done? I'm not sure what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Any idea what this is? I am afraid he will die from this horrific looking injury/infection.

Thank you in advance. I am new to this board so please forgive me if I am doing anything incorrectly.

Sincerely,
Linda

[redwuff]

Can you post a picture of the eye. Many members have successfully treated with antibiotics laced food. Definitely keep feeding him. Clavamox or augmentin are good antibiotics. We can dose if you can get the med.

[Lindaj31]

Hello, Thank you for replying. I did not have a camera on me when I came across him this morning, so no picture. I will try tomorrow to get a pix if I can. It was unusual for me to find myself in such close proximity, (we were both surprised) which is how I noticed the eye. You can't miss it. It's bad. The eyeball itself looks greatly enlarged and as I said the tissue around the outside of the eye is swollen and jet black. It is a grey squirrel. If I can get the antibiotic, what kind of food should I put it in? Should the antibiotic be a liquid form, or pill?

I hesitate to try and trap the little guy as I don't like to stress the animal so much, but will if someone experienced tells me that's what I should do.

Please let me know what form the antibiotic should be in, liquid or pill and I will get back to you about dosing.

Thank you, Linda

[Spanky]

If I can get the antibiotic, what kind of food should I put it in? Should the antibiotic be a liquid form, or pill?

If it is a pill we will provide instructions on how to use that. Many liquid antibiotics only stay good for a couple weeks at most (depending on the antibiotic) so pills are easier to come by... someone will help with the dosing and the "delivery" (food) once we know option(s) for antibiotics.


I hesitate to try and trap the little guy as I don't like to stress the animal so much, but will if someone experienced tells me that's what I should do.

Agreed about the stress.. we'd only recommend trapping if we thought he was in rough enough shape to warrant the risk and stress of trapping. Important about trapping is to have a plan well in advance if it comes to that. A picture will help with that assessment and also to get an idea of weight for dosing medication.

[Lindaj31]

Hello, I am waiting for a call back from a wildlife rehabber regarding antibiotic. I did see my squirrel this afternoon eating under my tree. The side that his bad eye is on was facing me, you can't miss it. Giant bulbous protruding black eyeball. I had my phone and crawled quietly over to him and got within 2 ft or less and he didn't even flinch, that's when I realized he cannot see at all out of that eye. He turned his head for a moment and saw me with his other eye and took off. I was able to snap this shot but the sun was blaring was right in my lense so it's not great but maybe you can get the gist of it. I'm no doctor but if you ask me the eye looks too far gone and would likely need to be removed. I'm hoping I can rustle up an antibiotic by tomorrow. I put in a call to my vet she'll be in tomorrow hoping she can provide the antibiotic... Not so sure she will regarding liability and not seeing the animal. I'm working on it. Awaiting call backs from a few rehabber one I know fairly well I think she will be able to help me, I hope. If you have any suggestions on how to get an antibiotic, other than what I'm doing please advise.. Again I put in some calls to local rehabber so hopefully tomorrow I will know. Ok let me see if I can post this image. Thanks again! Lat me know what you think about the eye.311574

[Lindaj31]

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