Bloated and not pooping

[Smoothoak]

Our baby squirrel we found abandoned is about 3 weeks old. We have been feeding it, but it hasn’t pooped and it seems bloated. What can we do? Is there help in the 91423 zipcode

[island rehabber]

Good morning. I am so sorry you're having these problems with the baby. Two questions: what are you feeding, and how often? I am going to see if we have any contacts in your area -- if not, the Coast & Canyon Wildlife facilities are usually very good and reliable. http://coastandcanyonwildlife.org/

[lukaslolamaus]

What are you feeding your baby and when did you start noticing the bloat? How long have you been taking care of the baby?
Can you post a picture of the tummy?
Keep checking back often someone experienced will help you as soon as they see this.

Great Island rehabber is here!
Good morning IR.

[Smoothoak]

We are feeding it esbilac and every 3 hours. Currently he doesn’t want to eat

[Javarat]

How long have you had the squirrel?
If the squirrel arrived on empty, it make take up to 3-4 days to see yellow poop.

Have you been stimulating him to pee and poop after every feeding?

Have you seen poop since you had him, and what color was it?

Is he hydrated? Pinch the skin on his neck behind the skull and then let go.. does it spring by quickly, slowly, or remain pinched?

His stomach should normally feel like a water balloon. When bloated it will feel hard to the touch like a rubber ball, and may be unusually red.
During bloat he may push out a very thin fluid colored either yellow or white.

If bloated you want to stop all formula, and give him small amounts of water hourly, so it can break up the blockage.
Use just normal warm water... do not give him any electrolyte or sugar water.
Also give him some simethicone (infant Gas-X at the drug store or grocery) as the blockage might be gas bubbles.

Try to stimulate him to poop, by placing his bottom in warm water for several minutes, while massaging his tummy and stimulating his penis and anus.
The warm water should make him try to push some poop out. You should see his anus making a round shape as he pushes.
Do this each hour after you have given him a small amount of water.

Most useful would be if you could post pictures of his stomach, from both the front and side, so that we can see the shape and how much it is distended.

[HRT4SQRLS]

We are feeding it esbilac and every 3 hours. Currently he doesn’t want to eat

The problem is the formula. I’m sure you found on the internet to use Esbilac. We all used it until the fall of last year when hundreds of babies started dying from it. It has changed. I would recommend you stop using the Esbilac now. Give the baby hydration fluid. Go to the store and buy goat milk (fresh is best), full fat yogurt and heavy cream. Mix 3 parts of goat milk, 1 part of yogurt and 1 part of heavy cream. This is a temporary formula that will get you started. Make sure the formula is warm.

Put the baby to your ear. Do you hear a soft clicking sound? This is critical information.Clicking when they breathe is a symptom of aspiration pneumonia. It must be treated ASAP with antibiotics.

(1) Listen for clicking.

(2) Give hydration fluid

(3) Change formula. For now, use the goat milk, yogurt and heavy cream.

(4) Try to find a rehabber.

Homemade Rehydration fluid:
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar or molasses
1 pinch salt


https://www.henryspets.com/1-baby-squirrel-care-guide/

[HRT4SQRLS]

Of course, treating the bloat is critical. No formula at all until the bloat is corrected.

[Smoothoak]

313791

Here is a photo

[Smoothoak]

He did poop solid today 2 times. Does his stomach look ok? Plus any tips on keeping him warm? We are using a hot water bottle wrapped in a sock

[Javarat]

His stomach looks too large and dark too me, and I am not seeing a white band across the upper middle like milk in his stomach.
Cameras are unreliable for displaying colors... can you describe what coloring you are seeing across his tummy?

Dark areas along the bottom could be a full bladder, but this looks a lot larger than that.
Are you stimulating him to pee after each feeding, and is he peeing a lot like a river?

If the colors in this photo are accurate, this looks more like abdominal fluid build up, which could be failing kidneys or heart.
I am hoping that this is the camera incorrectly showing the coloring.
If so, the fluids would be blocking his intestines from passing poop, and the stomach from pushing food into the intestines, and he would refuse to eat.
A vet could drain the fluids, but that would not fix the cause... and he would fill back up again.
I am very afraid that this is probably not a fixable problem like bloat. Try to make him comfortable and continue to stimulate him to pee and poop. Don't give him any large amounts of water.

[Javarat]

I am really really sorry that I have no suggestions of how to handle this except to make him comfortable.
Maybe another rehabber will call me wrong on this, and have some ideas, and I would definitely love to be wrong on this.
Are you close enough to transfer him to the coast and canyon facility that Island Rehabber mentioned?

[HRT4SQRLS]

A heating pad set on LOW should be used to keep him warm. It should be UNDER half of the bin. He needs to be able to crawl off of the heat if he gets too warm.

That belly is way too large. I hope you’re not still using the Esbilac.

[Mel1959]

Have you tried soaking his lower half in warm water while gently massaging to stimulate his intestines? Does he act like he’s in pain? I definitely would hold off on feeding till you see his belly subside some. Have you switched formulas as was suggested? Are you feeding the homemade goats milk recipe with yogurt and heavy whipping cream added?

The best way to keep him warm is to put his bin (or whatever you have him in) on top of a non shut off heating pad set to low. Only half the bin should be on it so he can move to a cooler portion if desired. Non shut off heating pads are not expensive and can be found at Walmart, cvs, Walgreens, target etc.

[island rehabber]

Definitely a dangerous looking belly....could even be internal bleeding, but as Javarat said cameras screw up colors. You said he pooped solid recently -- what did it look like? Small tiny dry "seeds" or larger formed poops? A lot or a little? If that dark area were backed up stool he would not be pooping. I am very concerned and would most definitely get this baby to a rehabber or wildlife facility with veterinary resources.