Need some opinions

[Mel1959]

I work with a rehabber that took in a young squirrel about a month ago. The person that brought it to her said she found it, but it might be that she had it for awhile. The little girl is small...looks like an 11-12 week old, but looked that way when she came in, too. Her eyes were open and her tail floofie. When she came in she wasn’t using one of her rear legs, she would let it hang. She would never take formula from the rehabber. She currently eats carrots, broccoli, apple, grapes, peanuts and Henrys blocks. She was never treated with prednisone or any other meds, or for MBD. She has always had urine seepage on her belly. She has made improvements and can climb, using the leg, but you can tell it’s not completely functioning the way it should. She can sit up on her hind legs and eat holding food. I watched her do a stretching thing where she pulls herself up to the upper level of the cage slowly....by choice. She has not grown much since she’s had her, only filled out a little more around the belly.

So, my questions are:

Does it seem like this is an injury and not MBD, considering the length of time and no further progression? I wondered if it could have been MBD initially but because she wasn’t treated by the protocol, but is now getting the calcium from Henrys, if she may have only partially improved?

Does anyone have an opinion about the urine seepage? Does it sound like it could be a UTI or something related to the initial injury to the leg?

Thanks guys for helping me figure this out and direct her.

[CritterMom]

There are so many things you don't know here. Is the leg an injury or the result of MBD? Does she even HAVE MBD? Ugh.

I think I would do a process of elimination here. The easiest way to determine whether the urine thing is a UTI is to put her on a round of Baytril or Cipro. Do NOT supplement with calcium while you do this; it interferes with the cipro being absorbed. If it is a UTI, the meds will clear it really fast. If it continues, then it may be due to whatever is going on with the leg.

You don't know how long the original finder had it, do you? Because if the injury is only a month old, it might be worth it to try the pred. Don't give it until the urinary thing is determined - pred doesn't do real good things to the immune system and you don't want to give it if she DOES have an infection. I would also start supplementing with calcium at the same time you give the prednisone since it can cause hypocalcemia.

In other words, minus a vet to do x-rays and look at the leg and test for a UTI, I would put her on a round of cipro or baytril, see what happens, THEN do a round of prednisone and increased calcium. If the pred doesn't do anything, discontinue that and continue boosting the calcium and continuing the good diet.

Is there any way this baby could get an x-ray somewhere? It sure would simplify things.

[Spanky]

How long has the baby been on the MBD (Calcium) protocol?

[Mel1959]

Crittermom, Cipro or Baytril, not Clavamox?

No, no telling how long the original finder had the baby or if their story is the truth. The rehabber received a call from a friend about a month ago saying a coworker had found a squirrel that seemed to be hurt and would she take her in. That’s all she was told, so maybe it did happen in the wild.

The process of elimination advice is good. I think she gave the little one tums last night after it occurred to me that it could be MBD since she was never able to get the baby to take any formula, but I will tell her to stop the MBD protocol until she treats to see if the UTI clears up.

Spanky, she’s only given a couple of tums treatments since I told her to last night.

I will ask about a vet.

[CritterMom]

Crittermom, Cipro or Baytril, not Clavamox?

No, no telling how long the original finder had the baby or if their story is the truth. The rehabber received a call from a friend about a month ago saying a coworker had found a squirrel that seemed to be hurt and would she take her in. That’s all she was told, so maybe it did happen in the wild.

The process of elimination advice is good. I think she gave the little one tums last night after it occurred to me that it could be MBD since she was never able to get the baby to take any formula, but I will tell her to stop the MBD protocol until she treats to see if the UTI clears up.

Spanky, she’s only given a couple of tums treatments since I told her to last night.

I will ask about a vet.

Clavamox would work too and doesn't have the calcium issue that cipro has. It probably won't work as fast, though and does have the stomach issues. There is a reason that cipro has become the go to abx for UTI's - it is just lightening fast. The first time I took it - after years of the old time sulfa meds, ONE PILL and a couple hours took me from peeing bright red and being in just screaming pain to FINE. It absolutely blew my mind.

[Mel1959]

I told her to check with friends for Cipro, but she does have Baytril and Clavamox.

[CritterMom]

I told her to check with friends for Cipro, but she does have Baytril and Clavamox.

Well baytril and cipro are, for our purposes, almost the same drug, so you have two good choices here. If you go with the clavamox, you can also supplement with calcium, but remember that you will also need to five probiotics to counteract the stomach issues that come with clavamox.

[Mel1959]

Baytril is 22.7 mg and baby is 223gr. Will someone send me dosing please?

[stepnstone]

Baytril is 22.7 mg and baby is 223gr. Will someone send me dosing please?

Will send pm...:great