Squirrel in need of help

[kerfuffler]

Hi,

There's a wild grey squirrel that comes to my garden who I sometimes feed and I've noticed he's got a very swollen eye/cheek which is giving him a hard time eating since well over a week now. I've been giving him soft food like fruit which he just manages to eat and he won't touch the nuts that he used to love but I'm wondering if I could maybe smuggle some antibiotics into his food to help heal. He doesn't show up all the time and I was hoping it would heal by itself but it seems to be getting worse because it looks like the swelling has white pus coming out of it now. The only antibiotic I have at home is Flucloxacillin 500mg capsules. Would it be safe to put a tiny bit in his food? What dose do you think would work? I feel so sorry for the poor guy and wish I could do something! Obviously i won't try to catch him as I don't want to stress him out and I've never hand fed him, he is completely wild. I would really appreciate some guidance.

Thanks

[stepnstone]

Hi,

There's a wild grey squirrel that comes to my garden who I sometimes feed and I've noticed he's got a very swollen eye/cheek which is giving him a hard time eating since well over a week now. I've beengiving him soft food like fruit which he just manages to eat and he won't touch the nuts that he used to love but I'm wondering if I could maybe smuggle some antibiotics into his food to help heal. He doesn't show up all the time and I was hoping it would heal by itself but it seems to be getting worse because it looks like the swelling has white pus coming out of it now. The only antibiotic I have at home is Flucloxacillin 500mg capsules. Would it be safe to put a tiny bit in his food? What dose do you think would work? I feel so sorry for the poor guy and wish I could do something! Obviously i won't try to catch him as I don't want to stress him out and I've never hand fed him, he is completely wild. I would really appreciate some guidance.
Thanks

This sounds like he may have a malaclusion.
This can happen when they possibly take a fall, break or lose a tooth.
If the incisors are no longer lining up to grind themselves down, a tooth (or teeth)
will continue to grow misaligned and puncture areas inside the mouth cavity causing
abscesses, sinus damage, even damage to the eye. Some eventually will grow outside
the mouth. It is a deadly situation if not corrected by treating/ trimming the growing
tooth back. An infection can be treated but if it is being caused by tooth problems abs
alone can't fix it. I am saying "IF", a picture may help to see what your seeing.

If it's a "simple" abscess from a scratch, bite, claw puncture, etc, it can be treated in
the wild but he has to be eating something that can be laced with the med. You would
also need to post a picture for a guesstimate on weight since meds are dosed according
to the body weight of the squirrel.
Capture may likely be the only way to really assess his condition and treat accordingly.

[kerfuffler]

Thank you. He came again today but I think it might be too late. He would lay down in the ground as if he was dead and then would get up and carry on walking slowly and stumbling a bit. I don't think I'll see him again which breaks my heart. I did manage to take a couple of photos from afar (some of them are a bit blurry) and regardless of whether I see him again or not it would be good to know what this is and what can be done about it. If he does show up again, is it too late for some kind of treatment? How much could I give him, bearing in mind he's only eating very little?

Thanks

[stepnstone]

It is never too late to try and save a life, he needs to be captured and taken in!
As compromised as he looks he is suffering and subject to being killed by predators.
Being left out there in that condition dying from injury or predators is a horrible
unforgiving way to die.

[kerfuffler]

Thanks I'll try and grab him when I see him next. Can I give him antibiotics? What the dose? I'll need to know how to help him when I catch him otherwise it will be just added stress which could cause a worse death than dying out in nature. Unfortunately nature is unforgiving.

[stepnstone]

Thanks I'll try and grab him when I see him next. Can I give him antibiotics? What the dose? I'll need to know how to help him when I catch him otherwise it will be just added stress which could cause a worse death than dying out in nature. Unfortunately nature is unforgiving.


I have to go out of town, leaving less then 2 hours.
I have alerted some experienced members to this thread that hopefully can assist you in helping this baby.
If he even has any energy to stress with apprehending, being safely confined is far better then what he is
presently going through. Even humane euthanasia would be kinder then this kind of suffering.

First capture, dark warm and quiet can help reduce any stress.
As far as antibiotics list everything you can get your hands on, someone will be able to tell you if it can be
used, how to break down and dose.

Seeing this baby in this condition just breaks my heart...

[kerfuffler]

Thank you!

[Spanky]

I have to go out of town, leaving less then 2 hours.
I have alerted some experienced members to this thread that hopefully can assist you in helping this baby.


I'll also try to keep an eye on the thread this afternoon, but I am working... :thumbsup
First capture, dark warm and quiet can help reduce any stress.
As far as antibiotics list everything you can get your hands on, someone will be able to tell you if it can be
used, how to break down and dose.

Flucloxacillin is not a medication used here in the states nor do I find references for in the animal manuals available to me... maybe someone else here on the board may have more knowledge of this one, but should you locate others let us know. Clindamycin, augmentin and keflex are all things that come to mind that may be helpful for this guy. But whatever you find, list it so we know the options.

If you are going to catch him, have everything prepared... a secure cage in a warm, dark and quiet space to get him into just as quickly as possible. Cover the cage with a blanket will help him be calmer and lower the stress level.

From experience I can share that some of these wilds can be fairly docile (I think if they realize you are helping and not an immediate threat) and sometimes they can be a real handful.

[kerfuffler]

Thank you. Being someone who doesn't usual deal with animal emergencies I don't have a cage (I have a box), also here in the UK you can't get antibiotics without a prescription. I got Flucloxacillin from the doctor last year as I was travelling to a very remote location and took it as a back up. I seriously doubt any doctor will prescribe me antibiotics for a squirrel but I do have a phone number I can call when I've caught him and maybe they can help too.

[TubeDriver]

Check with family and friends, often they have a single AB pill or two left over that they never used. A single pill is all you need. He will probably need a cage of some sort to hold him. That mouth looks abscessed and draining it and giving him an antibiotic could really help. Also, he looks very "spiky" in those photos, this is often due to dehydration. Put out a bowl with some water so he can drink it.


Also, try grinding up some nuts and use apple sauce as a binder. You can make booballs and give this to him, it will easier to chew and swallow.


I can't find info on Flucloxacillin in my Plumps Vet manual. It does appear to be dosed 4x per day which is a problem.



Thank you. Being someone who doesn't usual deal with animal emergencies I don't have a cage (I have a box), also here in the UK you can't get antibiotics without a prescription. I got Flucloxacillin from the doctor last year as I was travelling to a very remote location and took it as a back up. I seriously doubt any doctor will prescribe me antibiotics for a squirrel but I do have a phone number I can call when I've caught him and maybe they can help too.

[kerfuffler]

Thank you. To be honest I don't think I will see him again, he was in pretty poor shape, he was keeling over and I don't think he will survive. I feel so bad for him but if I do see him again I will catch him without fail.