Need Help!!! Baby NOT Eating Now after Antibiotics

[Squirrely mom]

I pray someone is up with me at this hour. My poor baby is refusing to eat anything after giving him antibiotics for 5 days now and he is not pooping! I’m really worried it might be something else that I don’t know about.

He is losing weight because he won’t eat anything and is very lethargic. Right now I’ve been trying to just rehydrate him with homemade pedialyte mixture of water, molasses and a pinch of salt but he won’t hardly let me get any in him. I don’t know what to do?

[Squirrely mom]

Could it be Megacolon?? I’ve been reading about it and don’t know how to tell. His breathing is so rapid and he is so lethargic. I had him on antibiotics because he started not eating a whole lot and it sounded like faint clicking noises what he would eat but otherwise seemed fine. When I put him on antibiotics he would mostly sleep but then eat a little about 3ccs at a clip but not much more. Yesterday he wouldn’t eat any and I had to drip apple juice and molasses water on his lips for him to get anything.

Yesterday he weighed 130grams
He is 7weeks old

Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

[IngridStrydom]

I see you are in Florida. I just found Broward Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital in Deerfield Beach who allowed me to walk in with a young squirrel I raised and who got bitten by a dog. It might be an option for you to take the baby there for help? If you are not in that area you might find help by further suggestion here or search 'exotic animal hospital' for your area? Good luck with your baby :Love_Icon

[Squirrely mom]

Thank you! I know I saw that one but it’s a little ways away for me. I called some local vets but they said if they decide they have to euthanize him they won’t give him back to me 😭

[Charley Chuckles]

Thank you! I know I saw that one but it’s a little ways away for me. I called some local vets but they said if they decide they have to euthanize him they won’t give him back to me 😭

No don't go to any of those.
Are you anywhere near Port Orange/ Daytona area?
My vet Dr.Emerson is wonderful, she's been my squirrel vet since 2008😉

[Charley Chuckles]

4540 S Clyde Morris Blvd, Port Orange, FL 32129
Phone: (386) 788-1550
They are closed now will open tomorrow at 7am
You might try leaving a message, Dr Emerson is one busy lady. Someone there should be able to help you though👍

[Squirrely mom]

I wish I was close to these places. Does anyone know of anyone in or close to Tampa?

[Charley Chuckles]

I wish I was close to these places. Does anyone know of anyone in or close to Tampa?

Yes, there are a couple, let me look.

[Charley Chuckles]

I hesitate to recommend this one only because it seems I heard they took someone's squirrel🤔
I HOPE OTHERS HERE CAN VERIFY THAT???
They are emergency 24/7
BluePearl - Tampa
3000 Busch Lake Blvd, Tampa, FL 33614
(813) 805-8765

I'm looking for some more....

[Charley Chuckles]

I'm checking with others who live on that side of the state, they will know better than I.
Soon as I hear I'll post👍

[Squirrely mom]

Thank you so much!

[Charley Chuckles]

Avian and Animal Hospital
11405 Starkey Rd, Largo, FL 33773
(727)398-1928
Ok here is the vet I would recommend
I know many who have gone to Dr Zellner, she is very knowledgeable in squirrels. She is all about helping these sweet fuzzy babies 🤗
They open at 7:30 tomorrow but again call and see if you can get some help, she is also a very busy vet 😉

You may want to try a little apple or prune juice diluted with water.
Prayers to that little guy 😍

[Squirrely mom]

Awe thank you! I have been. He just drank 1.5 cc’s of diluted apple juice and I will keep up with trying to hydrate him throughout the day. I hope he can hang on til tomorrow. He’s seems to be declining quick 😢

[Charley Chuckles]

Why was he on antibiotics?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Which antibiotic was he on?

[Squirrely mom]

I started him on antibiotics because I was afraid he had pneumonia. You couldn’t hear a distinct clicking but once I started him on the antibiotics it became clear he had something going on because when he’d talk it would sound really raspy. He was also not eating much or pooping either. Then I started him on the molasses water rotating with apple juice and got him going a little bit and now he has entirely stopped. I just don’t know

[HRT4SQRLS]

How long have you had the baby?
What formula is the baby on?

[Squirrely mom]

Baytril

[HRT4SQRLS]

You mentioned megacolon in a previous post.
Is the baby bloated?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Can you post a pic of the baby?

If you can’t post the pic you can email it to me and I will post it.

[HRT4SQRLS]

When you say he won’t eat anything, what does that mean?
Is he refusing formula? Has he been eating any solid food? Any nuts?

[Squirrely mom]

I don’t think so? That’s why I’m not sure what’s wrong? Some of the other symptoms fit which is why I was wondering

[HRT4SQRLS]

What was the dose of Baytril? He might have an upset stomach from the Baytril.

I don’t have enough information to determine what’s wrong. He doesn’t look bloated. You need to get hydration into the baby even if it’s one drop at a time. The drops add up. I would also hold this baby against my chest. Sometimes warm contact with a heart beat is enough to make them feel safe and fight.

There is a safe vet in East Hillsborough county called Care Animal Hospital on Bloomingdale Avenue.
I have taken squirrels there before. They are 100% safe. They don’t ask any questions as far as if you are licensed or whatever.

[HRT4SQRLS]

You never said what formula the baby was on. Just so you know, you are safe here. We are not here to judge anyone. We just want to help. :grouphug

[Squirrely mom]

Baytril dosage at 10mg I’ve been giving him .05 ml a day. I was giving him infant ibuprofen .02 ml a day for the first couple of days then I stopped. I was told not to exceed 4 days of that. I haven’t given him his antibiotic today because I’m so worried that’s what’s making him sick or if it makes him worse. I do think the Baytril has upset his stomach which is why I was giving him a little ibuprofen to try and help make him comfortable so he would eat and it seemed to work but now he is just so sad. I wish I could give him more to help make him comfortable but I don’t want to overdo it.

I was feeding him goatmilk/yogurt with a little bit of Fox Valley mixed because he doesn’t like the Fox formula alone. I also started him on Henry Blocks which he would kinda nibble on. He has tried to eat some of his block and walnut today and seemed interested in a little bit of formula just now. He drank .5ccs at 11:00 so that’s an improvement! He actually came up to me! He is sleeping now so I hope with the hydration today it will help him get through this. My poor baby 😢

[Squirrely mom]

I just want to thank everyone who is on here and helps out of the goodness of your hearts. It truly is a hard job and you get so attached. I’m just rambling now because I practically stayed up all night (basically the whole week) watching him and trying to get liquid in him. But TRULY!!! YOU ALL ARE AMAZING 🥰

[Charley Chuckles]

I just want to thank everyone who is on here and helps out of the goodness of your hearts. It truly is a hard job and you get so attached. I’m just rambling now because I practically stayed up all night (basically the whole week) watching him and trying to get liquid in him. But TRULY!!! YOU ALL ARE AMAZING 🥰

There is just something truly MAGICAL about squirrels, they grab our hearts and they never let go 💗

[Squirrely mom]

I know! I had no idea til this little guy 🥰

[Rock Monkey]

As Heart for Squirrels said snuggling with him can help a lot. It provides body heat, but just as important it provides contact. At this age they will spend pretty much their whole day snuggling with siblings and mom. He needs not to feel alone or abandoned. That contact will help a lot with will to live and boosting the immune system.

If there are respiratory issues then keeping him upright, head above chest, will also help him breathe more easily.

[stepnstone]

He might have an upset stomach from the Baytril.
I checked and rechecked this calculation several times, ab was dosed correctly for the weight given.

As for upset stomach I personally question the use of molasses used in hydration fluid in place of sugar.
We use molasses on the gums when necessary to raise blood sugar levels. I don't know who started this
on the board, it tastes terrible in my opinion and I disagree with it being used as part of hydration fluid.

[Squirrely mom]

I was thinking so but I got the recipe from Henry’s Pets so I thought it would be safe. He does not like it one bit. I will try the sugar next time. I have organic cane sugar? Is that ok to use? Or Honey?

[Squirrely mom]

I noticed he is also grinding his teeth a lot? Could it be a tooth or ear irritation?

[Squirrely mom]

This morning I noticed he would scratch is left ear with his foot and then lick it? I thought it was maybe just a way of cleaning but could it be more? Just trying to bring up anything I can think of in his behavior that’s changed.

[stepnstone]

I was thinking so but I got the recipe from Henry’s Pets so I thought it would be safe. He does not like it one bit. I will try the sugar next time. I have organic cane sugar? Is that ok to use? Or Honey?

Henry's is a good source of information, I'm not suggesting it's not safe.
Organic cane sugar would be fine, honey in water also seems to be favorable.

[Squirrely mom]

Ok but maybe he would do better on the sugar water. I will try that. I’ve been managing to get him to drink diluted apple juice by just dropping on his mouth one drop at a time most times so hopefully I can get enough in him to hydrate him

[Squirrely mom]

Yay!!! I just got some poopy!!!! I’m hoping that’s a good sign! I know it doesn’t look normal but it’s an improvement I think! I’m hoping it’s so dark because of the molasses but the stringy sticky has me concerned. Any ideas what might have caused it?

[Rock Monkey]

Any ideas what might have caused it?

That's great news.

Oftentimes medications can upset the digestive system, particularly antibiotics. A little bit of plain, whole milk Greek yogurt can help restore the digestive bacteria.

[Rock Monkey]

Given the brush with AP you may find reviewing the following video helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLjRlzTOGHY&ab_channel=squirrelsandmorellc

[Mel1959]

How is your little guy doing?

The goats milk recipe formula is not intended to be a long term solution for formula feeding. It doesn’t contain nearly enough nutrients or calories to sustain for a long period of time. You should be gradually increasing the amount of mixed Fox Valley into the mixed goats milk formula to get him transitioned to 100% Fox Valley.

When they don’t eat they aren’t going to produce poop.

If your little guy isn’t doing any better I think a trip to one of the two Tampa area vets is in order.

You’ve stopped giving the metacam? If he’s still on Baytril offer him some vanilla full fat yogurt or a probiotic like Benebac a couple of hours after you dose the Baytril. I think Baytril really is hard on their GI system.