Advice needed re a front leg(s) issue

[ajrpdx]

Hello! I fell into squirrel care about three weeks ago, when a ~5 week old fell out of a tall tree, and mama didn't retrieve her. She's absolutely thriving (squirrel blocks and veggies, starting to wean off of fox valley, no injuries, getting more and more agile and fast every day).

Yesterday, a friend who'd heard about this little endeavor found an injured baby and brought him over. He looks to be slightly older than our first -- I'm completely guessing, but maybe 9-10 weeks? -- and is a bit larger at 240g.

He was found on a sidewalk and pulled himself to under a shrub; unless if he fell or was attacked, but I'm guessing a combo of both. He had a bump on top of his head and possibly a scrape or cut under all of his fur -- little to no blood visible, but he was ruffled there. The bump/swelling has mostly gone down. He also had a touch of dried blood on the tip of his nose. But the biggest issue is his front legs -- he can use them, but they're weak and he's strongly favoring his rear legs. He sort of lays on them and can't seem to grasp food with them, but he can somewhat use them to climb (he got two feet up a log in their shared cage and into their nest box, and he's done some climbing on the hardware cloth walls of the cage). When I just went to retrieve him for a feeding he momentarily grabbed the side of the nest box with some strength. But they seem off... he'll drag the right one and uses the left one sparingly.

He's peeing normally, drinking water and eating formula well (happily!), trying to eat solids (he struggles to bring them to his mouth), and getting along great with our first one. I did notice one milky tear yesterday, and initially gave him a small amount of infant motrin in case the leg issue was related to inflammation related to the head bump issue. I do think the leg issue is improving, but would love to see him able to climb as fast as his little sister and eat as much solid food as she does.

Here are a few videos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9xbntjmnk6wbs1d/AAATbYxhrwa2IV9p0VEnhGlZa?dl=0

Then he just hustled up the log to the nest box, and moved too fast for me to catch it on video! Maybe I just need to keep feeding him and helping him rest, and this will continue to improve. But I wanted to post it in case there's more I can do.

[ajrpdx]

**unclear if he fell or was attacked. sorry for the typo!

[Buddy]

Super cute! :klunk :blowkiss I'm not an expert at all. Just wishing speedy healing! :Love_Icon

Thank you for taking care of him/them! :w00t

[Rock Monkey]

If the scratches are from a cat she should be treated with an antibiotic. Cat saliva contains some nasty stuff and can be quickly deleterious. It is safest to assume the cat is the source of the injuries.

Do you have any antibiotics on hand? Look for both human and animal antibiotics. You can even ask friends. Usually only one or two pills will be needed.

It's good that you already have its weight, because that will be needed to figure the proper dosage.

You might see also if you have any prednisone to help with the use of front limbs.

Upon reviewing the situation, an administrator will decide if the use of one or the other of these medications are warranted. If so, they will send you directly the proper instructions.

Also, a one or 1/2 cc syringe would be best for administering the medication.

[ajrpdx]

I don’t think I have any antibiotics on hand (beyond topical from the first aid kit), but I’m sure my mom network can come to the rescue. Is any particular one preferred?




If the scratches are from a cat she should be treated with an antibiotic. Cat saliva contains some nasty stuff and can be quickly deleterious. It is safest to assume the cat is the source of the injuries.

Do you have any antibiotics on hand? Look for both human and animal antibiotics. You can even ask friends. Usually only one or two pills will be needed.

It's good that you already have its weight, because that will be needed to figure the proper dosage.

You might see also if you have any prednisone to help with the use of front limbs.

Upon reviewing the situation, an administrator will decide if the use of one or the other of these medications are warranted. If so, they will send you directly the proper instructions.

Also, a one or 1/2 cc syringe would be best for administering the medication.

[Rock Monkey]

Baytril (animal)/Cipro (human), Clavamox (animal)/augmentin (human) are drugs that are used frequently for upper respiratory infections. SMZ/TMP, Doxycycline and Clindamycine are other drugs that have been used in squirrels, each has a preferred use based on where the infection is.

An administrator will know more precisely. There are some online now, but they are kind of invisible.

Much search hasn't turned up a more precise answer yet.

[ajrpdx]

I have doxycycline! I’d forgotten about that. 100mg tablets, not even expired.


Baytril (animal)/Cipro (human), Clavamox (animal)/augmentin (human) are drugs that are used frequently for upper respiratory infections. SMZ/TMP, Doxycycline and Clindamycine are other drugs that have been used in squirrels, each has a preferred use based on where the infection is.

An administrator will know more precisely. There are some online now, but they are kind of invisible.

Much search hasn't turned up a more precise answer yet.

[stepnstone]

I have doxycycline! I’d forgotten about that. 100mg tablets, not even expired.
Doxycycline would not be an appropriate anti biotic for his concerns.

Concentrating on his legs Prednisone or Gabapentin (aka Neurontin) would be the most beneficial.

Pasteurella spp. is part of the normal oral and respiratory tract flora of cats. It is a bacteria called
Pasteurella multocida which can cause infections and be deadly to squirrels. Some humans as well
can be seriously affected by this bacteria after a cat bite.
Baytril - Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) - Claxamox (Augmentin) - Cephalexin (keflex) - Clindamycin -
Sulfatrim (Bactrim) are some of the antibiotics most commonly used to prevent or treat this infection.

[ajrpdx]

Roger that. I’ve found a friend who has more prednisone than she knows what to do with for her senior cat; checking on how many mg they are (she’s headed to bed but thought 5mg off the top of her head) and can pick up in the morning.

If it was a tangle with a cat, I don’t think it broke the skin. I’ve examined his noggin quite a bit and don’t see a wound.


Doxycycline would not be an appropriate anti biotic for his concerns.

Concentrating on his legs Prednisone or Gabapentin (aka Neurontin) would be the most beneficial.

Pasteurella spp. is part of the normal oral and respiratory tract flora of cats. It is a bacteria called
Pasteurella multocida which can cause infections and be deadly to squirrels. Some humans as well
can be seriously affected by this bacteria after a cat bite.
Baytril - Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) - Claxamox (Augmentin) - Cephalexin (keflex) - Clindamycin -
Sulfatrim (Bactrim) are some of the antibiotics most commonly used to prevent or treat this infection.

[stepnstone]

Roger that. I’ve found a friend who has more prednisone than she knows what to do with for her senior cat; checking on how many mg they are (she’s headed to bed but thought 5mg off the top of her head) and can pick up in the morning.
If it was a tangle with a cat, I don’t think it broke the skin. I’ve examined his noggin quite a bit and don’t see a wound.

Prednisone would be perfect! :w00t If 5mg get at least 2 or 1-10mg.
As soon as you get the Prednisone and let me know the milligrams I'll be set to let you know
how to dilute and dose. Is the 240 grams his current weight?

This was likely a fall injury and since your not seeing any obvious injury of cat involvement I'd
just as soon hold off on adding another medication to the mix and concentrate on treating for
the leg involvement.

I did do some research on Doxycycline and it can be used against Pasteurella activity if necessary.

The blood you saw could have been from his nose but I would still look closely to the area you saw
the ruffled fur. If you dampen that area to separate the fur you should be able to examine the skin
for any redness, cut or abrasion.

[ajrpdx]

Ok! It’s liquid. I have 2ml of 10g/ml. I can reweigh him shortly but he should be very close to 240g.


Prednisone would be perfect! :w00t If 5mg get at least 2 or 1-10mg.
As soon as you get the Prednisone and let me know the milligrams I'll be set to let you know
how to dilute and dose. Is the 240 grams his current weight?

This was likely a fall injury and since your not seeing any obvious injury of cat involvement I'd
just as soon hold off on adding another medication to the mix and concentrate on treating for
the leg involvement.

I did do some research on Doxycycline and it can be used against Pasteurella activity if necessary.

The blood you saw could have been from his nose but I would still look closely to the area you saw
the ruffled fur. If you dampen that area to separate the fur you should be able to examine the skin
for any redness, cut or abrasion.

[ajrpdx]

Ok, I reweighed him right after feeding him 15ml (he’s more chill once fed), and he’s 243g. So 228g on an empty stomach; he was so wiggly yesterday I was off by a bit!


Ok! It’s liquid. I have 2ml of 10g/ml. I can reweigh him shortly but he should be very close to 240g.

[stepnstone]

Ok! It’s liquid. I have 2ml of 10g/ml. I can reweigh him shortly but he should be very close to 240g.

Ok, standing by....

[ajrpdx]

I’ll add—he’s also more lethargic today. He explored their cage a bit yesterday, but I had to wake him to eat and he slept in between (he did climb up onto my shoulders before eating). After the last formula feeding I put him on the cage floor—he usually wanders around and then climbs up to the nest box, but after a few minutes of wandering, he fell asleep on the floor. I have him cozied up in a big old fleece sock in my lap now.


Ok, standing by....

[stepnstone]

I’ll add—he’s also more lethargic today. He explored their cage a bit yesterday, but I had to wake him to eat and he slept in between (he did climb up onto my shoulders before eating). After the last formula feeding I put him on the cage floor—he usually wanders around and then climbs up to the nest box, but after a few minutes of wandering, he fell asleep on the floor. I have him cozied up in a big old fleece sock in my lap now.
I'm going to send you breakdown and dosing on both the Pred and Doxy in a private message. Start him on both!
Also offer him hydration (water with a touch of sugar or honey) in between a few of his formula feedings, he needs
to stay hydrated. Don't have to be like a full (formula) feeding but give him as much as he will take.
Also his blood sugar could be low, try rubbing a little molasses or syrup on his gums.

[ajrpdx]

Great! I have pedialyte too, from the early days with our first one.



I'm going to send you breakdown and dosing on both the Pred and Doxy in a private message. Start him on both!
Also offer him hydration (water with a touch of sugar or honey) in between a few of his formula feedings, he needs
to stay hydrated. Don't have to be like a full (formula) feeding but give him as much as he will take.
Also his blood sugar could be low, try rubbing a little molasses or syrup on his gums.

[stepnstone]

Great! I have pedialyte too, from the early days with our first one.

I would still recommend plain water or sweetened with a little
sugar or honey for taste and avoid the additives in pedialyte.
Dosings sent to your private messages...

[ajrpdx]

Thank you all so much! This little guy has had more fluids, and first doses of abx and prednisone. Then he discovered the magic of snuggling inside a human’s shirt for a nap.

[stepnstone]

Thank you all so much! This little guy has had more fluids, and first doses of abx and prednisone. Then he discovered the magic of snuggling inside a human’s shirt for a nap.

Smart boy :grin3

[Rock Monkey]

Great! I have Pedialyte too, from the early days with our first one.

Once can opened, even if refrigerated, Pedialyte can become a bacterial breeding ground. The manufacturer recommends disposing of the product 48 hours after it has been opened. Below is a quote from their website.

Q. Why does Pedialyte need to be discarded in 48 hours?
Once Pedialyte is opened/prepared, environmental microorganisms can potentially come into contact with the product from the air or from direct contact. For example, if someone touches the surface from which the product is poured, any bacteria on the person's hands can be transferred to the product. This is called touch contamination. The bacteria grow slowly at refrigerator temperatures, but over time, the amount of bacteria can become significant. Children with gastroenteritis are at increased risk of a second infection from these bacteria as their immune system is already working to fight the gastroenteritis.

[Rock Monkey]

Then he discovered the magic of snuggling inside a human’s shirt for a nap.

Yes, baby squirrels spend the vast majority of the day snuggling with their mother. So, when they do this with you you provide them heat, touch, the rhythmic movement of breathing and the sound of a heart beat. This is a great spirit and immune system boost for a sick squirrel. Also, this way you always know how they are doing.

[ajrpdx]

Update! He’s on his third dose of prednisone. We just let them both loose in the living/dining room, and he did really well scampering around and climbing chairs and a big stick we set up. He’s not quite at 100%—she’s still racing around and climbing us, he curled up on the couch to rest—but I didn’t see him drag a leg once! He also tried to feed himself/bring food to his mouth today and was mildly successful. That’s the milestone I’ve got an eye out for.



Yes, baby squirrels spend the vast majority of the day snuggling with their mother. So, when they do this with you you provide them heat, touch, the rhythmic movement of breathing and the sound of a heart beat. This is a great spirit and immune system boost for a sick squirrel. Also, this way you always know how they are doing.

[stepnstone]

Update! He’s on his third dose of prednisone. We just let them both loose in the living/dining room, and he did really well scampering around and climbing chairs and a big stick we set up. He’s not quite at 100%—she’s still racing around and climbing us, he curled up on the couch to rest—but I didn’t see him drag a leg once! He also tried to feed himself/bring food to his mouth today and was mildly successful. That’s the milestone I’ve got an eye out for.
:w00t Sounds promising, we'll reevaluate once he goes through this course.
If needed as long as he's continuing to show progress we may want to go another round.

[ajrpdx]

Check him out! He’s now leaping all over their cage—this after hardly wanting to leave the nest box yesterday. https://www.dropbox.com/s/342twvljajb76pd/IMG_2329.MOV?dl=0

He’s nearly at 100% and I bet he will be there in a couple more days. For the first time since he arrived on Tuesday (five days ago), he was able to feed himself solid food (previously he couldn’t hold it and lift his hands to his mouth). He demolished a squirrel block, a chunk of broccoli stem, and an almond—and probably more when I wasn’t looking. He’s also been gnawing on the twigs and branches in their space. Go, Nutz, go!


:w00t Sounds promising, we'll reevaluate once he goes through this course.
If needed as long as he's continuing to show progress we may want to go another round.

[ajrpdx]

And now he found the sweet potato... it’s like he’s hardly eaten in days :D


Check him out! He’s now leaping all over their cage—this after hardly wanting to leave the nest box yesterday. https://www.dropbox.com/s/342twvljajb76pd/IMG_2329.MOV?dl=0

He’s nearly at 100% and I bet he will be there in a couple more days. For the first time since he arrived on Tuesday (five days ago), he was able to feed himself solid food (previously he couldn’t hold it and lift his hands to his mouth). He demolished a squirrel block, a chunk of broccoli stem, and an almond—and probably more when I wasn’t looking. He’s also been gnawing on the twigs and branches in their space. Go, Nutz, go!

[Buddy]

So awesome!!! :dance Yay!! :w00t :blowkiss

[ajrpdx]

An update, and ask for further advice.

Nutz is overall doing VERY well. He’s as active as his sister, and seems to have full mobility back—from jumping and climbing to wrestling, and feeding himself foods of all sizes.

But, he still has a bump on his head. His head was swollen overall to start, and that has largely receded. But this bump is still there. It’s not getting worse—it’s possibly shrinking slowly? And it looks like it’s pinkish under the skin, not yellow. Video close up: https://www.instagram.com/p/COJjYSjF_dc/?igshid=1v67oohehull5

Watch and wait? Do something more?

I’m hoping to start the soft release process this weekend, but can wait if he needs more care/healing time.

[Spanky]

He is much too young to start the soft release. They should be a minimum of 14 weeks old; 16 weeks is better.

And with that bump on his head, he needs to stay for a while as well. Keep an eye on it and watch for any deficits in climbing, running, jumping. Also watch for head tilt and circling (always moving to the right or left).

[stepnstone]

He is much too young to start the soft release. They should be a minimum of 14 weeks old; 16 weeks is better.
And with that bump on his head, he needs to stay for a while as well. Keep an eye on it and watch for any deficits in climbing, running, jumping. Also watch for head tilt and circling (always moving to the right or left).

Totally agree with Spanky, too young for release and needs time to completely heal.
Curious about the bump, can you feel any heat coming from it? Does it feel soft to the touch or hard/ solid?

[ajrpdx]

Gotcha, I thought I’d read 12 weeks, we can wait! I’m estimating he’s about 12 weeks but that’s a guess based on relative size to her when he arrived; I’m more sure of her age.

It’s looking smaller/deflated today. They’re doing their morning chasing and wrestling, so I’ll wait until things settle a bit before examining the bump more closely (he’s much more shy and tough to handle; better to catch him while he’s sleepy).


Totally agree with Spanky, too young for release and needs time to completely heal.
Curious about the bump, can you feel any heat coming from it? Does it feel soft to the touch or hard/ solid?

[Rock Monkey]

The older the squirrel is when released the greater their survival chances are. It is a rough world out there. There are an assortment of predators and their are other squirrels which can be quite physically territorial to new, strange squirrels. Think WWF, but for real.

The older they are, the larger they are, the stronger they are. It takes time to learn to leap and climb quickly with precision. They need to be able to learn to move with the throttle wide open.

[ajrpdx]

Further update—it fully popped! There was a clump of whitish goop that’s fallen off, and a little bit of blood that’s now dried.

Should I clean his head and/or apply anything to the area, or let it be?


Gotcha, I thought I’d read 12 weeks, we can wait! I’m estimating he’s about 12 weeks but that’s a guess based on relative size to her when he arrived; I’m more sure of her age.

It’s looking smaller/deflated today. They’re doing their morning chasing and wrestling, so I’ll wait until things settle a bit before examining the bump more closely (he’s much more shy and tough to handle; better to catch him while he’s sleepy).

[stepnstone]

Further update—it fully popped! There was a clump of whitish goop that’s fallen off, and a little bit of blood that’s now dried.

Should I clean his head and/or apply anything to the area, or let it be?

I would keep it clean and apply a diluted betadine solution each time.
Definitely watch for any recurring infection.

[ajrpdx]

318186

Let’s see if this photo attaches. Nutz’ head looks good! No new swelling or draining. The hair needs to grow back there, and we’ll keep an eye on it. Hopefully that’s this guy’s last hurdle; he’s doing really well in every other way.


I would keep it clean and apply a diluted betadine solution each time.
Definitely watch for any recurring infection.

[Buddy]

Yay!! :w00t :dance

[ajrpdx]

Just another update! Nutz continues to do really well. If you didn’t know his backstory — and didn’t notice the little bare spot on his head, where the abscess drained — you’d never know he’s recovered from an injury.

I’m so grateful he found his way to us—and me to you all—so we could help him out, and he could be a buddy for Luna. They’ve really sharpened their squirrel skills together! (Tough to get a picture of them together; either Luna notices the camera/me and hogs the spotlight, or they’re a blur of chasing and wrestling.)

318327
318328

[stepnstone]

I’m so grateful he found his way to us—and me to you all—so we could help him out,

You did good! :grouphug