Young Eastern Grey Squirrel with neurological issues and a cloudy eye.

[Mulisha]

We have rescued and released a few eastern grey squirrels, without issue.
Earlier today a friend of my daughters called her and said they found a young squirrel (guessing 12 weeks approximately) so we went and picked it up. Its not in good shape. She thought it fell out of a tree, but wasn't sure. A squirrel at that age should be fine in the wild, but this one is very dehydrated, starving and cannot walk properly. It just goes in circles, falls constantly and it has one cloudy eye. There is no visible injuries I can see.
I have it on a hot water bottle (with warm water) and I have been giving it watered down esbilac (expires 2022) with calcium and vitamin D.
I have henry block as well, and I did give it a bit of cheese. It is eating a bit but attacking the liquids. She is so thirsty...I am letting it drink for short spurts frequently. Right now she finally fell asleep in the warm nest I made.
But I read a antibiotic may be of some help. I found some amoxicillin (that is all I have) 500 mg capsules. Can anybody help with a safe dose? I have nothing to weigh the baby with unfortunately but is this something I can give that would help?

[Mel1959]

The walking in circles sounds like head trauma. But the starving and thirsty aspect makes me wonder if roundworm might be a possibility. It’s hard to know if she has been this way for awhile and therefore it was hard for her to gather food and drink, or what? Offer some slightly sweetened water....Esbilac is fine if she’ll take it but it’s not a substitute for hydration fluid. Henrys blocks are great nutrition wise, as is the Esbilac. You can also try avocado chunks (no skin or pit), chunks of fresh coconut, sugar snap peas, cut grapes, apple chunks, kale.

Can you locate any prednisone? It will help with swelling if this is the result of head trauma. I’m not sure what an antibiotic would do to help.

[Mulisha]

Well she pulled through the night!!
She was in such a deep sleep last night, I thought she was dying, I was beyond relieved when U woke up this morning and she was warm and hungry.
I will go to the store today and get a variety of fruits and veggies.
She wants to sleep a lot which is to be expected, she made a nest in the blanket on the warm water bottle.
She definitely has some sort of head trauma, her eye is still very cloudy.
Anyone that can offer advice on what to do with a squirrel with head trauma would help me greatly.
Thanks!!

[CritterMom]

Well, as Mel1959 mentioned, prednisone would be a good fit here. Sometimes the neurological symptoms are caused by internal swelling pressing on nerves they shouldn't be pressing on, and prednisone is a really fast and effective way to quickly knock down the inflammation that causes the swelling.

Often we have people take in babies with badly clouded eyes that gradually clear and function properly. Malnutrition can cause this - formula will help that.

Do not add calcium and especially not Vitamin D to the formula. Get up to full strength as soon as his condition allows it and use the POWDERED esbilac without any added vitamins and minerals. You should eventually get some Fox Valley 20/50 which is for older babies and will really add weight.

[Mulisha]

Ok Thanks to you both!
Unfortunately I am in Canada and where I live the eastern grey's are considered an invasive species and vets will not help, the squirrels are destroyed.
So if anything I may need isn't over the counter, I won't be able to get it.
The baby seems to be improving a bit. Is eating bananna, apple, avacado (all peeled and pitted)
And I am giving the powdered Esbilac. Ill just keep doing what I am doing then, and hope for the best!

[CritterMom]

If you are able to get some prednisone - it is very commonly given to people with bronchial issues - we can help you to properly dilute and dose it according to your baby's weight. We end up using almost exclusively human meds (many are the same meds anyway, packaged under different names for humans and critters).

[Rock Monkey]

Is eating bananna, apple, avacado (all peeled and pitted)


For young squirrels banana can be a choking hazard because of its viscosity, especially when they are eating quickly, as little ones are inclined to do. So, to be on the safe side, be sure to cut it into pieces that are smaller than the squirrel's mouth and space them out on the feeding dish. I had one choke on banana on several occasions.