possible spinal injury

[olorin19]

Huckleberry arrived yesterday evening, brought by some tree trimmers. He is 6-7 weeks old and has limited movement in his right front limb and left rear limb. He is happy to curl up and rest. If uncovered, he will move into cover, but without using the front right limb and (probably) not the left rear limb either.

My best guess is he fell and injured his spine. I know from post I have read here at TSB that if this is swelling around the spinal cord that it needs to be addressed quickly, But I do not remember what med, let alone dosage, etc.

So, any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[Charley Chuckles]

Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory and relieves any swelling on the spinal cord.
Someone else will have to give you dosing instructions.

My Charley Chuckles came to me with spinal injury, he lived a happy 8.5 years with me🥰

Prayers to this baby 🙏

[olorin19]

Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory and relieves any swelling on the spinal cord.
Someone else will have to give you dosing instructions.

My Charley Chuckles came to me with spinal injury, he lived a happy 8.5 years with me��

Prayers to this baby ��

Did he recover fully? Or was he an NR?

I had Ziggy for 2.5 years, also with a spinal injury. I got him just prior to discovering TSB and did not know of the option of prednison. I have always wondered if it might have made a difference. Ziggy was happy and had a nice life, but still,...

When I first got Ziggy, I called a rehabber for help. I was basically told that if I brought him in, they would most likely euthanize him. And if I brought him in but then refused to turn him over if euthanasia was their verdict, they would report me. Neither seemed like a good option, so I did my best for Ziggy. (To be fair to the rehabber, I live in a state with really strict laws about caring for squirrels, which they were following to the letter.)

[Charley Chuckles]

Did he recover fully? Or was he an NR?

I had Ziggy for 2.5 years, also with a spinal injury. I got him just prior to discovering TSB and did not know of the option of prednison. I have always wondered if it might have made a difference. Ziggy was happy and had a nice life, but still,...

When I first got Ziggy, I called a rehabber for help. I was basically told that if I brought him in, they would most likely euthanize him. And if I brought him in but then refused to turn him over if euthanasia was their verdict, they would report me. Neither seemed like a good option, so I did my best for Ziggy. (To be fair to the rehabber, I live in a state with really strict laws about caring for squirrels, which they were following to the letter.)
Same situation here, Charley fell when tree limb broke in my yard 2004 during hurricane Charley. We found him the next morning.
I didn't even own a computer back then in fact we had no power for a few weeks.
He was a NR he never recovered completely but I did massage his back legs and did push resistance which I continued his whole life, it was his back legs. He could do everything except hang like a bat upside-down 😁 he never knew he was 'special ' I made him ropes and he could climb with his arms like no ones business 👍
I never thought of him as handicapped in anyway 🥰

[olorin19]

Same situation here, Charley fell when tree limb broke in my yard 2004 during hurricane Charley. We found him the next morning.
I didn't even own a computer back then in fact we had no power for a few weeks.
He was a NR he never recovered completely but I did massage his back legs and did push resistance which I continued his whole life, it was his back legs. He could do everything except hang like a bat upside-down 😁 he never knew he was 'special ' I made him ropes and he could climb with his arms like no ones business 👍
I never thought of him as handicapped in anyway 🥰

I had a hurricane squirrel also - Irene in 2011, whose entire nest was blown out of a tree by Hurricane Irene in 2011, landing at least 25' below on a driveway. Irene was apparently uninjured, despite the fall.

With Ziggy, all four limbs were impacted as well as his core muscles. He was never able to sit without leaning or walk. He got around by a combination of belly crawling and slide slithering. Ziggy spent much of his time inside my sweatshirt. I would tuck the bottom into my sweatpants so he did not fall out, and he would move around in there - into my sleeves, onto my shoulder, etc.

I never figured out a way for him to drink on his own, as he lacked the coordination and strength to get in position for a dish or bottle. So I gave him FV 20/50 and water his whole life with a dropper. Ziggy could pee and poop on his own, but would not do so in his cage. He was pretty adamant about only going outside on grass. I tried growing grass in flats so he did not have to go outside in the winter, but he resisted this and we rarely succeeded. So, outside we went.

Ziggy never managed to crack a whole nut open on his own, but if I cracked a hazel or pecan for him, then he was able to eat it on his own.

[olorin19]

Just got off the phone with the vet and will have liquid prednisone in the next few hours. l will post details when I get it, and hopefully someone willbe able to advise on dosage.

[redwuff]

Let us know his arrival and strength of med

[olorin19]

Let us know his arrival and strength of med

Just got back from the vet with liquid prednisone with this on bottle:

"15mg/15mL per mL"

Dosage per vet is 0.1 mL every 12 hours

Huckleberry is 6+ weeks (eyes open and tail starting to fluff) and weighs 154 g.

I
Thanks!

[redwuff]

Follow the vet dosage. How long did he recommend giving it? Does your baby have any pain response to a pinch test on the effected limbs?

[olorin19]

Follow the vet dosage. How long did he recommend giving it? Does your baby have any pain response to a pinch test on the effected limbs?

Thanks redwuff

Just gave first dose

Judging by response, I am guessing this does not have a horrible taste, as he did not fight swallowing it.

Not 100% sure on pain response, but Huck is moving his right front limb better than he was. Left rear limb seems about the same where it is hard to tell if he is able to move it. If I extend the leg, it will eventually flex back into a bend, but maybe that is jsut a reflex.

The dosage provided by the vet just says every 12 hours but not for how long.

I have worked with this vet for over 5 years, and she is willing to defer to the experts at TSB like yourself, as she knows you all know more about squirrels than she does. She is willing to provide me with whatever meds you guys recommend, which is great..

[olorin19]

Does liquid prednisone require refrigeration?

It does not say on the bottle, vet is closed until Monday, and I neglected to ask when I picked it up.

The little I have found online suggests some versions do while others do not.

Hmmmm....

[Mel1959]

I have never refrigerated it.

[olorin19]

I have never refrigerated it.

Thanks Mel

Bottle has expiration of Oct 2022. Does it actually keep after opening? While I hope not to need it, an emergency supply is good just in case.

[Mel1959]

Yes, it will keep. Many meds are good long after their expiration date. The exception is the antibiotic Doxycycline. It should be disposed of once it has expired as the composition changes and it can be quite harmful.

[olorin19]

Yes, it will keep. Many meds are good long after their expiration date. The exception is the antibiotic Doxycycline. It should be disposed of once it has expired as the composition changes and it can be quite harmful.

Thanks, Mel, good to know

[olorin19]

Update -

Huckleberry continues to improve. Today is Day 4 of prednisone.

The left back leg showed earlier signs of improvement than the right front leg. Huck would climb up my shirt, and even though the right back leg was doing most of the work, the left back leg was involved.

When I first placed him in a large dish with mulch in the bottom to pee and poop (yes, squirrels quickly adapt to this), he was only using the other two limbs. So, the left rear leg was just dragging on the ground while the right front leg was held up against his side. He started using the left rear leg to support himself in there a day or two before he also started putting any weight on the right front leg.

Since I am working from home, I have him either in a pouch on my lap. Huck likes to play with my hand and fingers. Yesterday, he was batting at my fingers playfully but it seemed like this was mostly with the left front paw.

Anyways, just a few minutes ago Huck absolutely batted at my fingers with his right front paw!

So while he still favors the left back and right front, Huck is doing well and continues to improve.

[olorin19]

Huckleberry just grabbed the dropper with both front paws!

[redwuff]

How exciting! Way to go squirrel momma! It always helps to hear good news…:grin2

[olorin19]

How exciting! Way to go squirrel momma! It always helps to hear good news…:grin2

Technically, Squirrel Dad, but close enough!

How long should I continue prednisone? Happy to go as long as needed.

I've been watching the right front paw closely, as I have a hard time imagining Huck being released without full use of both front paws, as I am not sure how he would eat, etc.

He will be with me until spring either way, but hoping being a free squirrel is in Huck's future.

Thanks redwuff

[Mel1959]

Continue the pred as long as you’re seeing improvement. Only then will you begin the taper off process.

I had a released girl that injured herself in a fall and developed a head tilt. I had her on prednisolone for many weeks while she continued to improve before tapering off. It worked like a champ.

Glad to hear little Huck is improving. :dance

[olorin19]

Continue the pred as long as you’re seeing improvement. Only then will you begin the taper off process.

I had a released girl that injured herself in a fall and developed a head tilt. I had her on prednisolone for many weeks while she continued to improve before tapering off. It worked like a champ.

Glad to hear little Huck is improving. :dance

Very helpful, Mel, thanks as always!

[olorin19]

Here is Huck using both front paws to hold a stick to chew

[Mel1959]

:bliss:bliss

[olorin19]

Update -

Huck continues to improve, now 9th day of prednisone.

There is no longer any evident difference between the rear legs. Huck climbs around his cage walls using both rear legs easily. He will climb horizontally in either direction, meaning either back leg is used on high side taking most of his weight. We put a rolled up sock in there that Huck wrestles. He will roll around on his back and claw at the sock with either back leg. He also jumps around quite well, pushing off both back legs.

When he was first climbing, he did not use the right front paw much, never hanging on it. He has been climbing inside his cage for three days now, and keeps improving. Up until today, if moving horizontally on wall, he only went left to right, meaning left front paw was on high side taking the weight. Today, Huck went the other direction, so hanging from fight front paw.

[Mel1959]

That’s great! :w00t Continue with the pred for awhile longer before tapering off.

[olorin19]

That’s great! :w00t Continue with the pred for awhile longer before tapering off.

The only difference I can still see is this: Huckleberry will either hang or lean against the door of the wire cage wanting to come out. If he is only grabbing with one front paw,it is almost always the left.

This is subtle, and I likely would not notice if not looking. He moves and climbs quite well, both within the cage and on me.

Does this sound like time to tape off? This is day 13 at 0.1 ml 2x day.

What is the procedure for tapering off?

Thanks!

[olorin19]

Update:

Huck has made a full recovery (with thanks to stepnstone, redwuff, and mel1959) he is now tapering off prednisone.

Just moved him into his cage for overwintering a few minutes ago -

[CritterMom]

Look at him showing off! That is just wonderful!

[stepnstone]

That's really awesome!
You go Huck!! :dance

[olorin19]

Besides the two hammocks and wire shelves, I will be adding some fresh branches about 2" to 3" in diameter for climbing, chewing, and perching. Plus some dried leaves for the floor. There is a large ceramic container in the bottom with about 8" of mulch where Huck will pee and poop, I'll give him fresh twigs from my yard all winter so he gets some wild food, and these end up adding to the "forest floor" at the bottom of the cage.

[redwuff]

This is a stunning story. Thank you for everything you did for this boy.:hug

[olorin19]

Here is Huck on his favorite perch.

His cage is by a window where I have a lot of plants. (Far enough away that he cannot reach the plants though.)

Huck likes this perch as he can see what is going on outside.

My office / squirrel room is at the end of the house and has a picture window at one end and a glass door at the other end, with the window on the wall in between. It works out well for squirrels as they get to see lots of the outdoors as well as lots of other squirrels. My previous releases come to the front window and back door all day long, as well as inside at times. So Huck gets used to them and vice-versa,

[Chirps]

Just read this thread. Hooray for Huck, and hooray for you! :clap:bliss

[Mel1959]

You did a great job with Huck! Because of you he will have a life in the trees. :w00t The lessons to be learned here are: “never underestimate a squirrels ability to heal” and “prednisone and Gabapentin can work miracles when given consistently”.

It makes me sad to think of all the injured littles that aren’t ever given the chance to recover from traumatic injury. I’m glad Huck found you and you were willing to put in the time and energy to get him back on his feet. :bow:bow :hug Thank you.

[olorin19]

You did a great job with Huck! Because of you he will have a life in the trees. :w00t The lessons to be learned here are: “never underestimate a squirrels ability to heal” and “prednisone and Gabapentin can work miracles when given consistently”.

It makes me sad to think of all the injured littles that aren’t ever given the chance to recover from traumatic injury. I’m glad Huck found you and you were willing to put in the time and energy to get him back on his feet. :bow:bow :hug Thank you.

Agreed on both points!

Also crucial:

Having an expert knowledge resource like TSB

Having a vet or other source of prednisone, clavamox, etc.

[olorin19]

Update:

Huckleberry is almost nine months old and I will move him to his release cage in about a week.

Huck not only tolerates but truly enjoys being massage, scratched, etc. I have never had an overwintered squirrel that remained so happy to be touched to this age. Huck is amazingly cuddly, and spends a huge amount of this time on the porch actively playing with me.

While the paralyzed limbs healed up 100%, Huck also had a broken right wrist. This has healed a bit crookedly, but it does not seem to impede his mobility, eating nuts in the shell, etc.

[olorin19]

Update:

Huckleberry is now in his release cage getting to experience the great outdoors and lots of other squirrels nearby.

[CritterMom]

What a great story! All of the vets who refuse to use prednisone in these situations should be able to read this. It isn't going to mend a severed spine of course, but I think that very often you are seeing internal swelling that is pressing on nerves that causes the paralysis, and if you get the swelling down FAST - and that is what pred does - those nerves won't be irretrievably damaged and voila - you have a ready to release squirrel. Man oh man, did you do good!

[olorin19]

Huckleberry has now been in the release cage twelve days and is enjoying himself.

The cage already had a nest box, but at first he did not go inside but slept in the hammock I had relocated from his inside cage. Eventually he did start hanging out in the top section of the nest box, and then when we had a couple days of heavy rain he started going down inside the nest box. (The hammock stays dry as there is a large doormat above it.)

This release cage has been in the same spot by the hedge for two years, and now has hedge and grass growing inside, so Huckleberry has his own little forest. He spends a lot of time on the cage floor, digging, etc.

[olorin19]

Huckleberry was released on 5/19 after 17 days in the release cage.

I did not see him again until the following evening. I was around the cage area much of the time the first night and never saw him. So, I am not sure if he slept elsewhere or simply managed to slip back at some point when I was not around.

When I did see him the evening of 5/20, he was quite hungry and appeared a bit overwhelmed. I put him back in the cage, where he promptly disappeared into his nest box and did not emerge until almost 10:00 the nest morning!

Huck gained confidence over the next few days, and quite surprised me at one point but driving Arya away from where she was eating on top of the next cage.

He seems to have settled in nicely, coming and going as he please. He has been sleeping there every night, and often returns during the day to nap in the hammock or just hang out on top in the shade from the hedge.

[olorin19]

Photos from today.

Even though his right wrist is a bit crooked. Huck is able to climb, run, dig, etc. quite well.

[olorin19]

Huckleberry has been a free squirrel for two weeks today and is thriving.

I have not seen him in any fights or any evidence that he has been in a fight. I have many times seen him chase other squirrels, including (much to my surprise) Arya. I have yet to see anyone chase him,

Given how territorial Arya has always been with the backyard, this has surprised me.

I have seen Huck eating near other squirrels without incident. In particular, he does not seem to mind Arya's latet pups, now 13 weeks old.

From what I have observed with Arya's four litters, up until a certain age other squirrels tolerate them and do not chase them off unless they seriously invade space.

[Chirps]

Huck reminds me a bit of Bingo. I think he is one of TigerMom's offspring. TM is my yard equivalent of your Arya. After Bingo grew up, he changed from my timid boy to the boss of the yard. He is now the ONLY squirrel TM defers to.

EDIT: And I've seen similar behavior from my older squirrels (TM, Bingo, and Square-Tail) toward Ritz's babies this past month as they explored. They basically ignored the babies, and the babies weren't too pushy/foolish about invading their space.

[olorin19]

Here is Huck at my office window

[Charley Chuckles]

❤️HUCK❤️

[olorin19]

Finally saw Huckleberry back down. There is a female wild who is small, scrappy, and has "crazy eyes". I have her named CLF (pronounced "Cliffie" but short for "Crazy Little.F#####").

Anyways, Huckleberry started running over towards me after I have just given a nut to CLF. He started to take a run at her, noticed the crazy eyes, and wisely detoured well out of her path.

[olorin19]

Arya and her four pups moved to the trees a few weeks ago. Two of the pups are frequent visitors to the yard and fairly unafraid of me. One will actually run right over to me and take a pecan that I drop at my feet. The other will come over, but stays maybe ten feet away.

These guys are now 14-15 weeks, and so starting to get past that stage where other squirrels cut them slack.

Last week, I did see Huckleberry run a few steps towards them to make them back off. And if I lobbed a pecan towards one of them, Huck would run there to chase them off even though he already had a pecan.

But this morning I saw something interesting: While there were 7-8 squirrels in the yard, only three were eating where I spread sunflower seeds. Huckleberry was there with these two pups, both within three feet of him, all eating peacefully. But none of the other squirrels were apparently allowed!

Also, when Huck ran over to me to get a pecan, he had to run past both of the pups. Last week, he would have run at them and made them move. This time, he just ran over to me and they kept eating. And when I then threw them each a pecan, he kept eating his and left them alone.

So, maybe Huckleberry has started his own little gang of squirrels.

[olorin19]

Huckleberry has an apparent bite wound on his upper back this morning. This is the first evidence I have seen of him being in any actual fights. He has been a free squirrel for 31 days, and given how he rarely backs down, I am actually somewhat surprised it took this long.

Around these parts, we are into mating season, And Huck is about 11 months old, so it may be that.

I have released five previous young male squirrels, and at least three of them had apparent bite wounds during their first few weeks after release.

I will keep an eye out Huck and see whether or not he needs treatment. Hopefully he will not. But since he is still sleeping in his release cage, it should be easy enough to keep him in there for a course of clavamox if needed.

[McCarthy]

Huckleberry has an apparent bite wound on his upper back this morning. This is the first evidence I have seen of him being in any actual fights. He has been a free squirrel for 31 days, and given how he rarely backs down, I am actually somewhat surprised it took this long.

Around these parts, we are into mating season, And Huck is about 11 months old, so it may be that.

I have released five previous young male squirrels, and at least three of them had apparent bite wounds during their first few weeks after release.

I will keep an eye out Huck and see whether or not he needs treatment. Hopefully he will not. But since he is still sleeping in his release cage, it should be easy enough to keep him in there for a course of clavamox if needed.


The chases are pretty harmless, but once they end up in a ball of hellfire, at least one of them will end up with a pretty mean bite, slit ear, hurt eye, you name it...

[olorin19]

The chases are pretty harmless, but once they end up in a ball of hellfire, at least one of them will end up with a pretty mean bite, slit ear, hurt eye, you name it...

Yep. I have had lots of my releases get inured in fights - mostly minor with no need to intervene, sometimes enough to warrant clavamox, and on a few occasions quite severe.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?54527-Abscess-on-rear-leg

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?54703-Dustin-Abscess-on-rear-leg

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?55058-Dustin-back-to-the-wild

[McCarthy]

Yep. I have had lots of my releases get inured in fights - mostly minor with no need to intervene, sometimes enough to warrant clavamox, and on a few occasions quite severe.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?54527-Abscess-on-rear-leg

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?54703-Dustin-Abscess-on-rear-leg

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?55058-Dustin-back-to-the-wild


I developed a pretty good instinct that tells me when one of them is about to start a chase. Most of the time I can derail the situation by mimicking their growl, aimed at the instigator. That gets me at least a confused look and by the time he or she realizes that I won't go after them, they have forgotten about their anger and the other guy.

Obviously that ain't gonna work when I'm not around.

It gets me confused looks from park visitors as well. :skwredup

[olorin19]

I developed a pretty good instinct that tells me when one of them is about to start a chase. Most of the time I can derail the situation by mimicking their growl, aimed at the instigator. That gets me at least a confused look and by the time he or she realizes that I won't go after them, they have forgotten about their anger and the other guy.

Obviously that ain't gonna work when I'm not around.

It gets me confused looks from park visitors as well. :skwredup

I've never tried growling to break up a fight - I usually just run over screaming, which works.

I make a noise I call the Happy Squirrel Noise that often works to reassure wilds that I am a friend -

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?66660-Happy-Squirrel-Noise

I feed many squirrels in my yard, and if any of them get too aggressive, I first try talking to them and letting them know that is not okay. If that does not work, I cut that squirrel off (i.e. stop feeding it).

[olorin19]

Huckleberry has an apparent bite wound on his upper back this morning. This is the first evidence I have seen of him being in any actual fights. He has been a free squirrel for 31 days, and given how he rarely backs down, I am actually somewhat surprised it took this long.

Around these parts, we are into mating season, And Huck is about 11 months old, so it may be that.

I have released five previous young male squirrels, and at least three of them had apparent bite wounds during their first few weeks after release.

I will keep an eye out Huck and see whether or not he needs treatment. Hopefully he will not. But since he is still sleeping in his release cage, it should be easy enough to keep him in there for a course of clavamox if needed.

Something new this morning (day after Huckleberry's bite wound first observed):

Up until now, Huckleberry has dominated Arya.No prolonged chases or fights ever observed, but Huck will move at her and she will get out of the way.

This morning, Arya was chasing him around the yard quite aggressively.

I do not know whether it was Arya who bit Huck. I actually doubt it, as she is generally content just to exert her domination by chasing off other squirrels. I have rarely seen her in a fight.

My explanation of their shifting balance of power is twofold:

(1) Huck is injured, so less confident, more vulnerable, etc.

(2) When Huck was first released a month ago, Arya was still nursing four pups who were 11 weeks old at the time. Arya has had 15 pups over four litters the past two years, including 9 pups over two litters the past year. Now that she has wenaed the latest pups and had a chance to just "eat for one" for a bit, her strength, confidence, etc. is back up.

Or the Austin Powers version: Huck has lost some mojo as Arya has gained some mojo.

[olorin19]

Arya and Huckleberry seem to have worked out the new dynamic.

Just now, I went out back and they were both there eating sunflower seeds about ten feet apart. Arya came over to get a pecan first, passing near Huck, then back past him again. Huck waited his turn, then came over and got his pecan after Arya had moved off..

This is how things seem to work when there are 2, 3, 4, or more squirrels at the same time wanting to come get a pecan. They all know the order, and they all wait their turn until those ahead of them in the order have been served.

[olorin19]

And here is Huckleberry on my desk then burying a pecan in one of my plants.