Kansas City vet? Very ill squirrel

[ChewToy]

"Dude" is 10 months w/nerve damage to rear leg. Partially incontinent, but normally very happy. This evening he is trembling, in pain and doesnt seem to be urinating. he is pooping. he has a hard mass on right side of abdomen. he is quite ill. Is there a vet in the Kansas City area? Does anyone have suggestions? I have tried gently expressing his bladder, but no pee. I dont know if he will make it through the night. I am gently massaging is stomach, dont know what else to do. he has had plenty of water recently. Any help or suggestions appreciated.

[ChewToy]

I am fairly certain his bladder or UT is obstructed. Still no urination. There were 20 minutes or so a couple hours ago where he was shaking, breathing irregularly and I thought was on his way out. He is a little better now, but aside from a brief ramble around the bed, just wants to have his head buried in my hand and try to nap. I have tried to more forcefully express his bladder, rub his belly and genitalia, but nothing works. I can feel a hard ball of what i assume is an overfull bladder in his abdomen.
I gave him a tiny, tiny bit of banamine paste that we have for our goats, in the hope that it might decrease any swelling and relieve a little pain. It may have helped with pain, I don't know. My brutal question is whether there is any point in seeking treatment in the morning (there is one vet I am unsure of but could gamble on, as they treat exotics) or whether I should drive to an emergency vet and have him euthanized. I love this damn squirrel. A lot. But if he has stones so badly he is obstructed, is there any sort of possible long term solution? His bladder needs to empty ASAP and I'm having trouble seeing this guy surviving anesthesia. Can anyone just give me some idea of possibilities or lack thereof? I really don't want him to suffer for no reason.

[Mel1959]

Reach out to a squirrel friend of mine and see if he has a vet source near you, his names Dave 269-215-9509. He has many vet resources throughout the country.

I’m sorry your little guy isn’t doing well. I’m praying for a good outcome. :grouphug

[CritterMom]

First, I have to say I don't know what the problem is here...

He is clearly in pain, because it sounds like the banamine helped a bit. I can't endorse using it again as I have no idea how to give a CORRECT dose - my only experience was using it on my horse... Infant ibuprophen which is a sweetened liquid can be given and with his weight we can dose it for you.

If he has actual stones there is nothing I can offer save for a vet, but until you can get him in, see if you can try this - it is more often used for constipation, but could help and won't hurt. Fill a LARGE bowl with warm water, hold him under the armpits and dunk the bottom half of his body into the water and keep him there for a while (don't let it get cool). Rub his head and comfort him - it is a weird thing - but the warmth completely enveloping him will relax his muscles, and if he is "guarding" because it hurts him to pee he may just let go. You won't be able to see him do it because it will be in the water but you may be able to feel it after. Make sure he is bundled and kept quite warm until he dries.

If it is a UTI from not properly emptying his kidneys rather than an actual obstruction from stones, antibiotics will help. Dig through med cabinet and call friends for any unused antibiotics - not pet, human - and make a list of what you can find and we can tell you is they will work and help you properly dilut and use them.

And if you can beg, bribe or threaten the exotics vet into doing an x-ray it will answer a lot of questions, including the one you don't want to have to deal with, but it is better to know...

If you get him past this, I would switch back to the Henry's. He may be having an odd reaction to the Mazuri...

And I am so sorry this is happening.

[ChewToy]

Thank you for your replies and well wishes. He is still breathing.

Antibiotics available: metronidazole (vet): 500 mg pills and "LA-200" (also veterinary) oxytetracycline injectable. I'd appreciate dosage recommendations on these and any others. I may be able to source other antibiotics so let me know the preferred and dosage.

The banamine was definitely too much - he vomited twice.

I tried giving him a soak in warm water last night, but no luck. Am about to call exotic vet when they open in 10 minutes.

[CritterMom]

Thank you for your replies and well wishes. He is still breathing.

Antibiotics available: metronidazole (vet): 500 mg pills and "LA-200" (also veterinary) oxytetracycline injectable. I'd appreciate dosage recommendations on these and any others. I may be able to source other antibiotics so let me know the preferred and dosage.

The banamine was definitely too much - he vomited twice.

I tried giving him a soak in warm water last night, but no luck. Am about to call exotic vet when they open in 10 minutes.

Metro not for UTI, the other could be but we have ZERO dosing info for it. LA200 is likely just lactobacillus acidophalus, or probiotics so not an antibiotic. Best UTI drugs are SMZ-TMP (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) brand name Bactrim or Septra; ciprofloxacin (Cipro); or Amoxicillin/Clavulanate (Augmentin, Clavamox, Amox/clav). If you cannot get him to a vet and find one, post the size of the pill in milligrams and his weight and one of us will provide you with dilution and dosing instructions. Also, his weight will enable us to give you infant ibuprophen dosing info. Try very hard to get the INFANT and not the CHILDRENS - infant is more concentrated than childrens and allows for a smaller, easier to administer dose.

[ChewToy]

I can get amoxicillin as a fish antibiotic. That work? Other leads have not panned out. Was hoping for an antibiotic injection, but no vet access so far. He has spent the afternoon in a warm greenhouse, which seems to suit him. He is moving around a little. Still no urine.

[CritterMom]

Not my first choice but it would work for UTI. Can you get us his weight (prefer grams but can translate) and size of the pill in milligrams - the aquarium stuff is available in 250 and 500. I can do dilution and dosing for you with that info. Tiy will need a 1cc or smaller syringe (no needle) both to dilute and to dose. If you are going to a fish store to get it, look for "Fish Flox" - that is ciprofloxacin, and would be better. If not we will go with the amoxicillin.

Note: If you have or can get any, some probiotics would be good. I just did some hunting - LA200 is the name of a probiotic for little critters, but it is also a totally different cattle med which is what I suspect you have. Amoxicillin is tough on the tummy so if you can get some probiotics to give it would be a good thing. Human capsule type are great - just open the capsule, pour out the powder and use a teeny pinch of it.

[Spanky]

I can get amoxicillin as a fish antibiotic. That work? Other leads have not panned out. Was hoping for an antibiotic injection, but no vet access so far. He has spent the afternoon in a warm greenhouse, which seems to suit him. He is moving around a little. Still no urine.

Can you get Fish Flox (ciprofloxacin) from the same place that has the Fish Mox (amoxicillin)? If you can, I would get both and stack them (give them in concert with one another) for a UTI.

I agree and the Septra (Bactrim, SMZ-TMP) would be my first choice.

How much does dude weigh?

[ChewToy]

Thanks. Will go by the pet store shortly. Trying for a Bactrim prescrip from my doctor. Also just got off the phone with vet tech at local vet. Hoping Vet will call back and be willing to see my "guinea pig" as I assume injected antibiotics would be better. Correct? If they're up for an xray, all the better.

[CritterMom]

Thanks. Will go by the pet store shortly. Trying for a Bactrim prescrip from my doctor. Also just got off the phone with vet tech at local vet. Hoping Vet will call back and be willing to see my "guinea pig" as I assume injected antibiotics would be better. Correct? If they're up for an xray, all the better.

Bactrim would be aquarium sulfatrim (SMZ-TMP). Lots of stuff available for fish...

May be multi-day meds needed so injectable not as good. They have one called Covenia that is supposed to be one and done for animals but we have not had much luck with it. Perhaps they metabolize too fast..??

[ChewToy]

Options at pet store are amoxicillin, penicillin or cephalexin. Unless I hear otherwise shortly, will go with amoxicillin.

[CritterMom]

Options at pet store are amoxicillin, penicillin or cephalexin. Unless I hear otherwise shortly, will go with amoxicillin.

I concur.


Pick up some infant ibuprophen.

[ChewToy]

321080

Did pic of ab come through?
"Fishbiotic" Amoxicillin 500mg capsules.00
Closest I can get on weight is 300 gms. I don't have a hanging scale and he's too restless to get an exact read on the small platform scale I have.

[CritterMom]

Dilution and dosing sent by PM. Do keep trying for a vet - it sure would be nice to get an X-ray to see what is going on inside...