Genitalia concerns

[Ms. Friessle]

I just received a 6-7 week old female. She is in pretty good condition exceot for diarrhea and worms which I treated. I started her on petAg powder formula with probiotics so I’m hoping that helps I have noticed her anal area is very large ( thought from parasites) and I have seen a yellowish substance which appears to be coming from her vagina. I am uploading a picture so hopefully someone can tell me if this looks normal. I have not seen this before where the anus has a large opening and the vagina is enlarged, possibly due to infection????

[Spanky]

I just received a 6-7 week old female. She is in pretty good condition exceot for diarrhea and worms which I treated. I started her on petAg powder formula with probiotics so I’m hoping that helps I have noticed her anal area is very large ( thought from parasites) and I have seen a yellowish substance which appears to be coming from her vagina. I am uploading a picture so hopefully someone can tell me if this looks normal. I have not seen this before where the anus has a large opening and the vagina is enlarged, possibly due to infection????

No, this is not normal. How long ago was she separated from mom; was she in the care of another human before coming to you?

When you say "petAg powder formula with probiotics " do you mean Esbilac (Pictured below along with the wrong formula commonly purchased)? PetAg makes many puppy formulas and they will cause diarrhea in 90% of the squirrel that are fed those formulas. Esbilac is the only one that comes close to a mommy squirrels' milk and does not usually cause diarrhea.

What was she given to treat for worms... and how long ag?

[Ms. Friessle]

Thank you for your quick response! I received her on Sunday and she was taken in by a family for 1-2 days prior to me taking over. They were feeding her a liquid puppy formula then I switched to powder. She had diarrhea then and I saw a few active worms in the anus or the larger bottom hole in the picture. I say that because today she appeared to be pooping form the center hole which I thought was the vagina. It is now greenish color a smells like feces but a firmer consistency. Now I am completely baffled. I gave her .1ml of pyrantel 20 percent on Sunday evening. I am taking pictures of what she looks like today and the food. Thank you again for your help.

[Mel1959]

The formula is a huge part of the problem. It is causing diarrhea and it likely won’t stop until you get the correct formula. You need to find either Esbilac POWDER puppy formula or switch her to the homemade goats milk formula temporarily and order Fox Valley 20/50 from an online source. The FV 20/50 can be used until weaning. Most squirrels taper off formula feedings and wean themselves around 10 weeks or so. If you order the FV from Henrys Pets online you should also get a bag of Picky Eater or Hazelnut blocks. Rodent block is the first food that is offered once the eyes are open.

Homemade goats milk formula recipe: 3 parts goats milk (fresh is best, if canned or powdered it must be reconstituted with water prior to measuring), 1 part heavy whipping cream and 1 part full fat vanilla yogurt.

I have seen instances where the rectum appears enlarged due to persistent diarrhea. We have also seen pictures of squirrels with “interesting” genitalia anatomy. At this point I’m not sure the anatomy matters but the diarrhea definitely does. Offer plain water IN BETWEEN her regular feedings to compensate for the fluids lost by loose stool.

What does she weigh? She looks very small for a 6-7 week old Fox squirrel. Once you switch her formula to one of the suggestions above you will want to weigh her every morning before feeding and then feed 5-7% of that weight at each feeding. Example 100gr squirrel would be fed 5-7cc at each feeding. (100x5%=5cc and 100x7%=7cc)

[Ms. Friessle]

I will order formula today! The yellow substance that you see in the picture is coming from the vaginal opening . The anal region is where I saw the worms, could they have been maggots? Why is there no excretions coming from the bottom most orifice? Could this have been made by a parasite? Did you notice that now her upper tail region is becoming a wound. Should I start an antibiotic, if so what do you recommend? She weighs 4.2 oz. I was guessing 6 weeks by her teeth and eyes open.

[Spanky]

I will order formula today! The yellow substance that you see in the picture is coming from the vaginal opening . The anal region is where I saw the worms, could they have been maggots? Why is there no excretions coming from the bottom most orifice? Could this have been made by a parasite? Did you notice that now her upper tail region is becoming a wound. Should I start an antibiotic, if so what do you recommend? She weighs 4.2 oz. I was guessing 6 weeks by her teeth and eyes open.

The formula needs to be switched now, not wait for an order to arrive unless that arrived today. Use the GMF posted by Mel if you have to wait for the Esbilac arrive... but you cannot keep her on the formula you have her on currently as it will only make things worse.

If you have any concern what you saw was maggots you need to get some Nitenpyram (Capstar/Capguard) immediately and administer 1/4 of a 11.4mg tablet. This is a safe medication and if you have any doubts, give this as soon as possible!!!! You can get this at places like Tractor Supply. The pyrantel treats hookworm and roundworm and I doubt this was either of those... my concern is as you said, maggots and they are internal which is very dangerous and time is of the essence.

There is a chance this is an infection (but I would lean towards formula issues / diarrhea, the worms or maggots not withstanding). What antibiotics do you have available?

[CritterMom]

Capstar is available at most chain pet stores too - Petco, etc. With the dog/cat wormers.

[Ms. Friessle]

Where can I find goat milk, I haven’t seen it at Walmart. That’s about all we have until stores open tomorrow and we have a tractor supply. I have SMZ/TMP DS TAB 800-160 that was originally subscribed to my daughter. Also Amoxillian capsules. I don’t have my dosage chart anymore and I am having trouble finding one. She weighs 4.6 oz or about 140 grams. Lastly , do you think I am crazy that the poop looking secretion is from the vagina. Could the maggots make an open wound that I think is the anus? How much water should I give between feedings?

[Spanky]

Bactrim dosing sent in a PM.

If the Walmart does not have goat's milk in the dairy section check in the baking isle for powdered goats milk (Meyenberg is the brand they almost always have; purple and white containers). Mix that with water per the instructions.

I wonder if that could be an abscess that is draining? The other thought I had was an intestinal fistula, but then the contents of the large intestines would be secreting. So if the puss in oozing from between her vagina and her anus, it looks like her anus has some wounds as well... is that correct?

Administering Capstar would be a reassurance against maggots (and many other creepy crawlies).

If you have.. or can get.. . other antibiotics besides the SMP/TMA and Amoxil, please let us know. It may be wise to add another (stack) antibiotic to the SMZ-TMP therapy... SMZ-TMP is a good choice but considering the potential for e-coli type infections adding something to cover that might be wise.

[CritterMom]

Also, let's work topically, too. Buy a bottle of Betadyne 10% povidone iodine (get the store brand if they have one). It will be with wound care stuff at Walmart or the drug store and looks like a bottle of blood! Dilute 1/4 teaspoon with 1/4 cup water and use that solution to wipe down the sore area at the base of her tail. Just wet a cotton ball or similar and dab the area until it is wet and let it dry naturally. It is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral so it covers all the bases. In addition, it does not sting or burn or hurt in any way. I would clean the area off multiple times a day with this.

[Mel1959]

How’s this little one doing? Did you get the goats milk and start the homemade goats milk formula?