Juvenile Fox Squirrel found with bilateral hind leg paralysis and open wound - HELP!!

[Newly Squirrely]

Hello,

I have a degree in nursing and spent several years as a Vet Tech, but work in Finanace and accounting currently to give you some background on me. I live in central Indiana.

On 4/29/22 I found a fox squirrel in my driveway with what appears to be hind leg paralysis (dragging legs and once picked up shows no acknowledgement of touch to legs or tail). From research I estimate age around 12 weeks. There was another squirrel I assume was mama barking at me as I picked him up.

I called DNR. They told me there are not any rehabbers in the area that would accept him and to "leave him outside for nature to take it's course". I did some research and found that paralyzed squirrels while NR can live a happy life in captivity. So I chose to keep him and begin the process to become a licensed rehabber.

Sunday bathing him I found an open wound on the inner left hind thigh. It's a tiny less than a cm open hole looks like possibly a cat tooth size and the thigh is red, warm to the touch. He shows no pain (no flinching or moving) when palpated and cleaned. I called multiple exotic vets as well as my local vet. Most referred me to DNR and said they would just put him down. A few offered to euthanize him, but said helping would be costly and poor chances of a good outcome.

I got my hands on some gentamycin spray, several different antibiotics for animals and some medicated creams. I know this isn't optimal, I know he needs a vet, I know he will most likely die... BUT he is strong, he eats nuts and is drinking some Pedialyte. I think all creatures deserve a shot and I'm going to do my best.

Is there any advice anyone can give? Antibiotic names and dosages to use? Would cauterization help (obviously if I can talk a vet or maybe a doctor/nurse into it not just do it myself). What can I do to give him a shot of making it?

Thank you very much for reading and any advice!!!!

[CritterMom]

Hello,

I have a degree in nursing and spent several years as a Vet Tech, but work in Finanace and accounting currently to give you some background on me. I live in central Indiana.

On 4/29/22 I found a fox squirrel in my driveway with what appears to be hind leg paralysis (dragging legs and once picked up shows no acknowledgement of touch to legs or tail). From research I estimate age around 12 weeks. There was another squirrel I assume was mama barking at me as I picked him up.

I called DNR. They told me there are not any rehabbers in the area that would accept him and to "leave him outside for nature to take it's course". I did some research and found that paralyzed squirrels while NR can live a happy life in captivity. So I chose to keep him and begin the process to become a licensed rehabber.

Sunday bathing him I found an open wound on the inner left hind thigh. It's a tiny less than a cm open hole looks like possibly a cat tooth size and the thigh is red, warm to the touch. He shows no pain (no flinching or moving) when palpated and cleaned. I called multiple exotic vets as well as my local vet. Most referred me to DNR and said they would just put him down. A few offered to euthanize him, but said helping would be costly and poor chances of a good outcome.

I got my hands on some gentamycin spray, several different antibiotics for animals and some medicated creams. I know this isn't optimal, I know he needs a vet, I know he will most likely die... BUT he is strong, he eats nuts and is drinking some Pedialyte. I think all creatures deserve a shot and I'm going to do my best.

Is there any advice anyone can give? Antibiotic names and dosages to use? Would cauterization help (obviously if I can talk a vet or maybe a doctor/nurse into it not just do it myself). What can I do to give him a shot of making it?

Thank you very much for reading and any advice!!!!


Given that it may be a cat bite, the fear of pasturella is BIG. You can use human meds . My preference would be either Cipro (human med), Baytril (same drug family as cipro but for animals), or amoxicillin clavulanate (augmentin to humans, clavamox to animals). Can you get your hands on ANY of those - a single pill would be all you need.

I would also get a bottle of betadyne 10% povidone iodine, dilute it at 1/4 teaspoon to 1/4 cup water and use that to irrigate the wound. It doesn't burn or sting and is a wonderful antiseptic. It will NOT take the place of the antibiotics.

We will need his weight (you can buy inexpensive kg/lb digital scales at walmart or kitchen stores like Bed Nath and Beyond - used by dieters to weigh food, excellent for weighing squirrels. You will also need a 1ml syringe with clear markings - no needle - to properly dilute the meds and dose him. If you can tell us his weight and the size in milligrams of the med you have, we can tell you how to properly dilute and dose him. Time is definitely of the essence.

Probiotics would be nice, too, to help prevent tummy issues from the antibiotics. Not animal/pet probiotics - get a pack of the human type from the drug store - the capsule type work great and require a very small amount to do their thing.

[Spanky]

If you can get prednisone that can be used to decrease inflammation and the best shot of any sort of recovery from the paralysis (though this would be a long shot based on his current condition... but a chance is a chance?).

[Newly Squirrely]

Thank you SO VERY MUCH for replying!!! I just weighed him and I got 14 ounces. Here are all the meds I could come up with:

Cipro 500 mg pills
Cephalexin 500mg capsule
Previcox 57 mg
Prednisone 5 mg tablet
Nystatin-Neomycin Sulfate-Thiostrepton-Triamcinolone Acetonide Ointment
Silver Sulfadiazine Cream, USP 1%
Gentocin spray
Hydrocortizone Spray
Doxycycline Hyclate 100mg pill

He urinates and defecates on himself so I wrapped the wound with gauze and coban. Should I continue to do that? I know it probably needs air but am worried about the urine.

[Newly Squirrely]

If you can get prednisone that can be used to decrease inflammation and the best shot of any sort of recovery from the paralysis (though this would be a long shot based on his current condition... but a chance is a chance?).

Thank you! I have 5mg tabs of prednisone and he weighs 14 ounces. How much/often should I give it to him? Dilute with water and use a dropper?

[CritterMom]

I sent you dosing by PM. Start the Cipro now, with the loading dose I described. It is very bitter tasting - once you draw the dose into your syringe, before you stick it in his mouth, dip it into honey or syrup or even some table sugar.

Let me check with one of my cohorts RE: starting the prednisone immediately, so hold on that just right now.

The Cipro is great to wipe out Pasturella, which is what makes people and everyone else so sick with cat bites. It is NOT good for skin abscesses, and it is possible that this wound site could form an abscess. Cephalexin IS good for abscesses, though. Of course it has no coverage for the pasturella. I say this so you watch the site - you may need to start the cephalexin if it abscesses. If you should stumble over any amoxicillin clavulanate at some point, it will cover both and we can change the med.

Strongly suggest you also get probiotics for this little one. Looks like you need some betadyne anyway - any of the drug store brands of probiotics will be just fine. A little pinch of the powder in anything he eats - even mix it with a little blob of peanut butter - will do.