Help with Crippling abscess and sore on hind foot/toe

[Elton]

A squirrel I rehabbed and released about a year ago came around and was badly limping. I captured him and put him in his rearing cage the last three days. He has a sore on the top of his middle toe of his left rear leg and the toe pad has a whitish bump with a tiny dark center, almost like a thorn or something is in there. I am posting a few pics of the toe, can’t get one of the pad. Also a pic from a week ago before the injury when he was visiting. He can’t bear weight on that foot/leg and I am concerned he will be vulnerable if released.

I do not feel that this is squirrel pox, most definitely some sort of injury.

Any suggestions on treatment? Lancing, antibiotics, etc…?

Thanks in advance for any help. I’m losing sleep worrying about him.

[stepnstone]

A squirrel I rehabbed and released about a year ago came around and was badly limping. I captured him and put him in his rearing cage the last three days. He has a sore on the top of his middle toe of his left rear leg and the toe pad has a whitish bump with a tiny dark center, almost like a thorn or something is in there. I am posting a few pics of the toe, can’t get one of the pad. Also a pic from a week ago before the injury when he was visiting. He can’t bear weight on that foot/leg and I am concerned he will be vulnerable if released.

I do not feel that this is squirrel pox, most definitely some sort of injury.

Any suggestions on treatment? Lancing, antibiotics, etc…?

Thanks in advance for any help. I’m losing sleep worrying about him.

First off he needs an anti inflammatory to get the swelling down which will also help with his comfort and any pain he's experiencing.
You could purchase some liquid infant Ibuprofen to address that.
A broad-spectrum antibiotic such as ClavaMox would address the infection. Check what you may have, call around to family and friends
and see what you can come up with for animal or human med. You would only need a pill or two. We can tell you if it can be used,
how to dilute for a squirrel and the dosage.
We would need a weight on the squirrel to dose meds, you will need a 1cc syringe to administer the dose.

[Elton]

Thanks for your reply. I have metronidazole, amoxicillin, and Cipro available. His weight is 450 mg or 16 ounces. I will purchase the children’s liquid ibuprofen this morning. Please respond with dosing recommendations. Any suggestions on cleaning out the abscess/sore or leave it alone and see if the anti-inflammatory and antibiotics help first?

[island rehabber]

You're in great hands with stepnstone, so all I can suggest is IF you can wash the foot twice a day in a diluted solution of Betadyne and warm water (the color of weak tea) it will prevent infection as you are treating the squirrel internally with antibiotics.

[Elton]

Thanks, I will try to wash the foot as you suggested, but he’s wilded up quite a bit since I released him a year ago and may not enjoy the bath. Any suggestions on dosing for the children’s liquid ibuprofen or any of the antibiotics that I listed that I have available?

[sundoesshine]

I don't know if there are foxtail seeds in FL but I would try and see if, like you said, there is anything stuck in there, or maybe a splinter that's become infected. It reminds me of when a foxtail was in between my dogs toes and needed surgery.

[stepnstone]

I will send dosing for the Ibuprofen to your private messages.
Metronidazole is a good choice for an abscess, I will need to know it's milligrams for dosing.

[Elton]

I have metronidazole in 250 mg and amoxicillin 500 mg

[stepnstone]

I will send dosing for the Ibuprofen to your private messages.
Metronidazole is a good choice for an abscess, I will need to know it's milligrams for dosing.


I have metronidazole in 250 mg and amoxicillin 500 mg

I will send dosing for Metro to your PM...