Hi from Mississippi!

[Chewysmom]

Thanks for the add to the board! I have a four year old male grey (Chewy) that we’ve raised from about 2-3 weeks old. We tried releasing him three times in the first two years and he just didn’t want to leave. So we built an enclosure for him outside under our huge “tree house” and he lives out there so he can be somewhat wild. We’ve rehabbed blue jays, mockingbirds and squirrels since 2012 and he’s our only non release.
He seems to have a respiratory infection and I was told I could give him pediatric decongestant/antihistamine. I’ve never heard of that and was curious if that was safe and that’s what brought me here!

[CritterMom]

Yes, they can take the children's Benadryl or any of the generic childrens diphenhydramine versions to address things that are allergy related. It is dosed by weight. If he is ill, and does actually have an infection, antibiotics would be needed. Human antibiotics can usually be used - and we can also help you to identify good med choices and also how to properly dilute and dose them. We would need a lot more info on your squirrel and his symptoms to help you with that. It would be a good idea to see what sort of antibiotics you can get your hands on - pills leftover from treatment for you, friends, etc.

[Chewysmom]

I’ve been trying to find Baytril and I might can get some from my vet office. I have amoxicillin 100mg. I also have clarithromycin 500mg. Sulfamethoxazole/trimetho800-160mg. And penicillin VK 500mg. Doxycycline hyclate. 100mg. And clarithomycin 500mg. I’ve given him Baytril and tramadol before from a foot injury. He’s heathy, fur looks good, normal weight and he eats well. Lots of spinach, but squares (fortified with calcium etc. ) at first I thought something had bit him through the cage but after we got to looking at him closer he’s just got a lot of mucus. I used a baby suction bulb and gave him 1/2 cc of a homeopathic decongestant/antihistamine and it seemed to help. He ran around and his a few acorns today but by evening he’s feeling puny again.

[Chewysmom]

I was trying to send a photo of him but apparently can’t figure out how from my phone. Ha it lets me choose the photo but when I try to upload it it won’t let me

[gerbel]

For the photos, you get to choose the photo from your phone, then upload.. after that, youll select which one to attach to your post.
The uploaded 'stuff' is like a small personal area for your files/photos etc.
It will seem like 'just an extra step' to get the photo attached, but it makes sense for the big timers that constantly reuse helpful stuff in their responses to people like me (who became a squirrel daddy by accident).

Cheers!

[Chewysmom]

322761

[Chewysmom]

This is what his nose looks like. My pharmacist mixed some diluted antibiotics for me today. I only gave him 1 cc mixed with water so he would drink a little more. He’s eaten about 2cc of baby food (blueberry and banana) I thought about blending some of his fresh spinach and sugar snap peas so I could feed him something. I’ve suctioned a good bit of mucus from his nose throughout the past two days. He’s not wheezing any longer after benedryl last night.

[Chewysmom]

322772this was his nose two days ago
Sorry the photo is upside down

[CritterMom]

Honestly, dosing in drinking water is a terrible way to try to do this with any real effectiveness. Does Chewy let you handle him? Diluting the meds to the proper strength and shooting the exact correct dose into his mouth with a 1cc syringe without a needle is much, much better and much more accurate.

Of the meds you list having, I think I would go with the doxycycline, though it is one of the only ones with a sensitive expiration date. What date is the stuff you have? And hopefully one of our other folks will weigh in on the meds.

If you want to go this route, we need at least an approximate weight on him.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

This is what his nose looks like. My pharmacist mixed some diluted antibiotics for me today. I only gave him 1 cc mixed with water so he would drink a little more. He’s eaten about 2cc of baby food (blueberry and banana) I thought about blending some of his fresh spinach and sugar snap peas so I could feed him something. I’ve suctioned a good bit of mucus from his nose throughout the past two days. He’s not wheezing any longer after benedryl last night.

Hi Chewy'sMom:
Thank you for the care and love you bestow upon little Chewy!

I agree with CritterMom in regard to her preference for Doxycycline. One of the concerns that CM has mentioned related to possible danger from using this if the expiration date has passed does NOT apply to Doxycycline itself or to its close relative, Minocycline. Although these medications are in the Tetracycline Family of antibiotics, they have chemical differences from actual Tetracycline. It is use of expired Tetracycline that has potential risks from degradation as it ages but NOT Doxycycline. In fact, Doxycycline is stockpiled by our Government for Emergency Anthrax Treatment and these tablets are safely kept beyond their expiration dates. In 2017, the Government published a Guide for this issue and it states in part; "Stability studies reviewed by FDA over many years have confirmed that none of the components of approved doxycycline tablets and capsules, including the active ingredient, has significant potential for chemical degradation or interaction with other components in the formulation or with components of the container closure system when stored according to labeled directions."

If your Doxycycline is a bit past the expiration date it should still be ok to use it! CritterMom or one of the other Admins can help you with dosing instructions for whichever antibiotic your decide to use. Please use the 1cc syringe without a needle to administer a known does of the medication with a known frequency of dosing just as CM recommends. What was the antibiotic your Vet mixed into Chewy's water? I would also recommend giving Chewy plain water and keep the medication and the drinking water separate.

Also, If you don't mind some comments about suctioning your Squirrels nose, let me paste my "little" cautionary paragraph about to this practice to your thread:
If you are going to use any suction, please be very careful! These are the same concerns parents should have if they elect to suction a human infant's nose. Bulb syringes are what should be used but they can develop a tremendous degree of suction in relation to a Squirrels tiny nostrils and breathing apparatus and severe damage and/or discomfort can occur from using anything but very mild suction. The way to use a bulb syringe if you really want to try this is to get a very small bulb syringe (the smaller they are, the less potential suction it can develop) and depress the flat end (at the end of the bulb) about an eighth to a half inch (very little) BEFORE you put it to the Squirrels nose. Never fully depress it or squeeze it. Also, Depress only the the end of the bulb and NOT the round part of the bulb itself and again, never very far! Please also never depress the bulb syringe while the tip is up to or in his nose because air and the material in his nose will be forced further inside and injury and discomfort can easily occur. Going back to the technique of suctioning out your Squirrel's nose with a bulb syringe; with the end of the bulb syringe already depressed and no more than 1/2 inch, place the tip gently and very slightly into a nostril. Ideally you don't even want to let the tip end of the syringe seal by making full contact with the surrounding nostril. That way, when you release the depressed bulb, you will develop suction to help remove what is in the nostril without developing excessive suction because some air will be drawn from around the tip end and decrease some of the suction force. I know this has been long way to have gone to explain the use of a bulb syringe but these common suction devices are often used improperly and can cause significant injury or discomfort to a small animal or human infant!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[Chewysmom]

Hi!
We usually don’t handle him because he bites. But with him being sick he’s let us walk in his enclosure and handle him.if I had to guess how much he weighs 3-4lbs. He fusses a little but I’ve been able to get fluids in him with a syringe. That’s how we fed him when he was a baby. So he accepts it well. I know the correct dosage my pharmacist helped with that. She was kind enough to prepare some liquid Augmenton (clavamox) for me so I didn’t have to use anything I had on hand.
He already seemed like he felt better after a couple of hours. He actually hid a couple of his acorns and ran up my leg.
Hopefully he will improve. I’m treating it first as respiratory issues because of symptoms. At first I thought something bit him but a vet tech friend of mine said he looked like he had a respiratory infection. So maybe that’s all it is.
I’ll try giving his meds full strength tomorrow!
Wish me luck! Lol

[Chewysmom]

Hi Chewy'sMom:
Thank you for the care and love you bestow upon little Chewy!

I agree with CritterMom in regard to her preference for Doxycycline. One of the concerns that CM has mentioned related to possible danger from using this if the expiration date has passed does NOT apply to Doxycycline itself or to its close relative, Minocycline. Although these medications are in the Tetracycline Family of antibiotics, they have chemical differences from actual Tetracycline. It is use of expired Tetracycline that has potential risks from degradation as it ages but NOT Doxycycline. In fact, Doxycycline is stockpiled by our Government for Emergency Anthrax Treatment and these tablets are safely kept beyond their expiration dates. In 2017, the Government published a Guide for this issue and it states in part; "Stability studies reviewed by FDA over many years have confirmed that none of the components of approved doxycycline tablets and capsules, including the active ingredient, has significant potential for chemical degradation or interaction with other components in the formulation or with components of the container closure system when stored according to labeled directions."

If your Doxycycline is a bit past the expiration date it should still be ok to use it! CritterMom or one of the other Admins can help you with dosing instructions for whichever antibiotic your decide to use. Please use the 1cc syringe without a needle to administer a known does of the medication with a known frequency of dosing just as CM recommends. What was the antibiotic your Vet mixed into Chewy's water? I would also recommend giving Chewy plain water and keep the medication and the drinking water separate.

Also, If you don't mind some comments about suctioning your Squirrels nose, let me paste my "little" cautionary paragraph about to this practice to your thread:
If you are going to use any suction, please be very careful! These are the same concerns parents should have if they elect to suction a human infant's nose. Bulb syringes are what should be used but they can develop a tremendous degree of suction in relation to a Squirrels tiny nostrils and breathing apparatus and severe damage and/or discomfort can occur from using anything but very mild suction. The way to use a bulb syringe if you really want to try this is to get a very small bulb syringe (the smaller they are, the less potential suction it can develop) and depress the flat end (at the end of the bulb) about an eighth to a half inch (very little) BEFORE you put it to the Squirrels nose. Never fully depress it or squeeze it. Also, Depress only the the end of the bulb and NOT the round part of the bulb itself and again, never very far! Please also never depress the bulb syringe while the tip is up to or in his nose because air and the material in his nose will be forced further inside and injury and discomfort can easily occur. Going back to the technique of suctioning out your Squirrel's nose with a bulb syringe; with the end of the bulb syringe already depressed and no more than 1/2 inch, place the tip gently and very slightly into a nostril. Ideally you don't even want to let the tip end of the syringe seal by making full contact with the surrounding nostril. That way, when you release the depressed bulb, you will develop suction to help remove what is in the nostril without developing excessive suction because some air will be drawn from around the tip end and decrease some of the suction force. I know this has been long way to have gone to explain the use of a bulb syringe but these common suction devices are often used improperly and can cause significant injury or discomfort to a small animal or human infant!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

Thanks so much! The more info the better!!

[Scooterzmom]

hi:
I hope I am not too late. I wonder how this little guy is doing now...

Just wanted to say, as simple info, I'm sorry to barge in like this but I juust had to make a note of warning about the dosage for this lil guy. When you say you think he weighs between 3 and 4 lbs I think you must be way of, IMO. My boy Hami weighed one kilo - which is 2.2 lbs - and he was huge Our squirrels are known to be huge here - our climate up in Quebec being as it is, they do need the fat... in other words their size is norma but I know that squirrels farther south are considerably smaller than ours... so please, before you let some pharmacist dose the meds for you, pls consult one of our experts here who can tell you what to do.

Based on 3 or 4 lbs such a dosage could kill your squirrel. :(

[Chewysmom]

hi:
I hope I am not too late. I wonder how this little guy is doing now...

Just wanted to say, as simple info, I'm sorry to barge in like this but I juust had to make a note of warning about the dosage for this lil guy. When you say you think he weighs between 3 and 4 lbs I think you must be way of, IMO. My boy Hami weighed one kilo - which is 2.2 lbs - and he was huge Our squirrels are known to be huge here - our climate up in Quebec being as it is, they do need the fat... in other words their size is norma but I know that squirrels farther south are considerably smaller than ours... so please, before you let some pharmacist dose the meds for you, pls consult one of our experts here who can tell you what to do.

Based on 3 or 4 lbs such a dosage could kill your squirrel. :(

Hi thanks for barging in! I appreciate it! He is not a fat squirrel at all! And he is probably one pound if I had to guess so when I got my pharmacist to mix the antibiotics, she did so as if it were for an infant. And I am VERY precautious when it come to meds for him. (Ive had to give him tramadol before also) so being that I’m not sure exactly how much he weighs I start with the smallest dosage.
After four days of antibiotics, non flavored pedialyte and a lot of love he is much better. He started eating his spinach, avocado and is hiding his pecans and acorns. Yesterday he ran around me and buried a few things in my hair. And today he tried to pee on me, which is his normal thing lol, so hopefully he continues to improve.

[Diggie's Friend]

All spinaches, chards, beet leaves, rhubarbs (entire plant), as well as tea leaves, Amaranth leaves, Purslane, Lambs quarters, sorrels, pigweed, have been confirmed in the laboratory to be extremely high in (oxalic acid).

Upon digestion of plant sources in the intestines, the free calcium and oxalic acid these plant sources contain readily bond into the insoluble form of Calcium oxalate. Together with the pre-pended fraction of the same, is not a form of calcium that the body can use to support its need for calcium to the cells that the bloodstream carries, and the bones store.

As far back ad 1939 to the present day, nil calcium is contributed by these plants to the body, be it in rodents. Further, this form commonly lends to to the formation of kidney and bladder stones, the calcification of the arteries, and inflammation in calcified joints.

In the wild, tree squirrels are seen pulling up grasses in the spring into the summer months; which they flip over to chew on the soil which surrounds the roots. This behavior, known as, 'geophagy', is what supports the need for a natural source of probiotics (natural biotics) which support the immune system of which over 70 percent is found in the gut of mammals. It is in y fortifying the gut with a higher amount of good bacteria than bad forms, that lends towards maintaining good health. Some of these good bacteria forms also have been found to degrade (break down oxalates in the foods consumed by rodents and other mammals; thus lowering the level of oxalic acid, and so preserving calcium from the diet to reach the bones and maintain a healthy level of calcium in the bloodstream also.

"Pet Flora" by "Vitality Science", is a prebiotic/ probiotic source of, "soil based organisms". which has no flavors, fillers or sugars, is a source that works for wild rodents cared ofr in captivity, as well as domestic pets. The label notes cats, yet this is not a species specific source, but one good for all species of mammals that consume soil. (See description)

https://vitalityscience.com/product/cat-probiotics/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzf3T0IP_-QIVeXNvBB0eBgPbEAAYASAAEgLVEPD_BwE