JASPER ASPIRATED

[Mountain Mama]

Hello everone,

Last night Jasper was eating his formula and I don't know what came over him. He just suddenly took a huge gulp and aspirated. I tilted him to try lessen the damage, but I know for certain he aspirated. He has since been breathing very shallow, rapid breaths, and is very clingy to me. He is still active, but he's *different*. A mother knows.

I have Baytril here, and can get Amoxil and/or other human meds easily, including injectables. Please tell me what to give him...how much, how often, etc. I am just worried sick.

He is about 9 weeks old now. I haven't weighed him recently as he is as big as a horse :) and has been doing beautifully.

[4skwerlz]

So sorry this happened. Until another rehabber comes on board, the standard dosage for Baytril if it's a 22.7mg/ml solution, is 10 mg/kg body weight; in other words, a 125 gram squirrel would get .05 mil once per day. With a tiny baby, it's best to get an oral solution or a custom dilute solution to make it easier to draw up the correct dosage.

Now, this is just me: I would get some down him right away!!!!

[island rehabber]

MM, one big gulp like that in an 'older' squirrel is not an immediate pneumonia situation. My older ones do it once in awhile even now because they are such piggies. How is he right now, other than clingy, which might be him reacting to you being so worrierd? Do you hear a clicking or popping osund when he breathes? If so, I would administer Baytril for a few days but if not, don't worry.

[MsOakley]

I agree with IR. I'm not licensed but am in my 4th year of squirrel raising and have had older babies get very enthusiastic about sucking down that formula. I've never had one get pneumonia from a single aspiration. Just my 2 cents. Best of luck.

[Mountain Mama]

I recognize that it's too early in the game for him to have an actual aspiration pneumonia, but this tachypnea from the acute lung injury has me scared to death. I am so worried he is going to wear out and stop breathing. Right now he is sandwiched between the two tee shirts I am wearing, sleeping. He ate a little applesauce and avacado this morning, but I haven't offered him any Esbilac yet.

[4skwerlz]

I recognize that it's too early in the game for him to have an actual aspiration pneumonia, but this tachypnea from the acute lung injury has me scared to death. I am so worried he is going to wear out and stop breathing. Right now he is sandwiched between the two tee shirts I am wearing, sleeping. He ate a little applesauce and avacado this morning, but I haven't offered him any Esbilac yet.

Is he still breathing really fast? I have alerted the rehabbers again that Jasper is still in respiratory distress. I'm sure you'll get some more help quickly.

[Mountain Mama]

Yes. Hubby says that is normal in neonates, and humans in general. Because there is a lung injury, there is an acute inflammatory process that will cause some swelling, and thereby reducing the lung surface area, so we make up for it by breathing fast to try to take in more oxygen. I told him I love him LOTS, but he *might* not know everything :)

Jasper is tachypneac, but he is not retracting, or struggling to breathe. I get an occasional cough out of him, like he is trying to clear his airway, but just occasional.

When it first happened, he threw all fours out to the side, eeped loudly several times, and then just went sort of limp. Never lost consciouness, but was definitely lethargic for some time.

[4skwerlz]

Yes. Hubby says that is normal in neonates, and humans in general. Because there is a lung injury, there is an acute inflammatory process that will cause some swelling, and thereby reducing the lung surface area, so we make up for it by breathing fast to try to take in more oxygen. I told him I love him LOTS, but he *might* not know everything :)

Jasper is tachypneac, but he is not retracting, or struggling to breathe. I get an occasional cough out of him, like he is trying to clear his airway, but just occasional.

When it first happened, he threw all fours out to the side, eeped loudly several times, and then just went sort of limp. Never lost consciouness, but was definitely lethargic for some time.

Have you tried sitting with Jasper in a steamy bathroom to help him clear his lungs? It must be awful to see him in distress.

[Mountain Mama]

Re: steamy bathroom. Good thought. I had considered that earlier, but wanted to run down to TSB first.

[4skwerlz]

Re: steamy bathroom. Good thought. I had considered that earlier, but wanted to run down to TSB first.

Island Rehabber will be in contact shortly. The fast breathing isn't normal, even after a one-time aspiration. She will help you.

[island rehabber]

mountainmamma, I will PM you with my thoughts on what to do for Jasper next. :D

[Mountain Mama]

Waiting anxiously...

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

:grouphug just offering my moral support.

[4skwerlz]

Waiting anxiously...

We have two very good experts working on it now, Mountainmama. They'll be with you VERY SHORTLY....:grouphug

[Mountain Mama]

Ok, some new information...

I believe Jasper's tachypnea is a result of his tachycardia. I have been holding him and I can occasionally feel a "break" in the rapid breathing, and then it starts back up. We see this in humans; it's called supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Anybody know the normal heart rate and respiratory rate of squirrels?

[Mountain Mama]

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts, prayers, advice, and words of encouragement. Thought I would update everyone on Jasper.

I took Jasper to our vet this morning. She said that she thinks that his heart must have taken a hit when he breifly went without oxygen when he aspirated. She said that he had a "normal arrythmia", and agreed that his symptoms are likely from the stress of the event. She said she could just barely hear anything in his lungs, and felt like he would be fine without treatment, but I guess she saw the fear in my eyes and said she would put him on SMX-TMP...just in case.

I carried him around between my tee shirts all day. Ozzy was so sad, restlessly looking around for his brother. I put Jasper in the cage with him for a few minutes, but Ozzy wanted to play and kept trying to tackle Jasper, and Jasper just wasn't up to it just yet. I didn't want to stress him any further, so I took him back out and put him back in the tee shirts.

He is eating pretty well, a little less than normal, but still plenty. He bucked at the sweet potatoes with the SMX-TMP mixed in it, but that doesn't surprise me. It's cherry flavored...maybe he doesn't like cherries with his sweet potatoes.

His resps and heart rate have slowed down some now, and he is actually curled up in his hammock with Ozzy. I will probably take him back upstairs with me to sleep tonight, to save myself the trouble of trotting down stairs every hour to check on him.

Soooo, I am cautiously exhaling right now, but like all Squirrel Mothers, keeping my eyes open for any trouble.

[Mars]

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[LynninIN]

:wahoo I'm so happy to hear Jasper is better.


Anybody know the normal heart rate and respiratory rate of squirrels?
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.... I read that normal grey squirrel heart rate is approximately 150 to 170. Respiratory is 65 to 80. It would make sense that a baby squirrels HR and RR are higher.

Both in foxers are slower because they are bigger. In general, the bigger the mammal the lower the HR/RR. I wonder if red's are even faster?

[hazel]

In case anyone is wondering SMZ-TMP is also known as Sulfa-Trim and Bactrim.

You can just give Jasper the med by mouth MMama! You want to be sure he's getting his full dose (an inherent problem whem mixing meds with food)

I don't recall ever seeing RR/HR rates for squirrels. If I were in this situation I'd use Ozzy as the standard.

Glad you're both feeling better! :thumbsup

[Bravo]

:grouphug Hoping for good news and healing for Jasper. :thumbsup

[Mountain Mama]

You can just give Jasper the med by mouth MMama! You want to be sure he's getting his full dose (an inherent problem whem mixing meds with food)

Ha! This is why I was mixing it in a few cc's of sweet potatoes...I figured more would get in him this way, as giving it to him "straight" might produce a spew!

[hazel]

It really doesn't taste bad. Try it straight up. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[Pam]

Roxy, my 5 year old squirrel, is on Sulfa-Trim. I hold her down and force a syringe into her mouth. It's cherry flavored, but she hates it. :shakehead