AuntieWycked
10-01-2022, 05:07 PM
A bit over a week ago, Bella caught her toe in the upper corner of her cage. I had used this cage before with a prior squirrel, Lily, as a transition cage without issue. I didn't realize I had a gap in one corner that I'd missed...or Lily had chewed the zip-tie off that side (I zip-tie the corners to pull them close together). I was only going to have Bella in this cage for a few days while I readied up yet another even larger transition cage for Bella.
I was in the room when Bella caught her toe on her front right paw. She squealed in distress and jumped around...her weight was wedging her toe ever further down. I didn't have a screwdriver handy to widened the bars apart, and I simply wasn't strong enough to do it bare handed. I didn't have time to find the proper tools (Another lesson learned...I now keep a screwdriver and wire cutters in the room at all times for just-in-case). The only thing I could do was take the bottom of the cage off and turn it upside-down to get her weight off it and push her toe towards the top where it widened to release her. I comforted her, calmed her down best I could and checked her foot and didn't see anything wrong with it. Everything happened so quickly, I was hopeful she'd escaped any true injury. I kept an eye on her, but for the past week, she seemed fine.
However, yesterday I noticed she was favoring her right front paw. She was curling it in towards her chest and licking it. But she was still using that paw; jumping, climbing and eating with it. I looked her over as best as she'd let me, and didn't see anything right off. But later that night at her next feeding, she was favoring it even more so...grunting when she put weight on it. I still couldn't see what the injury was. I have macular degeneration, so it's possible I just couldn't see the difference.
This morning she was worse, and I could see the swelling of her right front toe. I took her out to get pictures...she was not happy about that, but I was able to get some photos. I don't think this injury was from last week....surely she would have presented with problems before now? And it grew worse throughout the day and night. Is it possible I could have missed it for so long? I don't think so...she was rough housing and playing with my hands all week long without pain (my hands look diseased or something from all the scratches from playing). I'm thinking she must have re-injured that toe. I wasn't here to see what she did though. I had already made sure I secured all the corners of her new cage before I put her in it. She does have a lot of hanging toys, a rope and hammock inside her cage.
My mom fed her for me when I was at work, and I thought it was possible Bella had' gotten her foot caught in the door when mom was putting her up...but mom said nothing happened while she was there, and Bella seemed fine. Mom would have told me if something had happened before I had to ask, so I must assume this is from either her previous injury or something happened between mom's visit and when I got home Friday. It's Saturday now, and it will be Monday before I can get Bella to the vet, 30 miles away...if he will even see me then. Sometimes it takes days to get an appointment with him, but he's the only vet in my area that will look at wild animals. I'm including pictures of her toe (best I could get). I'm sure she's in pain as she grunts and teeth chatters. But she does play, resting some during play. I'm also worried about infection. If I could get dosing for pain relief that would be great! Bella is 2 months and 5 days old. She weighs 14 oz 11g. If needed, I have Augmentin 500 mg, Ciprofloxacn 500 mg, and maybe Amoxicllian 500. Please and thank you all around! I appreciate any input offered...
I was in the room when Bella caught her toe on her front right paw. She squealed in distress and jumped around...her weight was wedging her toe ever further down. I didn't have a screwdriver handy to widened the bars apart, and I simply wasn't strong enough to do it bare handed. I didn't have time to find the proper tools (Another lesson learned...I now keep a screwdriver and wire cutters in the room at all times for just-in-case). The only thing I could do was take the bottom of the cage off and turn it upside-down to get her weight off it and push her toe towards the top where it widened to release her. I comforted her, calmed her down best I could and checked her foot and didn't see anything wrong with it. Everything happened so quickly, I was hopeful she'd escaped any true injury. I kept an eye on her, but for the past week, she seemed fine.
However, yesterday I noticed she was favoring her right front paw. She was curling it in towards her chest and licking it. But she was still using that paw; jumping, climbing and eating with it. I looked her over as best as she'd let me, and didn't see anything right off. But later that night at her next feeding, she was favoring it even more so...grunting when she put weight on it. I still couldn't see what the injury was. I have macular degeneration, so it's possible I just couldn't see the difference.
This morning she was worse, and I could see the swelling of her right front toe. I took her out to get pictures...she was not happy about that, but I was able to get some photos. I don't think this injury was from last week....surely she would have presented with problems before now? And it grew worse throughout the day and night. Is it possible I could have missed it for so long? I don't think so...she was rough housing and playing with my hands all week long without pain (my hands look diseased or something from all the scratches from playing). I'm thinking she must have re-injured that toe. I wasn't here to see what she did though. I had already made sure I secured all the corners of her new cage before I put her in it. She does have a lot of hanging toys, a rope and hammock inside her cage.
My mom fed her for me when I was at work, and I thought it was possible Bella had' gotten her foot caught in the door when mom was putting her up...but mom said nothing happened while she was there, and Bella seemed fine. Mom would have told me if something had happened before I had to ask, so I must assume this is from either her previous injury or something happened between mom's visit and when I got home Friday. It's Saturday now, and it will be Monday before I can get Bella to the vet, 30 miles away...if he will even see me then. Sometimes it takes days to get an appointment with him, but he's the only vet in my area that will look at wild animals. I'm including pictures of her toe (best I could get). I'm sure she's in pain as she grunts and teeth chatters. But she does play, resting some during play. I'm also worried about infection. If I could get dosing for pain relief that would be great! Bella is 2 months and 5 days old. She weighs 14 oz 11g. If needed, I have Augmentin 500 mg, Ciprofloxacn 500 mg, and maybe Amoxicllian 500. Please and thank you all around! I appreciate any input offered...