Lost Cause?

[Rocky1]

How would you handle this?

Juvenile squirrel (approximately 7 weeks old: estimated based on appearance, see photo below).


Began smelling bad a couple hours ago, possibly a smelly injury although I do not see one or decomposing.
No rigor mortis from 1am until now (constant observation - temp prior to 1am 60 degrees est., temp 1:30am to now/10am above 70 degrees and on heating pad). Rescued at 1am (est. 9 hours ago) Body is limp and I have not observed any motion despite watching carefully.
Cannot see any motion in rib cage.
Pulse is unclear. I thought I felt a weak pulse when feeling his chest with my pointer finger and middle finger (which are not suppose to have a pulse of their own). (Last night, I felt a rapid obvious pulse at 1am, but by 1:30am I became unsure. I thought I felt a mild/weak pulse, but second guessed myself. If it was a pulse, it was very weak.)
One eye is smelly and injured (same as when rescued). The other eye feels soft and will not open.
I cannot feel a breath when I put his nose up to my cheek.



The 2 conclusions I am wavering between:
Either:

1. He is dead or
2. In a coma/unconscious (If so, how to get an unconscious squirrel to drink some capstar to kill maggots and how to feed him?)

Also, please feel free to add advice if there is anything you feel I should learn (in terms of medical skills) based on this post. For example, should I just buy a stethoscope? I frequently rescue squirrels so I am looking to improve my work in addition to helping this one (or letting him go if necessary).



Thanks in advance!

323317

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

How would you handle this?

Juvenile squirrel (approximately 7 weeks old: estimated based on appearance, see photo below).


Began smelling bad a couple hours ago, possibly a smelly injury although I do not see one or decomposing.
No rigor mortis from 1am until now (constant observation - temp prior to 1am 60 degrees est., temp 1:30am to now/10am above 70 degrees and on heating pad). Rescued at 1am (est. 9 hours ago) Body is limp and I have not observed any motion despite watching carefully.
Cannot see any motion in rib cage.
Pulse is unclear. I thought I felt a weak pulse when feeling his chest with my pointer finger and middle finger (which are not suppose to have a pulse of their own). (Last night, I felt a rapid obvious pulse at 1am, but by 1:30am I became unsure. I thought I felt a mild/weak pulse, but second guessed myself. If it was a pulse, it was very weak.)
One eye is smelly and injured (same as when rescued). The other eye feels soft and will not open.
I cannot feel a breath when I put his nose up to my cheek.



The 2 conclusions I am wavering between:
Either:

1. He is dead or
2. In a coma/unconscious (If so, how to get an unconscious squirrel to drink some capstar to kill maggots and how to feed him?)

Also, please feel free to add advice if there is anything you feel I should learn (in terms of medical skills) based on this post. For example, should I just buy a stethoscope? I frequently rescue squirrels so I am looking to improve my work in addition to helping this one (or letting him go if necessary).



Thanks in advance!

Hi Rocky1:
In light of there being no observable motion at all in 9 hours, no discernible breathing or pulse, and the temperature of the Squirrel probably having equilibrated with the ambient room temperature; I believe this poor little Squirrel is dead. Animals or people who are alive but unconscious still breath and have a heart beat. Often they move (without purpose, but still movement) unless they are completely paralyzed in which case they would die anyway unless they were expeditiously placed on a ventilator to maintain their breathing. I am so sorry! RIP Little Squirrel.

Just a suggestion in regard to your question about "how to get an unconscious squirrel to drink some capstar to kill maggots and how to feed him?" You can not safely administer anything by directly by mouth (food, liquid, medication or anything else!) to an unconscious animal because the risk of aspiration is almost a certainty in that case because the protective reflexes and responses to prevent and/or help minimize aspiration as well as the relatively complex mechanism of swallowing are no longer active and functional when an animal is in a coma/unconscious. They can be fed via a tube but this technique should be taught to you by someone who is experienced and knowledgeable about how to perform this procedure and conduct the feedings. There are potential dangers and adverse effects from placing the tube, improper security of the tube and doing the feedings themselves!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[CritterMom]

Poor baby. :grouphug

You can get a remarkably good stethoscope at Amazon for $15! I got one...

[Rocky1]

10/9/22 2pm
The outcome:

I was fortunate enough to find a vet that was willing to examine him. It turned out he was dead.

It felt good to have a second opinion, second to my own (confirmation of death, non-coma), freeing me of the possibility of a wrong decision. They also cremated him for free, saving me from another round of perceptions of "injustice" and moral dilemmas over proper burial / disposal of the dead..

That being said, there is always room for improvement. If you think there might have been a way to save this squirrel that i overlooked resulting in a decent quality of life for him, please do let me know! No one knows if or when there will be a "next time."

Thanks for everything!

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

10/9/22 2pm
The outcome:

I was fortunate enough to find a vet that was willing to examine him. It turned out he was dead.

It felt good to have a second opinion, second to my own (confirmation of death, non-coma), freeing me of the possibility of a wrong decision. They also cremated him for free, saving me from another round of perceptions of "injustice" and moral dilemmas over proper burial / disposal of the dead..

That being said, there is always room for improvement. If you think there might have been a way to save this squirrel that i overlooked resulting in a decent quality of life for him, please do let me know! No one knows if or when there will be a "next time."

Thanks for everything!

You did nothing wrong Rocky1! You are obviously a very caring person! I believe that your little Squirrel had passed before you found him and of course there would be nothing you could have done in that case but even if he was somehow alive when you found him, you have no idea as to what may have happened to this little one and based upon your description of how he appeared, death was a certainty and there was no way you or your Vet could have effectively intervened. Thanks again for your caring about this unfortunate Baby Squirrel! I wish peace for you, Rocky1!
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel