Re: Mange transmission in captivity

[kizomo]

Hullo to all, and thank you for such an informative forum. A brief intro... I have been volunteering for the past year and a bit at the one and only wildlife rehab center in my little corner here in Canada. We rehab almost anything from bunnies to black bears, and all sorts of in between critters.
I am now home caring my first batch of squirrel babies due to lack of space at the center (kinda like our human health care system here in Canada :dono )
Anyway, I am now the proud mom of Winken and Blinken (brindle he and she), and Nod (a grey he). I was told not to expect them to survive the 1st night. That was 2 weeks ago. Nod, who was the sickest of the 3, is now the heaviest (150 g at weekly check-up last week). Winken and Blinken weighed in at 130 g. They are about 6 1/2 weeks old. All are eating well (solids and formula), and doing normal squirrel stuff. Winken and Blinken however, are showing bald patches on fingers, elbows, face, chest and tummies. There are no crusties nor apparent itchies, just hair loss. Center staff feel it is probably mange (Notoedres centrifera), but told me they are too young for Ivermectin. They have given me some herbal ointment (Derma Dream) to apply to skin to keep it in good condition and see how they go. They HATE having this applied, lol. Anyway, my question is, at what age can they actually have Ivermectin? I hate seeing these little guys looking like they just crawled out of a dumpster.
Many thanks!!

[Squerly]

This thread has been moved from another forum per Mars request.

[4skwerlz]

Hullo to all, and thank you for such an informative forum. A brief intro... I have been volunteering for the past year and a bit at the one and only wildlife rehab center in my little corner here in Canada. We rehab almost anything from bunnies to black bears, and all sorts of in between critters.
I am now home caring my first batch of squirrel babies due to lack of space at the center (kinda like our human health care system here in Canada :dono )
Anyway, I am now the proud mom of Winken and Blinken (brindle he and she), and Nod (a grey he). I was told not to expect them to survive the 1st night. That was 2 weeks ago. Nod, who was the sickest of the 3, is now the heaviest (150 g at weekly check-up last week). Winken and Blinken weighed in at 130 g. They are about 6 1/2 weeks old. All are eating well (solids and formula), and doing normal squirrel stuff. Winken and Blinken however, are showing bald patches on fingers, elbows, face, chest and tummies. There are no crusties nor apparent itchies, just hair loss. Center staff feel it is probably mange (Notoedres centrifera), but told me they are too young for Ivermectin. They have given me some herbal ointment (Derma Dream) to apply to skin to keep it in good condition and see how they go. They HATE having this applied, lol. Anyway, my question is, at what age can they actually have Ivermectin? I hate seeing these little guys looking like they just crawled out of a dumpster.
Many thanks!!

:Welcome to TSB. I think your post got "lost" in the diseases section. If they do have mange, then Ivermectin will take care of it. I have never heard of 6 1/2 weeks being too young. Our rehabbers sometimes use it (or Capstar) on very young babies to get rid of maggots. It is of course very contagious with close contact. They should be kept away from other animals. Their bedding can be changed/washed and the cage disinfected. Let us know is you have any other questions. The "Non-Life Threatening Help Needed" thread will probably get you noticed sooner!!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I treated one in the spring that was about 7 weeks. (the ivermectin)was undilluted and all I needed was the size of a pin head drop. I put the drop on a piece of nut so getting them to take it was no problem and the next day they were having relief. Do their ears have crusty edges? You can also give topically I also tried this and it did not have as good of effect at all. By the way Welcome to TSB!!!!!!!!!

[thundersquirrel]

hello! :Welcome

there have been some interesting new patterns of hair loss in squirrels in our area. i've attached a picture of one kind of hair loss in a red squirrel. does it seem like this? these balding patterns don't cause itching, they just happen to young squirrels. we're still trying to figure out what causes it, though a different kind of mange is suspected.

[kizomo]

I treated one in the spring that was about 7 weeks. (the ivermectin)was undilluted and all I needed was the size of a pin head drop. I put the drop on a piece of nut so getting them to take it was no problem and the next day they were having relief. Do their ears have crusty edges? You can also give topically I also tried this and it did not have as good of effect at all. By the way Welcome to TSB!!!!!!!!!
Thanks everybody for your welcomes and help... much appreciated. At this point, there are no crusties anywhere... just continued hair loss. All skin seems healthy with no thickening either. I noticed it starting on the 3rd one's knuckles today as well. I'm waiting on a call back from the rehab center, so hopefully I'll be able to get them treated soon. I've tried taking photos, but the little guys are really, really camera shy :shakehead

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

Poor thing..some one'll have to knit him a sweater..for release..In Canada...Burr..I used to live in Newbrunswick when I was a little girl..I hated it..we moved there when I was 9 the teachers hated American's and told the other kid's NOT to speak to me in English..To make me learn THE ways of CANADA..I have no, love for it there..
My dad was born their..and I still have that duel cit..Idont have any desire to EVER go back to the cold...Burr..I'll stay right here in warm Florida...:thumbsup

[hazel]

I think that stupid, mean people can be found in every country.

:thumbsup Canada ! (Even tho I can't stand being cooold! lol)


All mange that I've ever seen in squirrels caused an obvious crusty layer on the skin.

Does the exposed skin in these spots look completely normal? If not, please describe in detail.

[Gabe]

If the squirrels look similar to the one in the picture that was posted then it is not mange at all but something that is referred to as "balding syndrome". It is most common in gray squirrels in the fall litters but I have had it in red squirrels also. It is self limiting and the fur will grow back once they have finished loosing what they are going to loose.

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

Can a squirrel..w/ no hair..LIKE that much missing...be released??
Burr talk about freezing your BUTT and other things..off...!

Poor thing..what ya gonna do ?

[kizomo]

FluffyTail Nut - I can well understand your dislike of the cold, having moved here myself from the sunny climes of Australia 25 years ago... I was told I'd get used to it, but noooooo... I grow more intolerant of it every year... but what a great excuse for a yearly vacation to sunshine!!! :crazy Luckily I'm on the we(s)t coast, which is considered 'the tropics', but it's still damn cold.
As to the babies, they won't be getting treated until tomorrow, as the care supervisor is away doing a release and won't be back until tonight. Hazel, they don't look like the pic you posted... not yet anyways. The fur on their topside is still all there. But on their faces, knuckles, arms and legs, it is patchy. Their bellies and chests are now just about bald. Oh, and a bald spot on the tops of their heads, but that's where the identifying nail polish was. The skin is completely intact with no broken areas, and no redness... at least not yet. Yesterday I saw one of them scratching once, but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of itchiness there. It seems to me that it's probably Notoedric mange... see here: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26949--,00.html

I'm really hoping this is the case, cause I sure don't want these mites crawling their way over to my dogs. I've been very careful since the hairloss started, but chances are they had the mites before showing signs, and I wasn't as careful about contact precautions... my Aussie felt it was her maternal duty to do after-feed stimulations and bathing. She's really upset that they are now locked away in their room, and she has no access to them.

Thanks again everyone for all your help and support.:D