BABIES WITH CYSTS

[buffermike]

Hi. I just received 3 three weeks old grey babies.
Right after opening their eyes they started having cysts.
The girl has a big one over her left front paw and her right shoulder and one inside her back leg. Her right has no control at all.
The boy has one inside her back leg and a front big finger.
The third one seem ok for now.
The two with cysts don't seem to bother. They are active and drink well.
I give Royal Canin Milk powder mixed with boiled water.

What is to do?
Will they survive?

It seems Mom knew something about that😥324849324850324851324852

[Spanky]

Hi. I just received 3 three weeks old grey babies.
Right after opening their eyes they started having cysts.
The girl has a big one over her left front paw and her right shoulder and one inside her back leg. Her right has no control at all.
The boy has one inside her back leg and a front big finger.
The third one seem ok for now.
The two with cysts don't seem to bother. They are active and drink well.


I am going to ask questions for some clarification and more detail.

If I understand, they were 3 weeks old when they arrived but have now opened their eyes, so they are at least 5 weeks old now.. is that correct?

If it is correct, have those cysts have developed over the past 2 weeks or were they always there (but maybe gotten larger)? I wonder if they had any ant bites or other small looking sores when they arrived and developed cysts.

The girl that has no control on her right side, has she always had this "paralysis" or has it developed as the cysts have gotten larger?

That large cyst on the inside of the leg... it is hot? Does it feel squishy? Or is it harder. more solid and not squishy? If you had to say, does it feel more like fluid or more like a solid mass?

[CritterMom]

Oh these poor babies. Those are abscesses. They must have some systemic infection going on.

So yes, I believe they can be saved but you are going to have to do some work to get there and part of it is going to be very gross.

First, check your own medicine chest and contact friends and neighbors and family to see if anyone has any ANTIBIOTICS left over from a past illness. Don't worry overly much about expiration dates. We can and do use human antibiotics on these guys all the time - it doesn't have to be vet meds. It would be great if you could get some Amoxicillin clavulanate but get a list of what you can find so we can see what is available. You will need to know the milligram size of the pill, too.

Drugs alone won't clear this. Those abscesses are going to need to be lanced. If done properly, even without any sort of numbing agent, it not only isn't painful, it is a huge relief for the animal.

Part of what goes in to doing it right is to not attempt it too soon. Unfortunately, without anesthesia, we have to wait until the thing is fairly close to bursting on it's own to lance it. The easiest way to determine if an abscess is "ready" is to dab a bit of alcohol on the abscess. For whatever reason, the alcohol makes the skin almost transparent, and you will be able to see creamy yellow streaks under the skin when the abscess is ready to be lanced. The yellow is, of course, the pus in abscess.

What you will need:

A 1ml syringe without a needle with clear markings on the barrel. You cannot use a larger syringe. This one will be used to dilute and dose the meds.

See what Canada has in the way of povidone iodine. In the US it is sold under the brand name Betadyne and is 10% povidone iodine, but I know in the UK it is a slightly lower concentration - 8% I think. Regardless, you will need some of this.

A larger syringe - 5ml or so - is excellent for cleaning out the wound pocket after draining.

You will need a scalpel blade. This can actually be purchased from craft stores - like this: https://www.amazon.com/X-ACTO-X-Life-Classic-Blades-X611/dp/B00006ICJV/ref=sr_1_6?hvadid=616863165537&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9002578&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14794063575019716982&hvtargid=kwd-111473637&hydadcr=24663_13611861&keywords=xacto+blades&qid=1683159086&sr=8-6 Don't buy this one - way to $$ but the picture is good. You do NOT need the handle for it - you will hold the blade itself between your fingers. You DO want the long, narrow blade that comes to a point.

Alcohol for sterilizing blade.

Rags and many paper towels.

Good fitting rubber or nitrile gloves for you.

If you can find some meds and get this stuff together I will write up some detailed directions. It is not going to be a pretty sight and is not for those with weak stomachs.

So the idea would be to start them on antibiotics and drain these nasty things as each one reaches the point it is ready. This way you would be physically removing infected material by draining; flushing with the povidone iodine solution which has the effect of flushing it out with an excellent anti bacterial; and getting the antibiotics internally. So attacking the issue on three sides simultaneously...

[buffermike]

I am going to ask questions for some clarification and more detail.

If I understand, they were 3 weeks old when they arrived but have now opened their eyes, so they are at least 5 weeks old now.. is that correct?
Yes

If it is correct, have those cysts have developed over the past 2 weeks or were they always there (but maybe gotten larger)? I wonder if they had any ant bites or other small looking sores when they arrived and developed cysts.

I checked for fleas and bites when they arrive. I also counted their fingers. Always do

The girl that has no control on her right side, has she always had this "paralysis" or has it developed as the cysts have gotten larger?

Everything appears suddenly!

That large cyst on the inside of the leg... it is hot? Does it feel squishy? Or is it harder. more solid and not squishy? If you had to say, does it feel more like fluid or more like a solid mass?

Difficult to say. The whole baby was hot😁.
But it felt squishy.
Another one felt harder on the other squirrel

[buffermike]

Oh these poor babies. Those are abscesses. They must have some systemic infection going on.

So yes, I believe they can be saved but you are going to have to do some work to get there and part of it is going to be very gross.

First, check your own medicine chest and contact friends and neighbors and family to see if anyone has any ANTIBIOTICS left over from a past illness. Don't worry overly much about expiration dates. We can and do use human antibiotics on these guys all the time - it doesn't have to be vet meds. It would be great if you could get some Amoxicillin clavulanate but get a list of what you can find so we can see what is available. You will need to know the milligram size of the pill, too.

Drugs alone won't clear this. Those abscesses are going to need to be lanced. If done properly, even without any sort of numbing agent, it not only isn't painful, it is a huge relief for the animal.

Part of what goes in to doing it right is to not attempt it too soon. Unfortunately, without anesthesia, we have to wait until the thing is fairly close to bursting on it's own to lance it. The easiest way to determine if an abscess is "ready" is to dab a bit of alcohol on the abscess. For whatever reason, the alcohol makes the skin almost transparent, and you will be able to see creamy yellow streaks under the skin when the abscess is ready to be lanced. The yellow is, of course, the pus in abscess.

What you will need:

A 1ml syringe without a needle with clear markings on the barrel. You cannot use a larger syringe. This one will be used to dilute and dose the meds.

See what Canada has in the way of povidone iodine. In the US it is sold under the brand name Betadyne and is 10% povidone iodine, but I know in the UK it is a slightly lower concentration - 8% I think. Regardless, you will need some of this.

A larger syringe - 5ml or so - is excellent for cleaning out the wound pocket after draining.

You will need a scalpel blade. This can actually be purchased from craft stores - like this: https://www.amazon.com/X-ACTO-X-Life-Classic-Blades-X611/dp/B00006ICJV/ref=sr_1_6?hvadid=616863165537&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9002578&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14794063575019716982&hvtargid=kwd-111473637&hydadcr=24663_13611861&keywords=xacto+blades&qid=1683159086&sr=8-6 Don't buy this one - way to $$ but the picture is good. You do NOT need the handle for it - you will hold the blade itself between your fingers. You DO want the long, narrow blade that comes to a point.

Alcohol for sterilizing blade.

Rags and many paper towels.

Good fitting rubber or nitrile gloves for you.

If you can find some meds and get this stuff together I will write up some detailed directions. It is not going to be a pretty sight and is not for those with weak stomachs.

So the idea would be to start them on antibiotics and drain these nasty things as each one reaches the point it is ready. This way you would be physically removing infected material by draining; flushing with the povidone iodine solution which has the effect of flushing it out with an excellent anti bacterial; and getting the antibiotics internally. So attacking the issue on three sides simultaneously...

I have the tools
I will comeback with list of meds
I will be able to perform it. With your help🥰

[buffermike]

Oh these poor babies. Those are abscesses. They must have some systemic infection going on.

So yes, I believe they can be saved but you are going to have to do some work to get there and part of it is going to be very gross.

First, check your own medicine chest and contact friends and neighbors and family to see if anyone has any ANTIBIOTICS left over from a past illness. Don't worry overly much about expiration dates. We can and do use human antibiotics on these guys all the time - it doesn't have to be vet meds. It would be great if you could get some Amoxicillin clavulanate but get a list of what you can find so we can see what is available. You will need to know the milligram size of the pill, too.

Drugs alone won't clear this. Those abscesses are going to need to be lanced. If done properly, even without any sort of numbing agent, it not only isn't painful, it is a huge relief for the animal.

Part of what goes in to doing it right is to not attempt it too soon. Unfortunately, without anesthesia, we have to wait until the thing is fairly close to bursting on it's own to lance it. The easiest way to determine if an abscess is "ready" is to dab a bit of alcohol on the abscess. For whatever reason, the alcohol makes the skin almost transparent, and you will be able to see creamy yellow streaks under the skin when the abscess is ready to be lanced. The yellow is, of course, the pus in abscess.

What you will need:

A 1ml syringe without a needle with clear markings on the barrel. You cannot use a larger syringe. This one will be used to dilute and dose the meds.

See what Canada has in the way of povidone iodine. In the US it is sold under the brand name Betadyne and is 10% povidone iodine, but I know in the UK it is a slightly lower concentration - 8% I think. Regardless, you will need some of this.

A larger syringe - 5ml or so - is excellent for cleaning out the wound pocket after draining.

You will need a scalpel blade. This can actually be purchased from craft stores - like this: https://www.amazon.com/X-ACTO-X-Life-Classic-Blades-X611/dp/B00006ICJV/ref=sr_1_6?hvadid=616863165537&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9002578&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14794063575019716982&hvtargid=kwd-111473637&hydadcr=24663_13611861&keywords=xacto+blades&qid=1683159086&sr=8-6 Don't buy this one - way to $$ but the picture is good. You do NOT need the handle for it - you will hold the blade itself between your fingers. You DO want the long, narrow blade that comes to a point.

Alcohol for sterilizing blade.

Rags and many paper towels.

Good fitting rubber or nitrile gloves for you.

If you can find some meds and get this stuff together I will write up some detailed directions. It is not going to be a pretty sight and is not for those with weak stomachs.

So the idea would be to start them on antibiotics and drain these nasty things as each one reaches the point it is ready. This way you would be physically removing infected material by draining; flushing with the povidone iodine solution which has the effect of flushing it out with an excellent anti bacterial; and getting the antibiotics internally. So attacking the issue on three sides simultaneously...

Hi.
You're talking antibiotics to ingest not topics one ? Right?

[buffermike]

Difficult to say. The whole baby was hot😁.
But it felt squishy.
Another one felt harder on the other squirrel

Sorry. I answer your questions but are in your text after those questions

[CritterMom]

Hi.
You're talking antibiotics to ingest not topics one ? Right?

Yes, oral meds - pills or capsules normally. If you find one that will help, we will need the weights on the babies and will calculate exactly how to dilute the pill so that you can give a small dose (easier to get down) that will be the exact amount for that size baby.

Do the alcohol trick today and see if you are able to see pus through the skin as the yellow coloring on any of the lumps. I am betting that basketball on the leg is about ready.

It is not necessary that you wait until you have the meds before you lance these. I would prefer you are able to find some oral meds, but draining these things will do nothing but HELP the condition of the babies. Nobody does well with big pockets of infection all over!

[buffermike]

Yes, oral meds - pills or capsules normally. If you find one that will help, we will need the weights on the babies and will calculate exactly how to dilute the pill so that you can give a small dose (easier to get down) that will be the exact amount for that size baby.

Do the alcohol trick today and see if you are able to see pus through the skin as the yellow coloring on any of the lumps. I am betting that basketball on the leg is about ready.

It is not necessary that you wait until you have the meds before you lance these. I would prefer you are able to find some oral meds, but draining these things will do nothing but HELP the condition of the babies. Nobody does well with big pockets of infection all over!

Could meds given for human tooth abscess be enough?
I would go to my doc and show him a couple broken theets and ask for med.

I think it is time to talk procedure.

Could I do this alone?
If not I'm gonna have to find someone with solid heart.
How do I restrain the babies ?
I have two small bottles of providing iodine but the per. date is 2000. Is it still ok?
It seems it isn't available here in Quebec.
What could be a good replacement?

[CritterMom]

Could meds given for human tooth abscess be enough?
I would go to my doc and show him a couple broken theets and ask for med.

I think it is time to talk procedure.

Could I do this alone?
If not I'm gonna have to find someone with solid heart.
How do I restrain the babies ?
I have two small bottles of providing iodine but the per. date is 2000. Is it still ok?
It seems it isn't available here in Quebec.
What could be a good replacement?

See if you can get Amoxicillin clavulanate. If they try to give plain amoxicillin, see if you can get the amoxicillin clavulanate - it has a second drug in there that makes it much more effective. It is VERY popular for dental issues, by the way.

It would be much easier with a person to hold. The abscesses are all over and you are going to be addressing different parts of the body.

Povidone iodine is available at https://www.canadapharmacyonline.com/DrugInfo.aspx?name=Betadine7711. You want the solution. I wouldn't use 23 year old meds! Amazon Canada also has Betadyne but it is more expensive: https://www.amazon.ca/Povidone-Iodine-10-Topical-Solution-100ml/dp/B09DTKJGHW/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/133-3942816-8000064?pd_rd_w=dZaJJ&content-id=amzn1.sym.bc8b374c-8130-4c45-bf24-4fcc0d96f4d6&pf_rd_p=bc8b374c-8130-4c45-bf24-4fcc0d96f4d6&pf_rd_r=XS0SZM3NAR7TEWEQ2N1D&pd_rd_wg=mprzm&pd_rd_r=bd8be905-eb31-4980-b070-5f7658ba7ff8&pd_rd_i=B09DTKJGHW&psc=1

I am writing up the procedure - I want to get it published here permanently so I don't have to keep doing all of this typing!

Have you checked for the signs of pus in the abscesses?

[buffermike]

See if you can get Amoxicillin clavulanate. If they try to give plain amoxicillin, see if you can get the amoxicillin clavulanate - it has a second drug in there that makes it much more effective. It is VERY popular for dental issues, by the way.

It would be much easier with a person to hold. The abscesses are all over and you are going to be addressing different parts of the body.

Povidone iodine is available at https://www.canadapharmacyonline.com/DrugInfo.aspx?name=Betadine7711. You want the solution. I wouldn't use 23 year old meds! Amazon Canada also has Betadyne but it is more expensive: https://www.amazon.ca/Povidone-Iodine-10-Topical-Solution-100ml/dp/B09DTKJGHW/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/133-3942816-8000064?pd_rd_w=dZaJJ&content-id=amzn1.sym.bc8b374c-8130-4c45-bf24-4fcc0d96f4d6&pf_rd_p=bc8b374c-8130-4c45-bf24-4fcc0d96f4d6&pf_rd_r=XS0SZM3NAR7TEWEQ2N1D&pd_rd_wg=mprzm&pd_rd_r=bd8be905-eb31-4980-b070-5f7658ba7ff8&pd_rd_i=B09DTKJGHW&psc=1

I am writing up the procedure - I want to get it published here permanently so I don't have to keep doing all of this typing!

Have you checked for the signs of pus in the abscesses?

Hi. The only med I can have is Clavamox 250mg. I will have it by tomorrow.

I did check for pus yesterday. There was no transparency yet.
I will recheck today.
Sadly the one with the big abscess was dead, tonight at milk time.
I still have a girl to save...
She too have a big one inside a back leg and her right arm look like a Hulk arm. She has no control over that hand.

[CritterMom]

Get the weight of the babies that have the abscesses. Clavamox is exactly the medicine you need.

Can you do the alcohol thing and get more pics for us?

I am so sorry about your little one. I don't know what could be causing this...

[buffermike]

New pictures

[buffermike]

New pictures of probiotics

[CritterMom]

Sent you PM. That will be really good with the amox/clav. :great

[Tashahaven]

ANY updates on your little girl? I hope she is ok!!?

[buffermike]

ANY updates on your little girl? I hope she is ok!!?

She is . Thank you. Meds make abscesses resorb. I may not have to pierce it.

She is more and more alive. She is a pest at drink time. Wanted to be the first on the seringe🥰

[buffermike]

Hi. Good news.
Rose is well. Her last abscess is nearly completely resorbed.

Still on meds.
Picture doesn't show much. Fur is growing

[buffermike]

Hi. Rose is well. Abscesses are gone.

Now I would like to learn about this incident.

Any link to text about abscesses would be great

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Hi. Rose is well. Abscesses are gone.

Now I would like to learn about this incident.

Any link to text about abscesses would be great

Hello BufferMike:
I'm glad that Rose is doing well and apparently close to a full recovery! I'll send some info/links about abscesses to you when I return from work.
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Hello BufferMike:
I'm glad that Rose is doing well and apparently close to a full recovery! I'll send some info/links about abscesses to you when I return from work.
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

Hi BufferMike:
I finally returned home and had some other thoughts about your request. One of my big concerns is that not every "bump" on the skin is an abscess! When you do as you did in your first post of this thread and include in your initial posts a detailed description of what you are seeing, the Squirrel's pertinent history along with clear photos of the "bumps;" you make it much easier for those who have expertise in evaluating such problems to make comments and suggestions based upon your particular Squirrel and not in general! For just your interest; there are plenty of threads on TSB about abscesses and interventions for these and a search will come up with a boat load of them! It is only because of your detailed posts in this thread, that CritterMom was able to give your her opinions and recommendations. Those opinions and recommendations were not for "bumps" in the skin in general however; they were for your particular Squirrels with the conditions that you described so very well and also photographed and in light of the Squirrel's history that you also posted so well.

I would recommend that you post as you did this time if there is any new incident with any of your Squirrels and get opinions and recommendations that are specific to that Squirrel. The reason for this recommendation is that not all "bumps" in the skin are abscesses. An abscess is collection of pus contained within a "pocket" in the skin. This is a specific diagnosis and it is only when this diagnosis can be rendered that you can intervene appropriately! There are other causes for "bumps" that are not necessarily treated as you might treat an abscess and a determination of the type of "bump" would be the ideal first step. A bump can be solid or cystic (be a pocket in a sense and contain fluid, cellular debris, blood, etc. An abscess is a particular type cystic development that contains pus. Bumps can also be solid masses such as fat tumors called lipomas, cancers or have many other possible causes! Please know that CritterMom's recommendations apply only to your Squirrel this one time and should not be used as a guide for treating "bumps" in general!
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel