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View Full Version : Distemper advice please



Rocky1
06-21-2023, 09:21 PM
Has anyone had any luck treating distemper in squirrels?

Mel1959
06-22-2023, 06:47 AM
I haven’t heard of anyone.

island rehabber
06-22-2023, 09:21 AM
I've never heard of distemper or parvo in a squirrel. How did you determine this?

EDIT: Researched it. Squirrels can get distemper from contact with a sick animal. (dog or raccoon) although not common.

Rocky1
06-23-2023, 06:35 AM
I've never heard of distemper or parvo in a squirrel. How did you determine this?

EDIT: Researched it. Squirrels can get distemper from contact with a sick animal. (dog or raccoon) although not common.

I may be wrong about distemper and I hope I am.

Details:
Squirrel had pussy eyes, a messy nose, very low energy, there was something on the news recently about a canine distemper outbreak, and the squirrels were sharing water with dogs (public park with wild pet squirrels in it). I figured I would ask about distemper immediately because in childhood I witnessed a horrific scenario where it spread very quickly through a cat population killing probably two-thirds of the cats. If it were distemper, I would want to be ready and take action as soon as possible - probably isolating and treating the sick or treating the sick and altering things to reduce the spread: (ex. Instead of providing a water bowl where many share water, provide watermelon chunks so hydration comes in individual servings. Or let them all rely on the pond water.)

Treating a respiratory issue would apply whether or not this is distemper. I am interested in suggestions about that as well, although a good search might also answer that question.

Mel1959
06-23-2023, 09:24 AM
Respiratory issues are not common in older wild squirrels, but can happen. A round of antibiotics like Clavamox, Baytril or SMZ-TMP usually takes care of it.