Help with 3 week old baby grey with newly developed diarrhea

[ReidinSC]

Hello so recently I rescued a nest fallen baby grey squirrel 3 days ago. Mom made no attempts to retrieve and baby was very dehydrated. His name is now Felix.

Today is day 4 in my care. My scale for his wt arrives today so I don’t have it yet. For the first 24 hr I rehydrated with unflavored pedialyte then started doing a pedialyte/formula mixture of 75/25, 50/50, then 25/75 before moving to fully formula by the end of day 2. The formula used is powdered esbilac puppy goats milk. It took almost 24 hrs to pee the first time and now he goes every feed almost and at first had dark brown formed pellets. He’s not been a huge fan of food or the hydration since I got him. I feed with an elongated nipple in 1cc syringes, liquids are always given hot.

He has now developed diarrhea since yesterday afternoon, it’s typically yellow and watery. No clicking in lungs as I check periodically. I’m worried for him since hydration was our first battle. I keep researching and want to know the best methods to use since some information can be conflicting. I have regular puppy esbilac arriving tomorrow as I have read goats milk esbilac isn’t best. I’m now rehydrating every other feed with warm water and a drop of agave syrup to sweeten.

Any advice on the information I have provided would be wonderful. Hoping to remedy the diarrhea and get him to suckle more enthusiastically for feedings. Thank you!!

[Spanky]

If the opened powdered goat milk Esbilac has not been stored in the freezer, or at least the fridge, and left at room temp it can go rancid in a matter of days.... don't believe the label. Smell it to see if that may have happened?

Also, throw out the formula mixed up with Pedialyte if you are still doing that and mix it using just plain water. We don't recommend using Pedialyte more than 24 hours or so, switch to plain water and if they refuse the water you can sweeten it with something like agave (as you have done; molasses, honey and syrup are other choices). Keep formula feeding and hydration separate, as you have been doing with the agave and water in between formula feedings.

Overfeeding is a common cause of diarrhea, but the coloring would be more pale yellow or white. It is easy to overfeed and underfeed without a scale. If you post pics of his poo, (yeah, gross I know but invaluable) we can help assess if this might be overfeeding. He can have a drop r two of Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate; this helps to firm the stool and decrease fluid loss from the diarrhea, but not treat the underlying cause

Here is a 6 page long primer on baby squirrel care, after reading it if there are are any questions please ask them.
https://henryspets.com/1-baby-squirrel-care-guide/

Thank you for caring for Felix and :Welcome to TSB!

[ReidinSC]

Hi thank you so much for the Henry’s site. I am following their instructions for the most part. I also went ahead and got the FV 50/20 formula and nipples.

I have been storing the powder in the fridge since it was opened. I’m currently out at work but as soon as I’m home I’ll check for freshness. Luckily the regular esbilac will be delivered tomorrow.

I haven’t been doing the pedialyte since yesterday afternoon when diarrhea developed so I’m hoping that clears it up. Since I now know that’s not advised.

At his 11am feed he got 3ml plain water and a drop of pepto. I appreciate the advice! Typically I have been giving 2ml formula at each 3hr feed. And I normally can’t get him to take more than that. I’m worried he doesn’t suckle. He kinda allows the nipple in his mouth and I give him a drop and he’ll swallow or sometimes I wiggle the nipple to initiate swallow, but he doesn’t really go after it like he’s hungry.

My scale arrives this evening so I’ll post the weight and poop pics later when I have all that information.

I also notice he doesn’t use his back legs very much and one is typically more limp. Is it normal for baby’s? He crawls on his front 2 well and despite handling him and wiping him down after potty time he doesn’t indicate any pain.

Keep an eye on the post later for wt, poop, and status update.

Thank you to all who help to give support trying to save and feed my little guy

[ReidinSC]

Ok so I got him to take more water. About .5cc I’m gonna start hydrating every hr. And formula every 3? He seems so weak. My heart is breaking for him. He is 58g. I keep listening for clicks and I don’t hear anything. Could prophylactic antibiotics be ideal? I have some at home but unsure how to give and how much if they are pill form.325725325724325726

[Spanky]

Ok so I got him to take more water. About .5cc I’m gonna start hydrating every hr.

Try putting just a bit of molasses, honey, pancake syrup or sugar in the water... just to entice him a bit. Make sure to give the water very warm, almost hotter... like the formula. They like it hotter than we'd think.


And formula every 3?

He should be eating 3 - 4.2ml every feeding. Start with every 3 hours but he might need to go longer at his age. Maybe 3.5 - 4 hours. Hydration is the key to setting him on the right path.

Please post pictures of his belly and his back... better to assess hydration. Does he pass the pinch test?


He seems so weak. My heart is breaking for him. He is 58g. I keep listening for clicks and I don’t hear anything. Could prophylactic antibiotics be ideal? I have some at home but unsure how to give and how much if they are pill form.

No, prophylactic antibiotics are not ideal, Antibiotics are only ideal when we are pretty certain there is infection and they are needed. List which antibiotics you have and we'll advise on efficacy. Should he need antibiotics, we can provide detailed instructions once we know the symptoms, the medication names and strengths and the squirrel's weigh should that time come.

Is there any chance he was caught by a cat or anything like that?

Keep us updated on progress or developments!

[ReidinSC]

I’ve been putting agave and some salt in very very warm water.

I have cephalexin capsules and cefuroxime tablets.

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So what I didn’t think was clicking. Maybe it is. He’s breathing so lightly it hard to catch. He appetite has been terrible since I found him and I just feel it in my gut he’s sick.

[Spanky]

I’ve been putting agave and some salt in very very warm water.

I have cephalexin capsules and cefuroxime tablets.

What part of SC are you located?

Just use the agave and water... he needs to get hydrated, even if it is small amounts every 15 minutes over the course of hours.

So he has been eating about 2ml each feeding for the past few days... how often? If he has not been getting enough fluids and formula regularly that could be the issue... he might also have a sever imbalance of electrolytes as a result of the prolonged Pedialyte therapy.

Is he on heat and has he been on heat and kept warm?

Neither of those medications are very good for treating squirrels and what he may need... cephalexin is used occasionally, but more for skin and soft tissue infections if nothing else is available. Ask family, friends and neighbors... some of the kinds of human meds that may be helpful include Cipro, Augmentin, Amoxicilin, Bactrim and doxycyclince; animals mes include Baytril and Clavamox. There are others less common meds antibiotics, so if you find anything else let us know.

[ReidinSC]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the help with Felix. While it was a hard decision, I felt the best thing to do was find an a knowledgeable rehabber with access to antibiotics I didn’t have.

It breaks my heart to part with him, but he is safe and getting care he needs.

While it’s not easy, a chance at saving his life was more important than keeping him with me.

[island rehabber]

Thank you for doing the right thing. He was very emaciated and bringing them back from that state is extremely tricky....hopefully the rehabber has been down that road a few times. :grouphug