sick /injured squirrel

[Lindseymbrow]

Hi everyone, a 5-6 week old male grey squirrel was dropped off in a box in my drive way today.i put him on a heated pad & then gave Pedialyte with a 1 cc syringe. He is hydrated now but has not perked up .He was then given diluted 20/50 (1cc syringe) fox valley formula. He is covered in mites , one eye is red and swollen shut & he is very lethargic with shallow breathing. Has anyone experienced something similar? He has gotten a warm dawn bath(for the mites) and I have been wiping discharge with a warm towel from the eye. What else can I do to help this poor guy make it through the night. I am currently caring for another male grey squirrel 3-4 weeks old and have kept them separated .

[Spanky]

Yes, keep him quarantined and change the bedding frequently. The eyelids do get affected by the mites and swell.

Were it me I would apply a very small amount of Revolution (selamectin... the plain one, not the pluses or anything... just selamectin) to the back of his neck... maybe a half drop. That would be terrific if you have access to any selamectin as it is a comparatively safe medication

Ivermectin is similar but less forgiving, it can be overdosed more easily. I am not even sure I would be comfortable dosing a 6 week old, of course weighing the risks and benefits may tilt towards giving it if I had no other options. The 1.87% Ivermectin paste can be bought at places like Tractor Supply, and you'd need to place just the smallest amount on the back of his neck on the skin... like maybe 1/4 or 1/5 the size of a grain of rice.

I am not familiar with any tried and true mite treatments for babies like this.. maybe someone else has better suggestions? :dono