Sudden Illness

[susanjeanine]

We have a squirrell that suddenly became ill. He wants to move around but it seems like he is having trouble moving his limbs. It started about 7 hours ago. We thought it might have been nuts with sugar on them.

[hazel]

:Welcome

Sorry the squirrel isn't feeling well. We'll need a lot more information in order to be able to help you.

Wild squirrel or pet?
Adult or baby? How old?
Eating/drinking?

[JLFrance]

Im new at all of this and Im really sorry to hear about this. Hope all turns out well. I'll be praying:Love_Icon

[susanjeanine]

He is 4 months old and a pet. He was found at a few weeks old after his home was cut down. He has been very healthy and has not been exposed to anything new except the nuts. He will not eat or drink. Seems like he wants to move but is having trouble moving his limbs.

[hazel]

Is there any chance that he was injured? Any falls?

What did you feed him as a baby?
What does his diet consist of now?

[Apple Corps]

Susan - first thought is that your fuzzer may need sugar NOW - they can suffer from low blood sugar and die.

No idea if that is the problem but getting even a very small amount of table sugar in his mouth or on his gums will not hurt. The lining of the mouth will absorb the sugar so he does not have to swallow it.

[Apple Corps]

Susan - here is hoping your lil fuzzer makes it through the night. Be prepared for a series of questions so we can help you and then you might have to act quickly.

How is he doing now??

[susanjeanine]

No falls I was in the same room with him. He was eating the nuts I spoke about and he layed down flat. I checked him and He got up and went in his nest. The day before he did the same thing for a very short time then seemed to be back to normal. He took his nap and when he woke up he was not any better. He had puppy formula until about three weeks ago. We give him bottled water. He had cows milk for maybe three days over two months ago. He now eats nuts and fruit. He is about 4 months old.

[hazel]

What types of fruit and nuts does he eat?
Anything else that he eats regularly? Has he eaten anything since he ate the sugared nuts this morning?
No, sugar isn't toxic to squirrels but it isn't any healthier for them than it is for us.

Please keep all your questions and comments on this thread. It helps us to help you more effectively :) .

[Apple Corps]

susan - please tell us a bit more about his diet. Squirrels must get calcium or they develop Metabolic Bone Disease. Green leafed vegetables work and many give their fuzzers low fat calcium fortified yogurt. The current thinking is that the squirrels must also get some direct sunlight or vitamin D3 supplement.

[Apple Corps]

susan - here are some symptoms of MBD as prepared by rippie:

Seeds, nuts, and corn are high in phosphorous and contain low, or no, calcium (almonds and hazelnuts do have a small amount of calcium, but also contain phosphorous). The body needs phosphorous as well as calcium, but when phos ratios exceed calcium ratios, the phos blocks the absorption of calcium, making it unavailable to the body. If one feeds a low amount of high calcium foods, and a high amount of phos foods, it will cause mbd. Therefore, calcium foods must be the major component of the diet. Squirrels love nuts, seeds, and corn and will eat those foods exclusively if given the opportunity. When these foods are the major component of the diet, they are the nutritional equivalent of candy. When given as small portions of a diet, with high calcium foods being the major item on the menu, seeds, nuts, and corn become just one more nutritional element, in this case a positive element. Again: a diet of seeds, nuts, corn will cause metabolic bone disease if they are the major, or only, components of a diet.

Symptoms of MBD: general body soreness, activity levels decline, lethargy, sometimes a drop in appetite, sometimes labored breathing, increasing in severity to seizures and or paralysis, then death if not treated. The symptoms usually manifest around the age of 10 weeks; the caretaker may not see the symptoms, or recognize what he or she is seeing, until the symptoms become severe and the animal goes down. This is the point at which people usually call me crying, “something is wrong with my baby, he is paralyzed (or having seizures).” Some babies are dying in the person’s hands as we talk. This anguish is so preventable if one feeds a high calcium diet.

[squirrelfriend]

Deffinitly sounds like MBD to me. Does he have more trouble with the back limbs than the front? He must have a full spectrum light and sunshine. Calcium suplements such as Prime for birds and or liquid calcium that you can find at your drug store will help.

Does he ever go stiff for a bit? If so could be seizures due to MBD. These are deadly.

Keep the squirrel in a calm environment and let it relax.

Keep us updated.

[pamela lee]

What kind of squirrel do you have? Were you rehabbing to release it?

[Buddy'sMom]

How is he doing this morning? Try to be patient with all the questions -- we have lots of expertise and support here -- but they need you to be their eyes and ears to try to sort out what the trouble might be. :)

Note to TSB, though -- He was on puppy formula til recently (at about 13 weeks) -- which should have given him all the calcium and vitamin D he needed:

.... He had puppy formula until about three weeks ago. We give him bottled water. He had cows milk for maybe three days over two months ago. He now eats nuts and fruit. He is about 4 months old.

Susan -- can you give us an idea of about HOW MUCH puppy formula he was taking before he weaned? Good eater? (my thinking here is that if he was very fussy and didn't drink much, maybe he was low on calcium, etc., but if he was a good formula eater, we should think about other possibilities :dono )

Also, Susan -- how many nuts and how much seeds per day --- vs green veggies, etc.?

We have a rehabber-member in NJ (I think -- can't recall the name but I'll find it and post -- perhaps someone who can actually take a look at the baby might be a help :) ) [EDIT: Our NJ rehabber is I Love Lucy -- You can send her a PM to see if she is near enough to you for an in-person consult or assistance. TSB has done wonders via posts, Chat, etc. and, as I said, there is a wealth of knowledge here, but sometime an in-person check is good too, if it can be arranged.]

:grouphug :grouphug

[susanjeanine]

Thank you so much for helping find the reason for his illness. Where can I get the Prime for birds? Or if I do get the calcium from the drug store will it tell me how much to give him? My boyfriend found the baby almost dead after a bunch of trees had been cut down. He has tried to get him to climb trees outside but he gets so scared that he wont leave him. We realize that he is a wild creature and are willing to do anything to help him stay healthy. We love the funny little guy.

Thank you,
Susan J

[island rehabber]

susanjeanine, I would also encourage you to PM I Love Lucy, a NJ rehabber here on TSB -- she's a very knowledgeable person. At first glance it does seem like your boy is exhibiting symptoms of MBD, which may be diet-related or may be due to his being indoors, away from direct sunlight, without the benefit of a full spectrum light on him. If you've caught this in time it is absolutely reversible, so don't panic. :)

[I Love Lucy]

SusanJeanine - I'm a rehabber in NJ not too far from you. Check your PM I can help you.

[I Love Lucy]

I spoke with Susan right after my last post and she said he was a lot better. Eating, climbing and jumping around. Her original plan was to keep him as a pet but she now wants him to have a free life. She was just going to check with her BF before meeting with me and letting me take him for rehab and release.

I'll keep you posted.

[Buddy'sMom]

:thumbsup :thumbsup Glad he's doing better today!! :)

:thankyou for the update --- it's good that you two connected and will work out whatever seems to be the best for the little one. :thumbsup

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug
(a "new Jersey Girl" myself :) )

[hazel]

Thanks ILL :thumbsup !

[pamela lee]

Her original plan was to keep him as a pet but she now wants him to have a free life. She was just going to check with her BF before meeting with me and letting me take him for rehab and release.
Susanjeanine, Thank you so much for choosing to put your squirrels well being first. I know it's a hard decision but I always feel they all atleast deserve the chance to be a wild squirrel. Bless You.
Raise to release and if that doesn't work out, then plan B.

[I Love Lucy]

:dono I haven't heard back from susanj. :thinking I hope he's still improving.:shakehead

I'd like to help even if she's changed her mind and decided to keep him or release him herself. We all know how important calcium and a proper diet is for good health. There is certainly a lot of info I'd like to share.

[island rehabber]

:thankyou I Love lucy, for stepping up to the plate on this one. :):thumbsup

[pamela lee]

Susanjeanine, How's the baby doing this mornin'?
I Love Lucy, Thanks for your offer to help with this sweet squirrel.

[I Love Lucy]

IR - Glad to help if I can. I can never turn down a squirrel in need. It's difficult to find rehabbers out here too. I just hope Susan comes back so we can help her help him.

[susanjeanine]

To all you fuzzer lovers...

I love Lucy and I are meeting tomorrow so she can rehab our little guy. God Bless all of you for the wonderful work you are doing. He is doing fine now thanks to all of you! Earl the squirrel says thank you! And so do I.

Susan J

[pamela lee]

Thanks for the update, you've done such a wonderful job with Earl the squirrel. Love his name. Good luck Earl the squirrel have a wonderfully squirrely life.:grouphug :grouphug

[Buddy'sMom]

Thanks for the update Susan J! It's good that you and I Love Lucy are close enough and could work this out. We will be wishing for the best for Earl and hope that ILL will let us know how he does (hint, hint, ILL).

I know how these babies capture your heart :Love_Icon and I'm sure it is very hard for you and BF to let someone else take care of Earl. You both deserve a pat on the back for choosing what is best for Earl right now. :bowdown :bowdown I hope he gets well soon!!

And also big a thanks to I Love Lucy for doing this for Earl! :bowdown

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[I Love Lucy]

I will definitely give all of you an update as soon as I bring Earl home. I have everything all ready for him. I even got another juvenile in today and hope they will be able to room together.