Ruby has diarrhea!!! Help!

[Squirrelly Friends]

Ruby - my 6 week old baby squirrel started having diarrhea in the middle of the night. Sorry to describe this -- but I need some help! -- it has mucus texture to it.

When it first started we hadn't changed her diet, she was still on Espilac -- however, I had scrambled an egg earlier in the day that she licked on (didn't really eat any...)

Since the diarrhea started I changed her to Pedialyte every two hours. However, nows she's giving me grief about it. Can I give her a flavored Pedialyte?

Also, is there any kind of pepto for babies that I could give her?

Any more suggestions are aprreciated!!!!!!

[4skwerlz]

A rehabber will be here very shortly to help you. Yes, flavored pedialyte is okay. Make sure it is warm.

[thundersquirrel]

hi there!

good news; if this is solely related to the egg, it's possible that it will pass soon.

bad news; mucus in the poop is not good. if the next poop she has is similar, she may need an antibiotic.

you're doing the right thing keeping her on pedialyte- don't worry about her going hungry, just focus on flushing out her system right now.

you could give her some yogurt to help. just keep the fluids up and watch her next poop closely. is anything else different?

[Squirrelly Friends]

Thanks Thundersquirrel!

Here's a little background on her --
When I first got her she was 3-4 weeks old and nearly dead. She had been left outside on a metal fence poll in winter! She came back strong fast! Two days later - when I woke up for her monring feeding, mucus was coming out of her nose. I got a baby aspirator and cleared her nose asap and put her on Pedialtye. The vet said the aspirator probably saved her life and diagnosed her with bronchitis. He gave her a shot of dexamethasone and gave her Amoxi Drop (.1 ml 2 times per day).

The antibiotic's shelf life is 14 days --- it would expire tomorrow --- and she hasn't had it in 2 days.

Even with her current diarrhea she still is very active when she wakes up.

Do you have any thoughts on where the mucus could have come from or what I can do to make it stop? Should I start the antibiotic back again for a couple of days?

[Squirrelly Friends]

you could give her some yogurt to help. just keep the fluids up and watch her next poop closely. is anything else different?

Is any brand of yogurt (or flavor) better for baby squirrels than another? I have Strawberry Activa here -- but I think that would be too much...

[Squirrelly Friends]

Any brand or flavor is fine as long as it has live cultures in it, and is regular yogurt. No lite or sugar free.

Activa is a light yogurt. I'll go to the store and buy her some plain...

I've been looking up old posts and some people warn that too much Pedialyte can cause Sodium Poisoning?! I would really love to know from someone else with experience -- how often did you feed yogurt? Pedialyte? Both in the same feeding?

I did give her some Benebac earlier today - I had given it to her when I first got her. But I'm the most concerned about the mucus and getting her through this!!!

Thanks for any help you can give!


PS - I did feed her the grape flavored pedialyte - and she loved it!

[muffinsquirrel]

Activa is a light yogurt. I'll go to the store and buy her some plain...


As long as the Activa doesn't have artificial sweetener in it, it should be OK to give her. A lot of people use Activa on their flyers, but I don't know if activa comes in regular and lite or if it's all the same. I usually give mine Dannon LaCreme - either the vanilla or the strawberry, but that's just habit, I think. Right now I have Yoplait vanilla and they are doing fine with it. I start my babies on 2 parts water, 1 part Esbilac, 1/2 part yogurt, and then continue to give them yogurt throughout their life, 3 or 4 times a week.

muffinsquirrel

[Squirrelly Friends]

I just feed her Yo Baby Yogurt (banana flavor) mixed with a little water to dilute. She inhaled it! I think she likes it better than her regular formula. I'm going to switch back to the Pedilyte next feeding but I think she's already improving.

Thanks for all of the great suggestions! I knew I could trust you guys. I'll keep you posted and keep checking for more advice.

[thundersquirrel]

does she have any problems breathing? do you hear any rhythmic congestion or clicking in her chest?

please let us know what her next poops look like- we're poop fiends. :)

[Squirrelly Friends]

:poop (I can't believe there's a poop smiley on here! :) )

Update: The latest poop was much firmer - but still light yellow in color. Before her poop was all liquid, bubbles and mess! Now still not 100%... mucus still there.

She would be so embarassed to know I was telling you guys! Where is the embarassed squirrel smiley when you need one?

[skye]

I am so sorry to hear this good luck with your baby. In my prayers.

[thundersquirrel]

improvement is good. continue giving her yogurt (as long as she doesn't aspirate it) and pedialyte. if her next poop seems even better, you could try highly diluted formula (perhaps 1 part esbilac powder to 4 or 5 parts water).

keep up the good work!

[Squirrelly Friends]

So we had good poops for the last two feedings! They were still not 100% but improving...

Just wanted to let you guys know things were looking up! Thanks for helping me in our time of need!!!

You guys are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Squirrelly Friends]

Poop update:

So I think she's feeling better - because the poops have been firmer -- however, does yogurt turn the poop green? Because after the yogurt -- her poop is now the color of grass. She hasn't eaten anything green!!!

Does this concern anyone??? I don't know how to feel!

[Squirrelly Friends]

does she have any problems breathing? do you hear any rhythmic congestion or clicking in her chest?

please let us know what her next poops look like- we're poop fiends. :)


I gave you a poop update but I didn't answer the most important questions! Sorry!!!!! She doesn't have any problems breathing - no clicking or congestion. But she did have bronchitis early on that was treated by the vet with antibiotics and a streroid.

[Squirrelly Friends]

It could be the combination of Banana yogurt, and grape Pedialyte...Yellow and purple.

HA!HA! I didn't even think of that. Thanks Gamma! Your my hero! :jump

[thundersquirrel]

a picture of that poop would be helpful. ;)

[Gabe]

This is a good reminder that squirrels do not tolerate Amoxicillin well. It does tend to give them diarrhea but will clear up when you stop using it, which you have, and it has cleared up.

[Squirrelly Friends]

This is a good reminder that squirrels do not tolerate Amoxicillin well. It does tend to give them diarrhea but will clear up when you stop using it, which you have, and it has cleared up.

It makes me sick to think I was poisoning my baby!!! I wish I would have known sooner. What antibiotics should I request if anything happens in the future?

Thanks so much Gabe!!!!

[krawls]

Not sure about how it reacts in Squirrels but it always give me the runs.
Kills off all of the good bacteria too. I would think the Pedialyte would help
with dehydration and the yogurt would help replace the bacteria in the intestines. Works for me.......... :dono

[Squirrelly Friends]

a picture of that poop would be helpful. ;)

I should have known!!! Per your request...

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n214/ChasityLSU/IMG_2794-1.jpg
Some of the green color was coming off on another papertowel so I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the color additives in the Pedialyte and yogurt. Today she had vanilla Yo Baby Yogurt in her formula - hopefully the color will work it's way out.

Here's a picture of her looking at me wondering why I'm taking a picture of her poop!
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n214/ChasityLSU/IMG_2786-1.jpg

Am I the first person to post a picture of poop in the forum? If so, is there an award for that???

[island rehabber]

except for its St. Patrick's Day color I would say that looks like very nice healthy poop. :D:D:D:D

[thundersquirrel]

haha sorry, you're not the first, but that's certainly the most colorful poop i've seen from a squirrel.

i don't know if purple and yellow would combine to create green. :thinking if i were you, i'd look around her cage to see if she's been chewing on anything else that's actually green. maybe she got hold of a crayon? hehe that's really some vivid poopy. :D

[Squirrelly Friends]

No crayons around... She still is very limited to where she can go in the house -- and I don't have any kids yet - so no crayons...

But the poop is getting back to normal color -- but the mucus is back in full force! Someone help me figure this out! What can I give her to rid her of that???

Also, should I ask the vet for a specific antibiotic to treat this? Or is there a homeopathic remedy I can try???

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

God..she is just so ,cute..I love her little BABY face!!!
I dont know anything to stop the mucus...SORRY.
Thats pretty funny about the color...:eek:

Ill let some one that KNOWS..tell you what needs to be done...with her poopy issue's.

http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Creatures/cat3.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Creatures/cat3.gif)Keep those great pictures..coming..:thumbsup http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Creatures/cat3.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Creatures/cat3.gif)
http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Creatures/cat3.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Creatures/cat3.gif)FTN..and Beanhttp://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Creatures/cat3.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Creatures/cat3.gif)

[pamela lee]

Also, should I ask the vet for a specific antibiotic to treat this? Or is there a homeopathic remedy I can try???
If I were you I'd PM Mars, she's our homeopathic Queen. I hope she can help you.

[Gabe]

I use Albon or Sulfa for squirrels. It is gentle and does not cause diarrhea. Albon also works for coccidia which is often indicated by mucousy stools. It has a bad smell to it. If it is only mucous without the smell, then try some probiotics. It may just be the leftovers from the diarrhea that is clearing up.

[Squirrelly Friends]

I use Albon or Sulfa for squirrels. It is gentle and does not cause diarrhea. Albon also works for coccidia which is often indicated by mucousy stools. It has a bad smell to it. If it is only mucous without the smell, then try some probiotics. It may just be the leftovers from the diarrhea that is clearing up.

I was just telling Mars that it had a foul odor to it!!! Wow Gabe! Your a squirrel genious!!!!!!!! Where do I get Albon from???

:thankyou :thankyou :thankyou

[Squirrelly Friends]

A vet's office is getting me the Albon right now... I'll let you know how it goes.

[thundersquirrel]

wonderful! be sure to ask about dosing and everything.

you can prepare the little guy by getting him well hydrated. medicines can take a toll on babies' energy levels.

good luck!

[Gabe]

SF I have pm'd the dose for you.

[Squirrelly Friends]

After much help from Mars and Gabe :thankyou I'm happy to report that Ruby is feeling much better! Hard Poop and Very Active! :wott

Just wanted to let everyone know! Thank you for the advice and support!

[Buddy'sMom]

Yay, Ruby!!! :multi :multi :multi and also :poop :poop :poop :poop

:bowdown :bowdown to Gabe and Mars and everyone else that helped --- and also to Squirrely Friends for taking such good care of Ruby and getting the help she needed! (oh, and :Welcome )

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[skye]

I am so happy to hear your little Ruby is doing better :thumbsup :wahoo