Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
I found Madeline at around 3 weeks of age she had a broken leg and a knot on her head so, most likely, she had a head injury. She is around 7 moths old now and has had 2 seizures, that I've noticed. One today and one 8 days ago. I don't think it's from MBD. She was raised on Fox valley and has been eating Hi Protein and Picky Blocks quite well so, I don't think it's from a calcium deficiency. Is there anything I can do to help her...Meds, etc?
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Are you sure she is eating them and not just hiding them? Sorry, I had to ask. I do not have much seizure experience, but there is a property in almonds that help control them. I believe it is magnesium but let me check.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
I clean out her enclosure every few days. No she is not hiding them. She does tear them up and makes a mess with them but I give her several every day and she's not eating very much outside of the blocks. Poop and urine looks normal. Drinking plenty of water. Seems normal aside from having a spinning episodes that sometimes result in a seizure and then she sleeps.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Redwuff is correct, it is magnesium. Do you have access to a vet?
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
No, every vet I have spoken to here has told me that they won't treat squirrels, they will only euthanize them.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Do Tums have enough magnesium for the needed intake or should I give her Almonds? I was told by Henry's Pets that the squirrel blocks have everything she needs in them. I also give her Arugala/spring mix (lettuce). I've been removing the spinach from the mix. She also has been eating 2 raw green beans per day and 1 tiny bit of sweet potato, along with 5-7 blocks. I've been giving her extra blocks to make sure she's getting enough vitamin/mineral intake.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Not saying this is causing symptoms, but that is too many blocks. Two per day is sufficient. More is oversupplementation.
Give extra veggies for more food.
What part of tennessee?
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Well, due to her tearing them up and making a mess. I was afraid that she wasn't actually consuming enough. Sometimes she'll eat broccoli or a green bean. I was told By Henry's Pets to give her salad (which she barely touches), a little bit a veggies from a list (of mostly things she won't eat), no fruit or nuts for a while and that blocks were enough for her to eat something nutritionally complete, and that she was probably consuming more than I thought she was. I've been giving her extra, just in case she wasn't eating them, (as per what Redwuff said) implying that she's not actually eating the blocks. I don't think it's MBD due to her not having any other symptoms aside from seizures and that seizures came in the later stages of MDB. She's only been off of Fox Valley Formula for about 2 months and has never had any problems, that I've noticed until 8 or 9 days ago. I was giving her Tums and started her on calcium powder mixed with a bit of yogurt, just to be sure for a while but she wouldn't take the yogurt mix at all, only the tums. I thought maybe, she was getting enough from the blocks now, (she likes the picky blocks) and stopped the extra calcium altogether, due to her getting extra blocks. I can give her a bit of a Tums and she will just take it and eat it, without issue. Should I start giving her those every day?
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
And Location is East Tn. Gatlinburg area.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Could you possibly get a video of her spinning and then seizure? And or pictures.
Was FV 20/50?
Do you have a weight on her?
Thank you for caring for your Madeline!
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Carina, you are certainly being a careful and attentive squirrel mom. I do agree, however, that more than 3 blocks per day is excessive and the oversupplementation that results might actually cause an imbalance in her system. More than likely, though, the "knot on her head" when she came to you signified some mild brain damage and as she grew the seizures began. Try cutting back on the HHB's while offering her 2-3 raw almonds per day....if the seizures continue or worsten, she may need an anti-seizure med like Gabapentin. I had a seizure squirrel for 5 years and while in her particular case Gabapentin did not help, the almonds helped dramatically. I used to dust them with calcium powder "just in case" :grin2.
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Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
I have a few raw almonds and calcium powder so I'll give that a try. She will eat those without hesitation. Thanks for the help :) Attachment 313208
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Awww, she is beautiful:grouphug
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Rocky Pop. I just saw your questions. No, I don't have a video of her doing it. I'll try to think of that next time. Her FV was 20/50. She was given Esbilac for 1 week and then had the FV 20/50 from 4 weeks until she weaned herself, around 5 months of age. I don't know her weight. I haven't weighed her for a long time. Since I stopped measuring out formula for her. She looks plump and healthy but I'm not an expert. Lots of energy. She's friendly and active. Everything seems normal. Back end looks good. She gets around just fine, climbs, jumps and explores. She gets several hours of of her enclosure everyday. I keep a UV light on her when she's awake in her enclosure. Everything played out for her as was to be expected from the information I could get on the internet as far as milestones go and suddenly this happened twice within the last 9 days. The 1st one was more intense than the 2nd and the 2nd one seemed to come in 2 waves, smaller but it hit her twice. My oldest child has epilepsy so I know what a seizure looks like. The first time, she was down from it a lot longer...exhausted and slept for about 8 hours before becoming playful again. This time she snapped back within an hour. I did add a picture of her just so everyone could see what she looks like. She's not skinny or drab looking. It was taken 2 days ago. I feel blessed to have her in my life and just want to help her if I can. I've fostered many puppies and kittens for the local shelter here so, I do have some experience with animals with problems and although she is similar to a cat she also has many differences, much more difficult to read and there's not a lot of outside help or info on the internet. The advice I got from a vet was to put her down and was told no one in my area sees wild animals. In my state she's considered the same as a rat and legal as a pet so, I don't get it? My daughter had 2 naked rats that were seen by a vet, what's the difference? I waited for her mother to come get her for over an hour. I couldn't just leave her there to die. Now she's my friend and I'm just trying to do right by her. Any advice is appreciated.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Thank you for the picture. She is indeed a beautiful young lady!
Please keep us updated on her condition.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
I see you’re in eastern Tennessee. There is a rehabber in Memphis that may be able to assist with vet information and a vet in Chattanooga that sees squirrels. I will send you the info in a private message so you have it if needed.
Private messages are accessed from the notifications heading at the top of your screen.
Edit: Vet and rehabber contact info sent in case needed.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Madeline is adorable.
There is a squirrel friendly vet in Chattanooga, TN, but I believe that is 3 hours from you.
A friend of mine is taking her squirrel to him and her squirre Lily has seizures.
I'll look him up and send you the info in a private message.
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
I just glanced over the thread again, make sure that the calcium powder you have on hand doesn't contain vitamin D.
If the calcium is from Henry's it definitely doesn't has the added vitamin D
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Well, given that she came in with a head injury, seeing seizures isn't that surprising. If she is actually eating all of those HHBs she is getting plenty of magnesium. I counter the tearing up of food by figuring 3 blocks = 2 consumed blocks... BTW, if you give her just 2 blocks a day now they will become more precious to her, and she will start going back and eating those pieces until there isn't much left but crumbs.
If you are looking for a calcium and magnesium supplement you need to investigate what Rolaids has rather than the Tums, which are just calcium plus flavors and binders. Rolaids have both calcium and magnesium. I don't know a lot about them - time to stand in the drug store reading labels. If you have a choice, do NOT get any mint flavors. Fruit is good but rodents don't like mint.
She is adorable.:grin2
Re: Eastern Grey Squirrel having seizures..HELP!
Thanks everyone for taking the time to help. She seems to be functioning normally today. I'll get in touch with the vet and see if I can't figure something out. I really appreciate the info.