Re: Ivermectin for Wild Squirrels

the usual dose with the paste - the size of an uncooked rice grain, no more (but if much less - won't be effective). So you really have to be careful. I literally had to get a few rice grains, pick the average (not the biggest and not the smallest) and match the dose.

You can lodge the dose in the nut grooves - pecans and walnuts work well. personally, sometimes I ever so slightly carve a groove especially on a walnut. I noticed that squirrels tend no to eat the "peel" on walnuts (almonds and even hazelnuts sometimes) - you know, that brownish "skin" on the kernel. I saw often how they sort of "peel" it off and eat just the kernel. So, just in case, I remove that "skin/peel," carve slightly and put the dose.

The course - 3 treatments spaced 7-10 days apart. If you go longer than that between doses (say, 12 days) - it may not be effective as the med affects the cycles of the parasites and timing is important. Don't go 6days - may be too early and hence toxic.

If there is no significant improvement after one course - take a 2 week break and repeat the course.

Important: do not give oral ivermectin to neuro squirrels as it worsens neuro issues significantly. Neuro issues include but are not limited to: wobbliness, head tilts, any degree of unsteadiness, tremors and so on.
Look very closely because sometimes slight tremors may not be noticeable right away especially if you are not used to noticing them.

Ivermectin is very potent and easy to overdose. When overdosed it is toxic and can be fatal. So be very careful.

When done correctly, it works - I've done it myself. Just be careful.

If you have more than one squirrel to treat - when you toss medicated nuts, make sure the same squirrel doesn't get a medicated nut twice during the same treatment - will be fatal.

Thank you ... I just found this site because we have a wild squirrel who seems to have mites or mange or something. I read your advice, but he does shake a bit ... not a head tilt, but sort of a shiver sometimes (not always). Does that mean he isn't a good candidate for the ivermectin? I am worried I'll hurt him trying to help him.


Here he is: Attachment 287958

Quote:

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Originally Posted by astra

the usual dose with the paste - the size of an uncooked rice grain, no more (but if much less - won't be effective). So you really have to be careful. I literally had to get a few rice grains, pick the average (not the biggest and not the smallest) and match the dose.

You can lodge the dose in the nut grooves - pecans and walnuts work well. personally, sometimes I ever so slightly carve a groove especially on a walnut. I noticed that squirrels tend no to eat the "peel" on walnuts (almonds and even hazelnuts sometimes) - you know, that brownish "skin" on the kernel. I saw often how they sort of "peel" it off and eat just the kernel. So, just in case, I remove that "skin/peel," carve slightly and put the dose.

The course - 3 treatments spaced 7-10 days apart. If you go longer than that between doses (say, 12 days) - it may not be effective as the med affects the cycles of the parasites and timing is important. Don't go 6days - may be too early and hence toxic.

If there is no significant improvement after one course - take a 2 week break and repeat the course.

Important: do not give oral ivermectin to neuro squirrels as it worsens neuro issues significantly. Neuro issues include but are not limited to: wobbliness, head tilts, any degree of unsteadiness, tremors and so on.
Look very closely because sometimes slight tremors may not be noticeable right away especially if you are not used to noticing them.

Ivermectin is very potent and easy to overdose. When overdosed it is toxic and can be fatal. So be very careful.

When done correctly, it works - I've done it myself. Just be careful.

If you have more than one squirrel to treat - when you toss medicated nuts, make sure the same squirrel doesn't get a medicated nut twice during the same treatment - will be fatal.

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I would wait for some other experienced people to reply, but the ones I treated for mange always had large patches of fur missing. Since that guy has a non-bushy tail, he might be a baby (and you'd probably not want to dose a baby with ivermectin, since they are smaller). I'd wait for someone super experienced before making any moves, since the ivermectin can be dangerous!

I'm not sure how to judge squirrel age ... he's been around for a while (a few months at least) and his size hasn't changed, and (other than looking kind of skinny) he's the same size as the other squirrels around here ... and his chest is all red and rashy looking ...

laraklopp I would treat this squirrel, it's not a baby and it obviously could use
some intervention. With already being compromised she will only get worse.

Thanks for caring about this sweet little squirrel & wanting to help. :thumbsup

I recently treated one of my wild squirrels for mange (successfully). Here's my thread: https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...sing-Her-Young

astra (as well as some of the other great members here on TSB) really helped me out. :grouphug

You might want to send astra a private message and ask some more questions/provide some more photos. I'm no expert on mange, but it's not obvious to me (based on the photo you posted) that the squirrel in question has mange. Can you get any photos of the rash/red area? Is she missing patches of fur? Have you seen her scratching like a maniac?

Hi, I'm new, hope it's alright. I treated a squirrel with very bad mange, maybe 35% to 45% overall fur loss going into winter, with Selamectin, dose adjusted from housepet weight recommendations on the box to suit a squirrel. It was the tiniest drop on a walnut half, and within a week, he was recovering, and he lived. I want to point out my squirrel looked nothing like yours does, he was waist-up bald.

And I don't know how to edit a post here either, but this https://i.imgur.com/sCRN2jV.gifv is that squirrel four days after a Selamectin dose, and this https://i.imgur.com/BTZsTkh.jpg is him a couple of months down the road. He grew in weird but he survived.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VRB Black Squirrels

Hi, I'm new, hope it's alright. I treated a squirrel with very bad mange, maybe 35% to 45% overall fur loss going into winter, with Selamectin, dose adjusted from housepet weight recommendations on the box to suit a squirrel. It was the tiniest drop on a walnut half, and within a week, he was recovering, and he lived. I want to point out my squirrel looked nothing like yours does, he was waist-up bald.

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Yes, selamectin (Revolution) is a great choice for treatment of mange. It is much less dangerous (lessor risk of overdosing) versus ivermectin, but more expensive and harder to obtain (requires vet Rx). Ivermectin is sometimes used as it is more readily available (can buy off the shelf at places like Tractor Supply) and less expensive... if the option of selamectin is available, I would always go that route!

Thank you for helping this squirrel!

I actually came by Selamectin pretty easily online, no Rx, but it was expensive. I looked everywhere for Ivermectin hoping to find it over the counter with no luck, it was one of your regulars who I know from Reddit who told me about and helped me locate Selamectin.

It was stunning how quick and effective such a little dose was. The worst of winter was coming and I was worried the little guy would freeze to death. I dosed him Christmas Eve day and was doing scouting missions a couple of times a day to check for progress. That little vid there, that was me looking at him like, "Wow! I can see fur growing back already!" He really did look so awful before then that to me, that vid looked like a miracle. He was all exposed white skin running around in the cold. I gave him a follow-up dose some time later when it was safe, but I don't even know if it was necessary.

There is a liquid version of Ivermectin that you give orally with a syringe. It is important to read the instructions because the dosage is determined by the individual squirrels weight. You give 3 doses over 3 weeks. 1 dose every 7 days. Speak with a wildlife veterinarian or rescue professional if you have access.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by laraklopp

Thank you ... I just found this site because we have a wild squirrel who seems to have mites or mange or something. I read your advice, but he does shake a bit ... not a head tilt, but sort of a shiver sometimes (not always). Does that mean he isn't a good candidate for the ivermectin? I am worried I'll hurt him trying to help him.


Here he is: Attachment 287958

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[QUOTE=astra;1142064]the usual dose with the paste - the size of an uncooked rice grain, no more (but if much less - won't be effective). So you really have to be careful. I literally had to get a few rice grains, pick the average (not the biggest and not the smallest) and match the dose.

You can lodge the dose in the nut grooves - pecans and walnuts work well. personally, sometimes I ever so slightly carve a groove especially on a walnut. I noticed that squirrels tend no to eat the "peel" on walnuts (almonds and even hazelnuts sometimes) - you know, that brownish "skin" on the kernel. I saw often how they sort of "peel" it off and eat just the kernel. So, just in case, I remove that "skin/peel," carve slightly and put the dose.

The course - 3 treatments spaced 7-10 days apart. If you go longer than that between doses (say, 12 days) - it may not be effective as the med affects the cycles of the parasites and timing is important. Don't go 6days - may be too early and hence toxic.

If there is no significant improvement after one course - take a 2 week break and repeat the course.

Important: do not give oral ivermectin to neuro squirrels as it worsens neuro issues significantly. Neuro issues include but are not limited to: wobbliness, head tilts, any degree of unsteadiness, tremors and so on.
Look very closely because sometimes slight tremors may not be noticeable right away especially if you are not used to noticing them.

Ivermectin is very potent and easy to overdose. When overdosed it is toxic and can be fatal. So be very careful.

When done correctly, it works - I've done it myself. Just be careful.

[U]If you have more than one squirrel to treat - when you toss medicated nuts, make sure the same squirrel doesn't get a medicated nut twice during the same treatment - will be fatal.

Response: Moxidectin is even better because or remains in their skin for one month. One dose is enough to cure mange.

Response: Moxidectin is even better because or remains in their skin for one month. One dose is enough to cure mange

[QUOTE=Valere;1306488]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by astra

the usual dose with the paste - the size of an uncooked rice grain, no more (but if much less - won't be effective). So you really have to be careful. I literally had to get a few rice grains, pick the average (not the biggest and not the smallest) and match the dose.

You can lodge the dose in the nut grooves - pecans and walnuts work well. personally, sometimes I ever so slightly carve a groove especially on a walnut. I noticed that squirrels tend no to eat the "peel" on walnuts (almonds and even hazelnuts sometimes) - you know, that brownish "skin" on the kernel. I saw often how they sort of "peel" it off and eat just the kernel. So, just in case, I remove that "skin/peel," carve slightly and put the dose.

The course - 3 treatments spaced 7-10 days apart. If you go longer than that between doses (say, 12 days) - it may not be effective as the med affects the cycles of the parasites and timing is important. Don't go 6days - may be too early and hence toxic.

If there is no significant improvement after one course - take a 2 week break and repeat the course.

Important: do not give oral ivermectin to neuro squirrels as it worsens neuro issues significantly. Neuro issues include but are not limited to: wobbliness, head tilts, any degree of unsteadiness, tremors and so on.
Look very closely because sometimes slight tremors may not be noticeable right away especially if you are not used to noticing them.

Ivermectin is very potent and easy to overdose. When overdosed it is toxic and can be fatal. So be very careful.

When done correctly, it works - I've done it myself. Just be careful.

[U]If you have more than one squirrel to treat - when you toss medicated nuts, make sure the same squirrel doesn't get a medicated nut twice during the same treatment - will be fatal.

Response: Moxidectin is even better because or remains in their skin for one month. One dose is enough to cure mange.

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[QUOTE=Valere;1306489]Response: Moxidectin is even better because it remains in their skin for one month. One dose is enough to cure mange

:Love_Ic