Injured 6 week female...wound help needed please (GRAPHIC)

[Critter_Queen]

I have a 6-7 week old female fox squirrel that I took in on Saturday night. Kid says he found it in the grass by the side of the road and there were two more babies and a mom squirrel squished on the road nearby. So, kid brings squirrel to his neighbor who calls our hotline and gets directed to me. We have no idea that this little girl is injured...just orphaned, dehydrated and starving.

I take a quick look at her at the meeting place we use to receive animals and she's got maggots all over her belly and in her butt hole. I tell the guy she probably won't make it, but that we'll give it our best shot.

Get her home, get her gaping butt hole cleaned of maggots and think we've got them all. (tweezers and syringe used to remove about 50-100 maggots from her butt hole) Then we gave her a gentle bath in warm baby-wash water and get her dry and on a Snuggle Safe. We begin rehydrating her and she's FAMISHED. Guessing she was out on the grass for a few days at least before being found. She is about 132 grams...the weight of my 4-week-old squirrel.

Anyway, the next morning at 5 a.m. I get up to feed the squirrels and check on Sarah (injured squirrel) and as I'm inspecting her she raises her head to reveal a gaping wound on her chest the size of a quarter infested with maggots. Don't know how we missed it the night before...she must have been miserable with all those maggots eating at her! Anyway, this wound is not into her organs but does wrap around her rights side, and slightly to the left side, top and belly area (all under the skin with a nickel-sized hole to the outside on the chest). I believe we got all the maggots out (150-200 of them!) and rinsed the wound with warm water and a diluted betadine solution. We've left the wound open to check for more maggots and to clean it but it's been two days and we've not seen any more. She smells a ton better (smelled dead when we got her), gained two grams yesterday, eats really well...but I don't know what else to do for the wound. My wildlife vet is out of town until Wednesday so I'm trying to make due until then. The wound remains clean looking...but has turned black around the very outside edges. Black does not appear to be spreading or getting worse.

Also, she has not pooped or peed to my knowledge since we got her 36 hours ago. She had a scab on her butt hole after we cleaned the maggots out, so I soaked her rear end and removed the scab. I've been dabbing it with Neosporin with pain killer in it to keep it moist to prevent another scab for now in hopes that she'll poop.

Any and all advice you could provide in this situation would be MOST appreciated. Thank you very much for providing this forum for rehabbers!!

[island rehabber]

I have a 6-7 week old female fox squirrel that I took in on Saturday night. Kid says he found it in the grass by the side of the road and there were two more babies and a mom squirrel squished on the road nearby. So, kid brings squirrel to his neighbor who calls our hotline and gets directed to me. We have no idea that this little girl is injured...just orphaned, dehydrated and starving.

I take a quick look at her at the meeting place we use to receive animals and she's got maggots all over her belly and in her butt hole. I tell the guy she probably won't make it, but that we'll give it our best shot.

Get her home, get her gaping butt hole cleaned of maggots and think we've got them all. (tweezers and syringe used to remove about 50-100 maggots from her butt hole) Then we gave her a gentle bath in warm baby-wash water and get her dry and on a Snuggle Safe. We begin rehydrating her and she's FAMISHED. Guessing she was out on the grass for a few days at least before being found. She is about 132 grams...the weight of my 4-week-old squirrel.

Anyway, the next morning at 5 a.m. I get up to feed the squirrels and check on Sarah (injured squirrel) and as I'm inspecting her she raises her head to reveal a gaping wound on her chest the size of a quarter infested with maggots. Don't know how we missed it the night before...she must have been miserable with all those maggots eating at her! Anyway, this wound is not into her organs but does wrap around her rights side, and slightly to the left side, top and belly area (all under the skin with a nickel-sized hole to the outside on the chest). I believe we got all the maggots out (150-200 of them!) and rinsed the wound with warm water and a diluted betadine solution. We've left the wound open to check for more maggots and to clean it but it's been two days and we've not seen any more. She smells a ton better (smelled dead when we got her), gained two grams yesterday, eats really well...but I don't know what else to do for the wound. My wildlife vet is out of town until Wednesday so I'm trying to make due until then. The wound remains clean looking...but has turned black around the very outside edges. Black does not appear to be spreading or getting worse.

Also, she has not pooped or peed to my knowledge since we got her 36 hours ago. She had a scab on her butt hole after we cleaned the maggots out, so I soaked her rear end and removed the scab. I've been dabbing it with Neosporin with pain killer in it to keep it moist to prevent another scab for now in hopes that she'll poop.

Any and all advice you could provide in this situation would be MOST appreciated. Thank you very much for providing this forum for rehabbers!!

I have one word for you to try and save this baby: CAPSTAR.! Run to your vet, get it and give to her as soon as possible. It is the only thing that will kill the maggot eggs that are probably inside of her, and the only thing that will not kill her in the process!! This is a wonder drug (no I don't work for the company!) and it's her only chance. It may be too late, so brace yourself, but GET CAPSTAR!!

[Critter_Queen]

What is Capstar? How does it work? How do I apply it? Will just any vet have it? I could probably get it at my dog-vet... I never thought about maggot eggs...

Yeah, I'm not holding out much hope for her...but I gotta try everything I can to save her. Thanks for your help!!

[Secret Squirrel]

Captstar is a flea treatment for cats and dogs in a pill form. It can be given daily (not recommended by the manufacture) to cats and dogs and will start killing fleas in 30 min!!!
It also goes by the name "The Program" It's safe enough to use for squirrels with maggots. I don't know the amount to give.....So I suggest you take the squirrel to a vet who treats wildlife ASAP!!!
Good luck and Gods speed!!!

[Critter_Queen]

Thanks for the information...but I don't think little Sarah is going to make it through the night no matter what we do. I think I'm going to have to put her down this evening. I hate that. But I knew she was in really bad shape when I picked her up. I just hate losing them. But we can't save 'em all.

I went home at lunch to feed her and tend her wound and she didn't want to eat and didn't smell as well as she did this morning. Her butt hole was scabbed over again... ~ sigh ~

Poor little thing.

Anyway, thanks for the help you two. I really appreciate the time you've taken to help us out.

[island rehabber]

Critter Queen, whatever happens little Sarah fell into good hands when she met you and it sounds as if you will do the best thing for her, even if it's helping her cross the Bridge.
May I just give you a huge bow-down for your work in diligently taking those maggots out of her? You are awesome. I have not yet had the "pleasure" (only 3 yrs rehabbing) of doing this and I am not sure I will have the guts for it when the situation rears its ugly head.

[Critter_Queen]

Well, thanks, IR...Sarah died just before we got home from work yesterday. I just hate it for her.

You know what? I've been doing this a year. So you have two years on me! I just happen to get all the critters that are in dire straits. Started my rehabbing career on July 9 last year when I picked up a HBC raccoon that was about 10 weeks old at the time. He couldn't move or eat when we brought him home. Bleeding, mangled teeth. After three days and tiny improvements each day, we decided to name him Shawe (Mohican for raccoon, pronounced Sha-Wee). He progressed to the point where he self-released shortly after being moved to an outdoor enclosure at about three weeks out from being hit. Next was a squirrel that was supposed to be a "clean and feed" that got mange when we released him, so we recaptured him and wintered him over while giving him Ivermectin injections to kill the mange mites. Scooter was re-released successfully this spring.

Then came Sarah...and last night I got a female grey squirrel that died from starvation, dehydration, toxins and pneumonia before I could do anything for her but get her warm.

In between those animals I've done three other squirrels, a Kestrel and nine mallard ducks...It's been a busy year!

Sorry to ramble...I've just found my nitch here...

[Secret Squirrel]

Wow you are a Critter Queen....you have my deepest respect and admiration.
You have found your nich....a calling is more like it !!!!!!
to da nut house!

[Critter_Queen]

Tehe! Thanks! I've been trying to figure out how to fit Critter Queen into seven letters so I can put it on my license plates!

I've been living in da nut house for many years! Just didn't have any squirrels in it yet! LOL!

[Lisa B]

I'm sorry about Sarah.My Joey had maggots too.His tail was chewed off by a cat and there was a deep hole at the base of his tail stump.It was just under his rectum.For 2 days I cleaned maggots out and poured betadine the vet gave me in for a long time after till the hole finally closed.I also gave Joey antibiotic drops the vet gave me for free.Bless him (the vet).Squirrels aren't even legal to have here in Connecticut but he helped us.He said he had to get to heaven somehow and maybe helping the squirrels would get him there.Thankfully Joey is doing fine now.
Lisa B

[Critter_Queen]

It's so nice to hear that they do make it sometimes...I think if I'd have had some antibiotics on hand I might have been able to save her...I dunno. I'm planning to talk to my wildlife vet in the next few days and request to be able to keep a small supply of those emergency-type drugs on hand for situations like Sarah's.

[muffinsquirrel]

.I also gave Joey antibiotic drops the vet gave me for free.Bless him (the vet).Squirrels aren't even legal to have here in Connecticut but he helped us.He said he had to get to heaven somehow and maybe helping the squirrels would get him there.Lisa B

How great to hear of a vet that is in it for the love of animals - specially after just reading about the one in Florida! Sounds like you've got a 'keeper' there! Tell him 'thanks' from all of us here, and that he definately gets a gold star in his crown in my book!

muffinsquirrel

[luvem]

I want to say I'm so sorry for your loss. She fell into great hands and you allowed her to go peacefully. I really think what you did was amazing, and I just wish there were more good people like you out there.

[Critter_Queen]

Thank you very much. It sucks so bad to lose one that it's nice to hear that people know you did everything you could.

I really believe I was put here to rehab animals, to learn, and to teach others what I learn so we can all appreicate our wildlife more.

Thank so much.