is pox in a grey contagious to flyers?

[pappy1264]

Does anyone know? And if babies were together, then seperated (talking just greys here) and a week later one came down with pox, would the other necessarily have it/get it, as well? How contagious is it?

[Jackie in Tampa]

not alot of REAL info out there..but
yes, flyers have had pox, two confirmed cases...confirmed in my book anyways...

pox is contageous...

probably the other sq will show symptoms...

I cannot give an answer to the grey to flyer question, but I can say that a grey and a sherman foxer in the same house both contracted pox, was it from the vector{flea} or the virus???

alot of variables I think...
we have all seen the worse cases...and then there are mild cases...

hey and with the keys sqs having pox again this year...makes ya think that the area does NOT build immunities like originally suspected..
I hate pox *sigh*
the fricken virus from hell...

[psychobird]

jackie tell me more about the key squirrels, don't know what that is, if they don't get an immunity, not sure if it's going to be responsible to release my guy, i have a nice little group of squirrels many that i raised i would hate to compromise or put the flyers at risk by rehabbing him.

i'm the one with the poxy sq, he got a lesion last night i was hoping and praying it was an injury to his wrist, i know not a good thing to wish for, but better than pox.
vet pulled some fluid from the lesion today and sure enough its pox.
one of pappy's squirrels was in with this one for about 24 hrs before he could go to her about a week ago.
this sucks, i love the little bug

[pappy1264]

Well, all I can do is watch, wait and pray, I guess.

[CritterMom]

What are the thoughts about giving acyclovir as a preventive?

[gs1]

omg...

from what i've read ... it can be contagious through skin to skin or even maybe blanket contact even if no fleas are present...

or maybe not if they were separated in time....

omg... prayers to the little guys....

omg... pappy are you worried about jett...omg.... there aren't any words... they stick in my throat... not jett..not any of them ofcourse but when you've already fallen so deeply in love with one of them and were planning a future already ... omg...so many worried prayers sent for all of you....

[lookmomchickens]

I have acyclovir on hand - can send if necessary.

PM me your address and I can send you 1oz.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Jodi I will call today..

[pappy1264]

I have absolutely NO experience with it (even in the wilds here). What do you think? Should I give it as a hopeful preventative (or maybe the stuff to boost the immune system even????) I am very scared and on top of it, my sweet little bunny, Angel, has taken a turn. I hope I can pull her back, but I have a very bad feeling. Life right now is being very cruel..... Thanks guys, let me know what you think. And thank you for that offer, I may take you up on it.

[mugzeezma]

I have absolutely NO experience with it (even in the wilds here). What do you think? Should I give it as a hopeful preventative (or maybe the stuff to boost the immune system even????) I am very scared and on top of it, my sweet little bunny, Angel, has taken a turn. I hope I can pull her back, but I have a very bad feeling. Life right now is being very cruel..... Thanks guys, let me know what you think. And thank you for that offer, I may take you up on it.

I have no experience with this in squirrels, only birds.
When in doubt quarantine.

In the birds that have it, a different strain, it only becomes symptomatic when the animal is stressed. It can be highly contagious with the birds at the center. We maintain extreme hygiene in these cases. Remember too that animals at the rehab center are stressed for one reason or another and are living in an unnatural environment.
Coccidia and many other illnesses can be present and only be symptomatic under stressful conditions. Overpopulation can be a factor in the wild as well as injury or malnutrition.
I don't know of much information out there on squirrels. I will ask around.

[gs1]

mrs skul has had great success with echinacea capsules in water for her squirrels ... i'm pretty sure it's gnc brand but i'm not sure which one...

she said it tasted like a tea ... and so even the wild squirrels were drinking it...

i'll have to check my notes which capsules it was .... the big thing about it was that it was not bitter to drink....

but in the mean time i've linked to the gnc stores in mass.

http://www.gnc.com/storeLocator/results.jsp

[gs1]

i think it's this ..she mixes the powder in water....

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2133940

i'm sorry we have to wait until she comes back to know the dosage and confirm....

[CritterMom]

Pappy, I would take LMC up on her offer. If you need it, it is right there - if they never get sick, you can drop it right into the mail and send it back to her.

[pappy1264]

They are on Sulfatrim, Flagyl and Albon fighting the coccidia. Will adding this med in be too much for their systems? They have another week on the meds to go.......what should I do??????

[mugzeezma]

They are on Sulfatrim, Flagyl and Albon fighting the coccidia. Will adding this med in be too much for their systems? They have another week on the meds to go.......what should I do??????

Why are they on Albon AND Sulfatrim...those are both sulfa drugs.

[Skul]

Thats the stuff GS1.
I just took a pic of our bottle.
Here it is.

[mugzeezma]

Unfortunately I don't think this is the entire article. I think I know where I can find it though...wink,wink
I am not seeing anything about fibroma in flyers...yet

Excerpts: Squirrel Fibroma
Review and Case Reports
Erica A. Miller, DVM
Willowbrook Wildlife Center


Transmission
The virus is present in the blood the host animal and is spread by blood exchange between individuals. Mosquitoes have transmitted the disease under laboratory conditions (5). Mosquitoes, other insects, and arthropods are believed to transmit the disease in the wild (1).
Pathogenesis
The pathogenesis occurs as with other pox viruses: after invading the skin, multiplication begins in the regional lymph nodes within 24 hours, and the virus enters the blood stream (primary viremia) by the second day. The virus then multiplies in the spleen and liver and re-enters the blood stream (secondary viremia) at about day 5 to 6 post- exposure. Focal lesions first appear as fibromas in the skin, the target organ, after only 7 to 13 days (5). Antibody formation begins at about this time, but metastasis to multiple skin nodules occurs over the next 14 to 33 days. The severity (in terms of number and size of lesions) is probably inversely proportional to the antibody formation. The virus may be shed from the ulcerated skin papules to the environment as early as 10 to 12 days following the initial infection (2).
Lesions
Lesions are cutaneous nodules primarily present on the limbs, tail, head, and abdomen. The nodules are usually thick, elevated, flattened on top, and firm. These fibromas may ulcerate, become encrusted with cellular debris (4), and become infected with secondary bacterial orfungal agents (9). The skin around the face and genitals maybe thick and reddened, with or without demonstrating discrete nodules (4). The virus may present as a generalized disease in which anorexia, lethargy, and respiratory dyspnea accompany the skin lesions (6,10).
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is often based on clinical signs and can be confirmed by histopathological examination of the skin lesions.

The paper also states that squirrels were checked for skin mange mites, and subsequently treated with Ivermectin. Other supportive therapy included a form of injectable Vitamin A to help build the immune system and Dual-Pen for secondary infections given IM every other day. The outcome was that 50% of the squirrels survived to be released.

[Mrs Skul]

Marry Call Me!
Skul posted a picture of the Echinacea I found to work the best.
I have 3 babies getting over pox right now.You need to mix 1 capsule to 1 gal of water. Take LookMomChickens up on her Acyclovir.

Can you post a picture of the won you think has POX??

Look at the Toes, Ears, Eye, Tail, Rectum, and Tinkle are. Their will be little blisters. That is the first sines. The SCABES when they fall off are highly CONTAGIOUS to. I would start every thing in your house on ECHINACEA WATER NOW!!! You get it from GNC.
DONT buy the cheep walMart or Spring-Valley Bran!! The out side Squirrels would not drink the water. It has a funny taste to them. GNC Bran is about $17.00 . It will not hurt forSuggar Gliders, Flying Squirrels, Rabbits, Birds, Cat, Dog, to drink the water. I would give it to every won. Even mixing your formula with the water/Mix.I sure hope the Pox problem in the Keys, are using the Echinacea Water! Helped 100% in my out side Squirrels when they came down with it. Good luck Pappy.

Just watch your flyers. There has been quite a few Flyers that have came down with the POX!! Keep them on the Echinacea water.
PS If the blisters brake and the fluid get on the other Squirrel. You will have more blisters.
http://www.squirrel-rehab.org/rehabinfo/fibroma.shtml

[Mrs Skul]

Marry I have l more of information I can E-Mail to you. PM your address and It will be there. Lots of hands on work information about POX!

JACKIE is the best when it comes to information about POX!!

[psychobird]

my little guy got pox (he's now deceased), another rehabber brought me a baby to go in with mine but he was much older so he went to pappy cause he was closer in age to her 3. that guy is the one that gave our babies coccidia.
that baby was in with my guy for about 24 hrs before he went to pappy.
i don't know if hers have been exposed now, no one seems to know when they start to shed the virus, thankfully no one has or had fleas so hopefully they were not exposed, but we don't know
we have them on all the drugs because one of the most experienced mammal rehabbers i know recommended it, and because of the severity of it.
she will drop the bactrim and flagyl when the diarrhea is under control but continue with the albon for at least another week then we will need to do a fecal or two