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Thread: Siezure or heart attack

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  1. #1
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    Default Siezure or heart attack

    Found him stiff as a board. Held him on my chest for 3 hours before he could move. He us moving but not much and is not eating have started him on electrolytes every two hours with bottle but having to force feed. This happened Wednesday 6:00 am. He is 4 months. Anyone please.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    Sorry to hear that.
    Did you see the replies in your other thread? Have you looked at the info posted in there?
    Here's the link to your other thread:
    http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=38748

    Hopefully a rehabber will come on soon...

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    Sounds like a seizure. Is he on heat, on low, under half of him? If not, break out the heating pad. What has his diet been and when was the last time he ate? Get some molasses and rub it on his gums. Before this, how was he acting? This could be MBD, as many times as squirrels are weaned and are eating solids, if they are not on a good, balanced diet, the sudden lack of calcium (esp. if they have been eating foods laden with phosporus and little or no calcium) will cause this. It is not the only reason seizures happen.

    This is the emergency treatment for MBD (if it is not MBD, doing this will not hurt him.)

    Emergency Treatment for Metabolic Bone Disease (updated 3-31-09)

    Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW. Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

    You will need:

    --Tums or calcium pills (any kind)
    --a syringe, eyedropper, or spoon

    Crush one Tums or calcium pill and add a little water or fruit juice. Use the syringe, eyedropper, or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone. Feed a total of 600-800 mg of calcium, and spread it out through the day and night to keep his blood calcium levels as steady as possible.

    If the squirrel is having seizures, weakness, or paralysis, the symptoms will usually improve within a few hours, but this does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take many months to rebuild the calcium in the bones.

    Long-Term Treatment for MBD

    The next step to curing MBD is to fix the diet.

    1. Remove ALL seeds, nuts, corn, and treats.

    2. Follow the Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels, which can be found at the top of the “Squirrel Nutrition” forum. (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=16093) Your squirrel MUST eat rodent block or squirrel blocks every day. If your squirrel doesn't like rodent blocks, you can try crushing them up with peanut butter or avocado temporarily. You can also make a tastier version of squirrel blocks using the recipe at the top of the Squirrel Nutrition forum.

    3. In addition to the Healthy Diet, you will need to continue giving extra calcium every day for several weeks. Either use the syringe/eyedropper or you can try putting the calcium on a small piece of fruit.

    Week 1: calcium = 500 mg per day
    Week 2: calcium = 250 mg per day
    Weeks 3-8: calcium = 100 mg per day

    The cause of the acute symptoms—weakness, lethargy, seizures, paralysis—is a drop in blood calcium levels. If these symptoms return at any time, you will need to give another emergency dose of calcium.

    More Tips
    MBD causes brittle bones that break easily. Try to keep your squirrel away from high places, where he might jump and break a bone. Also, if he is in a tall cage, either place him in a smaller cage, or pad the bottom very well.

    Heat is very soothing for a squirrel with MBD. A heating pad turned to low and placed so they cannot chew the pad or cord, or a rice buddy (a sock filled with dry rice/beans and microwaved for about 20 seconds) will work.


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  4. #4
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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    He had been eating friuts, veggies rodant food etc. He was fine night before had even been outside with me. He is not moving around. I force feed offer him food and nothing ba k to bed. He is acting funny like he is not aware of his surrounding

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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    What do you mean by "rodent food"? Rodent blocks? If so, what kind? Also, how much/many?

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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    Fixing tums now will let you know when done. Will start heat. Will be back

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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    Forti diet block

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    The rodent blocks provide essential nutrients such as calcium, D, and magnesium. MBD is caused by a lack of calcium in the system, but D and magnesium are necessary to process the calcium. If your squirrel hasn't been consuming good quantities of a quality rodent block, you may want to consider running down to the drug store and getting some vitamin D and magnesium. However, D AND MAGNESIUM AT HUMAN SUPPLEMENT LEVELS CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO SQUIRRELS, as such, you would have to be very careful and use only a very tiny amount of these. I mention this not only because it's simple biology but because this information wasn't shared with someone else on here recently and her squirrel died last night. She had originally been treating with D and mag but stopped because she was advised to by one of the members here. According to her, the squirrel was doing better with it, worse without it, and then when she started back up of her own accord, her squirrel temporarily seemed to get better. It's your choice, but if you think that your squirrel might be deprived of these other nutrients as calcium, I would do it instantly if it were me. Squirrels normally get D from the sun, but in captivity, it's all up to the diet.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    I know that some people here use the Kaytee Forti-Diet but I don't know if it has D. I looked it up and the site doesn't seem to say. Does it say on the bag? Moreover, how much does he eat of it every day?

    You may consider switching to Henry's blocks. They are the go-to block around here and the only rodent block created specifically for squirrels. Two a day for an adult grey will keep him in great shape. The following links are to where you'd get them and the food pyramid for squirrels.

    http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

    http://www.henryspets.com/pages/Healthy-Diet.html

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Siezure or heart attack

    The only way to tell if it is heart issues it the vet with xrays.. my baby just passed a few days ago and she had an inlarged hear with deforaties.. she went into the seizures. now I know how to tell.. for one when I held her she was like one big heart beat in my hands and you could see it beating through her body. I have a video she is beathing fast and her heart soo hard you can see it..here is video and like I said if you suspect go to vet.. And if it is MBD listen here they will help follow the instructions..
    http://youtu.be/tcBBAXTJeng

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