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Thread: Rehydrating a squirrel

  1. #1
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    Default Rehydrating a squirrel

    This is from Chickenlegs: OK so here it is. The babies do have diarrhea so might need some electrolytes but here's the info that was a TSB original from years back sent to me by Sissy a couple of years ago

    "Ive been doing this a long time and have found out some things by necropsy, and some by a brilliant DVM with a double masters in nutrition. She has always picked my methods apart, and then told me "why". Today recovering dehydrated and emaciated animals is one of my specialties along with wounds and bone breaks. Ive got this down and I hope my experiences will help you to master these methods.
    In small mammals as small as squirrels, you are always better off to re hydrate with glucose or sugar water than pedialyte when the animal is dehydrated from lack of fluids or milk. Theres a few reasons, but mainly the preservatives that are used in the commercial electrolytes for human consumption. In a human sized kidney, or even a large breed puppy, not a big deal, but in the kidneys of a tiny squirrel, you have these little filters the size of half to a whole pea, and they are battling to keep the impurities out of the blood which is now thickened and concentrated, in a body that cannot afford to flush them out because it cant afford the fluid loss to make urine. The kidneys are already in trouble. Those chemicals are immediately caught in the kidneys because the body cannot use them for anything. Pedialyte often contains dye and flavoring which should never be used, but the preservatives alone can cause problems you wont even see. In cross section
    necropsies of kidneys for other rehabbers, I have found crystals, inflammation and blockage from Pedialyte and Gatorade. The Gatorade is just insane. I wont even drink it after seeing how the kidneys are affected. I have necropsied HUGE BLUE Gatorade kidneys! When the body is dehydrated and the kidneys are that small, we must only give the system things it can break down and use. There is no room for added chemicals. We have to stay as pure as possible.

    I think most folks make their own rehydration fluid so skip that part unless pedialyte is part of the arsenal


    In dehydration from starvation, just go with 1 tsp per cup warm water, infant glucose water or dextrose and water. The body can use that sugar. It makes a world of difference in stabilizing your baby and getting them back up. You can feed only the sugar water or glucose for a day, day and a half, and start adding your protein (formula) to the glucose or sugar water in reduced amounts, keeping them on the sugar until they rehydrate and their weight is back up. The BONUS to this is that they burn the sugar as energy which causes the body to store the protein, which brings weight up more effectively. The ADDED BONUS is that you can mix your protein and your rehydration fluid. You CANNOT MIX ELECTROLYTES AND PROTEIN. You cancel them both out by doing this. You will starve your baby of all help by doing this. Never never mix.
    In an animal dehydrated from starvation or lack of fluids, they havent lost electrolytes as they would have from a case of diarrhea, to which an electrolyte can be used. Since sugar can actually cause diarrhea (which it will NOT do in a dehydrated animal), in an animal dehydrated from diarrhea, I recommend unflavored Pedialyte given BETWEEN protein feedings, or alternate with a starch like rice cereal water. I still use the infant glucose for this, and if I have to give an electrolyte, I use reconstituted mammal electrolyte powder.
    Often protein can cause diarrhea if its an alien source, so pulling the protein and adding a starch will often do the trick. Remember, starch converts to sugar. Starch actually IS a long chain sugar, so no need to ad sugar when using a starch. Its amazing how the two are so similarly used by the body, but produce the opposite result in therapy!
    Anyway, I hope something here helps!
    Annette
    Wild Heart Ranch

    This may not help at all but those babies really are skinny--starving. Get better babies
    Last edited by Nancy in New York; 04-30-2017 at 02:41 PM.

  2. 6 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Nancy in New York:

    dlooney (10-01-2021), Elise (10-02-2017), Honey Squirrel (11-25-2020), Mennome (10-27-2016), SquirrelSense (05-19-2016)

  3. #2
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    Nancy, this is great information...but now I have a few questions.

    I have LRS and LRSw/dextrose.

    it sounds like if I have a squirrel the comes in, dehydrated from starvation, I should NOT be using LRS at all - because it's an electrolyte solution- is that correct? of course they love drinking the LRS w/ Dextrose, but is that harming them if they're dehydrated from starvation?

    and once i start them on formula, i should still NOT use the LRS or LRSw/dextrose in between feedings, correct?

    do you use the infant glucose water or dextrose and water?

    where do I get dextrose? a health food store? is powder or liquid best? and it's 1 tsp of dextrose in a cup of warm water?
    ***********

    for rehydrating in the case of diarrhea, is it fine to use either the LRS or the LRS w/ Dextrose?

    where do you get the reconstituted mammal electrolyte powder? is that better to use than the LRS for diarrhea?

    Thanks, Nancy!
    -Janie

  4. #3
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    Exclamation Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    What about Sub Q injection for rehydration? got a baby who desperately needs rehydration from starvation. trying to help this little one and time is not on my side
    "Rutheford" (Starling) Released
    "Itsy" (Starling) Released
    "Bitsy" (Starling) Released
    "Hammie" (Squirrel) born July 2012, received Aug. 12, 2012-Dec. 2012 RIP Sweet Love
    "Lil Squirt" (Dove) Currently being Rehabilitated permanent resident
    "Little Buddy" (squirrel) born August -Received September 2, RIP sweet lil boy, September 2, 2013
    "Sammy Snuggles" (squirrel) rehabilitated, May 7th, 2014-Alive and well, with his permanent new "mommy" (2015)

  5. #4
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    Question Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    Quote Originally Posted by janiemcm View Post
    Nancy, this is great information...but now I have a few questions.

    I have LRS and LRSw/dextrose.

    it sounds like if I have a squirrel the comes in, dehydrated from starvation, I should NOT be using LRS at all - because it's an electrolyte solution- is that correct? of course they love drinking the LRS w/ Dextrose, but is that harming them if they're dehydrated from starvation?

    and once i start them on formula, i should still NOT use the LRS or LRSw/dextrose in between feedings, correct?
    i would also like to know the answer to this

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    I have a 4-5 week old baby grey squirrel that was given to me 36 hours ago dehydrated from starvation. He is not getting better. I love this advice, but how often do I give sugar water? I have been administering every 20 minutes or so because he only takes about a dozen sips at a time. Please help me save him.

  7. #6
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    dlooney, the baby also needs nutrition. Are you giving any formula? If so, which one? You could hydrate between feedings. Because the baby is so compromised, starting the Goat Milk Formula would be a good place to start. It is highly digestible as opposed to the commercial formulas that are often difficult to digest for the very young and those compromised. The Goat Milk Recipe is: 3 parts fresh goat milk, 1.5 part heavy cream and 1 part full fat yogurt. Make sure it’s warm.

    I would also order FoxValley 20:50. The goat milk formula is a temporary formula as it isn’t nutritionally complete.

  8. #7
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    Help, I just found a baby squirrel. I think its 2-3 weeks old? I gave it a homemade Pedialyte, but for feeding I only have KMR at the moment. I can't go out again because it's raining storm here, beside I can't leave it alone. Can someone help me how many I should mix the KMR powder? Pls help, I don't have any esbilac, goat milk, or fox valley atm :"(

  9. #8
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    How long have you had it? You can use rehydration solution for several feedings and get the ingredients for homemade goat milk formula as soon as possible. Here’s the recipe for goats milk formula: 3 tablespoons goats milk (fresh is best), 3 tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons heavy cream and 1/2 egg yolk. You can use this formula until your Fox valley 20/50 arrives. Order the FV as soon as possible.

    Make sure the baby stays warm. Place a heating pad under 1/2 of the container you have the baby in. Set the heating pad to low.

    Here’s a guide for help. https://www.henryspets.com/1-caring-...baby-squirrel/

  10. #9
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    How long have you had it? You can use rehydration solution for several feedings and get the ingredients for homemade goat milk formula as soon as possible. Here’s the recipe for goats milk formula: 3 tablespoons goats milk (fresh is best), 3 tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons heavy cream and 1/2 egg yolk. You can use this formula until your Fox valley 20/50 arrives. Order the FV as soon as possible.

    Make sure the baby stays warm. Place a heating pad under 1/2 of the container you have the baby in. Set the heating pad to low.

    Here’s a guide for help. https://www.henryspets.com/1-caring-...baby-squirrel/
    Oh thank you for the answer. I have it for 5 hours I think. I already feed it little by little, it doesn't want much. I also stimulate it's genital area, and it let out a few big solid poo but no pee. There's some purplish skin around the genital area, I'm worried that is because it fell and got some broken bone but it moving just fine. Maybe I'll check it to the vet as soon as storm clear. Thank you again

  11. Serious fuzzy thank you's to putustephanie from:

    Mel1959 (11-18-2021)

  12. #10
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    The purplish area is probably just a bruise, but if you have a vet that will look at it, by all means go for it. The link I posted has lots of helpful info…it’s 6 pages long with the next button on the upper right.

    Keep offering hydration. You don’t want to feed any formula unless the squirrel is rehydrated.

    Keep us posted.

  13. #11
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    Hello, hoping I can still get some answers here. I've been taking care of a baby squirrel for over a week and a half now. At first it was hard for him to take his formula but now he's eating fine, he actually likes it very much, the only problem I'm having is that he's not going potty. I did the pinch test and he seems dehydrated. Now my question is, since he is already taking formula, should I stop that completely and just give him the homemade mixture mentioned above?

  14. #12
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    No. Instead, continue to feed him as normal, but in between the times you feed him, give him some hydration.

  15. #13
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    Default Re: Rehydrating a squirrel

    Thank you, it will give it a try. Hopefully he's able to recover.

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