Hello All!

[Centerline]

Hello All! I'm Ashley's dad. Ashley is a 2 year old Eastern Gray. I've looked at this board for info in the past as Ashley was growing up but I recently joined because Ashley has developed some hair loss problems on her toes and belly and I might need help. Based on what I have read, I suspect it is a fungus issue or a lack of sunlight (she's a house squirrel). I'm going to try some Tinactin on the left side and some coconut oil on the right. I will also start using an appropriate light to make up for the lack of sunlight. I will post a picture when I can get some assistance. Hopefully one of the above will produce results and I can tell which one it is and continue with it. I look forward to enjoying all this board has to offer.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Hi Centerline
to TheSquirrelBoard

Yes, pics would be helpful. Have you seen Ashley overgrooming her toes or belly? When hair loss is confined to areas that they can reach I suspect overgrooming. If that's the case, the cause needs to be determined.

Hair loss can also be nutritional. What is Ashley's diet? You seem to have an awareness of the need for Vitamin D from a light source so you probably also know about the calcium requirements but we always like to inquire about the diet.

Welcome again. We would love to see pics of your girl.

[Centerline]

Thanks for the welcome. I think Ashley might be a slob. I see her wash her face and that's about it. All the other squirrels I see have nice white hair on their bellies. Ashley has dirty hair on her belly. I can't see what she does when she's in her house but I think over-grooming is probably not an issue for Ashley.

I believe Ashley's diet is good. She has (2) Henry's Healthy Blocks per day. She has foods per the Henry's Healthy Diet Triangle available during the day. Ashley never has turned away Esbilac. I'm a softy so when she was supposed to be weeing, I still offered her Esbilac and she was always happy to have it. So Ashley's evening begins with 4 to 8mL's of Esbilac. Then she gets 3-4 nuts. Almonds, hickory nuts, and pecans. She always eats one and hides the others. Sometimes she will eat two nuts. I have also added fresh coconut to her diet since the hair loss started.

I was able to get a picture. I need to learn how to post it and then you can see. I'm a bit of a techno idiot. Thanks again.

[Centerline]

Attempting to show picture.

[UDoWhat]

Her belly is a clean as it can be. She just has a beige and grayish belly. I have a 2 year old that started to lose the fur on his belly in those same places. At first I thought it had to do with his portly size. The area looked red so I decided to treat with a dose of Ivermectin. When it came time for the second dose 2 weeks later his belly was so much better. I treated with the second dose and we have fur covering the spots where he had started to lose that fur.

Is Ashley itching? My boy was itching a bit. That is why I gave the Ivermectin.

[Centerline]

Ashley scratches from time to time but not her hair loss areas. The hair loss areas don't seem to bother her. Thanks for the info.

[Diggie's Friend]

Not sure about using Esbilac for an adult, and not familiar with the formulas, as the rehabbers here are.
She may do better now with Kefir, a liquid yogurt, or with plain organic yogurt, as both are high in calcium, and low in fat in proportion to nuts.

Sorry this is long, as it contains a considerable amount of important information. Best copy it into your computer for future reference.

Obesity is known to lower the uptake of key mineral nutrients, including calcium. Over the long-term this lends support to the development of Metablic Bone Disease, and Type 2 Diabetes. Hairloss is a symptom of a metabolic imbalance, most often seen in the summer months due to the molt, with an overloss of fur, and failure to re-fur well.

She needs to be put on a strict diet that lowers fat. Nuts in the diet are highest in fats when it comes to unprocessed foods. Give her no more 3/4 Tsp. of chopped nut a day. You can leave an empty shell in there for her to chew on and perhaps bury. Adding new toys for your girl to play with will help to distract her from not having nuts to play with. Our squirrel loved playing with a toy we made from an empty paper towel tube roll with a tube sock put over it, the loops on the inside, knoting the end.

To bring up the protein, as lowering the nuts lowers protein, add in Organic plain non fat yogurt.

Stonyfield makes a great product, just make sure you get the creamy one, not the Greek yogurtas it is too high in protein, when consumed in excess will contribute to obesity also.

http://www.stonyfield.com/products/y...ree-plain-32oz

After she has lost some weight you can replace half the amount fed daily with the lowfat.
http://www.stonyfield.com/products/y...fat-plain-32oz

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY here as to your location for privacy purposes, this information is for you to know only.

The amount of yogurt to feed depends upon the subspecies; if located in western VA or western SC or north of there, that would be the Northern ssp. If located along the coast of VA or NC, and south of there, the southern ssp. For the larger northern ssp. no more than 2 Tsp. yogurt daily, and if the southern, no more than 1 1/2 Tsp. of yogurt daily.

You may want to add an edible nut oil that is specifically noted for use on salads or baking, to the yogurt.

Be careful NOT to purchase any pure nut oil that is noted for use with beauty products as a carrier oil, of which there are many and cheaper for reason of the amount being so small. These are NOT food grade, and should not be used as a food source for pets or humans, as they may possibly be toxic.

This source if an organic food grade nut oil made in the US.

https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Seed-...pany+of+oregon

We have used this product ourselves for years, and it also has been used in the diet of an E. Gray squirrel in a very small measure only. This same gray squirrel was also very obese, was given an organic whole foods diet that included these yogurts, and a custom measured supplement, has now reduced over a 100 grams over one year.

It isn't easy for them in the fall, but that is when most of the weight comes off using a lower fat diet for these animals, as their metabolic rate rises for a couple of months then. She will want nuts, but the yogurt along with 'baked' acorn or butternut squash (1 to 1 1/2 Tsp.) split fed daily AM and PM, will go along ways to help filling her up with this low fat, high fiber healthy food source.

Be sure to store left over baked squash in an airtight, preferably a vacume sealed bag, in measured portions in the freezer, as it makes future feedings simple and practical. Freezing baked squash is the only real way to get the most out of your time and investment in baking it for your squirrel. Squash should not once opened up be stored in the refridgerator for more than 2 days, for after that it begins to quickly degrade and mold. Never feed squash after two days stored in the fridge, even so in a bag or airtight container; for even so you can't see it well at first, it is there, and toxic!

[Centerline]

Thanks for the info Diggie's Friend. I copied and stored it. I will get started on her diet right away. Also, I've been using some Tinactin on her right side once a day and I'm waiting on some coconut oil to get here to try on the other side. Just in case the hair loss might be a fungus. Seems pretty harmless. If improved diet, some sunlight, and the fungus items don't show improvements in 2-3 weeks. Or if she gets worse, I will look into Ivermectin as UDoWhat mentioned. Thanks again.

[Diggie's Friend]

It is entirely possible it might be a fungus. What I have read on this is that fungal infections and zinc deficiencies are often found together, as the deficiency makes the individual more prone to developing fungal infections. Obesity doesn't just lower calcium uptake, but all mineral uptake, lending to mineral deficiencies developing over the longterm.

If you are already giving a source of zinc in the diet, and it happens to be zinc oxide, know that oxides are known to build up in the body, so don't get more of that one. Zinc is the hair and nail mineral; it is also the number one deficient trace mineral in human and pet diets.

The source that has been used in the squirrel diet for some years now is Opti-zinc L-mono-methionine by Jarrow, with copper, that also limits zinc from getting too high by working in synergy with it. It comes in a 15 mg. capsule as a human dose. Divided in half, and then that portion in half, and then again that portion in half, and again that portion in half, comes to just under 1 mg. That is all I could recommend adding without knowing whether the supplement you use includes zinc, and if so, how much.

This is that product.

https://www.swansonvitamins.com/jarr...iAAEgI9LfD_BwE