Baby flying squirrel lost appetite

[squirrelmommy]

I have raised and released MANY gray squirrels in my life but I've never had a flying squirrel. I was given a baby flying squirrel on Oct 19. I estimate she was about 2 weeks old then. I have successfully fed Esbilac puppy formula since. The baby is now almost 8 weeks and has been eating formula almost exclusively and eats well. So far she is turning her nose up at fruits and vegetables and only picks at walnuts, Cheerios, etc. I am ordering some rodent blocks to see if she will eat it. I think she is just a picky eater!

Right now I am worried about her because I just put her in a larger cage on Thanksgiving for more room. I kept the heating pad underneath one side so if she got cold she could go get warm. However, she chooses most times to go in the house on the platform that is not heated. Yesterday when I got her up in the morning to feed her she didn't really have an appetite. I chalked it up to she just wasn't really hungry and figured she would eat later. Every time I went to feed her she still didn't want to eat. She ate maybe 2 ml every 4 hours yesterday. That is not like her, she usually eats between 3 and 4 ml (sometimes 5) every 4-5 hours. This morning she was on top of her house and her little feet were cold. She came right to me and I heated her milk and offered it to her but she only drank about 1/2 ml and started acting like she couldn't breath and drink at the same time. There was a small clicking noise but i don't hear it now. She is currently in my pocket so she is up against me keeping warm.

Does anyone have any idea of what could be going on? Could she have gotten too cold and developed pneumonia? I'm very worried about her. Any help you can give would be appreciated.

[HRT4SQRLS]

YES! If you heard clicking, pneumonia is likely. Do you have any antibiotics?
A single tablet is sufficient. Ciprofloxacin works well as does Baytril (animal antibiotic).
We can help dose it.

In a case of decreased appetite and the clicking sound (even if temporary) I would definitely treat for aspiration pneumonia. Time is critical.

[squirrelmommy]

YES! If you heard clicking, pneumonia is likely. Do you have any antibiotics?
A single tablet is sufficient. Ciprofloxacin works well as does Baytril (animal antibiotic).
We can help dose it.

In a case of decreased appetite and the clicking sound (even if temporary) I would definitely treat for aspiration pneumonia. Time is critical.

I do not have antibiotics. My daughter is a vet tech though. I can check with her office. Is one better than the other?

[HRT4SQRLS]

You should be able to get Baytril at the vets office.

[squirrelmommy]

You should be able to get Baytril at the vets office.

My daughter's vet office will not give me meds. I am trying another vet. I am in Georgia and that may be a problem.

[CritterMom]

Contact your female friends and see if anyone has even just one tab of Cipro. It is the "go to" drug for urinary tract infections and works so fast that often people don't finish their prescription. It is very similar to baytril and we can help you properly dilute it and administer it. You will need to know the size in milligrams of the pill (it comes in 250mg and 500mg sizes) and you will need a 1cc syringe.

[squirrelmommy]

Daughter's vet agreed to see me. We are currently waiting to see the vet now. My baby weighs 2.5 ounces.

[Mel1959]

Please update us after your appointment.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Are you sure about the weight?
2.5 ounces is 70grams. 70g is the weight of an adult although they can range from about 70-100g. I have a tiny adult that weighs 54g but he is a tiny guy.

Sorry, I'm late getting home. If the vet wasn't comfortable dosing we can dose the antibiotic.

[squirrelmommy]

Vet confirmed pneumonia. She gave me Bactrim liquid to give 2x day. She said she was not sure how to dose Baytril so she didn't feel comfortable prescribing it.
Have any of you used Bactrim? If so, does it work as well?

Someone asked about her weight, I think I read the scale right. But now I'm not sure. I guess I need to invest in a kitchen scale.

[Mel1959]

What is the strength of the Bactrim and how much were you advised to give and how often? Someone here can confirm the dosing for you.

[squirrelmommy]

I was advised to give .05 cc every 12 hours.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Yes, I have used Bactrim for AP. It does work but it is slower than the Baytril. I know a rehabber that routinely uses it for pneumonia.

Is there a concentration on the bottle? It would be a number like 240/40 mg/kg or something like that.

[squirrelmommy]

Yes, I have used Bactrim for AP. It does work but it is slower than the Baytril. I know a rehabber that routinely uses it for pneumonia.

Is there a concentration on the bottle? It would be a number like 240/40 mg/kg or something like that.

I just read the bottle and all it says is Sulfatrim Pediatric Suspension. The directions were to give .05 cc every 12 hours.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I just read the bottle and all it says is Sulfatrim Pediatric Suspension. The directions were to give .05 cc every 12 hours.

I'm making an assumption as far as the concentration. When I googled Sulfatrim pediatric suspension it appears the concentration is 200/40 mg per 5 ml. That's how I calculated it. At a weight of 70g (0.070kg) and a concentration of 40/8 per ml and a dosage of 25 mg/kg my calculated value is 0.04 ml. The dose that the vet recommended (0.05 ml) is good. It's a little higher dosage but that's fine.

Sulfatrim is a bit slower acting but it should work. Actually, it's a bit safer also. It doesn't have the potential adverse side effects that Cipro or Baytril have.

Good luck to you and your baby. It will probably be 3 doses before you see improvement. Continue dosing for the duration that the vet recommended. I am SO glad that the vet saw your baby. Without antibiotics they don't survive aspiration pneumonia.

[squirrelmommy]

I'm making an assumption as far as the concentration. When I googled Sulfatrim pediatric suspension it appears the concentration is 200/40 mg per 5 ml. That's how I calculated it. At a weight of 70g (0.070kg) and a concentration of 40/8 per ml and a dosage of 25 mg/kg my calculated value is 0.04 ml. The dose that the vet recommended (0.05 ml) is good. It's a little higher dosage but that's fine.

Sulfatrim is a bit slower acting but it should work. Actually, it's a bit safer also. It doesn't have the potential adverse side effects that Cipro or Baytril have.

Good luck to you and your baby. It will probably be 3 doses before you see improvement. Continue dosing for the duration that the vet recommended. I am SO glad that the vet saw your baby. Without antibiotics they don't survive aspiration pneumonia.

Thank you so much for your help. It means a lot that you are willing to give your time, advice and expertise. At this point I just don't know if she will make it. If she is sleeping her breathing is ok but if she wakes up and wants to move around she starts gasping for air and flailing around. It breaks my heart. I just don't want her to suffer.
I'll update tomorrow. Thank you again.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I wish I had seen this last night. I would have recommended giving the second dose last night.

[squirrelmommy]

I wish I had seen this last night. I would have recommended giving the second dose last night.

She made it through the night and is eating some. This morning she took 2.5 ml of formula. I gave her a second dose of meds early this morning. She is still struggling when she is awake and wants to be active. Please keep praying for her. She is strong and definitely a fighter.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I'm so happy to see this.
Prayers for this tiny one.

[Mel1959]

Prayers coming your way. Hang in there little girl.