Re: Adult squirrel with upper respiratory infection
Originally Posted by
Kiko
I am not doubting their diagnosis and treatment at all. I am a person that always asks "why". The questions in my first post were still not answered. I am not trying to be a know it all.. actually the total opposite, thats why I am here. I am just trying to gain more knowledge so if i come across things like this when I am rehabbing on my own, I will know. I am a little concerned with some of the staff at the center, one of them told me there is no way to even test for MBD when I asked how it was diagnosed. I guess I will take my questions somewhere else.
When you are the new person at a clinic, you come with fresh eyes and can see things the "regulars" maybe don't see anymore. So don't let the more-established members at that wildlife clinic shoot down your ideas.
I found when I volunteered at my local clinic, the people who worked there everyday had developed procedures where certain animals were given different amounts of care based on species. Birds and reptiles received more prolonged and extraordinary care, while for other species like squirrels, they didn't look far beyond "obvious" diagnosis, nor would they invest as much time with the squirrels. This was a system based on efficiency since they only had so many volunteers and many more animals (and squirrels were viewed as plentiful/borderline nuisance animals). If squirrels didn't immediately respond to heat and hydration, there wasn't a lot of further exploration, and usually they euthanized babies who didn't thrive immediately, or quickly.
For example, any sign of a dental issue on a BABY squirrel meant the baby was immediately euthanized. Even if that baby was still on formula and a simple tooth trim and hard food could mean the difference between euthanasia and a juvenile with a good set of aligned incisors.
So don't lose that tendency to question what doesn't look right to you. I've been in your position where you hesitate to push your perspective because you are the "new" person and don't have as much experience. But after seeing squirrels euthanized because I didn't push hard enough to try a different approach, I told myself it would never happen again. Don't be intimidated. The longer people do anything, the more rote their approach becomes.
❝ We can bring a heart of understanding and compassion to a world that needs it so much.❞ ~~ Jack Kornfield