Front leg paralysis

[JMF2323]

Well I spoke to Leigh, she was super nice and helpful!!! I am going to start the MBD treatment as soon as I get out of work. It seems the problem is that when I first got the squirrel he was weaned of of formula way too soon, when I received him the breeder sent him to me with a bag of Peanuts, Sunflower seeds, and some fruits in it. I did call the breeder and let her know that I did not receive the the syringe, she told me that he had already been weaned off the formula. I did try to feed him the formula but he did not want it at all. So that may have been the main cause of the problem.

Here are the x-ray pictures:

[JMF2323]

It's not letting me upload pictures.

[JMF2323]

Here they are:

[HRT4SQRLS]

It's not the best resolution that I've ever seen but I can definitely see the broken bone and the bowed forearm bones.

I think treating for MBD is definitely in order. The food that you received with him is a HUGE red flag. I NEVER feed peanuts and nuts in general are limited. They rarely get a sunflower seed and that's usually just to get pics. That's a trick that someone taught me. If you give a flyer a nut they will grab it and run. Give them a sunflower seed and they will sit right there and eat it. Perfect for taking photos.

I'm really glad that you posted your situation. This is a great teaching tool. MBD virtually always presents with hindend paralysis. We usually don't even consider MBD when they are down in the front. It makes perfect sense that MBD should be considered for front end weakness or 'down' also because of the brittle bones. The front legs would be more likely to break based on the way they land. We always assumed it is a spinal injury from a fall. We rarely have X-rays to consider. It never crossed my mind that there might be breaks in the front legs.
Thank for the heads up.

[HRT4SQRLS]

By the way, we feed mushrooms for Vitamin D. It's hit or miss with my guys.
I have bought every type of mushroom short of French truffles and I don't think they eat them.
Maybe a nibble and that's about it.
I think I have thrown away about a million dollars worth of mushrooms. That might be a 'slight' exaggeration.

[JMF2323]

It wasn't calcitonin perhaps was it?

Another possible problem may be the parathyroid; in feeding raw broccoli this can be a problem, as of all the sources this one is perhaps the worst, raw that is. Goitrogens impair the function of the parathyroid gland is why. Low thyroid means low uptake of minerals chiefly calcium. This is why boiling these sources that deactivates most all of the goitrogens is needful. Most all for reason that broccoli, which contains a number of goitrogenic compounds that boiling deactivates, yet contains one that isn't deactivated by boiling, which makes this source potentially problematic to include in rodent diets more than once a week.

So do you suggest I boil all green veggies or all veggies?

I feed him broccoli and cauliflower almost every day as those are the veggies he likes, I also feed him cucumber, spinach leaves, carrots, romaine lettuce, yellow squash and some others a couple of times a week.

[JMF2323]

Mushrooms I have also tried many times and he doesn't even look at them, all other veggies I have seen him at least try them, but mushrooms is a definite NO.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I'm not sure that you're aware but another symptom of MBD is seizures.
I would definitely keep the stress level down while he's being treated for MBD.
Stress or other seizure 'triggers' can cause a seizure while they are in a low calcium state. My oldest little guy (soon to be 8) had a seizure history as a baby. It didn't appear to be from diet. Light was a trigger for him. Ever since discovering this, his room has indirect light. I rarely turn the light on in his room. If I do he hides in his cube.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Be back soon. Gotta take mom to MD appointment.

[JMF2323]

Well I just want to thank everyone for you help and and very fast responses. I have learned my lesson, Maximus will be going to the vet once a year from now on, no matter what. Again thank you so much for all the help!!!

P.S. I will definitely keep everyone updated on his recovery

[HRT4SQRLS]

So do you suggest I boil all green veggies or all veggies?

I feed him broccoli and cauliflower almost every day as those are the veggies he likes, I also feed him cucumber, spinach leaves, carrots, romaine lettuce, yellow squash and some others a couple of times a week.

As far as all of the anti nutrients, lectin, phytates, oxalates, etc... it sorta makes my head spin. When I first got into the ‘squirrel thang’ I spent hour upon hours researching diet and mammalian physiology. You would have thought I was studying for a PhD.

When it comes to my picky little flyers, they didn’t really appreciate all my research and knowledge. Keep in mind this was all for them as I sat drinking Coke and eating chips for supper. Seriously. They definitely eat better than I do. I served their food fresh, boiled al dente and every other way. They were not impressed. Finally I got over all that and just try my very best to feed them a healthy diet, limit the nuts and provide variety.

I follow the Healthy diet. My boys get one Henry’s Picky eater block per day.
Sometimes they get just a half block. They are more likely to eat a half as they tend to hide a full block. They also get Pure Bites dehydrated chicken every day. The assortment of veggies includes broccoli slaw (it also has a few shreds of purple cabbage and carrot in it), butternut squash, acorn squash, kale, avocado, very rarely and very little...fresh corn, sweet potato, and others I’m sure I’m forgetting. They definitely like the hard fall squashes better than the summer squashes. They also get a pinch of dry rolled oats. Occasionally I will substitute a pinch of a granola mix instead of the rolled oats. They usually get a tiny fruit every day. That might be blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, watermelon or orange. They LOVE orange.
They get mushroom daily but rarely eat it. I have tried every kind. Once I bought dried porcini and they actually ate a little. I read that vegetarians will use porcini mushroom in stocks and that it has a nutty taste SO of course, I bought it.
They get 2 Wax Worms a day. I offer Meal worms but they don’t eat them.
For a treat they get 1/2 almond in the morning.

So, in spite of all the rules of nutrition, a flyer will just spit in your eye if it doesn’t suit them. I do my best but they are VERY picky.

One other thing... I have 2 boys. At this time I am babysitting 2 boys for a TSB member. One of my boys loves Fox Valley 32/40 formula. He is the 8 year old. Of the 2 visitors one of them also LOVES FoxValley. You should hear him slurping the formula. It is so cute. He is 10 years old. So out of 4, two will take formula even as adults. It would really be good if Maximus would drink formula.

[Diggie's Friend]

That is understandable, in humans it is different, this is what can make this confusing. Just remember that you don't want to miss the anti-nutrients for the nutrients in the diet (forest for the trees analogy), for if the anti nutrients are greater then the nutrients aren't well available even present in the plant source itself.

You may want to consider blanching the nuts, as this removes the skin that is highest in oxalates, as does soaking them in a bit of purified water and yogurt. The acid in the yogurt also deactivates 'phytates' that bind up calcium and phosphorus, making these minerals more bioavailable in nuts and grains.

I was wondering about whether your squirrel got enough nutrition as a suckling. If they don't get enough they can get rickets that results in soft deformed and easily broken bones. Not a typical case of MBD, yet the solution is the same, save vitamin D does need to be included at least D2, preferably D3 once the MBD treatment is completed. In my diet I have included D3 at 400 IU capsules from Pure Encapsulations. 25 IU should work well for your squirrel. You will have to divide it down to this amount of course; a one edged safety razor blade works well for this purpose when you place the powder contents of the capsule on a sheet of paper. Divide the amount in half you hve 200 IU, and then a half in half, 100 IU, and so on till you get down to 12.5, which then the last two half you use to add one each to the AM and PM yogurt daily. Crimp the paper you place it on to use as a funnel to place 12.5 IU into each of the yogurt portions daily.

Just like greens, mushrooms vary; there are summer mushrooms and winter mushrooms; acidic and alkaline. Some are bitter some are tasty!

Oregon mushroom Chanterelles is amongst the tasty kind; you add it by measure to the yogurt, contains minerals, and protein.

https://www.oregonmushrooms.com/p-11...le-powder.aspx If they are out of chanterelle mushroom powder ask for Yellowfoot, the summer chanterelle.

Tree sap can be fed, but if you get it be sure it is packaged in a carton, not a plastic bottle, for no matter what the kind of plastic you can taste it. The tree sap contains the same compounds that make up Calcium citrate malate, just not as high of course. All tree squirrels consume tree sap, which also contain polyphenols (high anti oxidants). This source also contains natural sugars, but they are very low, not an issue for losing calcium, but have been found to support better absorption of calcium into the bloodstream according to rat research studies.

In the wild it is the tender green shoots of trees and bushes that moreover contain the bioavailable sources of calcium. Yet since these aren't readily obtained sources, it is needful to supply surrogate sources that come closest to mimicking what can supply calcium that in a form that can be well utilized by the body of rodents. The problem with ground greens is that bad bacteria (E. coli, salmonella, etc, roundworms, and other helminthes (with eggs) that are common to the soil that they grow in.

Blanching aka: 'short term boiling', be it for 1 to 1 1/2 for those baby greens, or perhaps a bit longer to bring down the pH of the heavier leaf greens, is how this is accomplished. .

As for the issue of goitrogens in brassica vegetables that is problematic. The funny thing about the brassicas is that unlike what has been assumed about them being different plants, they are genetically from the same source, the mustard plant, some selectively bred as far back as 1400 BC in Egypt. IE it isn't feeding this source in moderation, but in excess when one is fed daily. Limiting brassicas is needful if you don't boil them to deactivate the goitrogenic compounds they contain. Again goitrogen reduce the function of the parathyroid gland and so reduce the production of D3 by the kidneys that support the uptake of minerals into the bloodstream.

If you have more questions you are welcome to PM me; I'm always glad to help when I can.

[Diggie's Friend]

So, in spite of all the rules of nutrition, a flyer will just spit in your eye if it doesn’t suit them. I do my best but they are VERY picky.

I know how it is, I had a picky eater myself, just one, but one was enough! One can only try and hope the squirrel will come round to accepting the food. I think that flyers in particular are picky as not to like cooked greens as they rely upon lichen that is in particularly different in taste.

ps. It looks like I was composing while you were writing also; keep it in mind when reading my above post.

[JMF2323]

Update: Miximus is doing much better. He is using his front legs again, not to full capacity but he's getting there. I must say that the MBD treatment really works fast. I will post a picture once he wakes up.

[Spanky]

Update: Miximus is doing much better. He is using his front legs again, not to full capacity but he's getting there. I must say that the MBD treatment really works fast. I will post a picture once he wakes up.

They can show improvement quickly, but stay on the MBD protocol even if he is doing better. It takes a very long time to rebuild bones!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Update: Miximus is doing much better. He is using his front legs again, not to full capacity but he's getting there. I must say that the MBD treatment really works fast. I will post a picture once he wakes up.

I'm so happy to hear this. Be sure to limit his jumping and flying also.
We don't want to test out those brittle bones just yet.
Definitely keep up the calcium treatment. Those bones need the extra calcium.

[JMF2323]

I am definitely keeping him on the MBD protocol. I am very glad he is recovering. I bought him the wild blocks from Henry's and he loves them!!! I am keeping him in his cage so he is not jumping around.