Squirrel hit by car showing signs of neurological issues

[Shammie]

So I had an adult squirrel come to me a few weeks ago that was hit by a car. She is having an awesome recovery but now I am worried she could have some long term effects from head trama. I have lots of questions about what this could mean for her. Are her neurological issues going to be permanent? I need advice from anyone who has gone through this. She is finally eating on her own now but her lack of coordination makes it difficult for her. Should I continue giving her formula to make sure she is getting the nutrients she needs? Is there anything else I can do that could possibly help with her recovery?

[Minaluvri]

I have had multiple babies with neurological issues and head trauma, so I understand how difficult these decisions can be. I have never had a full grown adult with head trauma and I am by no means an expert, but I am sure others will be along soon to help. I know that many people advise treating head injuries with Prednisone, is that something you have tried/is a possibility for you? I have used Prednisone for a baby with head trauma in the past and It helped her a great deal.

How well is this sweet girl able to walk? Is she able to balance and hold food in her paws? As far as feeding her formula goes, will she eat blocks? If she is eating block and solid foods well, they should be meeting all of her nutritional requirements without the formula, but if you think she needs the continued supplementation I don't see any harm in continuing for awhile.

I don't think there is really any way of knowing how expansive her neurological damage could be. I've had babies recover from neurological damage, and I've had one that was still exhibiting signs of neuro trauma two months later. She had a head tilt and would spin around when she got excited, and I knew that I couldn't release her. While she was able to walk, climb, and eat perfectly I knew that with these behaviors there was no way she would be able to escape a predator in the wild, and therefore decided I could never release her in good conscience. Several years later, I know I made the right decision as she is very happy, but still obviously never recovered from her head trauma.

[Shammie]

I have had multiple babies with neurological issues and head trauma, so I understand how difficult these decisions can be. I have never had a full grown adult with head trauma and I am by no means an expert, but I am sure others will be along soon to help. I know that many people advise treating head injuries with Prednisone, is that something you have tried/is a possibility for you? I have used Prednisone for a baby with head trauma in the past and It helped her a great deal.

How well is this sweet girl able to walk? Is she able to balance and hold food in her paws? As far as feeding her formula goes, will she eat blocks? If she is eating block and solid foods well, they should be meeting all of her nutritional requirements without the formula, but if you think she needs the continued supplementation I don't see any harm in continuing for awhile.

I don't think there is really any way of knowing how expansive her neurological damage could be. I've had babies recover from neurological damage, and I've had one that was still exhibiting signs of neuro trauma two months later. She had a head tilt and would spin around when she got excited, and I knew that I couldn't release her. While she was able to walk, climb, and eat perfectly I knew that with these behaviors there was no way she would be able to escape a predator in the wild, and therefore decided I could never release her in good conscience. Several years later, I know I made the right decision as she is very happy, but still obviously never recovered from her head trauma.

Thank you for your reply. I have been treating her with Gabapentin and Metacam. I tried to get my vet to treat her with Predisone but she thought these other drugs would work better for her. When she first came in she only had one strong arm. Now she has regained her strength in all her limbs and is finally starting to lift her tail. She was walking in a circle for a while but now she is finally walking in a straight line. She still has a head tilt and has not been able to jump or climb. I'm hoping that she will keep improving and be able to be released. She has trouble holding food in her paws, her right paw is very weak so she usually tries to eat when she is laying down. She has been very sweet and has let me treat her but as she gets better she is more afraid of me. I actually took her outside for a walk today on a leash. She was very excited but just tried to run from me the whole time and hide under bushes lol. I took a video of her outside today and would love to post it but I don't know how to post videos on here. I really hope she keeps improving.

[Mel1959]

The two squirrels I had with head tilt were both treated for many weeks with prednisone and made complete recoveries. My vet feels that prednisone is much better for treating neurological issues than any other drug. If you can locate someone with some prednisone someone on here can help you dose it. You would have to stop the metacam for 24 hrs prior to beginning the prednisone.

[Shammie]

The two squirrels I had with head tilt were both treated for many weeks with prednisone and made complete recoveries. My vet feels that prednisone is much better for treating neurological issues than any other drug. If you can locate someone with some prednisone someone on here can help you dose it. You would have to stop the metacam for 24 hrs prior to beginning the prednisone.

Thank you. I will try to see if I can get this!

[Shammie]

The two squirrels I had with head tilt were both treated for many weeks with prednisone and made complete recoveries. My vet feels that prednisone is much better for treating neurological issues than any other drug. If you can locate someone with some prednisone someone on here can help you dose it. You would have to stop the metacam for 24 hrs prior to beginning the prednisone.

So I haven't been able to get the prednisone so I called my vet and had a receptionist ask my vet if she could try starting her on predisone now since we tried the metacam for a few weeks and she is still showing neurological signs. The receptionist called me back and told me to find another vet to work with since we seem to have different opinions for treatments... ugh. How long can I keep her on Metacam for? I know her recovery can take a while if she is going to improve. Unfortunately all I have to treat her with now is the metacam. Is it safe to keep her on this long term?

[ctmom]

How is the little one doing?
I have prednisone if you need some.

QUOTE=Shammie;1279757]So I haven't been able to get the prednisone so I called my vet and had a receptionist ask my vet if she could try starting her on predisone now since we tried the metacam for a few weeks and she is still showing neurological signs. The receptionist called me back and told me to find another vet to work with since we seem to have different opinions for treatments... ugh. How long can I keep her on Metacam for? I know her recovery can take a while if she is going to improve. Unfortunately all I have to treat her with now is the metacam. Is it safe to keep her on this long term?[/QUOTE]

[ctmom]

How is the little one doing?
I have prednisone if you need some.