Aspiration?...but no clicking?( Lethargic...Just not behaving normal.)

[dr3am]

My scale with 4 quarters on it to show relevance to weight.





I keep getting both weights? But seems like 207 gms is the one I get more often during trying to weigh him...



(he is missing a portion of his tail from whatever happened to him during the storm and his eyes opened approx. Sept 20th, 18)



2 poos he left behind. He is still drinking formula 4 times per day...random amounts now, but for example 12 ml last night at 10:30 pm and probably about 9ml. this morning after having a Henry's block and his veggies ( today he had 1 Henry block first thing this morning...then avocado, snow peas, romaine lettuce and a few bites of acorn squash and perhaps a spaghetti squash seed or 3.) He nibbled around and unsure about how much he actually ate of it...I also saw him drinking from the water bottle.

Murphy is the smallest of the 4 babies I have right now. He also has always been the slow-slow eater...he liked to drink more by drips and take his time vs. how the other 3 drink from the syringes. I have been still using the 1 ml syringe with him because he does better with that size...however, they have managed to chew all the tips down on all of those at this point. I moved up to the 3 ml size for everyone else a bit ago and either let him lick his formula still from the 1 ml, or have finally let him lick one syringe from a 3 ml earlier today.

He has been 'different' today...enough to really worry me and separate him for a bit. I am not hearing any clicking...(I made a video if needed) He has been lethargic compared to his companions. He would sit in the bottom of the cage and hang his head down, even when the other babies were bouncing around and off of him. He did not participate in playing. He also has stayed in the hanging bed unless I pull him out to check in with him. I took him into the bathroom and allowed him to have 1/2 of a pecan to see if he was ok with eating and just trying to do a check over on him. I then gave him a small bit of formula ( a bit early, but just seeing if he has an appetite. He drank about 2 ml.)

His water is fresh...his food is fresh...there are no unsafe toys or things that he can get into that could do him any damage, other than perhaps a bit of plastic from the syringe yesterday? I pull off any pieces they bite and file with a new nail file to keep the edges smooth...his cage is spotless and all blankets are cleaned and revolved daily...I'm clueless to what is going on??? Could there have been a squirrel fight over a seed this morning while I was getting the formula ready and that caused this behavior? I see no bite marks on him. It's the first time I added a few in , I was trying to keep them busy while waiting on me so they would be calm for the first morning feeding and not bouncing off the walls when I came in with the formula. I think I will not add them again unless out and doing one on one play time from now on.



Again, I hear no steady clicking at this moment??? But...when he was sleeping in his bed I felt like I could hear a few. Could they be random clicks...not with every breath, but every once in a while and it just hasn't progressed into full clicking yet? Yet I can hold him to my ear and all you hear for the whole time is just his heartbeat. Am I crazy? Should I treat him for aspiration without full on clicking sounds that are constant? I have baytril. 68 mg- But I do not know how to use it if needed. )

[redwuff]

I am also concerned especially with the lethargy and his hanging head. Is the amt he ate below what he normally eats? Do you have any antibiotics on hand?

[dr3am]

I do...baytril and clavamox...he just is not behaving normal. I believe he is eating less than normal, but he still nibbled on some greens.

[redwuff]

Let's start him on Baytril. Will send dosing in a pm

[dr3am]

Thank you...I feel that perhaps he inhaled some without me noticing...I don't know what else it can be.

[redwuff]

What is the strength of the Baytril

[dr3am]

68 mg...I have 1 1/2 tablets.

[redwuff]

K

[dr3am]

Thank you for the important info. I am going to mix now and give dose #1.

[dr3am]

A lot of cuddles and Netflix watching together last night and Murphy seems back to normal already this morning. He had one dose of baytril late afternoon yesterday, and a good rest ...and he will have another tonight. What a scare these babies can give you when they are not feeling well. I could hear a bit of the clicking from him when he was resting...so this has got to be what the problem was...thank goodness for you Mel1959 in sending me those antibiotics as a 'just in case' last month. They were a lifesaver to not only Murphy, but me as well! I'm so glad I caught it early and had the meds and redwuff's instructions, to administer within the hours of concern. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!! For everything you all do, from the whole of my heart!

[redwuff]

So glad to hear such a positive outcome

[dr3am]

So glad to hear such a positive outcome

Yes! I'm pretty sure he will be just fine. He already seems like his self again...a complete 'opposite' of yesterday. He was the first one out of the nest bed this morning (as usual), for his Henry block and then his morning formula. Just like always! (yesterday he would not even come out of his bed, I had to retrieve him. And that head hanging low, just sitting in the bottom of the cage and 'no interaction' with his playmates) just scared me so bad. Amazing difference today!)

He is still under a watchful eye though.

(since he is the littlest of the littles and the one that had the most storm trauma, I tend to favor him a bit. )

And he has been playing with his sibling and half siblings all morning...and eating his veggies like a pro.

I feel relief again.

[Sottinger]

Yes! I'm pretty sure he will be just fine. He already seems like his self again...a complete 'opposite' of yesterday. He was the first one out of the nest bed this morning (as usual), for his Henry block and then his morning formula. Just like always! (yesterday he would not even come out of his bed, I had to retrieve him. And that head hanging low, just sitting in the bottom of the cage and 'no interaction' with his playmates) just scared me so bad. Amazing difference today!)

He is still under a watchful eye though.

(since he is the littlest of the littles and the one that had the most storm trauma, I tend to favor him a bit. )

And he has been playing with his sibling and half siblings all morning...and eating his veggies like a pro.

I feel relief again.

Of my three babies, one of the boys was sick and tiny too. We coddled him quite a bit the first week. Three weeks later he’s the biggest, fluffiest tailed, formula eating machine! He will take double what the other boy does and significantly more than my girl who was the biggest by far when I got them. It’s amazing to see how they can just take off! Glad to hear your little guy is doing better.