CR's LUNA TUNA NEEDS HELP

[TubeDriver]

Does it seem painful? Can you feel what that area feels like (hard, soft)?

There is a dime size area between the ribs and the foreleg that is fatty and could be a scent gland.

[RamaMama]

Lump Not Hard...... but a feeling of soft but firm....

[stosh2010]

We use saline drops in Luna's nose which helps her to loosen the mucus which RamaMama then wipes off from her nose. It allows Luna to breathe easier. I just returned from a visit to the good old USA with some Little Remedies--Saline Drops. We had a bottle from years ago that showed only water and salt as the ingredients. The new boxes have a series of additional ingredients---We won't use these drops without advice from other TSB folks that have experience with this combination of additives. We can get the basic salt and water Saline drops here in Costa Rica and will use them for the time being.

[RamaMama]

As Stosh stated with the photo in the last post, the Original Saline Drops from Little Remedies was water and
salt much like the CR version but with one difference.......

the Saline from the U.S. had a slightly lower % of salt than the CR type which has 0.9 grams per 100 ml distilled water.

I had hoped to use both as some times I can tell Luna's sinus is more irritated so I wanted to use the
US version on occasion........ BUT, this new bottle doesn't even tell HOW MUCH salt/s are used plus it
has quite a few OTHER added ingredients which also were NOT in the original US one I had some time
back.

We CAN just continue using the CR Saline of 0.9 g salt and

Thanks for any and all advice.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Rosie, I really think the Little Remedies saline drops should be fine. They are made for newborns so they can’t contain anything toxic. 2 of the chemicals are preservatives and the glycerin helps retain moisture. I would use it. The container can be used as a dropper (downward) or a spray (upward).

[RamaMama]

Thanks so much..... Good to know.

Today I HAD to start Luna on Cipro..... she has A LOT of blood in her urine....

She had been having some difficulty trying to urinate the last few days and I kept
wondering if it was a UTI but she didn't "SEEM" sick at all as she was eating great, active,
until this morning....... like everything struck at once....... miserable, no appetite, pain, blood........ etc

Although no Lab work was done I am "fairly" certain it is a UTI.
I still had the dosing info from a year ago when she kept getting the same type of
infection so I just followed the old instructions.

I sure hope she will feel better very soon...... she was doing so well too.

[redwuff]

Awwww ... get better soon Luna

[Chickenlegs]

Feel better soon Luna sweetheart

[Nancy in New York]

Oh Rosie, I sure hope that little Luna feels better soon.
Such a precious little girl.

[stosh2010]

Oh Rosie, I sure hope that little Luna feels better soon.
Such a precious little girl.

LUNA turned 7 years old in August...………..Time Flies...…………..

[HRT4SQRLS]

LUNA turned 7 years old in August...………..Time Flies...…………..

My goodness, it’s so hard to believe she is 7. I remember when you first got the little baby with the moon on her head.

[TubeDriver]

Luna

[RamaMama]

Luna is finally beginning to eat just a very little..... still flicking tail and some grunting and a whine here or there.... but not like before. Don't see any more blood but it could still be there microscopically. ?

She is still very inactive and wants to be in her "nest box" a lot or just lay on top of door but she needs to start to move
around a bit so she will start going potty more.
She was started on Cipro 10 / 18 How long do I need to wait before she can have freedom in a play room???

[
Thanks

[TubeDriver]

Glad to hear her appetite might be returning. It is also really important to focus on hydration!

I would just follow your instincts as to when she can start returning to her normal schedule of activities. Give her the opportunity to move about if she wants too.

Luna is finally beginning to eat just a very little..... still flicking tail and some grunting and a whine here or there.... but not like before. Don't see any more blood but it could still be there microscopically. ?

She is still very inactive and wants to be in her "nest box" a lot or just lay on top of door but she needs to start to move
around a bit so she will start going potty more.
She was started on Cipro 10 / 18 How long do I need to wait before she can have freedom in a play room???

[
Thanks

[RamaMama]

My Luna is really bad off right now. There is great distress in our home right now.

Luna was on Cipro from 10 / 18 to 10 /26 she improved greatly and stopped AB's.
>>>> then when she "seemed" to have a re-occurrence started again on 11 / 18 til 11 /25 Then stopped as she was not improving.

3 days back Luna took a turn for the worse...... belly bloated, vulva swollen more than usual as of late, she acts like she has to pee, not wanting to eat much of anything,.... got worse over the last few days ... last couple of days laying on her tummy then rolling on to her side where ever she is.... and last night started throwing up. Did not give her her Cipro dose last night 11/25 ....nor this morn. Today she wants to be in her box and only wants to eat a little banana, softened honey Cheerios's, and reconstituted dried cranberries, yogurt, and drink a little watermelon juice. Did dose her with Ibuprofen last night several hours after she thew up...... and again late this morning....... she appears to be in a LOT of pain... maybe Endometriosis acting up again...? ? ? UTI ? ? ? She is exhibiting a movement as though she is in LABOR ! ! ! Over and over she does this......... If any one has ANY SAGE advice / suggestions I am listening......

Should I start her on SMZ TMP right away and HOPE it is a UTI rather than the Endro????? Would need DOSING ! ! She is squeaking when she comes out of her box and tries and tries to pee .............. all the same symptoms of UTI >>>> AND <<<< ENDO........ ! !

My baby girl is suffering....... those in the KNOW.... please at least give your opinion. I do NOT know what else to try.......
I sit here crying and typing and .............. h o p e.............. but I am at a loss as to what direction to take now.

Thanks so MUCH
Luna's Mama

[RockyPops]

Hank in there little Luna, be strong for mom!

[island rehabber]

I have never dealt with this myself but my instinct would tell me to go with the Cipro. So far it is the only thing that has worked; use it now. Some kind of infection is going on, possibly two at a time, and Cipro is the big gun.

[BCChins]

Is her urine bloody at all. Dab a white paper towel in it and see if it appears pink tinged at all.

Wondering if she could be blocked as in not able to pee. Do Squirrels get bladder stones?

[TubeDriver]

I think that Cipro is worth a try. I would absolutely give her a tiny pinch of a probiotic powder sprinkled on her food as well. All these ABs kill the bad bacteria but also kill the good bacteria that we need in our gut as well.


This occurs fairly frequently, is it possible that she has some squirrel version of a GI disease like Crohn's disease. Any pattern of this happening after certain specific foods are given? Just thinking out loud here, just mulling over possibilities.

Try to keep her hydrated to while this is going on.

[Mel1959]

Is her urine bloody at all. Dab a white paper towel in it and see if it appears pink tinged at all.

Wondering if she could be blocked as in not able to pee. Do Squirrels get bladder stones?

I do believe squirrels can get bladder stones. I copied this from a Facebook posting. I realize that everything you read on the internet isn’t true, but this info seemed in line with Lunas history.


Lovely Lita's Squirrel Rescue and Rehab
June 29, 2012 ·
Do squirrels get Urinary Tract Infections?
It is my opinion that outside of a paralyzed squirrels UTIs in squirrels are fairly rare without crystals being present in the urine. They are very common in paralyzed squirrels because of the inability of most paralyzed squirrels to completely eliminate their bladder. Most also drag along the ground picking up bacteria that can enter through the urethra and set up infection.
However, when a squirrel is on a high calcium diet without sufficient Vitamin D and magnesium they will often get small crystals of calcium that come out in the urine. Without treatment these crystals form stones in the bladder and kidneys. These crystals being present can cause UTIs because they are sharp and cut into the bladder wall allowing a spot for bacteria to enter.
Symptoms of both UTI and crystals in the urine include: cloudy urine, possible blood in the urine, unusual smell to the urine, difficulty in eliminating urine (they may stand and have small drips of urine instead of a steady stream), lethargy, lack of appetite, pain in the abdominal area and overall appearance of ill health.
Both UTIs and crystals in the urine usually require antibiotics to correct. For crystals a change in diet is also recommended with both potassium and magnesium added to the diet as a supplement.