12 year old Bill the squirrel has the poops.

[TubeDriver]

Hi Tom,

I think I would try a couple things. I would purchase a small amount of Harlan Tekkled block. He may not like it but you can grind it up and then grind some Henry Healthy block (50%/50%) mix. Use some apple apple sauce as a binder. You can make up a softball sized ball and put in the fridge. To feed him, just scoop a chunk out with a spoon and roll into a ball. Henries is really good and tastes good but the HT has a load of vitamins and is an all in one meal (whereas Henries blocks should be supplemented with veggies). Henries makes really good stuff but I would just try something else to see how it works. I would still give him fresh veggies too. I would continue to add some probiotics powder (the pet flora) and you might also try some CVS powdered probotic capsules. Just open the capsule up and sprinkle a small bit on his boo balls. The powder actually tastes fairly good.

https://www.amazon.com/Nesom-Distrib...a-633183501837

Extra sunlight is not a bad idea when possible but always make sure he can cool off and get out of the sun, old bodies do not handle heat very well.


If you can purchase some ph strips from your local pharmacy (less than $10), you can test his urine and see if the ph level is off. This will tell us if he has become diabetic.


It sounds like old Bill is getting into the later twilight moments of his long life but he still sounds pretty content and happy overall. I hope he has another good year or two, at least, in him with your help.

[Trooper]

Hi Tom: I am coming to this post cold turkey and have not had the time to read every response, so just in the eventuality that nobody addressed the issue of your 12 years old with smelly and less-than-normal poops and at the risk of being off-pace, I decided to post this anyway:

Have you checked his poops for coccidia?

This is a parasite that in most cases lives in the guts of rodents, horses, sheep, cats, dogs, etc. and it is an opportunistic parasite that takes over the gut when the immune system or gastrointestinal tract is in distress for other normal reasons.

Once it gets hold of the intestinal linings, it burrows in the intestine mucosa and reproduces bursting at maturity into thousands of eggs which in turn, re install themselves in the intestine walls to start the cycle again. Depending on the severity of the coccidia infestation, it can give soft to runny or bloody stools, lethargy, anorexia (lack of appetite), sluggishness and severe gastro-intestinal pain.

It is treated with Albone for 7 days, or Ponazuril for 7 days or Toltrazuril for 2 days. Most vets know about it and have ways to cure it.

If I am off base with what your baby has, please disregard this message.

Good luck,

Trooper's dad

[Diggie's Friend]

Loose stool is often due to chronic kidney failure common to older rodents including tree squirrels. This doesn't mean there is no hope; please read through this article.

https://www.2ndchance.info/test.php?page=ratkidney

As squirrels age their kidney function lowers. To lighten the load on their kidneys that no longer well process phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, boil vegetables, and blanch organic baby leafy greens (90 sec.)

Also remove foods that are higher in phosphorus in the diet like, corn, sweet potatoes, while imiting nuts to no more than 1/2 Tsp. chopped daily.

Include organic oatmeal (not instant or flavored just plain) as it contains Beta glucans that are known to sooth the lining of the intestines and help to resolve loose stool.

https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill...7Y2M7RV4H&th=1

Also recommended is Pycnogenol a compound from the cambium layer of the Pinaster Pine, that has been studied over 40 years and 100 studies including a number in rats and mice.

This source is a high source of polyphenols that have been found to lend support to both ailing kidneys and the liver in rats.



Sorry to say that the liquid Organika source is out of stock. The powder is the hardest one to measure.

The reduction of this 30 mg. source is a quarter portion of (1 /64 Tsp.) The best I could say to use for a measure would be the amount that you can hold on the flat end of a toothpick. Add this to low fat organic plain yogurt daily.

https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Origi...pc&sr=1-9&th=1

Also Milk Thistle Seed extract offers good support to the liver.

.https://www.amazon.com/Oregons-Wild-.../dp/B00J9MKEUG

Give 2 drops from a needle syringe one day on and two days off in succession adding one drop each both the AM and PM meals.

(Do not use the dropper the bottle comes with, it is too high a measure.)

[Diggie's Friend]

Here's the link to the Mini Teaspoons: https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainl.../dp/B0009X1P9S

(See free delivery Sunday)

Here's the link to Pet Flora SBO (pre/probiotic) 1/64 Tsp. daily in organic plain yogurt.

https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Flora-cap.../dp/B005PJN2HO

Green Valley lactose free lowfat organic plain yogurt contains the other forms of probiotics like Lactobacillis Acidophilus Casei, that are key to

combating Ecoli in the digestive tract. 1/2 Tsp. each with AM & PM meals.

https://greenvalleylactosefree.com/p...e-plain-yogurt (humanely produced) Store finder is on page.