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Thread: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

  1. #1
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    Default 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    I'm worried about my pet squirrel. Shes almost 4yrs old and ive raised her since she was about 3 weeks old. Shes never had any issues w/ this before, but right now she keeps vomiting and I'm not sure what to do.

    Here is her diet:

    peas
    beans
    spinach
    kale
    banana
    squirrel/rodent block
    almonds/hazelnuts/walnuts
    ---
    (these are the only thing out of the norm):
    cantaloupe
    avacado w/ the peel

    Shes drinking water when I give it to her and her stool was normal this morning. However, she will not eat and keeps throwing up the water. Any suggestions would be helpful.

    Thank you

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Also want to point out she seems to be moving around fine, and continues to drink water.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    You gave her avocado WITH THE PEEL? Is that correct? Avocado peels contain a toxin caller persin - so does the pit. Neither should EVER be fed to a squirrel. The only think I can offer is to push water to try to dilute and flush the system. I would also try to get some activated charcoal into her ASAP to hopefully bind with the toxin to help get it OUT of her.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    You gave her avocado WITH THE PEEL? Is that correct? Avocado peels contain a toxin caller persin - so does the pit. Neither should EVER be fed to a squirrel. The only think I can offer is to push water to try to dilute and flush the system. I would also try to get some activated charcoal into her ASAP to hopefully bind with the toxin to help get it OUT of her.
    Yes, she usually just peels it like anything else (banana/nut/peas/etc), and eats the inside. If she ingested any of it (which seems to be the case), it would have only been a small amount as they were thin slices, not the entire avocado.

    Should I wait and see if it clears up or just give her the charcoal now? If so, how much and for how long?

    Thank you for your advice.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Well, regardless, it IS unfortunately toxic. Hopefully she ingested very little. Don't feed it again.

    As far as whether to administer it, if you are going to, it needs to be soon. Giving it days later isn't going to do much. If I had accidentally fed a toxic substance to my squirrel who was now vomiting, something VERY alien to squirrels, BTW, I would do everything I could to mitigate that. The product you are looking for is called Toxiban and the liquid suspension will be easiest. If I have some idea of her weight I can dose more precisely...but frankly, you can't give too much - it isn't toxic, AND more importantly, she ain't gonna like it much and won't let you get too much down I suspect.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    Well, regardless, it IS unfortunately toxic. Hopefully she ingested very little. Don't feed it again.

    As far as whether to administer it, if you are going to, it needs to be soon. Giving it days later isn't going to do much. If I had accidentally fed a toxic substance to my squirrel who was now vomiting, something VERY alien to squirrels, BTW, I would do everything I could to mitigate that. The product you are looking for is called Toxiban and the liquid suspension will be easiest. If I have some idea of her weight I can dose more precisely...but frankly, you can't give too much - it isn't toxic, AND more importantly, she ain't gonna like it much and won't let you get too much down I suspect.
    She is a full grown Eastern Grey squirrel. I don't know the actual weight off hand. Roughly a couple pounds.

    I've been calling around and the only place I can get activated charcoal currently is at Walgreens, but its granular. Will this work? Just a ballpark idea of the dosage would be helpful I can just put it in a syringe w/ some water and administer it that way.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Before you go to Walgreens, call your local chain pet store. They may have the suspension - might even have a flavored one.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    Before you go to Walgreens, call your local chain pet store. They may have the suspension - might even have a flavored one.
    i live in the middle of nowhere. walgreens is my only option without driving 100miles (vet closed on weekend / walmart doesnt have toxiban). I have 520mg tablets atm. I mixed it with some water and got quite a bit down her w/ a syringe. Lets hope that helps

    If I had to guess I would say it was about half a tablet worth (~260mg). Should I give more? Or repeat a dose later?

    Thank you again for your help.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    I would watch her. Is she still vomiting? Has she kept the toxiban down?

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    I would watch her. Is she still vomiting? Has she kept the toxiban down?
    im keeping a very close eye on her. shes just laying in the window resting for the most part. she did throw up some of the charcoal

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    update: She still keeps throwing up every now and then. She keeps drinking water though, and moves around a bit every so often. I don't know if the drinking/moving around is a good sign or just neutral.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    When exactly did the vomiting begin? And have you seen her poop at all since she started vomiting?

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    When exactly did the vomiting begin? And have you seen her poop at all since she started vomiting?
    Noticed it first this morning at 0700 (6hrs ago). She did poop a bit this morning also (normal stool).

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    I got about 1 tablespoon of pedialyte down her w/ a syringe. she is still moving around as normal, jumping, etc. still acting sickly though.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    OK. Just watch her at this point. She is drinking on her own, right? I would offer some rehydration fluid to her - vomiting plays havoc with the system. Dissolve a teaspoon of sugar and just a pinch of salt in a cup of water and see if she will drink that. It will help keep her blood sugar up, too, which is a problem as long as she isn't eating anything.

    Edit: LOL - brilliant minds.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    other than keeping her hydrated and watching over her as she rests, is there anything else I can do?

    i guess its a good thing she doesnt seem to be getting worse, but the amount of times she threw up was alarming. i'm worried about her

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Quote Originally Posted by riggs View Post
    other than keeping her hydrated and watching over her as she rests, is there anything else I can do?

    i guess its a good thing she doesnt seem to be getting worse, but the amount of times she threw up was alarming. i'm worried about her
    I am too. Has that slowed down at all? I am hoping she got most of the "bad" out and if she just sleeps for a while it will help her heal. I would encourage that any way you can.

    As I mentioned above, one thing I would watch out for is the blood sugar thing. They are so small - it doesn't take much to be an issue. You can even put a couple drops of syrup or even a slurry of table sugar and a drop or two of water in her mouth every so often to help avoid that. Literally a drop or two will help and she doesn't have to swallow it - it is absorbed by the mucous membranes in the mouth.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    I am too. Has that slowed down at all? I am hoping she got most of the "bad" out and if she just sleeps for a while it will help her heal. I would encourage that any way you can.

    As I mentioned above, one thing I would watch out for is the blood sugar thing. They are so small - it doesn't take much to be an issue. You can even put a couple drops of syrup or even a slurry of table sugar and a drop or two of water in her mouth every so often to help avoid that. Literally a drop or two will help and she doesn't have to swallow it - it is absorbed by the mucous membranes in the mouth.
    she seems to vomit again anytime after i give her fluids. although it seems to be less now, thats likely due to having less fluid in her system.

    going to be trying to give her about 1 tablespoon of pedialyte every few hours. i will add a pinch of sugar as well.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    update: she hasn't thrown up in the past couple of hours. keeping feeding her pedialyte every few hours (added small amount of sugar). still acting sick and standoffish compared to her usual self.

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    Default Re: 4-year old squirrel vomiting

    she just threw up again after i got some pedialyte down her. seems to be tied to anytime I get fluids in her, she just has to throw some back up Any ideas what I should do at this point?

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