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Thread: Wet nose

  1. #1
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    Default Wet nose

    Hello. One of my 3 month old female squirrels constantly has a very wet nose. Like, it's too wet. Like some tiny bit of colourless watery discharge constantly occurs at her nose which I don't see in her sibling sister.
    Also, she doesn't clean her face often like her sibling. She rarely touches her face and whenever she cleans her face(which is very rarely), she starts sneezing. Like 8 to 10 sneezes and the nose area becomes extra wet. Then she becomes normal but nose is constantly wet. Could someone do a diagnosis.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Wet nose

    Do you hear any congestion in her lungs when she’s breathing? What antibiotics do you have?

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    Default Re: Wet nose

    I've kept her near my ear and checked. No laboured breathing nor any sound is heard. Seems normal. I have Cipro in hand. I can try to get any other antibiotic as needed as we don't need prescription here. If it is available here, I can get it.

    Another strange behaviour is that her sister climbs on her back and starts pressing her stomach tightly with hey two front limbs. Both this behaviour and the wet nose started one and a half weeks ago.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Wet nose

    I hope others will chime in about the wet nose and whether it, with no other symptoms, needs to be treated with an antibiotic. I just don’t know.

    As for the behavior with her sister. This is normal...it’s sort of a cross between play and dominance. I have witnessed siblings gently biting the back while they’re riding them like a horse!

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Wet nose

    6
    Quote Originally Posted by Clare View Post
    Hello. One of my 3 month old female squirrels constantly has a very wet nose. Like, it's too wet. Like some tiny bit of colourless watery discharge constantly occurs at her nose which I don't see in her sibling sister.
    Also, she doesn't clean her face often like her sibling. She rarely touches her face and whenever she cleans her face(which is very rarely), she starts sneezing. Like 8 to 10 sneezes and the nose area becomes extra wet. Then she becomes normal but nose is constantly wet. Could someone do a diagnosis.
    Does she get her water from a dish or a water bottle?

    If it is a dish, the amount of water on the bottom should 1/8" or less and the sides of the dish shouldn't be very tall. Both of these conditions are to reduce the risk of water being inhaled into the lungs. This way, when they go to drink, their heads are horizontal and their nostrils will remain above the water allowing them to breathe while they drink.

    You can use the plastic lid from an oatmeal container or something like that. Of course, the water should be changed daily and it is best to have two lids so that it can dry completely before being used the next day.

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    Default Re: Wet nose

    Quote Originally Posted by Rock Monkey View Post
    6

    Does she get her water from a dish or a water bottle?

    If it is a dish, the amount of water on the bottom should 1/8" or less and the sides of the dish shouldn't be very tall. Both of these conditions are to reduce the risk of water being inhaled into the lungs. This way, when they go to drink, their heads are horizontal and their nostrils will remain above the water allowing them to breathe while they drink.

    You can use the plastic lid from an oatmeal container or something like that. Of course, the water should be changed daily and it is best to have two lids so that it can dry completely before being used the next day.
    She has a water bottle similar to the one in the link below:

    https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Bottle...2957262&sr=8-6

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    Default Re: Wet nose

    Quote Originally Posted by Clare View Post
    She has a water bottle similar to the one in the link below:
    That's great. So, aspiration shouldn't be an issue from that aspect of her environment.

    Are there any new components to her environment that coincide with the onset of her symptoms?

    Any new bedding? Or may new laundry detergent? Any sort of source for perfumes or dyes. They have very sensitive noses.

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    Default Re: Wet nose

    Regarding vitamins mentioned in the other thread, are you able to take them outside occasionally in a cage to get a little sunshine. This way the can make their own vitamin D. Or if there is an open window with a hardware cloth screen? The window glass blocks the UVB rays which are required to make vitamin D. The vitamin D then is used to process the calcium in their diets.

    This is one of the main reasons that rehabbed squirrels are given vitamins because they usually never get any sun until they are ready for soft release.

    You could have a look at the vitamins components of the foods you give them and see how that compares to the vitamins in Henry's vitamin supplements. Then you can see if you are missing any.

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    Default Re: Wet nose

    How long has she been like this?

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    Default Re: Wet nose

    Quote Originally Posted by Rock Monkey View Post
    Regarding vitamins mentioned in the other thread, are you able to take them outside occasionally in a cage to get a little sunshine. This way the can make their own vitamin D. Or if there is an open window with a hardware cloth screen? The window glass blocks the UVB rays which are required to make vitamin D. The vitamin D then is used to process the calcium in their diets.

    This is one of the main reasons that rehabbed squirrels are given vitamins because they usually never get any sun until they are ready for soft release.

    You could have a look at the vitamins components of the foods you give them and see how that compares to the vitamins in Henry's vitamin supplements. Then you can see if you are missing any.

    They get at least 1 hour of direct sunlight daily

  11. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Clare from:

    Rock Monkey (10-19-2020)

  12. #11
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    Default Re: Wet nose

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    How long has she been like this?
    One and a half weeks.

  13. #12
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    Default Re: Wet nose

    Well, if she was mine I would try a round of antibiotics. We can try the Cipro, but if you truly can get what you need without a prescription I would rather go with a drug called amoxicillin/clavulanate. It is sold in the US under the brand name Augmentin but it is available as a generic under the actual drug name. It is a combination of two drugs as the name implies. It is NOT the same as straight amoxicillin. The Cipro is excellent for the things it treats, but since we don't actually know what is wrong here, the amoxicillin/clavulanate has broader coverage and so a better chance of working. Again, if it is a problem to get, we can try the Cipro.

    We will need an accurate weight on her in order to dose this for you so you will need to get a gram scale. In the US they are often used to weigh food for those trying to lose weight and are fairly inexpensive. You will need a 1cc or smaller syringe (without the needle) to dose this. The weight and small syringe will be needed for either med. We will also need to know the size of the pill you get in milligrams as both of the meds are available in different sizes.

  14. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to CritterMom:

    Rock Monkey (10-19-2020), stepnstone (10-17-2020)

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