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Thread: Presley - Head Trauma

  1. #1
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    Default Presley - Head Trauma

    Hey guys!
    It's been a while since I've posted, but I wanted to share this new girl, Presley.
    Okay, so after dropping my foster dog off to head to his new home in NC on Friday 10/9, I was driving past the school to go to work and saw this little girl, hunched up in the turn lane, pitiful. I turned back around to check on her, scooped her up with a towel I had in the Jeep and "secured" her in an insulated Walmart bag with a velcro closure (it was the only thing I had lol) and took her to the vet.
    I got her back Saturday and my vet tech friend had taken xrays. We're pretty sure the bottom part of her jaw is fractured. She had dry blood that had came out of her right ear, her left eye is bulged and swollen (not sure if she can see out of it), but otherwise seems okay. She's on Buprenorphine and Metacam right now and had an antibiotic shot and is eating formula from a syringe very well (we're not even going to try a different food yet....her mouth/face is too messed up). So right now we're looking at 6-8 weeks for her mouth to heal (and over wintering).
    It's touch and go right now because we're not sure if she's going to be releasable...depends on how everything heals up. I mean, things could go downhill and she could pass...so everything is really just up in the air right now.
    I'm thinking she probably fell from the powerlines onto the pavement. That really coincides with her injuries and there were lines directly above where I found her. We're thinking she was probably born this summer...grown, but not BIG. She's been very sweet since I picked her up out of the road (could be she's been knocked silly....but maybe she understands we're trying to help her). She attempts to clean her own face after eating, but tires out pretty quickly. She can walk and climb pretty well.

    Any advice from you guys? Especially about her eye? I'm going to attach the xrays we got. My mom has her right now because she's retired and has more time to tend to her.**

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  2. #2
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    Default Presley - Head Trauma

    I originally posted this in the Infirmary, but I think I need to move it here. Sorry!
    Hey guys!
    It's been a while since I've posted, but I wanted to share this new girl, Presley.
    Okay, so after dropping my foster dog off to head to his new home in NC on Friday 10/9, I was driving past the school to go to work and saw this little girl, hunched up in the turn lane, pitiful. I turned back around to check on her, scooped her up with a towel I had in the Jeep and "secured" her in an insulated Walmart bag with a velcro closure (it was the only thing I had lol) and took her to the vet.
    I got her back Saturday and my vet tech friend had taken xrays (from the top, bottom, and side). We're pretty sure the bottom part of her jaw is fractured. She had dry blood that had came out of her right ear, her left eye is bulged and swollen (not sure if she can see out of it), but otherwise seems okay. She's on Buprenorphine and Metacam right now and had an antibiotic shot and is eating formula from a syringe very well (we're not even going to try a different food yet....her mouth/face is too messed up). So right now we're looking at 6-8 weeks for her mouth to heal (and over wintering).
    It's touch and go right now because we're not sure if she's going to be releasable...depends on how everything heals up. I mean, things could go downhill and she could pass...so everything is really just up in the air right now.
    I'm thinking she probably fell from the powerlines onto the pavement. That really coincides with her injuries and there were lines directly above where I found her. We're thinking she was probably born this summer...grown, but not BIG. She's been very sweet since I picked her up out of the road (could be she's been knocked silly....but maybe she understands we're trying to help her). She attempts to clean her own face after eating, but tires out pretty quickly. She can walk and climb pretty well.

    Any advice from you guys? Especially about her eye? I'm going to attach the xrays we got. My mom has her right now because she's retired and has more time to tend to her.

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Awww! Thanks for taking care of this little girl!! Hope she gets much better very soon!

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    I’m no expert at reading x rays, but I can see the bulging eye. My hope is that the metacam will help with swelling which is maybe what is causing the eye to bulge. Did the vet prescribe any steroid like prednisolone for a more extended anti inflammatory treatment? The metacam would have to be stopped for 24 hrs prior to starting a steroid, but I think a steroid would be beneficial, especially for head trauma.

    Keep her quiet and calm. The formula is perfect. Which type formula is it? Continuing to interact with her may help give her additional will to live. But follow her lead so she’s not stressed.

    Thank you for helping her. She surely would have died if you hadn’t.

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    I’m no expert at reading x rays, but I can see the bulging eye. My hope is that the metacam will help with swelling which is maybe what is causing the eye to bulge. Did the vet prescribe any steroid like prednisolone for a more extended anti inflammatory treatment? The metacam would have to be stopped for 24 hrs prior to starting a steroid, but I think a steroid would be beneficial, especially for head trauma.

    Keep her quiet and calm. The formula is perfect. Which type formula is it? Continuing to interact with her may help give her additional will to live. But follow her lead so she’s not stressed.

    Thank you for helping her. She surely would have died if you hadn’t.
    The vet didn't give us a a steroid, but it definitely crossed my mind that we may need it. One way or another, I can probably get my hands on some. She's got quite a bit of Metacam left right now though.
    We're feeding the Fox Valley 20/50...she loves it, thank God lol
    We've been letting her cuddle after feeding ls because that seems to be what she wants. She ears, then curls up in a ball in your hand. Or she's crawled up by my mom's neck to nap. I'm hoping the heat and companionship is lifting her spirits. We've also got a heating pad under part of the cage for her.

    I'm crossing my fingers you're right about the swelling and her eye. My bf fell 2 stories and smashed his face 3 years ago and I keep reminding myself how bad he looked for a couple of weeks......Presley is basically in the same situation.
    I'm concerned about her teeth right now...there's a small gap between the bottom incisors, due to the broken jaw I think, and I'm just hoping it's going to heal back correctly so she can eat. The vet said they couldn't do anything with it regardless...so it's just up to fate I guess.

    She really is the sweetest thing. ❤

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    That’s amazing that she’s so sweet since she’s a wild. I’m praying she’ll recover.

    You might ask the vet about the prednisolone.

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  12. #7
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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Thanks for helping this precious girl. She is alive because of your efforts no doubt. Her sweet spirit is thanking you.

    If the jaw is broken it should heal quickly. She might actually benefit from the prednisone due to its ability to penetrate nerve tissue including the brain. More than likely she is neurologically damaged and the pred might help reverse that.

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Quote Originally Posted by HRT4SQRLS View Post
    Thanks for helping this precious girl. She is alive because of your efforts no doubt. Her sweet spirit is thanking you.

    If the jaw is broken it should heal quickly. She might actually benefit from the prednisone due to its ability to penetrate nerve tissue including the brain. More than likely she is neurologically damaged and the pred might help reverse that.
    Thank you! Do you think we should let her finish out her Metacam and then start the prednisone?

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Quote Originally Posted by Abbi's Mama View Post
    Thank you! Do you think we should let her finish out her Metacam and then start the prednisone?
    How long was the metacam prescribed for? She has to be off the metacam for 24 hrs prior to starting the prednisone.

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    How long was the metacam prescribed for? She has to be off the metacam for 24 hrs prior to starting the prednisone.
    No specific amount of time, just until it runs out. I'd say she might have a week of it left? She's still doing really well, walking great, balance is great, she even jumped from the cage (in the floor next to me) to my knee. I honestly didn't think she would jump, because we certainly don't want that happening right now and more precautions have been taken to prevent that, but it was good to see that she CAN do it.

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Wow, poor girlie. I lack the expertise required to really interpret those Xrays, but I am thinking that good nutrition, R&R and a gentle hand may bring this girl back to normal. I don't see where the break in the jaw would be -- anyone want to edumacate me?
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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Quote Originally Posted by island rehabber View Post
    Wow, poor girlie. I lack the expertise required to really interpret those Xrays, but I am thinking that good nutrition, R&R and a gentle hand may bring this girl back to normal. I don't see where the break in the jaw would be -- anyone want to edumacate me?
    I haven't a clue on reading x-rays either but I agree she can bounce back.
    The future concern would be watching her teeth and hoping that the jaw aligns
    as it fuses and heals and doesn't cause a misalignment to her incisors.
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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Hows this baby doing today?

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  23. #14
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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Hey! Sorry, it's been a few days since I've updated.
    She's doing well! The swelling in her eye is coming down and she's been able to actually close it for a couple of days! Hallelujah!
    After some observing and discussing, her teeth are still causing quite a problem. Not sure if it's the way she landed when she fell or if it's just were the jaw is broken, but it's like they're not quite sitting right and they're in her way, causing her mouth to bleed occasionally. So, this weekend we're actually taking her back to the vet tech friend and she's going to grind the teeth down (she's not using them right now anyway since she's strictly eating formula) and we're hoping that will allow her mouth to "sit" right and hopefully heal in the correct position so she'll be able to eat correctly in the future. *fingers crossed*
    However, she's been aggressively rubbing the dry blood on her face, trying to remove it, and now the hair has came off part of her arms because of the friction? She's not bleeding, but balding lol Can vitamin E oil be put on the skin? Suggestions? (the dry blood is now off her face btw. We were leaving it alone in the beginning because we weren't sure if there was an injury underneath it, but my mom soaked it with a wet paper towel last night and everything has finally came loose).
    Including pictures of her curled up (with that bulged eye CLOSED!!) and her teeth. Sweet girl.
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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Her teeth definitely need trimmed. Please be sure the vet tech knows what she’s doing with a grinder. Most times grinders are only used when the squirrel is sedated because the noise alone can cause distress and movement. A pair of very, very sharp clippers will also work to trim teeth. There’s videos on this forum as well as you tube to help guide you.

    I’m glad you removed the blood. Because it sat on there for so long is probably why the hair has fallen out. You can rub plain coconut oil into it. Was there an injury under the blood?

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    Her teeth definitely need trimmed. Please be sure the vet tech knows what she’s doing with a grinder. Most times grinders are only used when the squirrel is sedated because the noise alone can cause distress and movement. A pair of very, very sharp clippers will also work to trim teeth. There’s videos on this forum as well as you tube to help guide you.

    I’m glad you removed the blood. Because it sat on there for so long is probably why the hair has fallen out. You can rub plain coconut oil into it. Was there an injury under the blood?
    The vet tech friend had said she's going to sedate her to grind them (she's grinded other rodent teeth before...not 100% sure about squirrels).
    There were no injuries under the blood, it's just where it "leaked" out of her ear after the fall. Saying that, I'm seriously amazed at how well she's doing. The blood was on her face though, and that area is fine (and still has fur) but her arms didn't have blood on them and that's where she's lost hair. But she kept rubbing her face and mouth to clean, as they do, and that's why we figured maybe she just got a bit aggressive trying to rub the blood off and wore the hair off on her arms. We can definitely put some coconut oil on those arms though.

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    So glad to hear that she is doing better.

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    I see that someone combined both threads I was bouncing from when I'd originally posted in the infirmary. THANK YOU!! (so sorry about that)

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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Quote Originally Posted by Abbi's Mama View Post
    After some observing and discussing, her teeth are still causing quite a problem. Not sure if it's the way she landed when she fell or if it's just were the jaw is broken,
    Trimming the teeth may give them the possibility of re- aligning themselves, it may very well be a
    result of the jaw itself. You will need to keep a close eye on the teeth as the jaw heals.
    I had a little with a fractured jaw, in the beginning her teeth lined up fine.
    Later down the road as the jaw bone healed / fused more her teeth became permanently misaligned.
    This led to having to keep the teeth trimmed when needed and of course due to this she was non- releasable.
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    Default Re: Presley - Head Trauma

    Thanks Stepnstone!
    Yes, that's my biggest concern. And I've told my mom that if the teeth don't line up correctly we'll just have to keep her and trim them periodically. The hope is to be able to release her in the spring...but if she ends up be non releasable, she has a place to stay.
    I'll have more pics this weekend after the teeth trimming and such. I think that will help her a LOT.

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