Wild Squirrel help needed- Coughing

[Kimi]

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve been here looking for advise, but I am back. I have an adult grey squirrel who has been living in my backyard for approximately the last 5 years (currently living in a squirrel nesting box in my tree). Her name is Bubba and she is very special to me. About 5 days ago I noticed that her behavior seemed a bit off. She was hardly leaving the squirrel box and when she did she was a bit standoffish. This morning she actually came out of the squirrel box long enough for me to observe her behavior and she seemed to be coughing a bit, like a retching cough. She was eating some food and climbing normally and running around burying food more than I’ve seen in the past days which I’m taking as a positive sign, but the cough was evident. I read on this forum about Bordetella in squirrels, and I’m wondering if that could be it? She does share the squirrel box with a couple other wild squirrels but I haven’t really noticed any other squirrels coughing. I’m very worried as this squirrel means very much to me even though she’s a wild animal, and I want to do anything I can to try to help her if she is sick. Any advise that can be offered would be so greatly appreciated. I’m hesitant to try to capture her and take her anywhere since I’m sure that would be very stressful and might make things worse, so I’m hoping there might be some suggestions or guidance on anything I might be able to do to help. Thank you all very much for your kindness to these creatures!

[TubeDriver]

Hi! If this is Bordetella, she will likely need a fairly long (14-21 day) course of AB, some that would work include SMZ, Baytril, Doxy. These symptoms could also be due to a large load of internal parasites. You might try giving her a dose of Ivermectin for some internal and external parasites, this probably would not be a bad idea. To get ABs in her for that long would probably require you to trap her unless you think she would take a medicated treat virtually every day? Also, try to get a good look at her teeth/mouth to see that everything looks normal.

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve been here looking for advise, but I am back. I have an adult grey squirrel who has been living in my backyard for approximately the last 5 years (currently living in a squirrel nesting box in my tree). Her name is Bubba and she is very special to me. About 5 days ago I noticed that her behavior seemed a bit off. She was hardly leaving the squirrel box and when she did she was a bit standoffish. This morning she actually came out of the squirrel box long enough for me to observe her behavior and she seemed to be coughing a bit, like a retching cough. She was eating some food and climbing normally and running around burying food more than I’ve seen in the past days which I’m taking as a positive sign, but the cough was evident. I read on this forum about Bordetella in squirrels, and I’m wondering if that could be it? She does share the squirrel box with a couple other wild squirrels but I haven’t really noticed any other squirrels coughing. I’m very worried as this squirrel means very much to me even though she’s a wild animal, and I want to do anything I can to try to help her if she is sick. Any advise that can be offered would be so greatly appreciated. I’m hesitant to try to capture her and take her anywhere since I’m sure that would be very stressful and might make things worse, so I’m hoping there might be some suggestions or guidance on anything I might be able to do to help. Thank you all very much for your kindness to these creatures!

[Kimi]

Thanks for the reply! She does usually come for a treat, pretty much everyday so I do think I could sneak medication on a treat for her daily. I’m not sure I can get a look at her teeth, she does approach me and is friendly, but I doubt there is any way for me to look inside of her mouth. As far as the medication, I’ve read you can use fish antibiotics, is that true? Otherwise I do not know how to obtain these antibiotics.

[Rock Monkey]

As far as the medication, I’ve read you can use fish antibiotics, is that true? Otherwise I do not know how to obtain these antibiotics.

When squirrel caretakers need antibiotics they will call friends and family to see if they have any leftover antibiotics. Usually only one or two pills is needed, given the squirrels small size.

Also, proper dosing will require the squirrels weight, admins may be able to make a reasonable guess from a current photo.

[Kimi]

Here is a recent photo. So the coughing seemed pretty concerning yesterday, although I only saw her coughing in the morning. Every other time I saw her during the day she was behaving normally. I was trying to get a video of the coughing and it didn’t happen. This morning I heard the coughing again, it didn’t sound as bad as yesterday (yesterday it was like a hacking cough and this morning it was sort of a mix between a sneeze/cough). Of course when I tried to get video she did not cough again, and then retreated to the nesting box. Is this something I can monitor for a few days and see if it gets better or worse, without intervention, or is a cough in an adult wild squirrel concerning enough to try to medicate right away? Just curious if illness is something they can resolve on their own.

[Mel1959]

I think at this point all you can do is monitor. Have you located any antibiotics? Human antibiotics are fine, it would just take one pill that was broken down and dosed correctly. The problem with treating a wild squirrel is the random visits that give you the opportunity to dose the medicine on a nut.

She looks like a healthy squirrel so hopefully she’ll be able to kick this on her own. Providing some healthy food and water would be helpful.

[TubeDriver]

Also, if you can get some 1.87% Ivermectin paste from Amazon, I can provide dosing. It only needs two doses (7 days apart), is flavored and will deal with lots of parasites including many internal worms.

[Kimi]

She lives in the nesting box in a tree in my backyard, so she visits every day. I think giving her the medication would not be a problem, but unfortunately I have not been able to locate any. Is it a good sign that the coughing does not seem to be constant? I followed her around on and off yesterday trying to get a video of it, but of course I only catch her coughing when I’m not prepared to video. Yesterday she was out quite a bit, today she was out early this morning briefly and is now in the nesting box. I stood outside the nesting box for a good 10-15 minutes just now and did not hear any coughing. Can I assume that resting is also good for a sick squirrel as it is humans? I will put out some water, and I regularly provide walnuts and almonds, and right now we have some pumpkins out. Is there anything else I should try to put out? I also contacted a local rehab center who said if I can get a video of the coughing and also catch her I can bring her in, but I’m just afraid catching her might cause too much stress. I’m really hoping that she can get better on her own. Are there any signs that I should be on the lookout for that things are more serious and should consider trying to trap her? Sorry for all the questions! This squirrel is just really special and I am so worried.

[Kimi]

A friend of mine runs a domestic rabbit rescue and has Doxycycline. She said the concentration is 50mg/ml liquid form. Would that work?

[TubeDriver]

I can't say for sure it will help (not knowing exactly what is causing this cough) but I will send dosing but without actual weight, I will just have to estimate weight at ~500g unless you have an estimated weight?

A friend of mine runs a domestic rabbit rescue and has Doxycycline. She said the concentration is 50mg/ml liquid form. Would that work?

[Mel1959]

She lives in the nesting box in a tree in my backyard, so she visits every day. I think giving her the medication would not be a problem, but unfortunately I have not been able to locate any. Is it a good sign that the coughing does not seem to be constant? I followed her around on and off yesterday trying to get a video of it, but of course I only catch her coughing when I’m not prepared to video. Yesterday she was out quite a bit, today she was out early this morning briefly and is now in the nesting box. I stood outside the nesting box for a good 10-15 minutes just now and did not hear any coughing. Can I assume that resting is also good for a sick squirrel as it is humans? I will put out some water, and I regularly provide walnuts and almonds, and right now we have some pumpkins out. Is there anything else I should try to put out? I also contacted a local rehab center who said if I can get a video of the coughing and also catch her I can bring her in, but I’m just afraid catching her might cause too much stress. I’m really hoping that she can get better on her own. Are there any signs that I should be on the lookout for that things are more serious and should consider trying to trap her? Sorry for all the questions! This squirrel is just really special and I am so worried.

You can put out Henrys Wild Bite rodent blocks. They are cheaper than the Picky Formula or the Hazelnut which are really well liked. They are loaded with vitamins and usually accepted by wild squirrels. 2-3 a day will provide all the necessary nutrients and will be helpful over the winter food shortage. I also provide avocado (no skin or pit), fresh coconut and fresh corn chunks occasionally dusted with calcium carbonate powder (no vitamin D). Corn is not one of the healthiest foods but they love it. The calcium helps it be a little more healthy.

[Kimi]

I don’t have a weight unfortunately. But here is a still picture from a video I took yesterday, so it is a more recent photo than the other, although she looks about the same size, maybe a little chubbier now.

[TubeDriver]

Sent PM

I don’t have a weight unfortunately. But here is a still picture from a video I took yesterday, so it is a more recent photo than the other, although she looks about the same size, maybe a little chubbier now.

[Rock Monkey]

Are there any signs that I should be on the lookout for that things are more serious and should consider trying to trap her? Sorry for all the questions! This squirrel is just really special and I am so worried.

For a healthy squirrel breathing is a quiet unremarkable event. Should this change, if breath becoming raspy, or continuously noisy, I would then become worried about aspiration pneumonia which moves very fast, the squirrel no longer gets enough oxygen and become lethargic and either cold or feverish.

If the above should occur, I would endeavor to treat immediately with antibiotics. However, from what you describe, that does not seem to be the case.

[Kimi]

I was able to get a video yesterday of the coughing in the link below. This morning she did this about 3-4 times within a 15 minute period also. I have doxycycline but have not administered this yet as I'm not sure if I should just watch her for a few days and see if she gets better on her own, or if in anyone's opinion this looks more concerning and I should start right away, or try to find a different medication. Thanks for all of your help by the way, you are all amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLOH...ature=youtu.be