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Thread: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

  1. #1
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    Exclamation Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Hi everyone!
    I saw a sick Grey squirrel in Central Park today. I found her because red tail Hawk was after her. It was raining. She looked definitely distressed and weak. She was skinny and her ears were flapped down. After the hawk left, I tried to feed her with opened walnuts and peanuts but she couldn’t open her mouth. She seemed hungry and raised the food to her mouth but she couldn’t open it even for small piece of peanuts.
    I didn’t see any obvious injury outside her body or disproportional teeth growing outside.
    She took soft boo ball to her den and I left tray of fresh water by her tree.
    Could someone tell me what’s wrong with this squirrel and what can I do to help her?
    Thank you so much.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Perhaps tetanus? How did she carry the boo ball?

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Thank you, CrittaMom!
    I pasted the boo ball on the edge of her tree den, she picked them up by her hand and went in.
    Does tetanus go away?
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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Unfortunately, not on it's own. The attached article has some information:

    https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/de...239&id=4952625

    Nature can be very cruel...

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    Buddy (12-14-2020)

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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Thank you. Not sure what happened to this squirrel to cause this illness but the symptoms fits. Her face seems pulled back and the jaw locked. It is so upsetting.

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    Buddy (12-14-2020)

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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Quote Originally Posted by okamoto_yuki View Post
    Thank you, CrittaMom!
    I pasted the boo ball on the edge of her tree den, she picked them up by her hand and went in.
    Does tetanus go away?
    Poor baby...
    Animals are magical....Thank you everyone who tries to help them, save them tirelessly...

  9. #7
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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    It might be something other than tetanus, if this is the case than continuing to give soft foods could really help.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

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  11. #8
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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Thank you, Buddy. I will check her den tomorrow.
    Big snow storm coming in ny this week. Another thing to worry about. It is so tough to be out in the wild.

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    Buddy (12-15-2020)

  13. #9
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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Quote Originally Posted by TubeDriver View Post
    It might be something other than tetanus, if this is the case than continuing to give soft foods could really help.
    I will keep checking on her and make her as comfortable as possible.

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    Buddy (12-15-2020)

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    Default Re: Emergency help needed! Central Park sick squirrel can’t open her mouth.

    Hate to be a killjoy but this sounds like classic tetanus.
    Island Rehabber
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