Need help squirrel seizing not MBD

[KimK]

I am a licensed Rehabber in Georgia. I have a NR that was bitten by a cat when he was taken from his nest at roughly 1 week. He’s has several seizures at strange times throughout his life of 2 years (when putting him back into his cage, then and only then) until yesterday. His food is Henry’s blocks with veggies now with calcium and complete vitamins every 3rd day on every meal. His defecation throughout the day always has a light white sheen when dry about half the day. He’s started, the best I could describe, as a seizure storm yesterday. He’s in total had 10 yesterday and 2 since midnight last night. I can’t make him stay like this all day today again. I’ve given him benedryl, meloxicam, and gabapentin, he’s not been drinking great so I gave him lactated ringers solution sub-q late last night. I can’t find anything in my books and my other local rehabbers are the ones who had suggested the gabapentin and didn’t have any other ideas and didn’t know anything about a direct anticonvulsant. Does anyone have any information on a squirrel safe anticonvulsant? My vet is on vacation until Monday. Other vets that I take rehabs from are closed on weekends. Any advise would be appreciated!

[CritterMom]

You clearly know your stuff and have experience here - a couple observations just in case though. I am sure you know that getting SOME sort of sugar into them post or even during the seizure will help with recovery - a drop or two of honey or syrup or molasses or even some table sugar will be taken up quickly by the mucous membranes in the mouth even if they don't swallow it. Second, a subset of humans with idiopathic seizure disorder have discovered that boosting their magnesium levels dramatically helps reduce the number of seizures they have. It isn't that they are in a magnesium deficient lifestyle, more a situation where they are unable to utilize it as efficiently as most people do. The additional magnesium seems to raise the resistance to seizures. Now this little one is not idiopathic - clearly this is the result of the early injury, but once you hopefully get these under control, carefully increasing the magnesium levels in the diet and observing what happens - or hopefully DOESN'T happen might be worth a try. Carefully because magnesium will make you poop in too high amounts! Your squirrel will be happy to know that almonds are one of the highest natural sources of magnesium. We have had several people here who were able to control their squirrel's seizures with simply starting to give out almonds daily. It falls into the area of something that won't hurt and may help...

Do you have the ability to obtain an anticonvulsant if we get you your answer?

[Spanky]

Your squirrel will be happy to know that almonds are one of the highest natural sources of magnesium. We have had several people here who were able to control their squirrel's seizures with simply starting to give out almonds daily. It falls into the area of something that won't hurt and may help...

I personally have not had success using Gabapentin in treating / reducing seizures. I have one neuro boy that the almonds seem to do the trick. He used to get 2 almonds (morning and evening) a day and it would go months without a seizure. He started having them more frequent (monthly?) so I upped him to 3 almonds. He had a bout of seizures this Spring... so is is upped to 4 almonds (and I am praying this works from here on out because I don't like his getting 4 almonds a day and I am unwilling to add any more). He is a super terrific eater of his HHB's, veggies and a bit of fruit since I had him from a few weeks old and so a healthy diets (with the exception of extra almonds) is all he knows.

As mentioned several members have had their squirrels on phenobarbitol for seizures but I am not familiar with the dosing... this might help:
https://ratguide.com/health/neurological/seizures.php

[KimK]

Thank you so much! I’ve been giving him the molasses after every seizure too, sorry there’s so much in giving him I forgot to mention that. I do have Klonipin but not Valium and not phenobarbital. Once my vet opens tomorrow she’ll get me in first thing but he just seems so miserable, and that breaks my heart. He’s really lethargic today but only seized twice since midnight. Great idea on the magnesium, I’m really picky on any nuts I give him to make sure there are no pesticides used in growing them. Any suggestions on almonds I could get quickly that might be pesticide free? Do you know anything liquid based high in magnesium? I’m afraid he might not eat it. He’s not been a super great eater since this started. Really 1 pecan, spinach, and a few grape tomatoes (he’ll never turn down a tomato) is all he eaten since Friday night. I’ve offered food whenever he seems more mobile but more focused on keeping him hydrated.

Thank you again for the support!

[stepnstone]

I had a neuro squirrel that had cluster seizures, was given Valium to help him.
I do not remember how it was dosed but Valium did work to stop the seizures.
Months later I saw he was going into a seizure, I couldn't locate Valium fast
enough to help him and it took him. I would definitely speak with your vet about Valium.

[Charley Chuckles]

I have a squirrel who has seizures, she is on Phenobarbital. I didn't like her being on it for so many years (she is 9) I started using CBD and less Phenobarbital, it has worked wonderfully. I will always keep her on the meds as like Step said it can kill them if they need it and don't have it.