Pox Treatment with Acyclovir/zovirax/valtrex

[island rehabber]

This treatment was successfully used to cure squirrels with early onset fibroma (pox):

– Acyclovir 1/40 mg/ml (sometimes it’s called 5/200) in suspension mixed into their formula. Dosage .3ml BID. After weaning I gave it in whatever they would eat, avocado, Henrys Healthy Block, walnut half.

– Nutri-feron, 1/2 tab mixed in 20cc water. Dosage .4ml BID

– SMZ-TMP (Sulfatrim, Bactrim) for those with serious lesions near eye…dose .2 BID

Key word is DRY. Lesions while red and active need to be washed as often as you can with diluted Betadine, then apply Gold Bond Medicated Powder liberally. Bedding should be paper — absorbent paper towels or Care Fresh. You want to avoid dampness at ALL COSTS. Dampness spreads pox.

Pox is contagious for weeks and takes weeks to manifest itself. You MUST catch it early, so check all intakes for pox especially around eyes, under arms, on the toes and in groin area. Also along underside of tail.
If babies come in looking horrible with more than 12-15 open or oozing lesions, euthanize. At that point they are suffering and rarely does this treatment beat the pox.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

This treatment was successfully used to cure squirrels with early onset fibroma (pox):

[COLOR=#333333]– Acyclovir 1/40 mg/ml (sometimes it’s called 5/200) in suspension mixed into their formula. Dosage .3ml BID.

Hi IR
Please clarify the Acyclovir dosing for this protocol. The manufacturer's standard for acyclovir suspension is for 1 teaspoonful (5ml) to contain 200mg of acyclovir. To get to 1/40th mg of acyclovir in each ml would require quite some diluting! It just seems like I'm missing something and I suspect a step or part of the "recipe" was transcribed in error! Certain I mean no offense probably it's me! I've been a little down from my usual low-end mental acuity lately anyway following my unexpected medical incident and associated issues so I suspect those all may explain my befuddlement!

Here is how my pecan sized brain interprets all of this;

This diluting process could be accomplished several ways but as an example; let's say we start with 1ml of the original suspension. This would contain 40mg of acyclovir (200mg/5=40mg). Then we could add 39ml of additional diluent (water I guess) to get 1mg of acyclovir per ml of suspension. To get 1/40 mg per ml we would need to take 1 ml of this new dilution (which contains 40mg of acyclovir) and add 39ml of additional diluent to this 1ml. This final dilution would contain 1/40th mg of acyclovir suspended in 1 ml which would result in an astoundingly low concentration of acyclovir (1mg/40=0.025mg)! Then, when we give 0.3ml of this final dilution, we will be giving the Squirrel only 0.0075mg per dose! This is almost a homeopathic dosing!
Regards,
(StS)

[TubeDriver]

Maybe if you start with the original solution (5/200) and take .3ml, you would be dosing the animal with 12mg of acyclovir. That would be about 22mg/kg dosing for a ~500g squirrel? This sounds like a roughly reasonable amount. Maybe PO for 7 days? Maura can confirm or tell me I am reading this completely wrong.

I have seen 10mg/kg PO for dogs. The LD50 oral for rats is 20g/kg and for mice its 10g/kg so we are way, way under that.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Maybe if you start with the original solution (5/200) and take .3ml, you would be dosing the animal with 12mg of acyclovir. That would be about 22mg/kg dosing for a ~500g squirrel? This sounds like a roughly reasonable amount. Maybe PO for 7 days? Maura can confirm or tell me I am reading this completely wrong.

I have seen 10mg/kg PO for dogs. The LD50 oral for rats is 20g/kg and for mice its 10g/kg so we are way, way under that.

That sounds reasonable! Thanks!
StS

[supersquirrelgirl]

You guys have a 3 hr headstart in the morning to me. The 4~5am get-up from jet lag is wearing off.

I thought the same as TD. 200mg/5ml = 40mg/1ml or 1/40 mentioned. then 0.3ml for 12mg dose. Reasonable when compared to other animal dose amounts. Just need to have some confirmation as this is meds into squirrels.

[island rehabber]

Dosage looks correct to me however I would continue for far more than seven days I gave my guys the acyclovir for at least 4 weeks until all lesions had dried up and faded away.

[Squirreldaddy]

[Pfcrane]

I have a 6 week old EGS for 2 weeks just diagnosed with fibroma(pox). Started acyclovir last night. Nutriferon on order. What is the typical progression of the disease? She has had bumps for several days but no open lesions. She was with 9 other EGS 6-7 weeks old until diagnosis and isolation. She also has malocclusion so eating soft foods only. Any other advise on care for best outcome?
Thanks.
Pfcrane

[TubeDriver]

It sounds like you have the main meds covered, sometime ABs may be needed if there are secondary infections so just keep an eye out. Pox progression seems highly variable but supportive care/good nutrition to help aid general health and immune response is important. No lesions yet around the eyes which is good.

I have a 6 week old EGS for 2 weeks just diagnosed with fibroma(pox). Started acyclovir last night. Nutriferon on order. What is the typical progression of the disease? She has had bumps for several days but no open lesions. She was with 9 other EGS 6-7 weeks old until diagnosis and isolation. She also has malocclusion so eating soft foods only. Any other advise on care for best outcome?
Thanks.
Pfcrane