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Thread: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

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    Exclamation Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Hi all...I became the proud mom of a fox squrrel a few months ago. She has no is of her back legs, I'm assuming from either a birth injury or a fall. It's not stopping her though. About 2 months ago... maybe a little longer she had a wound that ended up healing nicely. At that time, I was able to keep her inside, in a diaper with the area wrapped. Now she's too big and active for my small cage inside. She's developed a wound on her other leg. This one drags more. I have her on amoxil and I have access to IM gentamicin, but no vets will help me with dosing the gentamicin and she'll be put to sleep if anyone else takes her. She won't keep it wrapped and because of how her legs stay, she does urinate on it. I wash her daily with dawn just in this areas. She's fine other than the wound that's not improving, but not getting any better. HELP!!!!!

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Please guys, any help at all is appreciated.

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by CajunWoman View Post
    Hi all...I became the proud mom of a fox squrrel a few months ago. She has no is of her back legs, I'm assuming from either a birth injury or a fall. It's not stopping her though. About 2 months ago... maybe a little longer she had a wound that ended up healing nicely. At that time, I was able to keep her inside, in a diaper with the area wrapped. Now she's too big and active for my small cage inside. She's developed a wound on her other leg. This one drags more. I have her on amoxil and I have access to IM gentamicin, but no vets will help me with dosing the gentamicin and she'll be put to sleep if anyone else takes her. She won't keep it wrapped and because of how her legs stay, she does urinate on it. I wash her daily with dawn just in this areas. She's fine other than the wound that's not improving, but not getting any better. HELP!!!!!
    Hi CajunWoman and welcome to The Squirrel board! I am sorry that you have not yet had a response to your post! I am at work and have only very limited time in which to interact with members on TSB but I will get back to your Thread as time permits.

    What is the name of your Squirrel? Are that any signs of infection such as swelling, redness or drainage of pus? Do you know how your Squirrel sustained the wound? Where exactly is the wound located and is it superficial or does it look deep or are any underlying structures exposed such as muscle or bone? One of the best materials to use for wounds is Hypochlorous acid. It is very safe and is an excellent antiseptic! Another options is to apply a diluted Betadine solution. Do NOT use Betadine scrub; use only Betadine solution and mix 1 part Betadine solution with 9 pars clean fresh bottled water and gently flush the wound with this. The hypochlorous acid or the Betadine can be used twice a day. Oftentimes, a wound should be protected and we have found that wound healing is enhanced when a wound is NOT left out in the air and allowed to dry! Moist (NOT wet) wound healing is what most wound care specialists use. A wound can also be covered with an ointment which helps to keep it moist and protected. The wound should be clean before using this and you can apply a thin coat of plain petrolatum over the wound twice daily and as needed. I would strongly recommend AGAINST using any ointment such as Neosporin that contains Neomycin as in spite of the ads trying to market Neosporin; the neomycin component of this and other medicated ointments can be highly allergenic. A medicated option is to use Bacitracin ointment as the bacitracin is far less allergenic than neomycin BUT, studies have shown that plain petrolatum as a beneficial as a medicated ointment. This is probably because it's not the antibiotic that makes the difference, its the protection and enhanced moisture retention that are the significant factors. Another option for a clean wound is to try a hydrogel patch. Several variations of these are available at most any pharmacy or Amazon. Again, please post photos!

    I would not recommend use of the Gentamycin as it must be given IM or IV and there are some major risks to using it! Further, there are other antibiotics that are generally available that would likely be better and far safer than this that can be dosed orally! Amoxicillin can be very effective for streptococcal skin infections but there are commonly other bacteria present with skin infections that are not usually responsive to plain amoxicillin! Do you have access to Amoxicillin plus Clavulanate (a human brand is Augmentin) or for that matter; do you have access to any other antibiotics or can you get some from family or friends. Please post the name of whatever antibiotics you could have available and their strengths. In most cases, all that is needed is one antibiotic tablet for the entire dosing protocol. It will also be necessary to have the weight of your Squirrel determined accurately with a digital scale expressed preferably in Grams. Do you have any photos of the wound you post in your thread. Are there any other problems or concerns that you have beyond the wound?

    I wish the one of our Members, Snicker Bar; would see your Thread as she has several "neuro" Squirrels and has gained a vast experiential database caring for Squirrels such as yours. An option might be to send a Private Message to her and provide a link to your Thread in the PM.

    Thank you for your care, concern and your love for this little Squirrel.

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel

  4. Serious fuzzy thank you's to SamtheSquirrel2018 from:

    CajunWoman (10-20-2024)

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Hi CajunWoman:
    How is your little Squirrel doing?
    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel

  6. Serious fuzzy thank you's to SamtheSquirrel2018 from:

    CajunWoman (10-20-2024)

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by SamtheSquirrel2018 View Post
    Hi CajunWoman and welcome to The Squirrel board! I am sorry that you have not yet had a response to your post! I am at work and have only very limited time in which to interact with members on TSB but I will get back to your Thread as time permits.

    What is the name of your Squirrel? Are that any signs of infection such as swelling, redness or drainage of pus? Do you know how your Squirrel sustained the wound? Where exactly is the wound located and is it superficial or does it look deep or are any underlying structures exposed such as muscle or bone? One of the best materials to use for wounds is Hypochlorous acid. It is very safe and is an excellent antiseptic! Another options is to apply a diluted Betadine solution. Do NOT use Betadine scrub; use only Betadine solution and mix 1 part Betadine solution with 9 pars clean fresh bottled water and gently flush the wound with this. The hypochlorous acid or the Betadine can be used twice a day. Oftentimes, a wound should be protected and we have found that wound healing is enhanced when a wound is NOT left out in the air and allowed to dry! Moist (NOT wet) wound healing is what most wound care specialists use. A wound can also be covered with an ointment which helps to keep it moist and protected. The wound should be clean before using this and you can apply a thin coat of plain petrolatum over the wound twice daily and as needed. I would strongly recommend AGAINST using any ointment such as Neosporin that contains Neomycin as in spite of the ads trying to market Neosporin; the neomycin component of this and other medicated ointments can be highly allergenic. A medicated option is to use Bacitracin ointment as the bacitracin is far less allergenic than neomycin BUT, studies have shown that plain petrolatum as a beneficial as a medicated ointment. This is probably because it's not the antibiotic that makes the difference, its the protection and enhanced moisture retention that are the significant factors. Another option for a clean wound is to try a hydrogel patch. Several variations of these are available at most any pharmacy or Amazon. Again, please post photos!

    I would not recommend use of the Gentamycin as it must be given IM or IV and there are some major risks to using it! Further, there are other antibiotics that are generally available that would likely be better and far safer than this that can be dosed orally! Amoxicillin can be very effective for streptococcal skin infections but there are commonly other bacteria present with skin infections that are not usually responsive to plain amoxicillin! Do you have access to Amoxicillin plus Clavulanate (a human brand is Augmentin) or for that matter; do you have access to any other antibiotics or can you get some from family or friends. Please post the name of whatever antibiotics you could have available and their strengths. In most cases, all that is needed is one antibiotic tablet for the entire dosing protocol. It will also be necessary to have the weight of your Squirrel determined accurately with a digital scale expressed preferably in Grams. Do you have any photos of the wound you post in your thread. Are there any other problems or concerns that you have beyond the wound?

    I wish the one of our Members, Snicker Bar; would see your Thread as she has several "neuro" Squirrels and has gained a vast experiential database caring for Squirrels such as yours. An option might be to send a Private Message to her and provide a link to your Thread in the PM.

    Thank you for your care, concern and your love for this little Squirrel.

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel
    My squirrel is named Eleanor, but we call her many names such as Lovey, Ellie, Baby girl, etc...she got the wound from it rubbing on the bars of the cage, getting it irritated and when grooming... not realizing because she has VERY SLIGHT feeling that she is removing skin. I have tried to keep it covered. I was at first using mupirocin mixed with corigem and lightly covering, however, she somehow tightened the bandage when trying to pull it off and caused a worse issue, so I opted to leave it open. Since she has pulled the bandage tight... there has been swelling. It is just a surface wound, but each time she cleans herself, she pulls the scabs off. no pus or any other sx of infection. We completed amoxicillin with no success. I do have Bactrim DS and I can try to weigh her on our chicken scale, but she weighs about 1.5lbs. The wound is not worsening, but not improving. I will get a pic as soon as I can. She also uses her knees to walk on, which is the main issue and probably another reason it's not healing...she's dragging it. Some of her toes will move, but I don't think it's on purpose. I may just have to drive her nuts for a while and bring her inside in a tiny cage to keep a better eye on her.

    Thanks for responding.

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    She has actually lost a little weight. She weights 1lb right now.

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by CajunWoman View Post
    My squirrel is named Eleanor, but we call her many names such as Lovey, Ellie, Baby girl, etc...she got the wound from it rubbing on the bars of the cage, getting it irritated and when grooming... not realizing because she has VERY SLIGHT feeling that she is removing skin. I have tried to keep it covered. I was at first using mupirocin mixed with corigem and lightly covering, however, she somehow tightened the bandage when trying to pull it off and caused a worse issue, so I opted to leave it open. Since she has pulled the bandage tight... there has been swelling. It is just a surface wound, but each time she cleans herself, she pulls the scabs off. no pus or any other sx of infection. We completed amoxicillin with no success. I do have Bactrim DS and I can try to weigh her on our chicken scale, but she weighs about 1.5lbs. The wound is not worsening, but not improving. I will get a pic as soon as I can. She also uses her knees to walk on, which is the main issue and probably another reason it's not healing...she's dragging it. Some of her toes will move, but I don't think it's on purpose. I may just have to drive her nuts for a while and bring her inside in a tiny cage to keep a better eye on her.

    Thanks for responding.

    Quote Originally Posted by CajunWoman View Post
    She has actually lost a little weight. She weights 1lb right now.
    Thanks for responding, CajunWoman and thanks for introducing Eleanor (AKA Lovey, Ellie, Baby girl)! Am I correct in assuming after reading your latest post that there are no signs of infection at the wound site (or anywhere else, hopefully) and that the only issues beyond the hind limb weakness are the wound that is disturbed so often that healing has not been able to effectively occur or even significantly progress and and an apparent weight loss? Did you actually weigh Eleanor at one time to get the weight of 1.5 pounds or was this an estimate? Was the weight of 1 pound an actual weight obtained from digital scales? I don't know a thing about Corigem except from having heard about it and I can't make any recommendation about its continued use. Have your tried just plain petrolatum? Is there any drainage from the wound? One option if there was at least some drainage would be a hydrocolloid dressing pad. The hydrocolloid dressing pad forms a gel with small amounts of normal wound drainage and this dressing remains moist and protective and can be left on an uninfected wound usually for at least 2-3 days! This may be an option! If there is no drainage whatsoever from the wound, a Hydrogel pad may be better than the hydrocolloid as the hydrocolloid requires at least a small amount of drainage to effect the optimal function of the gel. The hydrogel is effective even with low or no drainage as it avidly absorbs moisture and either a hydrocolloid dressing pad or a Hydrogel dressing pad will keep the wound moist and aid in protection of the wound which will in turn aid in healing! I would not recommend using the Bactrim if there is no infection!

    The perennial question but this is so because of its great importance is; what specifically makes up Eleanor's diet?

    Please do try to post some photos of the wound and ideally, it would be nice to have a video showing how Eleanor gets around. There is no way to directly attach a video to a post but a video can be uploaded to YouTube and a link to this can be placed in a post.

    I hope that by my posting, this thread will be BUMPED back in view and hopefully others who have experience with paraplegic Squirrels can give their opinions and recommendations!

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by SamtheSquirrel2018 View Post
    Thanks for responding, CajunWoman and thanks for introducing Eleanor (AKA Lovey, Ellie, Baby girl)! Am I correct in assuming after reading your latest post that there are no signs of infection at the wound site (or anywhere else, hopefully) and that the only issues beyond the hind limb weakness are the wound that is disturbed so often that healing has not been able to effectively occur or even significantly progress and and an apparent weight loss? Did you actually weigh Eleanor at one time to get the weight of 1.5 pounds or was this an estimate? Was the weight of 1 pound an actual weight obtained from digital scales? I don't know a thing about Corigem except from having heard about it and I can't make any recommendation about its continued use. Have your tried just plain petrolatum? Is there any drainage from the wound? One option if there was at least some drainage would be a hydrocolloid dressing pad. The hydrocolloid dressing pad forms a gel with small amounts of normal wound drainage and this dressing remains moist and protective and can be left on an uninfected wound usually for at least 2-3 days! This may be an option! If there is no drainage whatsoever from the wound, a Hydrogel pad may be better than the hydrocolloid as the hydrocolloid requires at least a small amount of drainage to effect the optimal function of the gel. The hydrogel is effective even with low or no drainage as it avidly absorbs moisture and either a hydrocolloid dressing pad or a Hydrogel dressing pad will keep the wound moist and aid in protection of the wound which will in turn aid in healing! I would not recommend using the Bactrim if there is no infection!

    The perennial question but this is so because of its great importance is; what specifically makes up Eleanor's diet?

    Please do try to post some photos of the wound and ideally, it would be nice to have a video showing how Eleanor gets around. There is no way to directly attach a video to a post but a video can be uploaded to YouTube and a link to this can be placed in a post.

    I hope that by my posting, this thread will be BUMPED back in view and hopefully others who have experience with paraplegic Squirrels can give their opinions and recommendations!

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel
    Thanks for responding

    I estimated the weight previously and actually weighed her to get the 1lb. You are correct that there are no signs of infection, just some swelling caused when she pulled her dressing tighter that has not yet resolved and the delayed healing due to do much contact. I'm afraid I will not be able to keep a dressing on the area. She is VERY active and I'm not sure it will stay due to her movement and her chewing it off. I have not tried petroleum yet. Diet was listed, but she gets fruits and/or veggies daily as well as greens and nuts and seeds (Squirrel lover's bird food,pumpkin seeds, in shell raw peanuts, other various raw nuts all mixed by me). She runs/ walks by dragging her hood legs... they are crisscross behind her and occasionally will get up on her knees. She also gets the occasional flowers such as magnolia, gardenia and crepe myrtle. I will try to post the video with her on her harness running through the grass.

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by CajunWoman View Post
    Thanks for responding

    I estimated the weight previously and actually weighed her to get the 1lb. You are correct that there are no signs of infection, just some swelling caused when she pulled her dressing tighter that has not yet resolved and the delayed healing due to do much contact. I'm afraid I will not be able to keep a dressing on the area. She is VERY active and I'm not sure it will stay due to her movement and her chewing it off. I have not tried petroleum yet. Diet was listed, but she gets fruits and/or veggies daily as well as greens and nuts and seeds (Squirrel lover's bird food,pumpkin seeds, in shell raw peanuts, other various raw nuts all mixed by me). She runs/ walks by dragging her hood legs... they are crisscross behind her and occasionally will get up on her knees. She also gets the occasional flowers such as magnolia, gardenia and crepe myrtle. I will try to post the video with her on her harness running through the grass.
    Hello again CajunWoman and thank you for your response! I am at work as is not uncommon and just "checked in" with TSB and noticed your latest post! I must be very honest with you and what I am concerned about as being the direct cause of Eleanor's hind end weakness/paralysis may be Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and if not, her diet as you mentioned is almost a guarantee that MBD will develop! One of the most common signs of MBD is a hind end weakness! MBD is where the usually Calcium stores in the bones becomes critically depleted and this can result in a multitude of signs including paralysis, weakness, decreased appetite, seizures and many other problems and it can even be fatal! MBD develops from not enough Calcium intake, excessive Phosphorus intake (phosphorus, in the diet interferes with absorption and utilization of Calcium) or a combination of both of these and the combination is most common! The diet you describe is extremely high in phosphorus and low in Calcium and is truly a High Risk Diet!! I am not in any way being judgmental or "pouncing on you" in any way by making these comments! I know that you love Eleanor and you want only the best for her! Care of a captive Squirrel, especially in regard to diet, is almost completely different form what would be ok to feed wild Squirrels who still maintain much of their usual normal wild diet even thought they may get some treats from people. We see similar variations of Eleanor's diet all too often and that is one reason I asked about her diet and if anyone needs be "pounced upon" it should be me for not asking about Eleanor's diet sooner! Much of what you mentioned as making up her diet; namely the seeds, bird foods, peanuts (by the way, peanuts are not true nuts, they are legumes) and the like are high in phosphorus low in Calcium and can lead to MBD and for a captive Squirrel; fruits and true nuts are not nutritionally for a Squirrel are NEVER recommended as comprising any part of a captive Squirrel's diet and the fruits and nuts (except NEVER give Brazil nuts under any circumstances) are only to be used as occasional treats and given only IF the Squirrel's basic nutritional status is optimal!

    Does Eleanor get any quality Rodent Blocks such as Henry's Healthy Blocks, Teklad 2018 or Mazuri Rat Mouse Diet? For a captive Squirrel. quality /blocks should comprise at least 80% of the Squirrels diet and the remainder should be healthy foods on the lower levels of Henry's Healthy Foods Pyramid. Here is a link to the pyramid for you reference; https://henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/

    Not only did I inadvertently neglect until recently to ask about Eleanor's diet, I also neglected to ask about how you came to be sharing your life with Eleanor! Did you find Eleanor as an adult in the wild as she is with her hind limb weakness already present or did someone give you Eleanor and if so, was that person providing the same diet that you are now using? This would certainly suggest an injury or disease rather than a primary nutritional deficiency but even if so, her diet is not healthy and development of MBD will add problems to those already existing and this nutritional based condition can make a pre-existing hind limb weakness worse or make any potential improvement or recovery impossible!

    I am pasting links to Henry's Pets Information page on MBD and also the emergent treatment of MBD;
    https://henryspets.com/what-is-metabolic-bone-disease/
    https://henryspets.com/emergency-treatment-for-mbd/

    I would also highly recommend that you start the Emergency Treatment for MBD immediately as even if MBD does not exist, the current diet puts Eleanor at extremely high risk for its development. Also, if MBD is later definitively ruled out, the Emergency Treatment is harmless but more to the point; if Eleanor does have MBD, the treatment can help prevent new problems for arising, may help with resolution at least to some degree of her current problems and can even be a life saver! Please read the MBD Information and the Emergency Treatment and again, I would humbly suggest that you give Eleanor a Tums (or a generic Calcium carbonate tablet) now, stop her current diet, obtain some Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet which is available at most all pet stores including PetSmart and order some Henry's Healthy Blocks as those are a highly concentrated diet for Squirrel with the proper amounts of Calcium and the ideal balance of Calcium to phosphorus. An extra source of Calcium is also essential and the Tums is quite good but a quality source of plain Calcium Carbonate powder with NO added Vitamin D is also a good part of the treatment!

    By the way, what are you using for water for Eleanor! A captive (pet or release candidate) must have a continuous source of clean fresh water available! This can be a hanging water bottle system and/or a shallow bowl with some pebbles (1/2-1 inch size) in the bottom to help prevent tipping of the bowl and to prevent the Squirrel from putting her face too deeply into the bowl and possibly aspirating (getting the water into the lungs)!

    I am respectfully asking for the answers to my few additional questions about use of any Blocks and about Eleanor's life and diet (if known to you) before you two met!

    Thank you and please keep posting updates! I must return to my work responsibilities but I will check back as I am able and others are her as well! Please give Eleanor a gentle Squirrel-hug from me! And again, I am NOT being judgmental of you at all, CajunWoman! Caring for a captive Squirrel is really quite specialized and nobody knows how to do it without some learning going on; but most can do it well once the basics are understood! Diet is a major issue for captive Squirrels because the need a relatively large amount of Calcium and minimal phosphorus and recognition of what constitutes treats for a captive squirrel and strict adherence to an optimal diet!

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by SamtheSquirrel2018 View Post
    Hello again CajunWoman and thank you for your response! I am at work as is not uncommon and just "checked in" with TSB and noticed your latest post! I must be very honest with you and what I am concerned about as being the direct cause of Eleanor's hind end weakness/paralysis may be Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and if not, her diet as you mentioned is almost a guarantee that MBD will develop! One of the most common signs of MBD is a hind end weakness! MBD is where the usually Calcium stores in the bones becomes critically depleted and this can result in a multitude of signs including paralysis, weakness, decreased appetite, seizures and many other problems and it can even be fatal! MBD develops from not enough Calcium intake, excessive Phosphorus intake (phosphorus, in the diet interferes with absorption and utilization of Calcium) or a combination of both of these and the combination is most common! The diet you describe is extremely high in phosphorus and low in Calcium and is truly a High Risk Diet!! I am not in any way being judgmental or "pouncing on you" in any way by making these comments! I know that you love Eleanor and you want only the best for her! Care of a captive Squirrel, especially in regard to diet, is almost completely different form what would be ok to feed wild Squirrels who still maintain much of their usual normal wild diet even thought they may get some treats from people. We see similar variations of Eleanor's diet all too often and that is one reason I asked about her diet and if anyone needs be "pounced upon" it should be me for not asking about Eleanor's diet sooner! Much of what you mentioned as making up her diet; namely the seeds, bird foods, peanuts (by the way, peanuts are not true nuts, they are legumes) and the like are high in phosphorus low in Calcium and can lead to MBD and for a captive Squirrel; fruits and true nuts are not nutritionally for a Squirrel are NEVER recommended as comprising any part of a captive Squirrel's diet and the fruits and nuts (except NEVER give Brazil nuts under any circumstances) are only to be used as occasional treats and given only IF the Squirrel's basic nutritional status is optimal!

    Does Eleanor get any quality Rodent Blocks such as Henry's Healthy Blocks, Teklad 2018 or Mazuri Rat Mouse Diet? For a captive Squirrel. quality /blocks should comprise at least 80% of the Squirrels diet and the remainder should be healthy foods on the lower levels of Henry's Healthy Foods Pyramid. Here is a link to the pyramid for you reference; https://henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/

    Not only did I inadvertently neglect until recently to ask about Eleanor's diet, I also neglected to ask about how you came to be sharing your life with Eleanor! Did you find Eleanor as an adult in the wild as she is with her hind limb weakness already present or did someone give you Eleanor and if so, was that person providing the same diet that you are now using? This would certainly suggest an injury or disease rather than a primary nutritional deficiency but even if so, her diet is not healthy and development of MBD will add problems to those already existing and this nutritional based condition can make a pre-existing hind limb weakness worse or make any potential improvement or recovery impossible!

    I am pasting links to Henry's Pets Information page on MBD and also the emergent treatment of MBD;
    https://henryspets.com/what-is-metabolic-bone-disease/
    https://henryspets.com/emergency-treatment-for-mbd/

    I would also highly recommend that you start the Emergency Treatment for MBD immediately as even if MBD does not exist, the current diet puts Eleanor at extremely high risk for its development. Also, if MBD is later definitively ruled out, the Emergency Treatment is harmless but more to the point; if Eleanor does have MBD, the treatment can help prevent new problems for arising, may help with resolution at least to some degree of her current problems and can even be a life saver! Please read the MBD Information and the Emergency Treatment and again, I would humbly suggest that you give Eleanor a Tums (or a generic Calcium carbonate tablet) now, stop her current diet, obtain some Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet which is available at most all pet stores including PetSmart and order some Henry's Healthy Blocks as those are a highly concentrated diet for Squirrel with the proper amounts of Calcium and the ideal balance of Calcium to phosphorus. An extra source of Calcium is also essential and the Tums is quite good but a quality source of plain Calcium Carbonate powder with NO added Vitamin D is also a good part of the treatment!

    By the way, what are you using for water for Eleanor! A captive (pet or release candidate) must have a continuous source of clean fresh water available! This can be a hanging water bottle system and/or a shallow bowl with some pebbles (1/2-1 inch size) in the bottom to help prevent tipping of the bowl and to prevent the Squirrel from putting her face too deeply into the bowl and possibly aspirating (getting the water into the lungs)!

    I am respectfully asking for the answers to my few additional questions about use of any Blocks and about Eleanor's life and diet (if known to you) before you two met!

    Thank you and please keep posting updates! I must return to my work responsibilities but I will check back as I am able and others are her as well! Please give Eleanor a gentle Squirrel-hug from me! And again, I am NOT being judgmental of you at all, CajunWoman! Caring for a captive Squirrel is really quite specialized and nobody knows how to do it without some learning going on; but most can do it well once the basics are understood! Diet is a major issue for captive Squirrels because the need a relatively large amount of Calcium and minimal phosphorus and recognition of what constitutes treats for a captive squirrel and strict adherence to an optimal diet!

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel
    Ok...she is VERY healthy other than her wound. She was checked prior to me receiving her. A local rehabber gave her to me. She had broken low back. Has absolutely no use of her hind legs due to the injury. Not MBD. She is getting some calcium supplements, but not many as the local vet actually stated that she could form crystals if given too much. I cannot bring her in because it is illegal for me to have her, but I am gathering info from before I received her as well as the rehabber. She, her brother and sister were found in a tree that had fallen. That's when she broke her low back. She was on formula when I first saw her and just weaned when I received her.

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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by CajunWoman View Post
    Ok...she is VERY healthy other than her wound. She was checked prior to me receiving her. A local rehabber gave her to me. She had broken low back. Has absolutely no use of her hind legs due to the injury. Not MBD. She is getting some calcium supplements, but not many as the local vet actually stated that she could form crystals if given too much. I cannot bring her in because it is illegal for me to have her, but I am gathering info from before I received her as well as the rehabber. She, her brother and sister were found in a tree that had fallen. That's when she broke her low back. She was on formula when I first saw her and just weaned when I received her.
    Thanks CajunWoman! I'm glad that there are no issues other than the wound and of course the hind limb paralysis! That being said, I am still very concerned about Eleanor's diet because much of what you are describing can adversely affect calcium absorption and calcium utilization and storage in the body and may easily cause MBD! Does Eleanor get any quality Blocks in her diet? I know I've pushed my diet concerns and I won't dwell this any more but if you do reconsider and would like to have some specific suggestions as to an optimal diet for a captive Squirrel, we can help you!

    There are number of threads on TSB dealing with paraplegic or even quadriplegic Squirrels. Here is a link that may help and also may present some possibilities for contacting people with this specialized experience! A "skute" is often used which helps protect the hind limbs from injury! In addition to the screen names present on this thread, another possibility for contact is Snicker Bar who has several "neuro" Squirrels and is also very experienced! https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...highlight=para

    My response will once again Bump your thread back in view!

    Please keep on with updates about Eleanor!

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel

  14. #12
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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by SamtheSquirrel2018 View Post
    Thanks CajunWoman! I'm glad that there are no issues other than the wound and of course the hind limb paralysis! That being said, I am still very concerned about Eleanor's diet because much of what you are describing can adversely affect calcium absorption and calcium utilization and storage in the body and may easily cause MBD! Does Eleanor get any quality Blocks in her diet? I know I've pushed my diet concerns and I won't dwell this any more but if you do reconsider and would like to have some specific suggestions as to an optimal diet for a captive Squirrel, we can help you!

    There are number of threads on TSB dealing with paraplegic or even quadriplegic Squirrels. Here is a link that may help and also may present some possibilities for contacting people with this specialized experience! A "skute" is often used which helps protect the hind limbs from injury! In addition to the screen names present on this thread, another possibility for contact is Snicker Bar who has several "neuro" Squirrels and is also very experienced! https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...highlight=para

    My response will once again Bump your thread back in view!

    Please keep on with updates about Eleanor!

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel
    4 Days difference after bringing her inside. Corigem and wonderdust on day 1-3 and just wonderdust this morning Name:  20241027_184329.jpg
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  15. #13
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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Do you sew?

    She needs a drag bag - a bag you can pull up over her legs and fasten at the waist. Sew it so that you can tuck maxipads into it to absorb urine so she isn't confined with her own pee on her skin. This is the ONLY way to prevent drag sores like this. She will basically need to be in it all the time - once you perfect one, make several so you can keep her nice and clean with a fresh bag every day.

  16. Serious fuzzy thank you's to CritterMom from:

    Chirps (11-03-2024)

  17. #14
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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    Do you sew?

    She needs a drag bag - a bag you can pull up over her legs and fasten at the waist. Sew it so that you can tuck maxipads into it to absorb urine so she isn't confined with her own pee on her skin. This is the ONLY way to prevent drag sores like this. She will basically need to be in it all the time - once you perfect one, make several so you can keep her nice and clean with a fresh bag every day.

    I do sew some. I've been keeping her in modified micro Preemie Diapers or washable Diapers more recently. I'm going to try to modify her large cage so she doesn't rub/drag her legs on the horizontal bars when she climbs up the cage and remove the grate at the bottom instead of covering it... she just eats the covering anyway. She will also be inside from now on so I can watch her closer.

  18. #15
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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Quote Originally Posted by SamtheSquirrel2018 View Post
    Thanks CajunWoman! I'm glad that there are no issues other than the wound and of course the hind limb paralysis! That being said, I am still very concerned about Eleanor's diet because much of what you are describing can adversely affect calcium absorption and calcium utilization and storage in the body and may easily cause MBD! Does Eleanor get any quality Blocks in her diet? I know I've pushed my diet concerns and I won't dwell this any more but if you do reconsider and would like to have some specific suggestions as to an optimal diet for a captive Squirrel, we can help you!

    There are number of threads on TSB dealing with paraplegic or even quadriplegic Squirrels. Here is a link that may help and also may present some possibilities for contacting people with this specialized experience! A "skute" is often used which helps protect the hind limbs from injury! In addition to the screen names present on this thread, another possibility for contact is Snicker Bar who has several "neuro" Squirrels and is also very experienced! https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...highlight=para

    My response will once again Bump your thread back in view!

    Please keep on with updates about Eleanor!

    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel
    So, just a little update. She is improving daily since she's been moved inside and has gained some weight back. We went for a walk today in the grass and she enjoyed a few of her foraging finds... then something scared her and that was it lol she would not move from where she was in the Pic. Now we are leaving open to air, she stays in a diaper.. I'll post pics of those ... so the wound doesn't stay wet. Before anyone asks, yes I'm changing very frequently. She doesn't like my chihuahua, but likes his bed so... that's a little war between them that we're working on. I'll also send a pic of her in my pocket because she was scared of the thunder the other night. I want to thank you all for the input. I did add calcium and some rodent food to her diet just in case. Name:  20241102_122935.jpg
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  19. #16
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    Default Re: Squirrel mom who needs help with a wound

    Thank you for posting these spectacular photos Eleanor Squirrel! She's beautiful! Thank you also for the love and care you bestow upon this Little One!
    Please keep on with updates!
    Regards,
    SamtheSquirrel

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