Eye infection, lethargic for 3 days in a row, PLEASE HELP

[Salty]

nothing here

[BigNibbler]

Hi Salty! Not sure what you mean by "nothing here". Was that a question, comment, fragment? Very confused.
I posted a reply of some length to you, on April 13th, and did check the following days for a reply.
Last night, after I had shut my computer, I noticed via my phone, your detailed response and I am about to respond in at least three parts.
Will be posting a very detailed recipe following over 18 months of research on this for MySquirrel.

Wrote the above just in case your "nothing here" was referring to me.

[BigNibbler]

In my attempt to reply in a way that my in line responses to your replies to my numbered questions (not originally quoted by you) my responses now appear WITHIN the quote box of your posting. And the rest shows below for reference.

Hello BigNibbler!

1. and 3. He does but not a lot. He will stay in his outside cage for 10 minutes maximum, couple times a day. Usually, it is less than 10 minutes, but with the warmer weather coming, it hopefully will be more time. I could lock him there, but i wish he would go in it by his own will.
Well you should check the weather report, specifically the UV Index, which often corresponds to overhead sun position, and extended a few hours later, than earlier.
IF you decide to lock him out, make sure he has fresh water, and some veggies he likes.

2. Not sure about calcium. We force feed with syringe. What is the reason to go to calcium citrate?

Try eating some calcium carbonate. Put it on your palate. Now do the same with Calcium citrate. Which you prefer?
ALSO and This is important, you should buy a NEW COFFEE GRINDER, and only use it to GRIND the Calcium.
Look, I understand that calcium carbonate has twice the amount of elemental calcium as calcium citrate, but WHAT GOOD IS THAT, if he hates it, if your forcing it into him isn't a loving experience he can appreciate and if it makes his tummy hurt, or if all of this leads him to EAT LESS between squirts!

I can suggest a grinder that will work well. Calcium grinding does take a toll on most grinders. Don't use one ever used for coffee, due to the aroma it will transfer to the calcium. Switch to Calcium Citrate. I can recommend product for both calcium citrate and the grinder, if you will take my advice.

I think this is a critical time for him.

Feeding with a syringe, I had at times thought was the most efficient way to get Calcium in him. IN emergency, it can be and I have a specific mix I have tested, that I will share. However, for him to thrive he needs to feel good. Using a syringe, is a challenge. The calcium does not stay suspended evenly in the water. You need to be adept at spinning the syringe in a way that actually keeps the minerals in the water being squirted. The syringe needs to be inserted right at the extreme corner of his mouth, with just the right nipple length, and if you squirt it, you need to do so in a slow, sustained predictable way so he will SWALLOW, not get in his lungs. You should not need a second set of hands. Just practiced technique to keep his arms swaddled in a wrap around, while controlling the angle of his head and able to control the syringe, which should be clearly marked so you know exactly your delivery goal.

HOWEVER their will be varying efficiencies between servings and sometimes he will slobber, more than swallow.
The syringe has to be pointed up, and his mouth down on to it. Immediately the Calcium in suspension will start to sink.
It all is clumsy.
I have a recipe for Calcium and Magnesium which works but has other issues.
The experience is somewhat traumatic. If he slobbers, he needs to be cleaned immediately to prevent the drying of the calcium, which hardens to crystal and is uncomfortable and dangerous, and hard to soften later. That needs all kinds of warm water attention and then drying.

These stresses will likely mean less of an appetite!

For him to thrive, he needs to take in calories, so he needs to eat more, not less and be able to grow muscle, from exercise
4. If you mean what he eats most, it would be citruses( oranges, mandarins, grapefruit), persimmon, mango and lately papaya.
I think Papaya is great. Try to get him to eat more of that, STOP THE PERSIMMON, that is high in Phosphorus and most citrus are not great for kidneys, or not a positive Calcium balance.

I had asked what the physical array of his food looked like. My point is that if you only have the food in one spot, he will for sure, eat less than if he comes across it in multiple spots. Try this experiment with him.
Over the course of a half hour, offer him by hand, a food that he likes, and that you want him to eat, like the Papaya. Keep offering it to him between and within interactions. So that in the course of thirty minutes you hold him and the food, and present the food to his mouth/nose for him to get interested in it, at least TWENTY times. If you do that I think you will find that he eats more than if you just present it to him ONCE!
Similarly, him passing the food that he already likes, multiple times, due to it being in various places, increases the likelihood of him be sold what you want him to eat!

Give me some feedback, that you are following what I am saying. And I will continue ...



On different days he will prefer one thing over another. He only has his lower teeth, although he manages to shred those blocks. But he cannot eat leaves, which he did before, and the way i know is this: He used to raid our paper towel supply, he would rip one off the roll and then would stuff his mouth with it, and took it to one of his squirrel caves, and shred it there for bed. Now, i watched him try to tear one sheet off the roll, and he almost immediately gives up on it, even though he wants to do it.
5. Not yet.
6. Yes he completed a course of Amoxicillin-Clav this February.
7. He is over 6 y.o. We have a dog, and used to have a cat. They would do something that can be called 'playing', but it is very rare this happens.
8. At least half of the day he will sit on somebody, we will play with him too, but taking it with playing easy for now.
Can you engage him playing with a stuffy toy, or with a long cloth, or an old trouser leg. Can you get him to want to get hold of a black walnut, (unlikely that he will be able to open it due to his teeth, so diet-wise it is safe, but you can have him try to find it and wrest if from you, as you switch hands, etc. He needs activity.

It would be great to know your blocks recipe, in case we need to substitute syringe feeding with something that does not require two people to administer, which might happen in the near future. Little worried about leaving him with no calcium, even for a short period of time.

OK part of one of my reply...
So your response are to this, Not quoted by you, so pasted again here:
1] Is he getting sun regularly?
2] Are you open to changing his diet, particularly from Calcium Carbonate to Calcium Citrate?
3] How much time does he get outside of a cage?
4] If I were to see his food array, how would it be arranged? Physically laid out I mean?
5] I speed read and think I had read your thread.. but to sum up for new visitors - has he been to a vet at all? X Rays?
6] Been on antibiotics?
7] How old is he? Is he a singleton or does he have playmates.
8] How much time daily do you spend with him?

I had started some diet threads, but did not see much interest here on TSB about them.
They centered on my trying to find a calcium delivery diet to help MySquirrel a nearly 12 year old female that has since turned into a nearly 13 year old!
She had a UTI which was a set back, I think due to my use of seriously outdated antibiotic, or it being for too short a duration.

Now she is once again rebounding.. and after much diet experimentation I can see daily variation in her behavior based on how much of my special blend of mix she has consumed in the three days prior.

I don't know if I would subject her to surgery - something your squirrel might in fact need.
I don't know if you could find a squirrel friendly and safe vet.
Nor do I know how the visit by a prey-species vegetarian, to a predator filled waiting room/facility might cause painful anxiety in your squirrel.
One of the first things I did upon becoming a rehabber was to build a euthanization chamber.

Over the past two years I have shared a great deal of quality time with MySquirrel and daily she shows me that she values that time.
Last year, I designed a ramp systems to allow her to navigate all about her room, without having to climb or jump, and lately she has been in what I call Sick Bay, a single level 4 foot high walled plastic box that I custom built to allow for all of her needs. I will not have any regrets when she leaves me, and I will help her leave if and when her daily life is seems to be more discomfort than pleasure...

But currently she is gaining weight, eating better and at this rate, may be out of sick bay in a few weeks.
The HHBs she eats, does not show as overcoming MBD.

Your squirrel's intake of calcium is directly related to your squirrel's consumption of calcium rich foods.
That is directly related to how often she comes across those foods.
IF she is shredding the HHBs, maybe try a different HHB flavor.
Try moistening them by steaming them, or dropping them into water for a moment.
STS's idea of a molasses drop by might work.

IF the teeth are not the problem and you want a recipe for calcium delivery, let me know.. eventually I will add it to my thread but want to have as much empirical evidence behind it as possible... I am constantly tweaking it, very slightly and with the dearth of interest, figure it is not a rush.

[BigNibbler]

Perhaps you could check your settings so that you are notified when someone posts on this thread.
I have the browser open and am checking... but not seeing your response....


Meanwhile.. I am sure that your guy likes Almonds. My main recipe will need more time for you to prepare.

But this you can do quickly:

You need only two ingredients. Calcium and Almonds.
Again, I strongly recommend Calcium Citrate.

Take 6 grams of Calcium Citrate Or 4 grams of Calcium Carbonate, And 100 grams of Roasted UNsalted Almonds

Put them into something that finely chops - not a blender but something like a Hamilton Beach Electric Vegetable Chopper & Mini Food Processor ($22) on Amazon
Put in the nuts and add the Calcium atop them. With the above machine I run it between 6 and 8 seconds.

More than 8 can start to churn some part of the nutstuff into a buttery paste, that you don't want - I don't think.
Less than 6 and the nut fragments will just be selected, without eating the calcium dust.

I understand that if using Carbonate, technically you could use just half the amount as Citrate.
However, I believe that the squirrel will eat less with that grimy tongue troubling powder.

You can try this, with what you got immediately and then choose a more apt machine and calcium citrate.

This here is the Calcium Citrate that I use
Earthborn Elements Calcium Citrate 1 Gallon Bucket, Pure & Undiluted, Lab Verified

[Salty]

Not sure what you mean by "nothing here".

It was just my post i was trying to erase. Since it is not allowed to leave empty posting, i wrote this.

[Salty]

Try eating some calcium carbonate. Put it on your palate. Now do the same with Calcium citrate. Which you prefer?
ALSO and This is important, you should buy a NEW COFFEE GRINDER, and only use it to GRIND the Calcium.
Look, I understand that calcium carbonate has twice the amount of elemental calcium as calcium citrate, but WHAT GOOD IS THAT, if he hates it, if your forcing it into him isn't a loving experience he can appreciate and if it makes his tummy hurt, or if all of this leads him to EAT LESS between squirts!

If it tastes better, i would definitely want to give it to him instead. I will have to try it :-) I have a coffee grinder that i used to grind nuts in, and for nothing else. This is from time when i was trying to make some paste with calcium, for him to eat on his own, of course it never worked. I could use this grinder to grind calcium in it, i think he won't mind.

[BigNibbler]

If it tastes better, i would definitely want to give it to him instead. I will have to try it :-) I have a coffee grinder that i used to grind nuts in, and for nothing else. This is from time when i was trying to make some paste with calcium, for him to eat on his own, of course it never worked. I could use this grinder to grind calcium in it, i think he won't mind.

GREAT TO HEAR! That sounds like it should work. Will be following up later. Right now building a new nest box to replace an old rotted out one.

[Salty]

We were finally able to talk to a doctor. We were told that it is better to do and CT Scan with contrast over an X-Ray, and to make sure of no kidneys problems, a blood test would be done before the CT Scan. I am a little concerned of radiation that comes with CT Scan, and possibility of contrast's negative effect. Does anybody have any thoughts on this, does odontoma would possibly be hard to see with X-Ray? Also, with humans, i think there is a once per 6 months limit on CT Scan, because of radiation, if i am not mistaken. Is this common thing to do an CT Scan on a squirrel?

THANK YOU

[BigNibbler]

If the vet needs the scan with contrast, then I understand there could be some side effects and he wants to check kidney function.
However to me, radiation avoidance is only a consideration in cases where over many many many years radiation exposure could build up.

Animals to begin with don't have such long lives.
If I were you, I would do everything to either get him the help he needs IMMEDIATELY, without all this second guessing, OR I would take the opposite approach of avoiding ANY discomfiture to prolong life, that he himself, may not miss and instead help him to enjoy each day as if it were his last.

MySquirrel is nearing thirteen years of age. One of the very first things I did, over twelve years ago, was build a euthenization chamber, so that if the time ever came, she would not have to suffer for my entertainment or my insecurity, nor have to go to an office waiting room filled with predators, for some stranger to give her the peace she had before she was born.

Humans often put off till tomorrow... but if it is important, better to do it now.

Please accept my comments as comments of concern, not criticism.

Love to hear what others think and how your boy likes the Almond Dust?

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

We were finally able to talk to a doctor. We were told that it is better to do and CT Scan with contrast over an X-Ray, and to make sure of no kidneys problems, a blood test would be done before the CT Scan. I am a little concerned of radiation that comes with CT Scan, and possibility of contrast's negative effect. Does anybody have any thoughts on this, does odontoma would possibly be hard to see with X-Ray? Also, with humans, i think there is a once per 6 months limit on CT Scan, because of radiation, if i am not mistaken. Is this common thing to do an CT Scan on a squirrel?

THANK YOU

Hi Salty:
I reviewed your response to my PM that I sent to you in response to your PM (that sounds like country song)! I'm glad that the specific proposed scan is now clarified and thank you for posting this on the Open Board!

I would like to also post on the Open Board a few of the issues that I commented upon in my PM to you!

An Odontoma is a growth of usually normal dental tissues that are growing in a disorganized manner. Again, it is almost NEVER cancer! Enamel, which is the hard outer covering of a tooth is usually present in an odontoma and it is about the most radiodense substance (shows up on an x-ray film as bright white) in the body and virtually all clinically significant odontomas WILL BE VISIBLE on properly obtained x-ray films (settings and positioning of the Squirrel made correctly)!

In evaluation for an odontoma; a plain film x-ray study is usually chosen as the initial study! It is easy to perform, relatively inexpensive and more to the point; virtually every clinically significant odontoma will be visible on a simple plain film x-ray study! Also, in almost every case, IF an odontoma is so small that it is not visible on a properly obtained digital x-ray study, it would likely be too small to be causing problems and its removal would not ordinarily need to be addresses as an emergency or even an urgency (again, my opinion)!

I am NOT trying to get between you and your Vet but I would respectfully suggest that you find out why the Vet would like to have the CT before obtaining a Plain Film study AND the second question I would suggest asking would be why there is the recommendation for the CT to be performed with Intravenous (IV) Contrast! IV contrast will NOT ordinarily be an advantage to evaluating for the presence of an odontoma as an unenhanced (no contrast) CT would ordinarily quite adequate in demonstrating the presence of an odontoma and there are potential risks to utilizing IV contrast! Further, there are other concerns beyond risk and that is the comfort of your Squirrel! The administration of IV contrast requires that a needle to be inserted in one of your Squirrels veins! It may be that "they" intend on sedating your Squirrel which would obviously make things go easier for your Squirrel but the bottom line, in IMHO, is whether or not your Vet has identified a prevailing advantage to utilizing IV contrast rather than performing a "simple" unenhanced (without contrast) CT! I would just like to encourage you to ask if the Vet feels that IV contrast is necessary and if so, why? Questions such as these should never make a Veterinarian (or human physician either) feel uncomfortable as nowadays anyway; it is standard of care that the patient's owner or primary advocate as the case may be; understands the rationale of any proposed procedure or means of therapy, is informed of the risks and the potential benefits of all interventions, and also; is advised of other options or alternatives!

Please keep on with the updates!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[BigNibbler]

Hi Salty:
I reviewed your response to my PM that I sent to you in response to your PM (that sounds like country song)! I'm glad that the specific proposed scan is now clarified and thank you for posting this on the Open Board!

I would like to also post on the Open Board a few of the issues that I commented upon in my PM to you!

An Odontoma is a growth of usually normal dental tissues that are growing in a disorganized manner. Again, it is almost NEVER cancer! Enamel, which is the hard outer covering of a tooth is usually present in an odontoma and it is about the most radiodense substance (shows up on an x-ray film as bright white) in the body and virtually all clinically significant odontomas WILL BE VISIBLE on properly obtained x-ray films (settings and positioning of the Squirrel made correctly)!

In evaluation for an odontoma; a plain film x-ray study is usually chosen as the initial study! It is easy to perform, relatively inexpensive and more to the point; virtually every clinically significant odontoma will be visible on a simple plain film x-ray study! Also, in almost every case, IF an odontoma is so small that it is not visible on a properly obtained digital x-ray study, it would likely be too small to be causing problems and its removal would not ordinarily need to be addresses as an emergency or even an urgency (again, my opinion)!

I am NOT trying to get between you and your Vet but I would respectfully suggest that you find out why the Vet would like to have the CT before obtaining a Plain Film study AND the second question I would suggest asking would be why there is the recommendation for the CT to be performed with Intravenous (IV) Contrast! IV contrast will NOT ordinarily be an advantage to evaluating for the presence of an odontoma as an unenhanced (no contrast) CT would ordinarily quite adequate in demonstrating the presence of an odontoma and there are potential risks to utilizing IV contrast! Further, there are other concerns beyond risk and that is the comfort of your Squirrel! The administration of IV contrast requires that a needle to be inserted in one of your Squirrels veins! It may be that "they" intend on sedating your Squirrel which would obviously make things go easier for your Squirrel but the bottom line, in IMHO, is whether or not your Vet has identified a prevailing advantage to utilizing IV contrast rather than performing a "simple" unenhanced (without contrast) CT! I would just like to encourage you to ask if the Vet feels that IV contrast is necessary and if so, why? Questions such as these should never make a Veterinarian (or human physician either) feel uncomfortable as nowadays anyway; it is standard of care that the patient's owner or primary advocate as the case may be; understands the rationale of any proposed procedure or means of therapy, is informed of the risks and the potential benefits of all interventions, and also; is advised of other options or alternatives!

Please keep on with the updates!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

Beautifully expressed StS! So Salty, what are you going to do? , and have you tried my ground almond/Calcium blend yet?

[Salty]

Beautifully expressed StS! So Salty, what are you going to do? , and have you tried my ground almond/Calcium blend yet?

Hello BigNibbler! I don't know yet. More inclined towards CT without contrast or an X-Ray. Really don't want to use contrast unless it is absolutely necessary. As to the powder, we have not tried it yet, is it a 6 to 100 ratio or 6 to 10? This seems like the powder would be made almost entirely from nuts, if it's 6 to a 100.

[BigNibbler]

Salty, one hundred grams of unsalted roasted almonds ground as I described, along with 6 grams of finely pre-ground Calcium Citrate.

Based on the nutritional data, the Calcium/Phosphorus content of the nuts, 6 grams works. That is 6000 mg. Right Salty?
Which is 1200 mg of Calcium - Right?

If you add too much calcium citrate, and he does not eat it. Exactly what have you achieved?
So you have to find the right balance between daily calcium augmentation, full diet balance, and successful ingestion.

Since I posted about that mix, I have hand fed, that means, I had a nibbler eating substantial amounts of that mix from the palm of my hand, five different times!

But forgive me Salty, as I peruse this thread, I see that StS has given you frequent advice and it seems like a month or more later.
So, I am confused ( this happens often ), if it is important, then time is of the essence. IF it is not important, then the whole thing is just an academic discussion.

I understand that sometimes it is best to measure twice and cut once. But in a sense, here the issue is actual measurement - an X-Ray is a measurement of visual evidence.

And my recipe, if he eats it, and you want, you could see how much he eats, by measuring weight, before and after each meal, and then add or reduce the calcium content accordingly.

Regret is a terrible thing. So whatever action ( in-action is action as well! ) you take, should be such that in hindsight brings no regrets.

Now give him a hug and some calcium he can EAT!

You can experiment with varying the amount of the calcium citrate, to see how it affects the amount he eats.
I might say, just give him ground almonds, ground exactly as I described, and measure how much he has eater.
Then based on that, dose the calcium so he gets what he needs.
HOWEVER, he must get magnesium to utilize the calcium and almonds have magnesium in the most digestible form!
And too much calcium will just burden the kidneys without being absorbed.
So my goal is somewhere between 100 and 200 mg of more elemental calcium than phosphorus.
and that is what my mix should do.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

More inclined towards CT without contrast or an X-Ray. Really don't want to use contrast unless it is absolutely necessary.

Hi Salty:
The more I think about the CT with contrast, the more this option bother's me! IV contrast has risks as has been discussed but I would like to mention a couple of them specifically and make some additional comments about all of this after that!

One very important risk is for developing kidney disfunction or worsening of already existing kidney function! I know that a lab test was going to be performed to assess the current state of kidney function but this requires ANOTHER needle puncture of Kuzia in addition to the required needle puncture and canula (a small tube that is passed over the needle into the chosen vein) in order to administer the proposed IV contrast material. This will cause pain and the Squirrel will need to be restrained for both vein punctures which is likely to be quite frightening. Even if Kuzia's kidney function appears to be satisfactory per review of the lab report; this only gives a base-line state and does NOT rule out the possibility of Kuzia developing kidney complications from the Contrast material!

Another risk is what is called anaphylaxis. This is a very serious form of allergic reaction that can be fatal!

Another risk is that of the contrast material leaking though the vein and entering the surrounding tissues. This even can lead to cellular damage and loss of tissue! This even is much more likely if a canula is NOT used as the canula is soft and "rests" in the vein and is unlikely to penetrate through the wall of the vein but a needle can easily do so. Also, a poorly placed needle can puncture through a the vein and the canula can be passed into the tissues out side of the vein. There are controls that experienced people utilize to minimize placement issues but they do occur.

Here is the bottom line that I see but again, this is my HNVNRO (humble non-Vet non-Radiologist opinion); as use of IV contrast is usually utilized to help visualize vasculature (the course of blood vessels), tumors and other soft tissue conditions and is NOT ordinarily of any benefit in the diagnosis of an odontoma, the risks and added discomfort associated with IV contrast would NOT be offset by any particular potential benefit!

As far as cost, which definitely should be considered, is the fact that a Digital Plain Film Study is far less expensive than a CT. This becomes even more of a factor as a PROPERLY performed digital plain film x-ray study will with almost no exceptions; provide very adequate evidence one way or the other for diagnosing the presence of an Odontoma as well as providing the necessary information in order to make the decision as to whether or not intervention (this would almost always be surgery) is needed or if monitoring and periodic reassessment may be be an acceptable option! Ordinarily, a CT would tend to yield "better" images than digital plain films but degree of image enhancement is rarely necessary in the evaluation for a possible odontoma and are far more expensive than digital plain films! Also, in the rare event that there might be any critical issues that could not be addressed from review of the digital plain films; a CT could be ordered later. Along this line of commentary; we have referred a significant number of Squirrel Board members to Dr. Emerson in Florida for Odontoma evaluation and surgery the diagnosis has almost always been made by utilizing a digital plain film x-ray study! In virtually all cases; NO CT was required and none was ordered later by Dr. E either!

Salty, please consider this and discuss this with your Vet and please get back with us here on TSB before committing Kuzia to having the CT and especially with contrast.

Respectfully,
SamtheSquirrel

[BigNibbler]

I certainly agree with StS on the above rationale.
Also want to say that you should grind the almond calcium mix more than I first described.
Been experimenting with it here... and also with some outdoors, who LOVE it.
I suggest a more finely ground nut... using the food processor blade and container of the blender, on high for nearly a minute.
Again, just before the churned buttery texture.


Grinding it very fine, greatly increases nut meal's surface area for the fine calcium citrate powder to adhere to, and so it does not become airborne and inhaled, nor left over at the bottom of the serving container.

Hope to hear from your ASAP on all the above. . And that Kuzia is doing better.

[Salty]

Hello Everyone! Kuzia has finally visited the doctor. They made an X-Ray. He does not have the teeth growing backwards. His upper teeth are broken off on the gum line, and looks like they will never grow back, but the roots are still there. The cause of this is (as i understood) odontoma. Our choices are either 1. remove it, but with its removal both lower teeth and upper roots will have to be removed, or 2. leave teeth and odontoma in there, in hope it will not cause any major issues in the future. What caused him all the discomfort and pain were the lower incisors overgrowing, they were just too long, because he can not grind them as he could before, when he had his upper teeth, and he was hurting his upper gums, which in turn prevent him from eating good. They were trimmed, and looks like it brought Kuzia BIG relief! The odontoma is not very big as i understood, and, besides the harm it already did, should be fine to leave, hopefully. So this is the big news, Kuzia said to thank everybody for helping him, he is very happy!!

P.S. We are still waiting for the blood test result, for MDB. I will write when we get it. We also asked for the copy of x-ray shots.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Hello Everyone! Kuzia has finally visited the doctor. They made an X-Ray. He does not have the teeth growing backwards. His upper teeth are broken off on the gum line, and looks like they will never grow back, but the roots are still there. The cause of this is (as i understood) odontoma. Our choices are either 1. remove it, but with its removal both lower teeth and upper roots will have to be removed, or 2. leave teeth and odontoma in there, in hope it will not cause any major issues in the future. What caused him all the discomfort and pain were the lower incisors overgrowing, they were just too long, because he can not grind them as he could before, when he had his upper teeth, and he was hurting his upper gums, which in turn prevent him from eating good. They were trimmed, and looks like it brought Kuzia BIG relief! The odontoma is not very big as i understood, and, besides the harm it already did, should be fine to leave, hopefully. So this is the big news, Kuzia said to thank everybody for helping him, he is very happy!!

P.S. We are still waiting for the blood test result, for MDB. I will write when we get it. We also asked for the copy of x-ray shots.

Hi Salty:
Seems like some good news and it's nice to hear that Kuzia seems to be doing better! I am out of town but "checked in" on TSB for during a free moment and noticed your new post! Are you able to post the x-ray films? Also, what lab tests are being performed and would you be willing to post the results of those? What we call MBD is just one of a number of other conditions that can also be called MBD! The "full name" of the particular MBD that is common with captive Squirrels is Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism! This develops from a diet deficient in Calcium or deficient in Vitamin D or high in Phosphorus; or probably most often, a diet with relatively high in phosphorus compared with Calcium. In fact, a high enough phosphorus intake will negate the benefits of an ideal amount of Calcium intake and MBD will result if this nutritional state continues! The lab test utilized for diagnosing this is a PTH level (parathyroid hormone).
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[BigNibbler]

Are you still force feeding the calcium via syringe ?
Ever tried my almond calcium citrate mix?
If not, why???

MySquirrel (over 12y/o) showing signs of improvement.
The more she eats of my two recipes, the stronger her legs and the more active she is.

[Salty]

Are you still force feeding the calcium via syringe ?
Ever tried my almond calcium citrate mix?
If not, why???

Hello BigNibbler! We still are. For now, i am not really comfortable giving him any more nuts than i absolutely have to, but soon there may be a situation when we will have to use your recipe. He got used to syringe, somewhat.

[Salty]

This develops from a diet deficient in Calcium or deficient in Vitamin D or high in Phosphorus; or probably most often, a diet with relatively high in phosphorus compared with Calcium.
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

Hello SamtheSquirrel! We are still waiting for those results.