Help pneumonia! Life-threatening

[RockyandRose]

Just talked to rehabilitator who told me my 2-3 week old squirrel has pneumonia after I described his symptoms to her. Rocket the squirrel keeps opening mouth for a long time with no sound just tonge going flat. I was not feeding him when this happened. At the time I told her I had clindamycin and she said to give 2 drops and post here to find out correct cocktail to use.
I have Clindamycin ped 75mg/5ml sol 100mg
And Cifdinir 300mg capsule.
It's a male squirrel weights 30g.
Please help!
Thanks Julia

[CritterMom]

Whoa! Hold on. Answer these:

Is he suddenly lethargic and not wanting to eat?
Can you hear a clicking sound (which corresponds with his breathing) in his chest?

Most important: There is something called a "feeding seizure" which is very common in baby squirrels. We call it "guppy mouth" because it looks like a guppy or goldfish gasping at the surface of a pond. It is NOT pneumonia, in fact it is harmless to them and only a pain in the butt to whoever has to feed him/her. It is frightening looking - like they are gasping for breath - but there is no gasping. You want to stop feeding when they do this and snap them out of it. Some people blow in their face. I always pulled the syringe and nipple out of the mouth and tapped them on top of the head with it. You are basically trying to startle them just a bit and they will "reset." Some babies will do this a few times and stop, some of them will torture you until they wean.

Does any of that sound familiar to you?

[RockyandRose]

Yes!! I definitely know the guppy look you are talking about! I'm so glad that is all it is. I thought I was chocking them then they did that.
The squirrel is not lethargic but it did do this guppy seizure when I was not feeding him but just trying to dry milk off his chest. He did it for a good 15 sec. I do here a click when he is eating, but not at any other time.
Thank you so much,
Julia

[CritterMom]

They make lots of "clicky" mouth noises when they are nursing -lip smacking, swallowing, etc, but the sounds are coming from their mouth, not their chest (with pneumonia, the clicking is congestion in the chest and happens in time with their breathing). But the very first symptoms are lethargy and not wanting to eat.

Now, you have a small baby that is going to be a little challenging to feed. Their natural position is mama lays on her back with the nipples pointing up, and the babies are on their tummies half on and half off mamas tummy, so the nipple is pointing UP toward the roof of the mouth. I prefer to feed in that position. Choice 2 is to hold them upright in your hand and again feed them from below so the nipple is pointing up. Up, pointing at the roof of the mouth rather than on their back with the nipple pointing down the throat will prevent aspiration.

If I were you I would call my friends, ask the family, and see if anyone has any leftover antibiotics so you have something on hand if you DO need them next time. The ones you have aren't really what you need. Cipro would be the best choice. Augmentin (Amoxicillin clavulanate) would be another. This is also good but pricey because you have to get so much: https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10. Since you aren't in the middle of an emergency, though, I would check with friends and family - see what you can get and they let us know and we can tell you which to take. You will only need one pill. THEN, if you have an emergency we can dose for you immediately and you can start meds right away.

[RockyandRose]

Ok yes, I will ask around. I'm so relieved that he is ok. It was just so weird it happend when he wasn't eating. I will try those positions.
How do you know if they aspirate? any symptoms or signs?
Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.

[CritterMom]

Yes, they will suddenly sputter and you will even see milk come out their nose. Now MY technique made our wonderful, late HRT4SQTLS, a microbiologist by trade, just cringe. As soon as I hear them sputter and see the milk where it shouldn't be I turn them upside down - head down and tail up - and this is what cringed her - I put the nose and mouth to my lips and gently suck the liquid out - and then obviously spit, rinse mouth, etc. They make what I think are called nasal bulb syringes but since I call then "snot suckers" that may not be right. They are for human infants, but they can be dangerous for a tiny baby squirrel, who is always more delicate and frail than an infant many times their size. You can't FEEL how hard the bulbs suck, and that worries me. Now whether you want to join the Baby Squirrel Nose Sucking Brigade is up to you... I should design a coat of arms.