Possible aspiration pneumonia

[Renata]

I have a squirrel, 8 weeks old, she started hacking and rattling yesterday. She seems to be doing a bit better today (tried Vicks on her blankets and a heating pad as recommended in other posts. She is starting to refuse the bottle after a few sips, and grapes/ solids after a few bites.
No vet will take her without putting to sleep. What course should I take to make sure she is recovering? Since she had improved slightly should I place her on antibiotics (only cipro on hand)

Please help!

Detroit area, michigan

[farrelli]

Is she clicking when breathing? Lethargic? Lack of appetite is a symptom.

Cipro is perfect. If you give a weight on the sq and the strength of the pill we can easily dose.

[Renata]

245 g or 8.5 oz.
She was clicking for over 24 hours, it seems to get worse at night, couldn't hold her head up last night. Today she's fairly active, but refusing food, only accepting bits at a time. No clicking at the moment. She was sneezing a bit earlier, and just did again.

500 mg cipro

[Renata]

I tried getting the help of a vet tech/ posting here last night but it took a while to allow me access so, I'm happy she made it through the night, but scared that it'll come back

[farrelli]

She should get ABs ASAP then. Time is of the essence with pneumonia. What is the Cipro strength? 250? 500? I have to go for about an hour, but if no one has responded by the time I get back, I'll dose.

[Renata]

500

[farrelli]

I haven't left yet, so I'll PM it to you.

[Renata]

Thank you so much

[Renata]

Any recommendations on the probiotics to use in this case?

[farrelli]

I don't know if anyone recommends anything specifically. Some people say Bene-Bac from pet stores, some pretty much any PBs available at your local drug store, and some just use something like Activia yogurt with PBs. I'd go for the human PBs from the drug store.

[Nancy in New York]

I don't know if anyone recommends anything specifically. Some people say Bene-Bac from pet stores, some pretty much any PBs available at your local drug store, and some just use something like Activia yogurt with PBs. I'd go for the human PBs from the drug store.

Yes, I agree. This comes in a capsule, you pull it apart and just add probably 1/20 (just a tiny tiny pinch) the size of an pencil eraser head twice daily to their formula.
2 hours prior to 2 hours after giving antibiotics.

[Renata]

Ok, great.

How soon should I see improvement?

[farm mom]

Also it might help if you switch her to a syringe feeder instead of a bottle. They will aspirate with a bottle because there is no flow control. You should be using a 3cc syringe or a 5 cc at the most.

[Mommaluvy]

When Pip got it I saw improvement after the second /third dose. I was using amox a clav at first as it was all I had. The vet later switched to injectable baytril which is animal Cipro ( same drug as I understand just different name)