Anyone in the Fortwadsworth Dallas Area?

[PrettyPetunia]

Hello everyone, I have a woman who contacted me from the Dallas area absolutely desperate for help. She found three babies, about 6-7 weeks old. She tried to find a rehabber in the area but has had any luck, The ONE rehabber that responded said she could not take the babies because "she didn't have milk for older babies." All vets she contacted turned her away. Two of the babies have already passed (is seems like from pneumonia, probably from aspiration). This last little squirrel is struggling and REALY needs some help. Is there anyone at all that can help? please please

[farm mom]

I looked on the National list and found no one in the Dallas area. If the remaining baby has pneumonia, it would be more humane if she took it to a Veterinarian and had it euthanized. Or maybe the Vet office has someone willing to take it.

[FortWorthSquaddy]

Symptoms?
What formula are you using?
Eyes open?

I'm in Lake Worth, and cannot make the trek to Dallas today.

- FortWorthSquaddy

[PrettyPetunia]

Symptoms?
What formula are you using?
Eyes open?

I'm in Lake Worth, and cannot make the trek to Dallas today.

- FortWorthSquaddy

Hi, Im a rehabber in NY actually - she found me on FB, so I have limited info. She said it was puppy milk she has been using the passed 2 days, she also has not been using a nipple on her feeding syringe. The eyes are open - from the pictures the baby looks about 6-7 weeks. From the look and sounds of it, I think the baby needs some Baytril. I think she is willing to drive out for help. She is desperate - that is why she contacted me all the way in NY. She did not originally want to keep them - she wanted to give them to a rehabber and as i said above the only one who actually responded turned her away because the rehabber said 'she didn't have the right milk' - the vets she contacted said they won't see the squirrels and would have to put them down (this was before they had any symptoms)

[FortWorthSquaddy]

I sent you a PM. Have her get in touch with me. If she can get it to me, we can take it in.

[pappy1264]

I know someone in Dallas, anyone have contact info?

I just contacted her, she can take it, also has meds and vet access and is licensed. Can anyone get me contact info?

[FortWorthSquaddy]

OK - update.
Critter is ~6 week female in grave condition, 110 grams, dehydrated, undernourished, exhausted. Apparently aspiration pneumonia with an occluded nose - probably due to how thick the PetLac was. She's having trouble breathing, and is tripoding when she has the energy, and is breathing mostly through her mouth. She gets bursts of energy to change position, then passes out.

we gave a loading dose of TMPS followed by 0.5 cc of fox valley 1:2 with pedialyte and a touch of sugar.
(TMPS emulsion because the other emergency has my Baytril emulsion, and making a slurry from a pill would probably not absorb as well)

To hydrate, gave 0.5 cc lactated ringers sub-Q between the shoulder blades.

Will continue to try giving food every half hour unless otherwise advised. Balancing act between critical need for calories versus work-of-breathing and inability to breathe while feeding.

Currently lying on Mary's chest at a 45 degree angle, with vicks vapo-rub on Mary's skin just above her nose.

What to do to clear her nares?

She sounds wet when she does exhale/"sneeze" through her nose.

I already tried to do a "suck puff" of her nose - no change.
I CAN aspirate her nares with a 22-gauge IV catheter, but was unwilling to insert more than 2 mm, since I don't know internal anatomy and I don't want to make her bleed.

Advice?

[Nancy in New York]

OK - update.
Critter is ~6 week female in grave condition, 110 grams, dehydrated, undernourished, exhausted. Apparently aspiration pneumonia with an occluded nose - probably due to how thick the PetLac was. She's having trouble breathing, and is tripoding when she has the energy, and is breathing mostly through her mouth. She gets bursts of energy to change position, then passes out.

we gave a loading dose of TMPS followed by 0.5 cc of fox valley 1:2 with pedialyte and a touch of sugar.
(TMPS emulsion because the other emergency has my Baytril emulsion, and making a slurry from a pill would probably not absorb as well)

To hydrate, gave 0.5 cc lactated ringers sub-Q between the shoulder blades.

Will continue to try giving food every half hour unless otherwise advised. Balancing act between critical need for calories versus work-of-breathing and inability to breathe while feeding.

Currently lying on Mary's chest at a 45 degree angle, with vicks vapo-rub on Mary's skin just above her nose.

What to do to clear her nares?

She sounds wet when she does exhale/"sneeze" through her nose.

I already tried to do a "suck puff" of her nose - no change.
I CAN aspirate her nares with a 22-gauge IV catheter, but was unwilling to insert more than 2 mm, since I don't know internal anatomy and I don't want to make her bleed.

Advice?

I would continue to hydrate and not offer food until she is hydrated.
I would use Pedialyte. Before feeding the animal anything else, feed it a few meals of Pedialyte. Don’t be in a hurry to feed other foods. An animal that is dehydrated can’t digest foods well and may become very sick or even die if food is given too soon.

[FortWorthSquaddy]

Update:

Gave 1.0, 1.1, then 1.2 cc Pedialyte (2 hours intervals) overnight. Got some formed yellow poops (yay) at 05:00

At 07:00 ish gave TMPS followed by 2.0 cc FV and a 0.5 cc water chaser (to clear her mouth)

Will probably instill another 0.5 cc LR between the shoulders

Any advice on clearing her nose? (See prior post)

Still gravely lethargic, with oral breathing sometimes using accessory muscles.

[Nancy in New York]

Just throwing out some thoughts.
Is it possible that this baby has a broken nose?
Do you see swelling in that area?
Would a steroid decrease swelling IF you do see it?
Wouldn't Baytril be a faster acting antibiotic?
Have you tried tenting her with just a humidifier
with NO vicks. Remember this could leave the blankets
somewhat moist so change them out periodically.
Does she have a heating pad under half of her container
set on low?

[FortWorthSquaddy]

Sad / angry follow up:

The finder ("Michelle") had said that she had located a licensed rehabber ("Karen") who was willing to take in the squirrel and had vet access. I'm a medical pro with 18 years of 911 EMS and pediatric ICU / Trauma ICU experience, and ~5 years of rehabbing. I have all the needed & emergent rehabber supplies. But I'm not a vet.

I should have trusted my gut more...

We took in the squirrel, who had been fighting to stay alive with every cell in her little body.
We named her "Eve" with Michelle's blessing because it means "Life / to Live" in Hebrew.
We were winning, and brought her back from the brink of death.
We initially thought she wouldn't survive that first few hours.
She did.

We got Eve up to about 5-6cc/feeding equivalent (we had fed her dropwise every half hour, then every hour, then 2 hours, then 3, then 4) over the course of Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun. On Sunday, she took 5 cc for breakfast, then again for Brunch, then I went to visit SquirrelsAreME, who happened to be in the area. We chatted with SammysMom on speaker to get a concurrent opinion.

The consensus was some abdominal & facial trauma, with some neurological sequelae (spinning, leaning while feeding). We were planning on putting her on a round of prednisone, keeping up the antibiotic for another 3-4 days, and continuing to feed aggressively to continue her gaining weight.

Possibility of non-releaseable status, especially if prednisone and/or proper nourishment didn't put her back on the right course.

Michelle seemed very excited about the prospects, ostensibly had been led to believe Karen the rehabber could continue her care, with the long-term possibility of even keeping Eve as a teaching animal. Michelle claimed that she was planning on helping volunteer with Karen, and further claimed to have started purchasing Miracle Nipples as a first step on her rehabber journey.

I met Michelle at a WalMart parking lot, reminding her of my caution about surrendering the squirrel to a licensed rehabber in the middle of Eve's care, but an x-ray would answer the nasal congestion question and confirm that there was no pneumonia. From my perspective, this was a hail-mary gamble, but Michelle seemed sincere and the prospect of an area rehabber with vet access and a conscience for squirrels seemed worth the gamble, especially if she was willing to continue care and maybe keep Eve.

At 5:13 Monday night, not even a week after first contacting me, and after we made an exception to not rehabbing right now since we lost our 18-year old son on Jan 15 but we needed to see something LIVE (hence naming her "Eve"), and after effecting a near-miracle with Eve's condition, Michelle sent me this response:

"Me: Is Karen continuing antibiotics?
Michelle: No, the suggestions were to start from scratch. Feed, try to get her to gain weight."

Michelle has since not responded or updated.
At this point I am convinced they pushed Eve across the Bridge, probably through gross negligence.
Eve didn't want to go across yet, and she had told me that loudly and clearly for 6 days straight.
She liked being scritched under the arms. She was ticklish on her torso.

To my knowledge, _NO_ medical professional would ever stop antibiotics mid-course without a valid & compelling medical reason. A round of prednisone would have done no harm.

I am not a forgiving man, and animal negligence = animal abuse IMHO, and these little lives deserve a champion to fight for them. (When cars start eating the squirrels they kill, I might change my mind.)

I regret giving Eve back to Michelle from the bottom of my soul, especially after losing a family member so recently. I don't know who Karen is, but if I ever meet her...

Enough said.

[SQUIRRELSAREME]

I am so very sorry that they will not call you back. That way you would have closure one way or another. Please do not beat yourself up too hard you thought you were doing what was best . I am glad that I had the pleasure of meeting you and Eve

[KarmaKay]

To stop antibiotics early is ridiculous and negligent. I'm so sorry for your loss of Eve and your tragic loss of your son. Prayers for you and your family.

[SammysMom]

Joe

[Mel1959]

You did what you felt was in the best interest of Eve. That is all anyone can ask. I am very sorry Michelle and Karen don't have the decency to keep in touch with you about Eve, whether the outcome was good or bad. I am also very sorry for the loss of your son.

[island rehabber]

FWS, I don't blame you for being furious and upset by this unfortunate turn of events. This "rehabber" made a terrible mistake stopping the ABX and IMHO took an extremely casual view toward a very seriously ill little squirrel. I have no doubt that Eve would have continued to thrive in your care. With your credentials, my friend, please never again think that some "vet" trumps everything that you, yourself, could do for an animal. Most of them aren't worth crap when it comes to squirrels. You did your very best and it's a damn shame that stupidity won this round.

[nikkidlr]

I looked on the National list and found no one in the Dallas area. If the remaining baby has pneumonia, it would be more humane if she took it to a Veterinarian and had it euthanized. Or maybe the Vet office has someone willing to take it.

Hi, not sure if she found help but i'm in DFW. We've sucessfully rescued and released 6 squirrels within the past years. Just relocated here from NJ feel free to reach out if help is still needed.

-Nikki