New to board, need advice

[SQUIRRELSAREME]

We made a Vet appt for Friday. I started him on clavamox and metacam. The lump on his back is about the size of a donut hole and squishy but not something I wanted to open up. If he truly has MBD I was worried about putting pressure to hold him down.i believe his back had been broken because of the position he can lay. Hind end down feet it the air while upper body was feet to the ground and chin laying on the blanket. He can also be on all four . The front paw has been broken and healed in the crooked position. I advised Kevin to start on solid foods

[Kevin]

-SQUIRRELSAREME came by today and had everything the little squirrel needed. She really knows her stuff and was very helpful in discussing what the squirrel ne fed going forward. The squirrel and I have a vet appointment for Friday for X-rays and possibly lancing. Thank you, again, everyone for your help. I feel the little squirrel has a much better chance at life than he had.

[Milo's Mom]

Thank you SQUIRRELSAREME and thank you Kevin.

[TubeDriver]

Great job! Hope to hear good news after the vet visit!

[island rehabber]

Thank you Kevin, and big thanks to SQUIRRELSAREME and Duckman!!

[SQUIRRELSAREME]

Jacob Vet appt today no MBD is the good news. Drained both abscesses now it’s time to heal. I am sure Kevin will send pictures.

[TubeDriver]

[Kevin]

[Mel1959]

OMG! Poor little guy. I’m so glad he saw a vet and is on the road to recovery. Great job guys

[Kevin]

Jacob is home. The vet believes that Jacob was mauled by a cat and that although the exterior wounds closed, the bacteria spread to his bones. He is on two strong antibiotics. I’ll clean the abscesses twice a day using the medications - chlorhexedine and silver sulfadiazine cream. The antibiotics are Clavomox with metronidazole and baytril. Also prescribed is a probiotic to be administered three hours after or before the antibiotics - probiocin. There is still a risk the bacteria will spread to Jacob ‘s organs and brain, but there is no evidence this has happened yet. In Jacob’s favor is his appetite; he eats his Henry’s bites and he is drinking water. He will not touch his vegetables yet, but I’ll keep trying. Thank you all, who have been so generous with your advice.

Please send energy and prayers Jacob’s way, as he is on a very long road to recovery and it will never be complete; Jacob will suffer from arthritis for the rest of his life even if he survives his fight with the deadly bacteria. Jacob is fighting the good fight and he is a tough little guy.

[Kevin]

Jacob continues to improve. Much less redness where the abscesses were removed. He seems to have a remarkable healing heart. He has taken well to the twice daily wound cleaning as if he’s getting a massage and a pedicure. He’s not so happy about the antibiotics. I haven’t tasted his antibiotics, but according to Jacob, antibiotics taste very icky. - Kevin

[TubeDriver]

You have adone a great job with him, his injuries were so severe!

The clavamox actually tastes pretty good (some squirrels almost seem to like it) but the Baytril is VERY VERY bitter. You can sometimes mask the baytril by using a flavored suspension.

Squirrels do have an amazing healing ability but he would not have survived without your care!

Jacob continues to improve. Much less redness where the abscesses were removed. He seems to have a remarkable healing heart. He has taken well to the twice daily wound cleaning as if he’s getting a massage and a pedicure. He’s not so happy about the antibiotics. I haven’t tasted his antibiotics, but according to Jacob, antibiotics taste very icky. - Kevin

[Kevin]

Jacob continues to improve but very slowly. On Wednesday, Jacob saw the vet for a check up and he is healing well but his cheek abscess needed to be cleaned out more deeply. The vet said that the abscess is right on a nerve and is causing Jacob’s eye area to swell a little bit, and he is unable to close his eye completely when he blinks. The vet gave me some moisturizing ointment which I apply three times a day. He is starting to be curious about his enclosure and has explored a little bit but his joints still hurt him when he walks, so his explorations are limited. Jacob will continue on Clavomox for another two weeks and baytril for another week he has an appointment for September 5th for more X-rays. The vet will decide then if we continue with antibiotics. I’m massaging Jacob’s muscles and joints to help ease any pain. Jacob continues to eat well. Thanks again, Kevin.

[cava]

Is he receiving meds for pain management?

[Mel1959]

Also consider some warmth from a non shut-off heating pad placed partially under something he lays on, set to low. If his muscles/joints ache he may like the warmth.

You have done a great job with Jacob. . Thank you.

We’d love to see some pics of Jacob.

[Kevin]

An update. Jacob continues to improve slowly, but he is improving. He will continue on three separate antibiotics until the 19th of this month, he is on two meds for pain management and he is on a arthritis cocktail of several meds. He sat up and on his back legs for the first time and he can hop when he crawls now, and sometimes actually crawls, which is a miracle, considering he was almost paralyzed and almost died according to Jacob’s doctor. Before now, Jacob usually rolled from one area to another or crawled commando style so that hardly any weight was on his legs. Now he’s putting his full weight on his legs. Jacob can now hold onto objects with his right hand. Jacob has a heating pad that does not turn off and is specifically for animals; it is under 1/3 of his pen so that he can get cooler if he wants to by just shifting off of the heated area. The pad is directly under his pen so he can’t chew on it. Jacob will not eat the normal human vegetables recommended on Henry’s squirrel diet list, but enjoys the normal wild foods that are on the list, which I gather regularly for him from my yard. (I don’t use pesticides.) He has gained weight: he weighed 3.0 grams during the first doctor visit and he now weighs a little above 4 grams. Jacob can now blink his left eye fully and no longer needs the moisturizing eye ointment. Jacob’s Doctor was very pleased with his muscle development and weight gain. More good news: still no sign that Jacob’s internal organs have been compromised; everything continues to function as it should, including his very curious mind.

Again, many thanks to everyone who has offered help and advice. You are also a miracle, because without your advice, Jacob would not be with us. Kevin

[cava]

Do you mean ounces? A tiny new born squirrel more than 3-4 g.

Thanks for the update, good for you foraging for him. Keep up the good work!

[Kevin]

One more thing. Jacob is continuing on a calcium supplement, for although the Doctor does not believe that Jacob has MBD, the Doctor does feel that the extra calcium is helping him heal from the bacteria that had permeated his little bones.

[Kevin]

It’s Thanksgiving Day and Jacob is doing great. His abscesses have completely healed and his hair is growing back. His internal organs are free of any infection and he’s able to run around and play almost as if he were a normal squirrel again. Jacob has responded well to the arthritis medicine and the gabapentin: he can stand on his back legs and eat while holding food in his hands. He can travel up and down the ramps in his huge 7.5 foot tall enclosure, made by ferret nation, like he were running up and down a tree. His left hand is still deformed and he has trouble manipulating the fingers on his right hand but he makes it all work and he’s no longer in pain. I’m thankful for all of you who responded to give such great advice for Jacob’s health. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Kevin

[HRT4SQRLS]

What great news Kevin!
It sounds like you and Jacob have a lot to be thankful for.