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Thread: Clavamox tablets

  1. #1
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    Default Clavamox tablets

    So, my senior squirrel Mookie (age 3.5) got in yet another scrap and has wounds on the back of his head and upper back. Some of these have been there for about a week (nowhere near as bad as they look now), so I have been watching him to see whether he needs antibiotics or can be left to heal on his own. When he turned up today, the wounds looked much worse. Mt sense is that he got in another fight, although it might be that he scratched himself as the wounds were itching.

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    In any case, I got him to jump on my arm, brought him onto my enclosed for a better look, then brought him outside to his release cage.

    I have a few clavamox related questions:

    I have used clavamox many times, and when purchased as powder then reconstituted with 14 ml water, I end up with far more than needed, thus I always end up throwing out more than gets used.

    So, when I last needed clavamox last May, I only reconstituted 1/3 of the powder, and the remaining powder has been in the freezer since then, meaning about 8.5 months.

    First question: Is this still good to use?

    Second question(or group of questions):

    Would it work to purchase clavamox tablets? If so, which strength: 62.5, 125, 250, or 375?

    Does anyone have instructions as to how much water to mix with the tablets then dosage to administer?

    And finally, should the tablets be stored frozen or at room temperature, and how long ae they good?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    In general, Clavamox pill in sealed packet should be stored in a cool, dry place like a closet at about room temp. I don't know for sure about your refrigerated powder, my guess is that it is still viable if within expiration date or close to exp date but that is just a guess.

    You can purchase clavalox tablets (will need prescription unless you are getting fish AB), the 62.5mg pills are what I would get.

    I, or someone else can PM directions for dosing, we just need squirrel weight and the dose of the pill. We don't publicly post this because it has been misused or misread by members in the past.

    Store at room temp, there will be an expiration date stamped in the container. It is usually still usable after the expiration date but will slowly loose potency. There are exceptions to this like for example, Doxycyclin, which should never be used after it expires.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Your powder is still fine. My vet told me when I needed to mix up Clavamox powder for my dwarf she said to use a syringe to measure the powder by placing my finger over the hole and fill the large end with the powder 1-2 ml worth. Then pour it into a small container with a lid. Then she said to fill the syringe with an equal amount of water and add it to the powder. This way I only mixed up a portion of the bottle instead of the whole thing. I have never calculated exactly how much powder there is in a bottle I assumed she had.

    I keep my Clavamox powder in the freezer until I need it.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    Your powder is still fine. My vet told me when I needed to mix up Clavamox powder for my dwarf she said to use a syringe to measure the powder by placing my finger over the hole and fill the large end with the powder 1-2 ml worth. Then pour it into a small container with a lid. Then she said to fill the syringe with an equal amount of water and add it to the powder. This way I only mixed up a portion of the bottle instead of the whole thing. I have never calculated exactly how much powder there is in a bottle I assumed she had.

    I keep my Clavamox powder in the freezer until I need it.
    The powder needs 14 ml water to reconstitute a full batch. So I separated the powder into thirds then used about 5 ml to reconstitute a third of the powder. I used to give the clavamox orally, but after successfully treating a wild squirrel last winter by mixing the clavamox (liquid) with nut butter then smearing on a half pecan, that is how I now give clavamox to any of my squirrels.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Quote Originally Posted by TubeDriver View Post
    In general, Clavamox pill in sealed packet should be stored in a cool, dry place like a closet at about room temp. I don't know for sure about your refrigerated powder, my guess is that it is still viable if within expiration date or close to exp date but that is just a guess.

    You can purchase clavalox tablets (will need prescription unless you are getting fish AB), the 62.5mg pills are what I would get.

    I, or someone else can PM directions for dosing, we just need squirrel weight and the dose of the pill. We don't publicly post this because it has been misused or misread by members in the past.

    Store at room temp, there will be an expiration date stamped in the container. It is usually still usable after the expiration date but will slowly loose potency. There are exceptions to this like for example, Doxycyclin, which should never be used after it expires.
    Thanks TD

    I will private message you when I get the tablets. I left a message with the vet and hope to get a call back tonight.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Sealed clavamox pills should be stored at room temp, reconstituted (liquid) clavamox should be refrigerated.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    If you can handle Mookie, you can clean the wound with some diluted betadine. No need to rinse. Just dilute it so it looks like strong tea.

    I had a released male that always came home when he got beat up. Many of his injuries sound just like Mookies. I treated him with betadine and sometimes kept him in the house or the release cage to give him a chance to recover.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    If you can handle Mookie, you can clean the wound with some diluted betadine. No need to rinse. Just dilute it so it looks like strong tea.

    I had a released male that always came home when he got beat up. Many of his injuries sound just like Mookies. I treated him with betadine and sometimes kept him in the house or the release cage to give him a chance to recover.
    I might give that a try.

    Getting Mookie from outdoors to the release cage takes a few steps:

    #1 Let him jump on me by the back door then step inside. This is easy..
    #2 Walk through house to front porch w Mookie aboard. This is also easy.
    ## Gently get ahold of Mookie wearing my big lined leather mittens. While he has never tried to bite me during this step, I prefer caution. This step is tricky, and sometimes (like today) required me to take him into the bathroom. It is not a question of catching him exactly, more waiting for him to end up on my belly where I can then contain him with the mittens.
    #4 Holding him against my belly, walk outside and release him into the release cage. This is also easy.

    Now that he is in the release cage, however, it would not be easy to get hold of him directly from the release cage. So, I would probably need to let him out, which might not be worth the risk of not seeing him for a few days.

    He was injured twice last winter and both times spent his confinement on my glass porch. He is not a chewer, so he could have the run of the porch 24/7.

    Right now, however, I am overwintering Harry (6 months) and he is out on the porch twice a day. When I was overwintering siblings Arya and Iggy last winter, they were able to coexist with Mookie when they were on the porch for playtime with no issues for any of the three. When Arya and Iggy come by now, I open the sliding door a crack to give them nuts, so Harry does not slip out. A couple times recently, one or the other of these two has slipped in, however, and Harry has attacked them immediately in defense of what he sees as his porch. This is why Mookie is in the release cage rather than the porch, as I doubt he and Harry would manage to peacefully coexist.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Check PM for dosing directions.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Update: Today is Day 8 of clavamox, and Mookie is doing fine.

    As things have healed up, it seems to have been two main wounds: forehead and upper back, with the upper back wound being worse. (He had a large area about 2' x 2' where he lost most his fur.)

    Both are now raised scabs without adjoining visible redness, so I will release him in the next couple days.

    When Mookie has been confined previously, I have done it on my front porch, where both clavamox and liquid probiotics were given orally.

    With him in the release cage this time instead, I have been giving him clavamox via pecan. Mookie, by the way, has not been impressed when I have tried to use peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower butter with the clavamox, So what I have done is crack an unshelled pecan into two halves lengthwise. I then dribble clavamox on both sides, wait a minute, then press together. I am then able to give him either the entire pecan or a half at a time. This has worked well, and the clavamox does not drip out.

    I have been doing the same thing with the liquid probiotic, and while a bit of this drips out, exact dosage here is less of an issue.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Glad to hear Mookie is recovering. He is lucky to have such a caring friend!
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Quote Originally Posted by TubeDriver View Post
    Glad to hear Mookie is recovering. He is lucky to have such a caring friend!
    The other squirrels I've raised then released were all in the 5-6 weeks old range when we got them, i.e eyes open and tails not all fluffed out yet.

    Mookie opened his eyes six days after we got him, so I've always wondered if that makes an even stronger bond.

    Mookie also has a great origin story: With every other squirrel, we know who found them and brought them to us. In Mookie's case, my wife came home for lunch and there was Mookie: By our front door inside our five gallon bucket on a pile of leaves. We never did find out who left him. So Mookie is the squirrel equivalent of the baby left in the basket in front of the fire station.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Mookie was ready for freedom this morning, after 8.5 days on clavamox. The main scab on the upper back had come off since yesterday, and everything looks good. After his morning dose of clavamox then some probiotics, Mookie went off to attend to important squirrels matters.

    I'll give him more liquid probiotics (on pecans) whenever he comes by the next 3-4 days.

    Here is a photo of his back then another of him right before coming out of his release cage.

    The third photo was taken last spring and shows my "squirrel village" with (left to right) release cages and nest boxes for siblings Arya and Iggy (released May 2020) and Mookie (original release May 2018). While there are many trees nearby, there are none ion my yard, so I just leave their nest boxes in the cages with the doors open after release. The norm around here is they sleep in their nest boxes for 6-8 weeks after release, then head for the trees as it gets warmer, returning only during bad weather during summer and early fall. They tend to return to their nest box in October or November until the next spring. Actually, they all tend to use any of the nest boxes.

    Arya returned to her nest box last July in time to have three baby girls, who were raised there. By the fall, it was pretty busy over there. I have several backup nest boxes as well. There were quite a few nights after the girls were out and about when all five (Arya, her girls, and Uncle Iggy) would all be in the same nest box. Other times, the grownups would be in one while the kids were in another. Or some of the girls would be with Arya while others would be with Uncle Iggy. Fascinating to watch! Arya is the first squirrel I have raised and released where I have gotten to see her babies, as all my other overwintered releases were males. The "littles" (Lyle, Frick, and Frack) are fairly comfortable with us. They will not jump up on us, but they will run over when they are in the yard and come right up for food.

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  23. #14
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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Great job getting Mookie healed and back to the trees. I’m sure he was happy to go. I love it when our releases are so comfortable with us that they hang around or come home for help when injured. It’s an amazing trust.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    Great job getting Mookie healed and back to the trees. I’m sure he was happy to go. I love it when our releases are so comfortable with us that they hang around or come home for help when injured. It’s an amazing trust.
    My four overwintered releases have all hung around, whereas my two summer releases did not. And the four overwintered ones all have remained really gentle with us, happy to perch on arm or shoulder to eat, etc.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Quote Originally Posted by olorin19 View Post
    ...Mookie went off to attend to important squirrels matters.
    I always say mine is off at his job. He arrives home at 4:30 after work, for dinner.
    Hey, would you mind showing a close up of the nest box? Looking for designs.

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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Quote Originally Posted by sundoesshine View Post
    I always say mine is off at his job. He arrives home at 4:30 after work, for dinner.
    Hey, would you mind showing a close up of the nest box? Looking for designs.
    I have built a number of nest boxes over the years. i have no doubt there are better designs, but going to Home Depot and getting an 8' length of 1" x 12" untreated pine cut to the right lengths, these are pretty easy to build. I cut out the 3" x 3" holes with a hand saw. There are two of these: one visible on outside, one on inside opposite corner to separate top level from main bottom level full of fleece.

    i recommend hinges so you can get inside. Eye hooks to keep it shut work well.

    Again, I am sure others have come up with better designs.

    But there are two really easy modifications I would highly recommend: vegetable oil and a doormat.

    Before assembling the nest box, I give the wood many coats of vegetable oil on all surfaces. Canola works fine. It needs to dry between coats, so if you do one side in the morning and the other side in the evening, it takes as many days as coats of oil.

    The darker of the two nest boxes shown has been outside since 2015. It only had three coats of vegetable oil before going outside, I do give the outside surfaces another coat every year or two. The dark color is just weathering - there is zero rot or deterioration - the wood remains solid after five years with snow, rain, sun, etc.

    The lighter nest box had seven coats of vegetable and has been outside since 2018. It is under an eave, so does not get as wet, but it has not discolored at all.

    The doormat is used on top of wood for a roof. With the older nest box, I just gorilla glued the doormat to the wood, and that eventually peeled a bit. So, I put on a new roof on top of the old one. I used a different approach starting with that replacement roof: cut the doormat so that it is big enough to wrap around the top of the roof then attach to the underside of the overhang. If you get some large washers, you just screw them into the doormat near the corners and it holds in place just fine. You can also use some staples to supplements the washers.

    Another version is the two nest boxes on left in third photo. These have a flat shelf about 3" below the front rim, with a 3"x3" hole into the bottom area. There are straps on the side that go through the roof then are attached to 2"x2" pieces of wood to spread weight over the wire roof. There is then a door mat on top (outside cage). This gives the squirrels a covered space that is high enough to stand and eat, plus visibility out front and back. (With the earlier cages, they either sit on top of the cage or lie inside with their head out.) While there is not a predator baffle like the earlier nest boxes, since these are left inside the cages I am okay with this design.

    The earlier nest boxes are mounted on green metal posts. These work fine with a wire cage, as the post can be right outside the cage with the nest box against that wall. If you hang the cage on the post using hooks, then it is easy enough to remove as needed. (Nice to add another door mat on roof above nest box - this prevents snow from falling on top of nest box and means they hang out on top of nest box even in the rain.) The more recent nest boxes are basically part of the cage, so removing them is more difficult.

    The two cages shown are built from 2' wide wire and are both 6' tall, with one being 5' long the other only 3'. Both are only 2' wide, which was deliberate: I used these cages to overwinter Arya and Iggy (who started together in the larger cage but had to be separated the final two months due to aggression, hence the second cage). When it was time to go outdoors, we simply moved the entire cage out the back door.


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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    My husband did come up with a design and drawings for his boxes. They have a predator guard as well as an interior baffle or offset lower level. He builds them so they have a porch behind the predator guard. Many times we see the squirrels laying on the porch in the sun. If you’d like me to send you, or whomever, the nest box plans, send me a private message with your email address.
    Attached Images Attached Images    

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  31. #19
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    Default Re: Clavamox tablets

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    My husband did come up with a design and drawings for his boxes. They have a predator guard as well as an interior baffle or offset lower level. He builds them so they have a porch behind the predator guard. Many times we see the squirrels laying on the porch in the sun. If you’d like me to send you, or whomever, the nest box plans, send me a private message with your email address.
    Very impressive nest boxes!

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