Specific constipation remedies w/ instructions by age/weight, please
(Member since 2016 but rarely post. Normally, I only keep the babies alive until they get to a rehabber but I did successfully rehabilitate/release a 5wo female in 2016/2017 and I'm doing this one myself with rehab support.)
I've been all over this board and googled, too, but only find general advice and not specific instructions to relieve constipation in baby squirrels. (I find what to use but not how much to dilute or how much to give.) The following is very long but I figure it will save time answering questions if I'm very thorough ��
Found: warm bath + massage
Found: mineral oil (oral and anal) (no snickering).
Found: between-feeding hydration with water
Found: "diluted" apple juice and beyond that, prune.
Found: corn syrup
Found: probiotics and yogurt
Also not found: is there a particular pattern, direction, amount of pressure or technique for stimulating poo that's different from stimulating pee that I don't know about?
Stats and info on my "patient":
Female Northern (or is it eastern? ��) Grey squirrel, estimated to be 3 weeks give or take, based on lower teeth erupting on Friday, muzzle length and Homer Simpson-like fur formation on muzzle. She is otherwise completely naked except for for some 5 o'clock shadow forming on neck and back. She is very small for her age (38 grams, this morning).
Medical history:
Day one: when I received her a week ago yesterday, she was estimated at 2 weeks but small (22 grams); otherwise healthy with very little dehydration. She was cold (having been kept in a tupperware bowl inside in air conditioning with just a paper towel to "keep her warm" on the advice of wildlife department) for about four hours before I retrieved her. She roused quickly with body heat with strong hunger/pain cries.
She had four patches of fly strike which I removed using warm saline and thoroughly bathed her. Left ear (which was barely beginning to form its flap) completely removed along with approximately 2cm diameter of skin around it from skull. Other ear was torn, but only the newly-forming flap, which fell off yesterday. That ear is continuing to form and may recover, albeit smaller than normal. Multiple superficial scratches were already scabbing over. No idea what attacked her but "chicken hawks", cats and buzzards are common in our area. Buzzard or hawk is my bet, considering the pattern of injuries.
Assumption, considering her weight and size, is that she was "sacrificed" during our heat wave as the "runt" and she was unlikely to be more than 5 hours out of the nest due to lack of dehydration and quick recovery.
She was also in no shape to try to return her to her mother.
Medications: Baytril (one drop 1x daily) and a pain reliever, same dosage. Verterycin on wounds followed with Metahoney, alternating with saline wash and coconut oil to keep soft and bacteria free.
Day two: one superficial scratch developed swelling and redness. Upon removing the scab, eggs or newly hatched maggots were found (less than 1mm in length). The scab had closed over them before I received her and the bathing didn't get them. Per rehab advice, purchased Capstar (got generic) and diluted one 11.4 mg tablet with 3ml water. Gave 0.3ml orally, removed as many maggots/eggs as could be found and treated all wounds and eyes, mouth, butt liberally with remaining solution. Next day, found a couple more maggots and was advised to repeat procedure. Day four, wound looked clear and redness subsiding.
Day five: infested wound increased swelling again. Kept scab moist/open and gently palpated with no result. Day seven, found some "goo" and contacted medical provider who lanced the wound on day eight, removing a small amount of compacted material (no live maggots). Advised to repeat 1x daily until swelling subsides.
Medications: increased Baytril to 1 drop per 12 hours until wound is clear (or 3 days) pain reliever 2-3x/daily.
As you can imagine, all the medicines and stress and infection are playing with her tummy like a yoyo.
Today (day nine): other than the abscess (which we're working on), all her wounds are healing nicely. Degloving is 50% healed and clear of infection. Maimed ear flap fell off but surrounding skin is completely healed. 90% of superficial wounds are undetectable, now.
Feeding: Esbilac (with the white puppy) powder prepared according to directions + 1/2 part either whole milk yogurt or heavy cream.
Urination has been normal (clear, frequent, good amount).
Her bowels were moving normally on day one, not at all on day two, normally on days three and four, beginning slightly looser on 5/6 but still moving at least twice a day. Day seven, only one BM and it contained mucus (health care provider said the baytril did that).
No BM on day eight and nine (today). She is beginning to look bloated. She went from 5-7% feedings to about 3-4% in last couple days.
What I've tried:
A drop of coconut oil orally/ea feeding. I also massage into her butt a couple of times per day.
Soaking waist-deep in warm water, gently massaging belly and butt (hey! I can chew gum and play the piano at the same time, too!), 5 minutes daily.
Cotton ball as warm compress on belly after feeding, about five minutes, followed by stim with coconut oil on her butt. Started that today because I worry about skin flora if I bathe her more than once per day.
I add yogurt to every feeding x2 days.
I want to try apple juice or Kayro but... How much do I dilute and how much can I let her have? How many times per day? I think I have mineral oil but it's probably 20 years old if I didn't throw it out. I think she needs additional hydration between feedings because she is "off her feed" either because the baytril upsets her tummy or because teething hurts. I'm told the pain reliever can cause mild dehydration. She doesn't look dehydrated and is urinating normally.
I plan to buy Fox Valley LA200 to get her tummy back up to snuff but it will take a few days to arrive.
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Originally Posted by CritterMom
