Serious Constipation Issue with 5-6 Wk Old

[cassgrimm]

Hi, everyone. I’ve been obsessively studying this board and the internet learning all I can for a little one I found recently. We are having serious constipation issues and I’m getting very, very worried. I’ll detail below what all has gone on:

I’ve got a 5-6 week old little boy. He was found late morning on Sunday with a bloody nose, an attempt to reunite with the mother was unsuccessful, and I have since been caring for him (mid-afternoon Sunday).

We hydrated with the homemade salt and sugar water immediately and once little Thor began to urinate reliably (early Monday morning) I began introducing formula but continued hydrating in between feedings with sugar water (1-2cc). Tuesday began his full formula feedings and I also began giving him diluted apple juice. Wednesday (yesterday) I amped up the fluids to 10% or so of his body weight split into 3 feedings, in between his formula feedings. Today I’ve kept the same hydration amount and timing but have been trying a bit of Karo Syrup in place of the apple juice.

Today, Thor is 104 grams and is getting 7cc’s of powdered Esbilac (1:2 with an expiration date of 2023) every 4 hours. I mix the formula the night before, re-mix then strain it the morning of, heat a single portion with warm water before each feeding, and discard any extra after his last feeding of the day. No night feedings. FV 20/50 arrived an hour ago but given the constipation I am wary about changing anything for him until he’s defecating normally. Yesterday and today he has received 3.5 cc’s sweetened water two hours after each feeding.

Thor urinates on his own (quite frequently, might I add) but I am still stimulating him before and after each feeding/hydration with little to no success on the poop front. He passed an undersized and dry/hard nugget Tuesday morning and three normal pellets Tuesday afternoon (both with stimulation). Wednesday (yesterday) mid-morning he independently passed two, undersized dry/hard pieces that were shaped like a very sad grain of rice. It’s now Thursday evening and he has not gone at all since yesterday morning.

Despite the fact that Thor is behaving as though he has no issues (playful, jumping and climbing about his cage, biting the heck out of me once the stimulation has gone on longer than two or so minutes), I am getting very, very worried. He is eating fine with no bloating; stomach is rounded, but not firm.

I’ve tried everything I’ve read on this forum through other’s posts: Warm bathes, stroking his belly and sides and back, oil massaging the anus, a drop or two of oil in the hydration fluid, apple juice, prune juice (utter failure here – he loathes the stuff), stimulation for upwards of 5-7 minutes at a time both before and after feedings. I even tried a drop of infant gas-x.

Have I missed something? What am I doing wrong? Any and all advice is more than welcome. Please, please help us!

[Spanky]

The detail outlined shows that you have read the forums and used that knowledge!

One important question: What color were Thor's poops?

Can you post some pics of Thor (always a huge aid in assessment)?

[cassgrimm]

The detail outlined shows that you have read the forums and used that knowledge!

One important question: What color were Thor's poops?

Can you post some pics of Thor (always a huge aid in assessment)?

I'm trying my best!

All of the dry/hard poops have been very, very dark. The one movement I got out of him with the three, normal pellets were a softer brown color. When I saw those I was so excited that we seemed to be on the right path, but then we regressed to hard and dark again, and then today - nothing.

I will try to attach pictures in just one moment here.

Thank you so much for responding!

[cassgrimm]

Here are some pictures of Thor. These were taken today right before his last hydration session (5pm).

[Spanky]

I'm trying my best!

All of the dry/hard poops have been very, very dark. The one movement I got out of him with the three, normal pellets were a softer brown color. When I saw those I was so excited that we seemed to be on the right path, but then we regressed to hard and dark again, and then today - nothing.

I will try to attach pictures in just one moment here.

Thank you so much for responding!

Sounds like maybe you anticipated the reason for my question: Dark poops are from mother squirrel's milk. Formula poops are more a mustard or golden color. The softer brown, could be mommy poop and the combo of the hydration / sugar water.

It can take as long as 72 hours from the final mommy poop and the first formula poop. So your situation does not sound too off to me... if hydrating Sunday into Monday, Thursday (today) would be about 72 hours. Feeding 3 times a day for a 5 - 6 weeks old is underfeeding, so that may be contributing to the delayed poops.... intake is required for output!!!

I'd like to see pics to assess hydration, but right now I'd say feed Thor full strength formula 5 times a day for now... that may require an overnight feeding... until he is popping. As long as he is not bloated, or dehydrated you are on the right track IMO.

Edit: Saw the pics right after I posted this... I think Thor looks like a god! I see no signs of bloat or dehydration... you are doing terrific! More formula and he'll be pooping golden turds by the morning IMO.

[cassgrimm]

Sounds like maybe you anticipated the reason for my question: Dark poops are from mother squirrel's milk. Formula poops are more a mustard or golden color. The softer brown, could be mommy poop and the combo of the hydration / sugar water.

It can take as long as 72 hours from the final mommy poop and the first formula poop. So your situation does not sound too off to me... if hydrating Sunday into Monday, Thursday (today) would be about 72 hours. Feeding 3 times a day for a 5 - 6 weeks old is underfeeding, so that may be contributing to the delayed poops.... intake is required for output!!!

I'd like to see pics to assess hydration, but right now I'd say feed Thor full strength formula 5 times a day for now... that may require an overnight feeding... until he is popping. As long as he is not bloated, or dehydrated you are on the right track IMO.

Edit: Saw the pics right after I posted this... I think Thor looks like a god! I see no signs of bloat or dehydration... you are doing terrific! More formula and he'll be pooping golden turds by the morning IMO.

Oh my gosh, I can't thank you enough! I'm so relieved to know we are doing the right things! I will up his feedings from 4 (current) to 5 - no issues over here getting up at night for the little man! He's such a sweet little guy, no wonder he's had such an attitude about the stimulations! Bless his heart, haha!

Once again, I thank you for responding! I feel a bit silly now for posting to the emergency thread!

I will update tomorrow with our hopeful progress!

[Spanky]

Don't worry about posting in the ER, I remember how frantic I was back in the day when babies arrived and would not poop!

Thor will likely poop on his own, so keep watch in his cage for poops.

[cassgrimm]

Don't worry about posting in the ER, I remember how frantic I was back in the day when babies arrived and would not poop!

Thor will likely poop on his own, so keep watch in his cage for poops.

Who knew a lack of poo to clean up could make a person so anxious??

Today, Thor is 106 grams and we are doing 5 feedings now, four hours apart (we added our fifth feeding late last night, too). I am still hydrating with slightly sweetened water separate from feedings, however we have dialed it back from 10% to 5% of his weight. We are, however, still without stool. We are still stimulating and I check his cage every feeding for any feces.

Despite the lack of pooping, little Thor is still in great spirits. He zips around after very eager feedings, is playing with his toys, and is happily teething on his mineral block (I have been withholding his rodent blocks to preserve his hydration levels since yesterday, though he does like nibbling on them). Still no bloating, loss of appetitive, or refusal to eat.

Please let me know if there is anything else I could be doing! Otherwise, we will keep plugging along and I'll hop back online with another update later this evening.

[cassgrimm]

Hi, all!

Today is day 6 of Thor's rehabbing. He weighed in at 117 grams this morning which is an 8% increase in weight in 24 hours. Is this normal..? Still very eager with feedings, still behaving normally and with plenty of energy, and still without any bloating issues.

I know that it isn't all that common, but could it be possible that he is consuming his waste? Is it truly possible that he could be nearing the end of day 6 with minimal defecation and coming to the end of day 3 of no defecation - and all without lethargy, bloat, and/or appetite issues?

I'm not sure about squirrels, and my Googling didn't yield too many results, but I do know that other small mammals only tend to eat their own waste when nutritionally deficient. In the event that this is the issue, we began gradually transitioning from the Esbilac to FV 20/50 today.

Any/all experiences with this appreciated!