4 y.o. Flyer.. fleas?

[PancakesMom]

I have a 4 year old male flyer. I’ve had him since he was just a baby. He was a rescue. The past couple days he’s been really lethargic seeming at times.. last night he did get up and around a little bit but he threw up the night before last and he just doesn’t seem to be feeling well.. he is usually running around and doesn’t sit still for long and last night he would run around a little bit then he would stop and sit on me for a few minutes which was not normal. He was also letting me pet him a lot more than usual. He’s just not acting like his normal self. He eats HHB everyday along with fruit and veggies and mealworms and nuts for treats. So I feel like his diet is fine. Our dog had fleas recently but we gave her a good flea pill so her fleas are gone but I noticed Pancake scratching a little earlier so now I’m wondering if he maybe has fleas now.. his fur is so thick its almost impossible to see any fleas if he does have them.. what are the flea anemia or whatever it’s called symptoms?! He’s also been licking my husband a lot the last couple days so I’m not sure if that’s a salt deficiency and that’s why he’s doing that or not.. please give me your opinions!

[Mel1959]

I don’t think fleas would create a problem for him…..at least not what you’re describing. The fact that he threw up would indicate that he may have eaten something that had gone bad. Have you checked his cage for any old HHB”s or other foods that could have gone bad? The only time my flyer was lethargic was when he had a UTI. Is he still eating?

[PancakesMom]

He has been urinating quite often. So maybe it is a UTI. I kinda thought he may have stashed a HHB somewhere and ate it because I know they don’t have preservatives. He has a cage but rarely uses it. He has free range of my bedroom. I know that’s risky but he’s done good since we got him. But it’s very possible he hid a block somewhere and munched on it and got sick from it. He’s been a little more active tonight so I think that’s a good sign. Is there anything I can do for him if it is a UTI?

[PancakesMom]

And yes he is eating a little. Not as much as usual but he is eating some.

[Mel1959]

If it’s a UTI he’ll need an antibiotic. With my guy he practically stopped eating and got pissy like he didn’t feel good.

Unfortunately having free rein in your bedroom means it would be hard to find any or all stashes of food. Risky indeed!

[PancakesMom]

Okay so here’s a little update… I thought he was feeling better then he started sleeping a lot again and he will pause and not move for periods of time which isn’t like him at all. He’s been wanting to sleep in my shirt constantly. He’s letting me pet him a lot which he didn’t before… he’s not eating his HHBs at all.. he is still urinating quite often. Way more than usual. He’s lost a lot of weight.. his spine is sort of showing at times. I’m really concerned. What kind of antibiotics should I give him if it is a UTI? Is amoxicillin safe for flyers? If that’s even the right kind of antibiotic that is…

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Hi Pancakesmom:
Is you Flyer named Pancake?
Your Little One may very well have a UTI. With the increased urination it is essential to ensure he is still maintaining his fluid intake and extra in fluids as well to make up for the increased fluid loss from increased urination. I would suggest giving some Pedialyte now to help compensate for possible (probable) electrolyte losses and then ensure he has regular plain water available at all times. You also mentioned that your Flyer is appearing thin and he lost "a lot of weight!" Have you actually been weighing him and if so, what have been his weights over the past couple of weeks. You mentioned also that this increased urination, lethargy, and decreased appetite has been going on only for the past couple of days. It would be extremely unlikely for there to be such a loss of actual body substance (body tissues such as fat and muscle) that he would suddenly appear thin with his spine becoming more prominent over a period of only a couple of days! I wonder if he has actually become dehydrated over that period of time which can certainly happen. The skin tenting test may offer some insight as to hydration status. Here is Henry's page on hydration and while they are referring specifically to babies, the information can be used for dehydration at any age. The skin tenting test for what is called skin turgor is also described on this page:

https://henryspets.com/2-rehydrate-the-baby-squirrel/

Assuming that your Flyer has a UTI, I would not recommend amoxicillin for treating a UTI as there are much "better" options! One of the most common bacteria to cause a UTI is e. coli which lives in the interstinal tract. This bacterium is almost always resistant to amoxicillin! Do you have any other antibiotics available (in your possession or that you can obtain from family or friends). A couple of good choices would be; 1) Cipro (ciprofloxacin is the generic) and a veterinary formulation very similar to Cipro is Baytril and the generic of this is enrofloxacin) 2) Bactrim (SMZ-TMP) or 3) Augmentin (amoxicillin plus clavulanate). Clavamox is a Veterinary brand of this medication.

Please keep on with the posts and updates! I wish your little Flyer and you as well, the very best!
Thanks and regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[PancakesMom]

Yes his name is Pancake. I just love him to pieces.
we’ve been so worried about him. He’s just been laying on the bed, with his eyes open most of the time, not hardly moving much. He has changed spots a few times but he’s mainly just laying here still for the most part. I got him a heating bad because he seemed pretty cold this morning. I was able to get some Bactrim thank goodness! He didn’t want anything to do with it so I had to mix it with a little bit of sweet tea, that’s the only way he was going to have it.
I haven’t actually weighed him. But he’s not been eating hardly anything so he just noticeably looks thinner. As he was very healthy looking not long ago. He has completely stopped eating his HHBs which worries me. I’ve been keeping him hydrated and he’s still urinating frequently. Im really hoping the antibiotics help him! At one point this morning we thought he wasn’t going to make it through the day.. so I’m praying the antibiotics perk him up some this evening.

[Mel1959]

Did you get help with the dosing of the Bactrim? Medicines need to be diluted and dosed according to the weight of the squirrel and the strength of the medicine. Please post the strength of the Bactrim and the eight of your flyer and someone will help you with dosing.

Something definitely sounds off with him.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Yes his name is Pancake. I just love him to pieces.
we’ve been so worried about him. He’s just been laying on the bed, with his eyes open most of the time, not hardly moving much. He has changed spots a few times but he’s mainly just laying here still for the most part. I got him a heating bad because he seemed pretty cold this morning. I was able to get some Bactrim thank goodness! He didn’t want anything to do with it so I had to mix it with a little bit of sweet tea, that’s the only way he was going to have it.
I haven’t actually weighed him. But he’s not been eating hardly anything so he just noticeably looks thinner. As he was very healthy looking not long ago. He has completely stopped eating his HHBs which worries me. I’ve been keeping him hydrated and he’s still urinating frequently. Im really hoping the antibiotics help him! At one point this morning we thought he wasn’t going to make it through the day.. so I’m praying the antibiotics perk him up some this evening.

Thanks for the update, Pancakesmom! I hope little Pancake will be well very soon! Please ensure that the heating pad is on low and that it is under the cage where Pancake cannot actually contact it so there is no chance of getting shocked, electrocuted or becoming burned by exposed heating elements. I would also suggest that the heating pad be under only 1/2 the bottom of his cage so he can be on it or off it or a little of both.

How are you dosing the Bactrim without knowing Pancake's weight? We can help you with instructions on how to mix your particular strength of Bactrim with water in order to obtain the proper concentration of the medication and also for calculating an appropriate dose and dosing frequency! It is necessary to have an accurate weight of the Squirrel, know the strength of the medication, accurately mix the medication with water to make a suspension with a known amount of the drug per known amount (such as a milliliter) of the suspension, calculate the dose of the suspension based upon the Squirrel's weight and then give this dose a specific number of times each day. Bactrim should ordinarily be dosed twice each day.

Again, we would be very happy to help you with this! All that is needed for this is Pancake's weight and the particular strength of Bactrim (Bactrim tablets come in two strengths-1) Bactrim tablets which contain 80mg of trimethoprim + 400mg of sulfanmethoxizole and 2) BactrimDS which is a Double Strength Bactrim containing 160mg of trimethoprim + 800mg of sulfanmethoxizole). Again, it is essential to know Pancakes weight and the strength of the Bactrim that you have available and then mixing and dosing instructions can be sent to you by Private Message as dosing is not posted on the open Board.

Without a doubt, a UTI can result in decreased activity and appetite BUT is the one thing that always comes to my mind when a Squirrel is reported to have these same findings is Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). I'm not saying that Pasncake has this, only that it seems to be a possibility that could explain his change in behavior. MBD results when a Squirrel either does not get adequate elemental Calcium in his diet or gets excessive phosphorus in his diet or a combination of these. Decreased activity and decreased appetite are very common early signs of MBD. It ouyld be good to know what has been the usual diet for Pancake (meals, treats and supplements). I would also suggest starting the Emergency Treatment for MBD. This is very easy to accomplish, is perfectly safe if this is not MBD but can be life-saving if Pancakes signs of illness may at least in part be related to MBD! I have pasted a link to Henry's Pets excellent and very concise information and treatment recommendations for MBD. I would recommend starting this treatment immediately:

https://www.henryspets.com/what-is-m...-bone-disease/

I hope Pancake makes a speedy and uneventful recovery! Please let us help you with dosing of the Bactrim.
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Did you get help with the dosing of the Bactrim? Medicines need to be diluted and dosed according to the weight of the squirrel and the strength of the medicine. Please post the strength of the Bactrim and the eight of your flyer and someone will help you with dosing.

Something definitely sounds off with him.

Thanks Mel! While I was writing my book you had posted some of the same concerns!
Regards,
StS