Cologne Red European squirrels are dying

[tomcics]

Hello, I have a friend in Germany who sent me this message because she knows I care for squirrels, not much information but they are desperate for help:

In Cologne Red European squirrels are dying quickly from an aggressive virus and we don‘t know how to help them, they are shy. Can you think of something to feed them or give with their drink to help?

[CritterMom]

Can you find out how the virus is affecting them? The only thing that might work would be anti-viral meds of some kind and doing what you can to boost the immune system with good quality food in abundant quantity.

[CritterMom]

Can you find out how the virus is affecting them? The only thing that might work would be anti-viral meds of some kind and doing what you can to boost the immune system with good quality food in abundant quantity.

OK, googled - a poxvirus. Giving individual animals something along the line of either acyclovir or valacyclovir used in humans for shingles treatment. But it requires several doses a day - you can't just put dishes of food laced with meds out... It seems to be notoriously rough on red squirrels...

[tomcics]

OK, googled - a poxvirus. Giving individual animals something along the line of either acyclovir or valacyclovir used in humans for shingles treatment. But it requires several doses a day - you can't just put dishes of food laced with meds out... It seems to be notoriously rough on red squirrels...

Thanks CritterMom, it seems like a lost cause at this point, I did read that some scientists are trying to come up with a treatment.