Squirrel with BOTH front legs injured (broken?)

[kingofsquirrels]

This is my first time posting here, and I joined so I could seek counsel for this matter. Yesterday I observed a relatively young squirrel who appeared to be lying down near some sunflower seeds I had put out for a chipmunk, despite being out in the open. I found this odd, and when I went towards him, he flipped onto his back trying to turn around and tumbled down a crack between the wall and the cinder block steps that lead to the outside basement door. It's a small distance, but the tumbling like that was worrying. I saw him later up on the deck and realized that it was not that he had been lying down, but that he could not stand up. There were more sunflower seeds up there, and he seemed to have a healthy appetite, but he was moving about clumsily with both front feet curled underneath him. It appeared painful to try to put weight on them, and eating was a slow process since he could not open shells with his hands. He appears otherwise healthy whole, and no wounds are visible. His inability to turn without tumbling suggests that this injury is recent. I suspect he probably jumped or fell from too great a height and landed front feet first. I put a long board along the stairs with grooves cut into it so he can get up onto the deck with greater ease, cleared out the area around the basement steps so he can hide more quickly (lot of neighbour's cats around), put out a plate of water, peanut butter and peanuts, and sunflower seeds out of the shell so that he can eat more easily. He was back today and does not seem in imminent danger of dying. There are no wildlife vets around. Is there anything else I should do for him, and what are his chances of survival?

[farrelli]

I have to run but I'll alert others. He has a poor prognosis. You might have to capture him. WHere are you? We have a number of CA members.

[Duckman]

It is very possible that his front legs are broken. Can you post a picture of him? If that is the case, and you don't have access to a vet, there is little that you can do, other than to contact authorities in your area. My heart goes out to this little guy because if they are both broken, he won't have any chance of survival and euthanizing MAY be the only humane to do. Trust me, I don't like to suggest that, but I don't believe they should suffer either.

[Fireweed]

Where are you in Canada? Maybe we can find a rehabber near you who can help.

[Nancy in New York]

I just sent them an email asking them to come back on the board.
I gave them the link since I moved the thread to the emergency section.
Thank you for the alert farrelli!

[grampyngramy]

It is very possible that his front legs are broken. Can you post a picture of him? If that is the case, and you don't have access to a vet, there is little that you can do, other than to contact authorities in your area. My heart goes out to this little guy because if they are both broken, he won't have any chance of survival and euthanizing MAY be the only humane to do. Trust me, I don't like to suggest that, but I don't believe they should suffer either.

Is there a chance of capture and splinting or casting the legs? Maybe some green veggies instead of the sunflower seeds. I know he is a wild and can handle the sunflower seeds better, but with these injuries he may not be getting all of the good stuff he needs. Just in case he can be fixed.

[kingofsquirrels]

I am in the south-eastern part of Nova Scotia. I don't know as though his prognosis is so bad as all that. I once knew a squirrel who was older and had been attacked by a cat. He lost half his tail, had his abdomen slashed quite badly, and evidently suffered severe damage to his spine, limiting his movement to stunted hops. Eventually, he recovered mostly completely without assistance, save for missing part of his tail and having a little difficulty properly gripping smooth surfaces. He lived to be very old. This one has considerably more mobility than he did, possessing totally normal use of his hind legs. (And he made it up and down the open-slat stairs before I installed the ramp yesterday, too.) If his condition does not improve, I will strongly consider capture for treatment.

[farrelli]

Do you know how to capture? Do you know what a have-a-heart trap is? Any chance that you could give a video? No use of front legs not only makes eating difficult, obviously he's a major target for every predator and playful doggie out there.

[redwuff]

Sometimes, if capture does not stress him too much, capture and giving him a safe, warm place to heal with his food provided is all they need to recover.

[kingofsquirrels]

Do you know how to capture? Do you know what a have-a-heart trap is? Any chance that you could give a video? No use of front legs not only makes eating difficult, obviously he's a major target for every predator and playful doggie out there.

I do indeed, and have such a trap. I'll try to provide a video tomorrow.

[Duckman]

The problem with this type of injury is that in order for it to heal, there are pins and plates that need to be put in place, to stabilize and immobilize the wound. If there isn't a Vet available, he will have to walk on his elbows and shortly, he will develop lesion's on his legs (I dealt with this in January and it isn't pretty). IF his legs are broken and IF a vet is not available to set and fix theses bones, there isn't any other humane choice. I'm including pictures of the lesions that this other squirrel had, from not being able to walk on his back legs.

[Loopy Squirrel]

Just get him, take pictures/video and post them. Then we can go from there. Too soon to tell what is what right now. Fact is he's hawk bait the way he is now.

[kingofsquirrels]

It seems his legs were never actually broken, perhaps merely sprained. He has healed on his own. When I saw him again about a week after my last post, he was using his left front leg normally. The area leading to the basement door was covered (except for a small crack) by a large sheet of wood to keep the snow out. He took to living down there, where he was fed on peanut butter and seeds both shelled and unshelled with a healthy appetite. I saw him emerge at one point and run into the woods for a little while. He has since appeared running and climbing normally and eating with his hands. I believe he has recovered and is out of danger. Thank you all for your advice.