Need some advice about orphan female squirrel 4-5 weeks old who is failing to thrive. Have had her and her sister one week. Another in litter died. No real knowledge of history. The first rehabilitator thought they both were black when she got them about 4 days prior to coming to me. The sister, who is doing fine now, had flakes all over her body as though shedding her entire skin. The flakes gave way to normal color coat without ever having any redness or rawness. Her eyes are opening and she is progressing normally.

The one in question was smaller on arrival but is now about one-third the size of the healthier one. She never shed her skin but has normal Eastern Gray Squirrel coloring. She was extremely thin on arrival with her ribs protruding a great amount, her head was boney and neck scrawny. She has very pale yellowish, loose, unformed stool most times. The amount/volume of stool passed is normal. Other times, there is a bit more consistency (still very pale) but still more loose than normal for a squirrel her age. She eats enough but without enthusiasm and with difficulty. Have changed her formula several times to see if that would help, which it seems not to have. I gave one pellet Sulph 12C crushed in Pedialite on the second day and saw an increase in appetite and better stool for about 24 hours. Then she went back to the same condition. Gave Sulph 30C after 2 days and again she improved slightly but slipped back. Yesterday (2 days after Sulph 30C) gave Calc Phos 12C. This morning she passed more stool than usual, still very loose and pale.

She is eating as much as the litter-mate but not gaining very much at all. She is not as skeletal as she was but remains very, very thin. She has no flesh-is hard to the touch. She can move about fine. I'm not sure "marasmus" is an appropriate term because all baby squirrels get rounded, bloated bellies at feeding which goes by the next feeding, but it would be the closest to describing what she looks like. Her belly is more bloated than the others at all times compared to the rest of her. It doesn't redistribute and create any flesh over her body or head like it does in normal bay squirrels. It is more than dwarfism. Her eyes are not opening. She isn't necessarily weak for her size but her size and energy level are far below normal for her age.

It has been a very bad orphan squirrel season with more losses to horrible conditions and situations than ever before. I always think this little one will not be alive for the next feeding and am surprised she is. Since she seems to be trying so hard I thought I better post her case here. I hope it's OK to inquire about squirrels! I don't mean to take advantage but if you have a suggestion it would be very appreciated.

Thank you.

calc phos.

Hi,
Should I use calc phos 12C daily for a while or go to 200C one time, do you think?

You are either up very late or up very early! Didn't think you would be on the BB tonight.

only 12 twice a day.

Hi GM,
Thanks so much.

Hi GM.
Little squirrel has had Calc Phos 12C 2 times per day for three days and her stool is much better. (Thank you.) She is beginning to gain some weight and has more energy. She is still one third the size of her sister but is gaining weight.

Now that her sister wants to walk around out of the nest box it is obvious she can not use her hind legs much at all. She doesn't actually drag them straight out behind but they get crossed sometimes and mostly remain pulled somewhat up under her. She doesn't use them to try to move. She doesn't use the toes to grip if held in a hanging downward position that is so natural to a squirrel. When she attempts to climb like her sister, she can only pull with her front legs and makes no attempt to push with her hind legs. I have been holding her under her arms and let her hang that way and trying to get her to push with the hind legs. She can, but with very little strength.

Think I should continue with the Calc Phos? Until hind legs improve or do you suggest another remedy at this time or later?

Many thanks.

Continue cp, no other rem, add vitamins..and fat..animal fat..or eggs.

OK.......thanks again!

Dear GM,
I am sad to report the little squirrel didn't make it. She died the two days after the last post. She had doubled her weight and seemed to be coming along fine. Her sister had started to try to climb things and the little one couldn't do it. I helped her to climb and told her it was OK if she couldn't walk because we could figure out some way to accommodate her handicap. But she immediately stopped eating and developed a clicking sound with each breath and died within 12 hours. Aren't animals amazing?

I want to inquire about the clicking noise, if you have the time. It seems to happen shortly before losing the little baby squirrels. On one occasion, I accidentally aspirated a baby when feeding him (I've gotten a lot better and don't do this anymore) and he died very rapidly. He had the clicking noise when breathing before he died. We also get a lot of pneumonia with the babies and they click when breathing before they die. They go quite quickly when this happens. I have been using Ant T 12 and/or 30C. Sometimes the pneumonia cases that seem to involve sneezing fluids from the nose and rales but without the clicking noise, will clear with that. If not, I have gone to Phos 30C. (I use one pellet dissolved in a tiny amount of water.) But it seems that once the clicking sound appears, nothing is of help. Do you have any suggestions what I might do for them? Should I start with Phos and go to Ant T if not improved or would another remedy be more appropriate? Should I be using higher potencies (or 3 pellets per dose) even though they are quite sick at this point? It is always fast going for them and there isn't much time from when they show symptoms to losing them. We have had so many of these cases this fall and it's unusual to be losing so many.

I ask so much of you.

try first arnika on them, i think this is fear related, then go to cp, and go to 30 or 200 if you hear that clicking sound.
if its imunesystem weakness , cause of lack of mothersmilk, you cant help them.