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Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / September 2006Veterinarian Scientist - Deformed Squirrel? Mange? Disease?
Deformed Squirrel? Mange? Disease? I hope somebody can answer this question. I've got a question about a squirrel I caught on camera yesterday. The closest thing I came to on Google was "notoedric mange", and learned it can kill animals if they lose enough hair, but after looking at the photos, it doesn't quite seem to be what was ailing this particular squirrel. I have posted elsewhere, seeking the identification of this genetic deformity or disease (if it is a disease, is it contagious to other animals?) A form of mange (parasitic?) So far, nobody has provided an explanation. This squirrel was bare across its shoulders of hair, and had what appeared to be some kind of growth(s), several growths hanging across and down, from it's shoulder. I've never seen anything like this on any squirrels. I've uploaded some images to Photobucket. (about 45 images -- from the right, left, back and front of the squirrel), http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k168/dave_matson/squirrel/) Can anyone shed some light on this? Eagerly awaiting identification of ailment or ailments, Sharon "Sharon" <> wrote in message > Deformed Squirrel? Mange? Disease?> I hope somebody can answer this question. Not scientist here. Not a clue but it reminds me of my pet fox when (I assume) she was attacked thru her cage by a neighborhood fisher. I (rehabber) had lost some juvenile racoons to the fisher one summer. During that same time (and not putting two and two together) one of my friendly pet silver foxes was acting quiet and off. Petting/scratching her one day, I felt a large (5" x 5") abscess near her shoulder. Before getting bit by her, I managed to pull some of the dead fur off the area and found some old wounds. Long story short, the abscess finally drained and the area healed after quite a while. She lost all fur in that spot forever and it had the same appearance of your squirrels problem. Could the squirrel have been attached (cat, hawk, whatever) and this is the result? Not a clue but that would be the most likely area a predator would grab. Those nodules remind me of when I cut my wrist on an aquarium. The wound healed but a nasty, painful nodule formed due to the trauma. Can't remember the name of what they are but a friend with open heart surgery had the same nodules running up and down the incision area. Good luck on trying to decipher this. Can you get the squirrel to sit still and pose quietely for more pictures? <bg> Sue Minocqua, WI Yamaha '00 VStar 650 '04 TW200 (mud = fun) Kawasaki '95 Vulcan 1500 V#15937 Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence. In the talk origins newsgroup: It looks, to me, like a grey squirrel that survived a serious injury. I suspect broken bones and massive scar tissue on its back. Klaus Richard Smol wrote: to know for sure, you'd have to actually catch the squirrel and examine it. ... try alt.med.veterinary. [I don't think I can catch the squirrel, I'm not that quick on my legs and doubt the branches would hold as I'm swinging through them... or as Susan suggested, sort of doubtful I could get it to sit still and pose quietly. It's probably an old nasty injury as you've both suggested. Thanks for the i'd.] "Susan (CobbersMom)" alt.med.veterinary wrote... ...reminds me of my pet fox when (I assume) she was attacked thru her cage by a neighborhood fisher. ...one of my friendly pet silver foxes was acting quiet and off. Petting/scratching her one day, I felt a large (5" x 5") abscess near her shoulder. Before getting bit by her, I managed to pull some of the dead fur off the area and found some old wounds. Long story short, the abscess finally drained and the area healed after quite a while. She lost all fur in that spot forever and it had the same appearance of your squirrels problem. Could the squirrel have been attached (cat, hawk, whatever) and this is the result? Not a clue but that would be the most likely area a predator would grab. Those nodules remind me of when I cut my wrist on an aquarium. The wound healed but a nasty, painful nodule formed due to the trauma. Can't remember the name of what they are but a friend with open heart surgery had the same nodules running up and down the incision area. Good luck on trying to decipher this. Can you get the squirrel to sit still and pose quietely for more pictures? <bg> Sue Minocqua, WI "Susan (CobbersMom)" wrote Good luck on trying to decipher this. Can you get the squirrel to sit still and pose quietely for more pictures? <bg> Sue --- A fellow in talk.origins has identified the cause of the problem. "Jerry Sparks" <ejspa...@tvscable.com> wrote in message I would suspect that this is a larval infection from a nasty fly. In these parts (i.e., eastern Kentucky) we refer to these larval forms as a "Wolfworm". I have seen this many times in skunks, rabbits, cats, and other small mammals in the area. Check out this web site for further info. http://botfly.ifas.ufl.edu/abotfly/overview.htm I hope this helps. > "Jerry Sparks" <ejspa...@tvscable.com> wrote in message > I would suspect that this is a larval infection from a nasty fly. In [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > info. > http://botfly.ifas.ufl.edu/abotfly/overview.htm ..........I didn't look at the original pix, but my guess was going to be warble, which is a type of fly larva. They wreak havoc on sheep - ruin the skins. I think there was once someone who posted here about one on a cat. buglady take out the dog before replying Actually a warble is a stage of botfly larvae. Jerry, I have to agree with you - that's definitely botfly larvae on the squirrel. I'm in Western NC and had to rescue a baby rabbit from the jaws of my cat, and the poor little thing's neck was absolutely covered with botfly larvae. Botflies tend to lay their larvae in 'furry' animals, i.e. squirrels, rabbits, mice, rats, and even deer. It has been found that a human or two actually have this 'animal' type of botfly larvae imbedded, though usually human botfly larvae is found in South America. > > "Jerry Sparks" <ejspa...@tvscable.com> wrote in message > > I would suspect that this is a larval infection from a nasty fly. In [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > buglady > take out the dog before replying |
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