It’s pretty easy to detect whether a human is in shock, humans in shock will not move, their eyebrows will be raised, their eyes will be slightly open and their mouths will be wide open as well.
But how do you know if a squirrel is in shock? This article looks at the signs of shock in squirrels
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Squirrel in shock symptoms:
A squirrel can become shocked if it is startled by a predator, or if it experiences some sort of trauma, like falling out of a tree or off of a power line.
The animal can also experience shock as a result of something internal. It will go into shock if it does not get the right amount of blood flow.
If the latter is the case, then the squirrel’s organs can become damaged because toxins have built up in the animal’s organs. This can be fatal to the animal, here are signs of shock in squirrels:
Symptoms of shock as a result of trauma:
Not responsive to touch: A shocked squirrel still sees you as a predator, but unlike other squirrels, a shocked squirrel will not respond to you even if you come close to it or touch it.
Glassy-eyed stare: A squirrel that is in shock will not be able to respond to stimulus by moving its eyes, it may have a dulled dazed, and blank expression on its face. It may also seem like it’s staring at something intensely
Cold: If the squirrel feels cold, especially at its extremities (its legs and paws) then you can assume that the animal is in shock.
Immobile: The animal will stay still and be immobile for a little while when in shock
Treatment:
CPR:
Some say that giving the animal CPR to get it out of its shocked state can help. CPR does work to help revive some animals, squirrels included.
If you do decide to do CPR on the squirrel, it is recommended that you apply pressure onto the side of the squirrel’s chest rather than applying it directly on its breastbone.
Be careful when doing this, the animal doesn’t know that you’re trying to help, and because it sees you as a threat, it may bite or scratch you as you try to perform CPR. Because of this, only do CPR if it is absolutely necessary.
Keep it safe:
If the animal has been in a shocked state for a long period of time, and if you don’t want to perform CPR on the animal, then you may need to keep it somewhere safe to allow it to recover and to keep it from predators.
Do this by scooping the animal up and putting it in a padded box with a heating pad under half of the box (do this so that the animal can move to the other side of the box if it feels too hot).
Also, place a warmed-up rice-filled sock or a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel in the box as another source of warmth.
Keep this box in a quiet area and allow the squirrel to calm down.
Remember to handle the animal with care before trying to move it, also remember to wear thick gloves and hold the animal in a towel in case it tries to scratch you.
Symptoms of shock as a result of something internal:
Pale gums: This symptom develops in squirrels as a result of internal bleeding. The blood does not go where it needs to go and there is a lack of blood where the blood should be going.
Limited activity: Squirrels are generally very active animals. If you realize that the animal is much less active than usual, and if it doesn’t seem to be responding normally to stimulus, then the animal may be in shock.
A change in breathing: The squirrel’s breathing can either speed up or slow down when in shock.
A change in heartbeat: The squirrel’s heartbeat can either speed up or slow down when in shock
A change in eyes: A squirrel’s eyes are usually bright and alert. If the squirrel’s eyes are suddenly dry-looking, sunken, and dull, then the animal may be in shock.
Treatment:
The best thing to do for a squirrel in this condition is to get it to a wildlife rehabilitation center, the professionals at these centers will assess the animal and then treat it.
If your squirrel is in shock, and you can’t get it to a wildlife rehabilitation center then you need to treat the squirrel yourself. Do this by delivering fluids to the animal.
Giving the animal fluids will help with its healing, only do this once the squirrel has warmed up. Don’t give fluids to a cold squirrel.
You may also need to give the animal oxygen, sugar, and heat to help get it out of its shocked state.
FAQ:
How do you know if a squirrel has head trauma?
Head trauma in squirrels is different than the animal going into shock, head trauma is a medical emergency.
If a squirrel has head trauma then the animal needs to be seen by a rehabber as soon as possible
Signs of head trauma in squirrels include looking and acting dizzy, walking in circles, leaning to the side, and blood coming from the nose or mouth.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other squirrel related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Is It Illegal To Run Over A Squirrel?, Squirrel Not Moving But Breathing, Can A Squirrel Survive With A Broken Leg?, Squirrel Dragging Its Back Legs,