Bruiser's Buddies Wildlife Rehabilitation

09/17/2025

I realized my last few posts were downers so here's 101 seconds of snuggle sack clown car cute overload action to make up for it. 💗🐿️

09/16/2025

This poor guy was paralyzed, probably in the last 48 hours based on his condition, and got stuck under a fence because his legs wouldn't follow his instructions to tuck in so he could fit through. Thanks to Jenn who went right to where he was and brought him to me quickly. Thanks to the finder for taking the time to notice him and to contact someone, where he was, other people surely must have walked by.
He had good reflexes in his back legs and I was hopeful we could try to treat him, but further examination determined his pelvis was broken in two places and his right leg had a compound fracture just below the hip.
He had a last meal of grapes and has been quietly released into the next place. May it be full of warm sun and clear skies and tall trees full of holes for nice snuggly nests. 💗🐿️

09/15/2025

Paralyzed ~10 week grey. Intake exam was promising for the paralysis treatment protocol, good reflexes both ways in both legs, intact pelvis and no obvious spinal fractures. She was alert and vocal. Started warming and fluids, she went agonal soon after. I held her in my hands as she went. A more thorough exam revealed crushed ribs on her left side, which appear to have punctured the lung. This happens sometimes when we get them warmed up and blood flow resumes, traumatic injuries that were on hold from cold and shock present and we can't do anything. I couldn't have done anything differently at all but I still feel like I failed her. Mama did such a good job, she's a beautiful healthy baby aside from missing the end of her tail, and whatever happened to her today. She'll be buried with the bottle fed aspiration pneumonia grey and the paralyzed chipmunk from yesterday.
I'm sorry Pippa.
I hate this part.
💗🐿️

09/14/2025

Update 0800
As the night rolled on, he began showing signs of an internal injury-a great deal of swelling and bruising in the lower abdominal area. He was much more responsive and ate and drank a little so I figured we'd ride it out. However, at some point it became too much and he has died. He was a very handsome little Chipmunk, and today he'll be buried with a grey baby I got late Friday night who died of aspiration pneumonia from being fed with a kitten bottle.
Keep your cats inside and don't feed baby animals.

Update 0030
Sleeping comfortably on pain meds and heat but now that circulation has improved, we have bleeding somewhere in the groin area, it looks like scrapes from teeth and a few additional punctures. The base of the tail, which I thought was just wet on intake from the water in the box was actually soaked in blood. Increasing movement in the rear legs though so it's not all bad news. In other news, she's a he, which wasn't originally obvious because of the matter fur covering the p***s.

Update 2004
She's cold and in shock. Hind feet pads are cold and white. No withdraw reflex and minor push reflex, bilaterally. Palpable swelling behind pelvis but no obvious fracture. Able to empty her own bladder. Punctures on each hip, probably from a cat bite. So far I've given honey and warm Pedialyte and pain meds and put her on a heat pad. I don't dare do anything else until she's warmer. Next step is subq fluids and steroids to reduce the inflammation asap, and starting antibiotics for the cat bite. I have a feeling she might not make it overnight (possibly not the next couple of hours....) but I really hope she does. Finder provided food and water and she cheeked some of the seeds which is just the cutest darn thing, even in the midst of trauma, chips are gonna chip.

Critical intake incoming.
I don't like the look of this one 😔
It'll be here in ten minutes, I'll update ASAP...
If there's not an obvious fracture, we start treatment.

09/14/2025

09/12/2025

At the doctor's office and just realized I didn't change my shirt before I came here so I've got dried squirrel formula on me and I look gross. Worth it for the little faces 🥹
What a glamorous life! 🤣🤷💗🐿️

09/10/2025

This sweet little girl came in late the other night, in the video I shared. Cold, skinny, covered in fleas, the bloody nose that goes with a long hard fall from a nest that warm soft mama didn't return to. Her dead sibling was found earlier, but luckily the finders were in the right place at the right time to save this one. We haven't named her yet, but now I'm confident she's going to make it so we're working on that...
A bunch of people have asked me to update my wishlist and I finally did. Needs are transitioning as the babies get bigger, we need to replace ni***es and blankets, we go through so many blankets and snuggle pouches, there's always squirrel laundry to do but not always time between feedings and life.
As always with the wishlist, no expectations , just appreciations, we couldn't take of so many babies without this support 💗

Venmo

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/381N8GTAQESE?ref_=list_d_wl_ys_list_1&filter=unpurchased&sort=date-added&viewType=list

09/09/2025

Squirrel magic ✨💗🐿️

09/08/2025

In happier news, Juni turned 1 this week! She's officially an adult squirrel now, and we're about six weeks away from the anniversary of when I got her. She's recovered an impressive amount of use in her back legs, considering she had absolutely zero reflex in either leg or her tail on intake. She's got control of her tail about 50% of the time, and her legs are at about 30%, more in good days. I've learned a TON about treating paralysis, and already we've had two good outcomes with paralyzed squirrels thanks to what I've learned from Juni. Once baby season is over I'll be looking to book some education events with her, so stay tuned if you're interested! Happy Birthday Juni!
💗🐿️🎉 🎂

09/08/2025

Our sweet little paralyzed red, Scarlet, passed away. I'm bummed, she was begining to regain movement in her back legs and tail, and was able to toilet independently again, and it seemed possible that she'd recover. She became less interested in food in the afternoon, and passed in the morning between the 8 and noon feedings. I'm glad she was comfortable, fed, and surrounded by little grey friends -they were still snuggled around her body when I found her, she just went to sleep and left us.
A more thorough post mortem exam did reveal a spinal fracture, so a full recovery wouldn't have been likely anyhow.
Please keep your cats inside.
💗🐿️

09/07/2025

There's been a lot going on in the last few days so updates are behind. Welcome new Buddies Oakington and Squeaks!
Squeaks (nicknamed Fatty by Bob 1) was found as a pinky and raised to his current impressive size by the finder. She did a great job and found him placement when she realized he needed friends and more room.
Oakington (purple in background) was found on the ground and is quite thin. He rapidly accepted his new temporary home and enjoys long sessions with the formula syringes and scritchies behind his absurdly long ears. ❤️🐿️