Henry’s Emergency Treatment for MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease)

Calcium is an essential nutrient that strengthens the bones, yet it also plays a vital role in all bodily functions. Every cell in the body contains water and small amounts of dissolved minerals, including calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals allow cells to transmit small electrical signals. Without this cell-to-cell communication, the organs can’t function: your heart can’t beat, your nerves can’t transmit impulses, and eventually, you die.


When there isn’t enough calcium in the diet, the body will begin to pull calcium directly from the bones and use that instead. This causes the bones to become severely depleted of calcium. Eventually, there isn’t enough calcium left in the bones to maintain sufficient calcium in the cellular fluids, and the organs can’t function properly. This is what causes the classic symptoms of MBD: loss of appetite, lethargy, muscle pain, paralysis, seizures, and eventually death. The most common age of onset of MBD is around 1-2 years old. However, MBD can appear at any age, from 8 weeks to 10 years of age.

Humans don’t suffer from this type of acute MBD, partly because our daily calcium requirement is much lower relative to our body size than a squirrel’s, but also because our bones are much larger, allowing us to create larger calcium reserves. However, human bones can also lose calcium over time, leading to chronic conditions such as osteoporosis.

When a squirrel has gotten to the point where they are showing symptoms of MBD, it is a very serious threat to their life, and they must receive calcium supplements immediately! Giving calcium orally allows you to artificially raise your squirrel’s blood calcium levels when their bones no longer contain enough calcium to support the body naturally.

Once the emergency calcium supplements are given, your squirrel’s blood calcium levels should normalize quickly. Squirrels should “bounce back” and act normal or nearly their usual selves. If your squirrel is generally feeling better but still paralyzed or having mobility issues, they may have a spinal injury due to their weak and brittle bones. Also, note that older squirrels may respond more slowly to treatment. Even though their symptoms may cease after a few days, it will take months to rebuild their calcium levels fully. They will need enough calcium supplements to support their body’s daily activity and rebuild the calcium stores in their bones.

This is why it’s essential to get the dosage just right by following our guide or consulting with an experienced wildlife rehabilitator. Curing MBD requires a well-balanced diet, including all the essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, working together with the extra calcium supplements to rebuild the bone. The good news is that X-rays have shown that squirrels can begin to rebuild bone relatively quickly.


Risk Factors for MBD

  1. Non-recommended formulas, including scalded milk, human baby formula, and kitten formula. We are not aware
    of any case of a baby raised on Fox Valley Formula from 5 weeks ever getting MBD.
  2. Weaned too early.
  3. Weaned onto a diet that does not contain Henry’s Blocks, which provide the recommended daily serving of calcium.

Get calcium into the squirrel immediately - not later, not tomorrow, but now! Delaying treatment can cause permanent paralysis or death.

If you need immediate assistance from an experienced wildlife rehabilitator, please call Henry’s Emergency Help Line at (540) 745-3334, Ext. 1.

 


Henry’s exclusive MBD Treatment Kit includes everything you need to provide emergency treatment for Metabolic Bone Disease in squirrels. Henry’s Blocks are the only dietary supplements specifically designed to ensure squirrels gets the necessary daily allowance of calcium to keep them healthy and thriving.

If you suspect a squirrel may be developing or already suffering from MBD you need to get calcium into them IMMEDIATELY! Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

Below is a list of items you can buy locally while you are waiting for your MBD Kit to arrive.


  • Tums®, Rolaids®, or calcium supplement (any kind)*
  • A syringe or spoon for administering it

*Any kind of calcium pill is okay for the first dose, and you can use Tums for a few days, but in the long term, it’s best to use plain calcium carbonate (without Vitamin D or other added minerals. See below for more information about calcium carbonate)


Crush one pill and add a little water or fruit juice to make a toothpastelike consistency. Use a syringe or spoon to force-feed the mixture to the squirrel.

After you give the initial dose of calcium, give 100 mg every 4 hours (50 mg for smaller squirrels such as red squirrels, flying squirrels, or babies less than 12 weeks old). On the first day, getting calcium into the squirrel quickly is more important than the type of calcium or amount. Going forward, most squirrels will need around 500 mg daily (250 mg for flying squirrel or small squirrels). See the Long-Term Treatment for MBD below.


Dosage Methods

The easiest way to dose calcium long-term is to mix it with a small amount of almond butter, crushed nuts, yogurt, baby food, or any food the squirrel really likes. This way, you don’t have to continue to force-feed the calcium, which stresses the squirrel (and you)!

Example: If you mix 500 mg of calcium with 1/2 teaspoon of almond butter and roll it into 5 little balls, each ball will contain 100 mg of calcium. You can also mix the calcium with formula or fruit juice, which can be licked from a syringe or spoon. Depending on the squirrel’s age and preferences, you might need to experiment to find what works best for them.

What to Watch For

A squirrel’s acute symptoms, such as weakness, loss of appetite, lethargy, seizures, and paralysis, will usually improve within a few hours or days as their body is able to replenish cellular fluids with the supplemental calcium, but that does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take months to rebuild the calcium in their bones to a healthy level. If the squirrel is feeling better but still paralyzed, there may be a spinal injury due to their weak and brittle bones.

More Tips

MBD causes brittle bones that break easily. You should pad the bottom of the squirrel’s cage and keep them away from high places where they might jump and break a bone.

Heat can be very soothing for a squirrel with MBD. Use a heating pad on low heat (make sure they can’t chew the pad or cord) or a Rice Buddy.

About Calcium Labels

Don’t assume that the front label indicates the amount of pure, “elemental” calcium in each tablet.

For example, Tums Ultra Strength 1000 Calcium only contains about 425mg of elemental calcium in each tablet.

You can determine the amount of elemental calcium by checking the Supplemental Facts, usually found on the back label. The amount of “calcium” or “calcium carbonate” will be listed in the ingredients.

But pay attention! Usually, the amount of calcium in the Supplemental Facts refers to the amount “per serving”. So if the serving size is two tablets, the amount of calcium in a single tablet is actually only half the amount listed.

Calcium Dosage

Starting on the second day, most squirrels will receive 500 mg of elemental calcium per day (250 mg for flying squirrels, etc.) divided into five doses. See How to Read a Calcium Label for more information.

Note: The label on Henry’s Healthy Calcium uses elemental calcium.

Keep notes on how much calcium you give so you can adjust the dosage as needed. It is best to work with someone knowledgeable about MBD when changing the dosage.

The goal is to give enough calcium to eliminate all symptoms but not so much that your squirrel excretes extra calcium in its urine or feces. Over-supplementation of calcium can also be detrimental to your squirrel’s health.

Within 1-5 days, your squirrel should be alert, active, and eating, with no seizures or paralysis. If your squirrel still has symptoms or has “ups and downs” during the day, you may need to increase the dosage. Or you can try giving smaller doses more frequently

White feces or a white film on dried urine may mean the dosage should be reduced. Giving smaller doses more often can also help with this, as smaller, more frequent doses are easier to absorb.

Note: Once your squirrel begins eating Henry’s Blocks, you should cut their calcium dosage in half because the Blocks also contain calcium.

The Next Step to Curing MBD is to Fix the Diet

Remove all seeds, nuts, corn, and treats, including stashes. Follow the Healthy Diet for Squirrels. Your squirrel should eat two Henry’s Blocks daily to ensure they get a regular daily serving of calcium.

Gradually Reduce the Dosage Over Time

How to make a Rice Buddy
  1. Fill a sock with 1 cup of dry rice or beans.
  2. Microwave for 30 seconds.
  3. Squish the sock to ensure there are no hot spots.

Place the Rice Buddy next to the squirrel and cover them. Reheat every 2 hours or as necessary

Once you have figured out the best dosage schedule for the squirrel, they are eating Henry’s Blocks daily, and remain stable (no signs of MBD symptoms) for two weeks, reduce the total daily amount of calcium by 50 mg. Continue lowering the dosage every two weeks until the squirrel only gets 50 mg of extra calcium daily. Then, after two months, try eliminating the extra calcium altogether so it is just receiving a daily dose of calcium from the Henry’s Blocks.

Just like humans, squirrels need a well-balanced diet to thrive. Supplementing calcium long-term will not make up for a poor diet! Our Healthy Diet for Squirrels outlines how to ensure your squirrel gets a well-balanced variety of nutrients and the necessary vitamins and minerals. If you have a particularly picky squirrel who doesn’t want to eat Henry’s Blocks or healthy veggies, please contact us, and we will be happy to work with you and put you in touch with experienced wildlife rehabilitator who can help find a solution that guarantees the squirrel gets what they need.

If symptoms return at any time, give an emergency 100 mg dose and then return to a higher dosage for two weeks. Be careful with dosage reductions and watch for any return of symptoms. Relapses in MBD are extremely serious and often fatal.

Note: This MBD treatment is a “standardized” treatment that will get most cases on the road to recovery. However, the treatment for each squirrel may be slightly different, depending on its age, severity of disease, and other factors.

Please contact our Emergency Help Line or another experienced squirrel rehabber if you have any additional questions or concerns!