# Rehabbing orphaned 6 week old groundhog- pinworms need advice



## Sleppo (May 16, 2020)

Hi all, 

Hope everyone is doing well through this pandemic. I found an orphaned, malnourished groundhog a week ago that I have been nursing back to health to release him in a few weeks. I have experience with kittens and birds but not much with small mammals. Due to the pandemic I can’t get a rescue to call me back and from what I’ve researched he’s likely going to be euthanized due to PA state law and groundhogs being classified as rabies vector animals. He’s doing really well, gaining weight rapidly, great appetite etc. I just noticed today he has pinworms, I figured as much with him being wild but wanted to get advice on if I should treat or let it go. (The worm was hanging out of its anus.) If so would pancur work and what would be the dosage? He’s 10.70oz = roughly 303g. There is very limited info on groundhogs specifically but I’ve noticed most of the rehabbers guidelines match up with squirrel care. I know we’ve got a large group of professionals and hobbyists here hoping someone may be able to help. Thanks all, take care and stay safe.


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## Maro2Bear (May 16, 2020)

Too bad Ground Hogs arent as cute and cuddly as UK’s hedgehogs. Not too many folks wanting to rehab a groundhog, they really do a lot of damage to backyard gardens & professional farmers. Good luck.


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## Sleppo (May 16, 2020)

I know! I can find millions of articles on poisoning hunting/skinning them then anything regarding care. They are a nuisance animal for humans but an integral part of the eco system. I found an abandoned farm outside of the city that I’ll be releasing him to, I was also considering a state park which is probably illegal.


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## mark1 (May 16, 2020)

nemex , strongid , or generic pyrantel pamoate ……. never dosed a groundhog , it's pretty safe stuff , i'd dose him like a puppy ………… you may be able to find a formulary online that will have a specific doses for groundhogs /wild animals …..


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## Sleppo (May 16, 2020)

mark1 said:


> nemex , strongid , or generic pyrantel pamoate ……. never dosed a groundhog , it's pretty safe stuff , i'd dose him like a puppy ………… you may be able to find a formulary online that will have a specific doses for groundhogs /wild animals …..



Thank you Mark, really appreciate it!


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## mark1 (May 16, 2020)

needs done at least twice , 14 days apart ….


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## Sleppo (May 16, 2020)

mark1 said:


> needs done at least twice , 14 days apart ….



Yeah I read it would need more then one treatment due to the life cycle of the worms. I’ll be sure to retreat in 14 days. Thanks again! Everyone thinks I’m insane for taking this on but he was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen and was hypothermic when I found him. Not in my nature to ignore.


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## Toddrickfl1 (May 16, 2020)

I vote keep him and start his own YouTube channel


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## Maro2Bear (May 16, 2020)

Or, since you are on the outskirts of Philly, ship him over to play with Punxsutawney Phil!

*Punxsutawney Phil *is a groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. On February 2 each year,[1] the borough of Punxsutawney celebrates the legendary groundhog with a festive atmosphere of music and food. During the ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler's Knob, located in a rural area about 2 miles (3 km) southeast of town. According to the tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like weather.[2] If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an "early spring."[3] The date of Phil's prognostication is known as Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada, and formally began in 1887, although its roots go back even farther.[4]


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## mark1 (May 16, 2020)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> I vote keep him and start his own YouTube channel


 too funny ………..


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## wellington (May 16, 2020)

Maro2Bear said:


> Too bad Ground Hogs arent as cute and cuddly as UK’s hedgehogs. Not too many folks wanting to rehab a groundhog, they really do a lot of damage to backyard gardens & professional farmers. Good luck.


What! Ground hogs are adorable. Besides does the UK have a hedgehog that predicts whether spring is near? Lol


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## KarenSoCal (May 17, 2020)

Being a Pennsylvanian, I can assure you that groundhogs are vicious fighters. It takes a *big *dog to take on a groundhog, and the ending is not guaranteed. They may look a bit cuddly, but they're nasty.
But Sleppo, I couldn't have left the baby either.


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## mark1 (May 17, 2020)

KarenSoCal said:


> It takes a *big *dog to take on a groundhog,


I have to agree , my dogs always been animal killers , raccoons , possums , squirrels , rabbits , birds , other dogs , I came home to one of my dogs with her face and head chewed to pieces , she had holes everywhere , bites clean through her lips …….. i thought she got in a fight with one of the other dogs , none of the others had a mark on them , and then i found the woodchuck ....... I saved a woodchuck from them one time , they had it cornered and it was doing a hell of a job fending off 3 dogs , they certainly are tough ……...


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## KarenSoCal (May 18, 2020)

mark1 said:


> I have to agree , my dogs always been animal killers , raccoons , possums , squirrels , rabbits , birds , other dogs , I came home to one of my dogs with her face and head chewed to pieces , she had holes everywhere , bites clean through her lips …….. i thought she got in a fight with one of the other dogs , none of the others had a mark on them , and then i found the woodchuck ....... I saved a woodchuck from them one time , they had it cornered and it was doing a hell of a job fending off 3 dogs , they certainly are tough ……...


Did your dog survive? How horrifying!


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## Maro2Bear (May 18, 2020)

wellington said:


> What! Ground hogs are adorable. Besides does the UK have a hedgehog that predicts whether spring is near? Lol



My neighbor is having an on-going war with a klan of ground hogs that have taken over their gardening shed. Tunneling under & creating havoc.


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## mark1 (May 22, 2020)

KarenSoCal said:


> Did your dog survive? How horrifying!


oh , yes …… she was a live wire , she had a knack for killing stuff , nothing hurt her ……. when i read what you wrote , i remembered what that groundhog was able to do to her , it was memorable …......she killed many raccoons , possums , other groundhogs , and had quite a few dog fights ......... she lived a long life , was the sweetest dog you would ever meet , she loved people, even strangers , she'd beg to get petted by anyone ...... she just had a bad habit of killing animals ........ spent my life getting a dog like her , i sure miss her ....


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## KarenSoCal (May 22, 2020)

I must say, I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley! She was beautiful.


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## LasTortugasNinja (May 22, 2020)

Not long ago, I saw a poor Bald Eagle trying to fly a groundhog that was almost as big as the bird to her chicks. Never realized just how big groundhogs get.


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## mark1 (May 23, 2020)

KarenSoCal said:


> I must say, I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley! She was beautiful.



aside from being an animal , she was completely harmless …….. as animal aggressive as my dogs were/are , they are every bit as people non-aggressive , they are as friendly as dogs get .......


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## KarenSoCal (May 23, 2020)

mark1 said:


> aside from being an animal , she was completely harmless …….. as animal aggressive as my dogs were/are , they are every bit as people non-aggressive , they are as friendly as dogs get .......


Do you encourage this animal aggressive behavior? If so, please tell me why??

I am sensitive to dog to dog aggression, it terrifies me. 

I stood at the end of a 6ft leash as a pitbull eviscerated my little 15 lb "llasa poo". There was nothing I could do but stand there. The owner tried to get her off my dog, but was unsuccessful.

It was the most brutal, stomach churning, horrific thing I have ever seen. It has changed me forever.


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## LasTortugasNinja (May 23, 2020)

KarenSoCal said:


> Do you encourage this animal aggressive behavior? If so, please tell me why??
> 
> I am sensitive to dog to dog aggression, it terrifies me.
> 
> ...


Agreed. years ago, I was walking my German Shepherd when a stray pit appeared out of nowhere and launched itself at my dog. Tried to bite my dog’s neck but only got a lump of fur. Luckily for us, I walk with a cane, and hit that pit so hard over the head with it that my arm went numb from the reverberation. Pit took off running, my dog was in full “werewolf” mode with all hair on end. I was on the phone instantly with police saying there was a local stray that is attacking people. seconds later, two patrol cars and animal control were in the area.


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## mark1 (May 24, 2020)

KarenSoCal said:


> Do you encourage this animal aggressive behavior? If so, please tell me why??
> 
> I am sensitive to dog to dog aggression, it terrifies me.
> 
> ...



no , it's just in the breed …… it's a side effect of the dogs i've selected , I've selected dogs that could run , were friendly , trusting , hunted and never a hint of timid ……... that girl I pictured could and did run for 3hrs non-stop , 20 miles , came home and ran around the yard the rest of the day ……... seen an experiment one time where they selected foxes based solely on friendliness , the side effect were pretty amazing ……... when you add selection criteria you get a lot of unintended side effects .......... pit bulls problems are a result of the owners not the dogs ........ i grew up in a house with working pitbulls and 8 kids ............ a shame about your dog , when i was young i'd have choked the dog out , then the owner ........... i've had folks with their dogs loose run up on mine , tell me their dogs are friendly , seemingly ignorant to the possibilty the dog yours is running up on isn't , and is on leash for a reason ........ bsl's are a result of people not dogs , and I assure I've not contributed to them in my life ......... quite a few mastiff breeds are pretty animal aggressive , it served a purpose either for baiting or livestock guarding ......


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## RainsOn (Nov 3, 2020)

Gorgeous dog. My husband and I have both had run ins with aggressive dogs when walking our rough colllies. It is not a good situation. I was even dragged through gravel. I am one to give the animal the benefit of the doubt as far as fault ( I'm only 4' 10"). I read that pit bulls were bred, originally, to guard children. Unfortunately, it is often the fault of the owner whether or not the dog is aggressive and under control. We have a neighbor with two huge rottweilers that get constant care and couldn't be bigger babies. Another neighbor has one boxer that that they ignore and I would not trust him without the fence between us. 
I spent several years mothering orphaned wildlife. In my experience, anything can be tamed - to a degree. (Raccoons are a separate subject.) Never had a ground hog but I do know they are vicious. 
I think all baby animals are cute and wish you all the best with him - or her. 
P.S: Females of most species are the most vicious.


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