I have noticed a squirrel behaving unusually in my neighborhood. He is very slow to run from a potential predator (ie my dog). He is often seen sitting at the base of a tree and craning his neck toward his back over and over. I've recently seen this squirrel doing just that on a very rainy day. He was completely soaked, sitting on the ground craning his neck, dropping it again, craning it again...over and over. He did not run from me and my dog as we unwittingly approached. I held my dog back from the attack, but the squirrel just sat there for maybe 30 seconds, then slowly left and climbed a nearby tree. I'm concerned that this animal is sick and might spread whatever he has to local pets or people. I've read about the raccoon roundworm, but this behavior seems different. Can you advise?

Without seeing the squirrel myself, I'm not sure what the cause might be. But you are correct that this squirrel is clearly not in good condition. I'll get back to you as soon as I hear back from the wildlife veterinarian I contacted. In the meantime, it would be best to keep your dog away from the squirrel.