# Off-balance Hedgie... Help



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

Hello all,

I'm concerned about my hedgie... As of last night, at the very least, she seems somewhat weak. This may have started before last night, but I don't handle her nightly like I should in order to know for sure. 

What's more worrying, however, is that her head is perpetually turned to the right, so she seems unable to walk straight. I have no idea what could have caused this; nothing about her environment has changed. Her nails are in good shape. I'm really concerned that this is an early stage of WHS, or an injury, and I'm not sure what to do for her. My mom suggested that I might have gotten water in her ear when giving her a bath last night, but I would think if that were the case she would've been over it by now...and it doesn't explain why she seems fairly weak overall. When I say fairly weak, I mean that she is wobbly/hesitant when walking around, and doesn't fight me much when I pick her up (as per usual). 

If this lasts beyond tonight, I'll take her to the vet, but I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions first. The only vet I have access to isn't very educated about hedgehogs, so I want to have some theories to give him when/if I need to bring her in.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

She may have an ear infection, vestibular syndrome, or tumour or had a stroke. She does need to see a vet asap because ear infections are an easy cure and she will be in pain with it. Vestibular syndrome often causes vomiting so watch for it and also they tend to go off their food because they are dizzy. WHS usually doesn't come on that quickly.

My Freckles had something very similiar happen. He went for a normal hedgehog to almost unable to move over a day and a half. His head was so tilted that he couldn't walk because his head tilt made him overbalance. It was initially thought he had an ear infection and he was put on antibiotic. He improved a little bit and he was able to walk a bit but his head continued to over balance him. 

I hope your girl has something easily cured.

Edited to add. By any chance did she get a chill after the bath?


----------



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

I just got back from taking her to the vet... I dislike it when I go there and have him tell me that I know more about hedgehogs than he does. 

At any rate, he gave her an antibiotic because he also thought it could be an ear infection, as well as an anti-inflammatory in case it was an injury. He also gave me the number of another vet that's sort of in the area who he thought would be of more help if she doesn't seem to improve by tomorrow. 

There shouldn't be much of a chance that she got a chill... I wrap her up and dry her off in a baby bath blanket between washing and rinsing, and then I dry her off once more before she goes directly into her hedgie bag. It is still possible since I have to do it in the basement however.

Edit to add: She has been irregular about food intake for the past few days, but there hasn't been any vomiting. She will sometimes go on fasts for a few days at a time, and then the next day the entire food bowl will be emptied. I'm going to keep a close eye on her water intake though, since I'm not sure if she's had much to drink since last night.


----------



## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

Why dont you handle her nightly? You need to at least check her and change her food and water.....If you arent up to the commitment then maybe you need to look into rehoming for the good of the little one.


----------



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

I do check her and change her food and water nightly. I don't take her out of the cage nightly, primarily because she's more content to be left to her own devices on her wheel. 

I actually am looking at finding her a new home because I won't have time for her when I start university in the fall, but I don't think anyone is going to want to take her while she's sick.


----------



## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

where are you located at? most if not all rescue people will take a sick hedgie in.


----------



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

I'm in Southern Ontario, about twenty minutes from Windsor.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

CANADA: Linda and Gary Edwards, Kitchner/Waterloo, ONT. Telephone: 519-578-1992 E-Mail: [email protected] Hedgehog Heights Rescue

Linda is an HWS rescue and I know she will take her. She is a wonderful person. I could take her too but I'm in Kingston so a long way from you. Try Linda first.


----------



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

Thank you very much for the contact info Nancy.  My brother has a friend who's had hedgehogs before that may be interested in taking her, so I'm going to talk with her first once my hedgie gets better. But if she doesn't want to take her, or if for some reason my hedgie doesn't improve to the point where I'm comfortable with leaving her with a non-rescue, I'll get in contact with Linda and Gary for sure.

As for my hedgie, she has been improving since yesterday. She isn't acting nearly as weak, and she's been eating and drinking regularly again. She's still a bit wobbly when walking, and her head is still tending to go to the right, but she can at least go left if she so chooses now...when I initially wrote my post, she was only capable of wandering in a circle. I'm going to get some oral antibiotics/anti-inflammatory medication for her from the vet tomorrow.


----------



## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

If for whatever reason, it ends up that Nancy has to take your hedgie, I'd be more than happy to help work out a hedgie "train" :lol: I travel between Hamilton and Toronto a lot, and Kingston is just a bit more north. 

So just pm if your hedgie needs a ride ^_^


----------



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

I appreciate the offer Immortalia, thanks. 

I've been to the vet who's actually had experience with hedgehogs, and he says he thinks it's Meningitis.  He sent me home with needles, since he thinks there's a better chance of her recovering if the antibiotics are given via injection as opposed to orally, but there's still no way of knowing if she'll recover. He also said that there won't be any sure way to know the cause unless he ends up having to do an autopsy, which won't happen if I can help it!

Please pray for my little Faye.


----------



## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

What antibiotic did he prescribe?


----------



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

The shots have antibiotic and I think still an anti-inflammatory in them. I'm not sure which is which, but the drugs are Baytril and Dexamethazone.


----------



## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Linque said:


> The shots have antibiotic and I think still an anti-inflammatory in them. I'm not sure which is which, but the drugs are Baytril and Dexamethazone.


I work at a vet clinic. Baytril is an antibitoic and Dexamethazone is an injectable anti-inflammatory.

I'm a little concerned that the vet sent you home with the Dex though. Because we always do in-clinic injections of it, cause it's usually only needed once and that's for big animals like dogs and cats so I can't imagine a hedgie would need it more than once.

There are definitely better antibiotics out there for hedgies than an injectable baytril. Baytril does come in a nasty tasting tablet too, but I have heard that hedgies don't mind the taste of Clavamox (tablet) and I have used an oral antibiotic called Novotrimol by putting in on food with a lot of success.

There's not any other vets in your area is there?


----------



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

There's one vet in town here, and they're the ones that initially sent me home with oral medication (the same antibiotic, and from the looks of the receipt, the same anti-inflammatory). The second vet that I saw who sent me home with the injections is forty-five minutes away, and he pretty much owns all the practices in an hour radius, which is how I ended up being sent to him in the first place. 

The vet didn't want to use the oral medication because he was concerned that she wouldn't intake enough of it to make a difference, and also that it would give her diarrhea. 

I don't know how much of a difference it makes with regard to your concern about the Dex, but the shots are only 0.2mL overall...the vet also said that he felt that keeping her constantly dosed with the antibiotic/anti-inflammatory for a few days was the best chance we could give her. 

I do wish there were other vets more specialized in exotics in the area, but the one that I saw who gave me the injections is regarded as one of the best in south-western Ontario, so his opinion is the only feasible one for me to get.


----------



## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Linque said:


> There's one vet in town here, and they're the ones that initially sent me home with oral medication (the same antibiotic, and from the looks of the receipt, the same anti-inflammatory). The second vet that I saw who sent me home with the injections is forty-five minutes away, and he pretty much owns all the practices in an hour radius, which is how I ended up being sent to him in the first place.
> 
> The vet didn't want to use the oral medication because he was concerned that she wouldn't intake enough of it to make a difference, and also that it would give her diarrhea.
> 
> ...


Well unfortunately I'm not going to veterinary school myself until next year otherwise I'd be much more help lol. 0.2ml overall does sound like a small enough dosage to me so hopefully it's good and I mean it being spread out that much could be why he gave you it to go home, especially if it's a 45 min drive for you to go there. I really hope someone else with experience treating hedgies with these drugs can help you, cause like I said I only know dogs and cats unfortunately.

Good luck and I hope your little one gets better!


----------



## Linque (May 16, 2009)

Thank you all the same SnufflePuff, I appreciate your input and your well wishing.  And good luck with vet school!


----------



## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

I'm concerned about the Baytril injectable. It's famous for causing injection site necrosis. You must wipe the needle thoroughly after drawing it up, wipe the injection site thoroughly after injection and never use the same area twice. 

I do not like it at all.


----------

