# HELP i think my hedgehog is dying!!!



## sonic.

i have an albino hedgehog he is roughly 4 years old.. my mom was watching him and she said he wasn't acting right for the last 4 days.. wasn't eating or drinking and acting funny

well i got him back last night and something is wrong he is weak looking and limp i pick him up and he won't roll up into a ball or anything and in my hands he kind of just lays on his side even in his tank... i just checked on him and he is still alive and looks at me when i touch him and kind of jumps so he is still alive but i fear something is seriously wrong.. he has a piece of something dry stuck to his mouth i don't know if it is poop or some food or blood or he was chewing his lip i tried to peel it off but i do not want to hurt him right now

i am awaiting a phone call to the vet to see what i can do and then i want to rush him into her... but is there anything i can do right now in the time being?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! please help me asap guys i wanted to post this last night but it took all night for me to be able to post on this forum (pretty choked about that considering the emergency)

if cotton has been like this for days he may not last today and i need to help him

can anybody help me?!?!?!?!?!?!?!


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## amber.vroman

You should start syringe feeding him. I am no expert but if he hasn't been eating he needs strength. There are a lot threads about syringe feeding on here. I would thing that this might be most important right now. Wait for Nancy's advice. She always has the best health advice. I am so sorry you are going through this. I will be sending you good thoughts.


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## Lilysmommy

If he hasn't been drinking, you also need to syringe him water. Dehydration sets in very quickly. What temperature was he being kept at? Is his belly cool? Definitely get him into the vet, but until then, try to get some water and food into him, and keep him warm (I'd suggest between 76 and 80 degrees).


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## susanaproenca

If you can't get him an appointment, then take him to the emergency vet. If he has been like that for 4 days then he can't wait anymore and needs to see a vet now.


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## sonic.

i just got him back from the vet. she thinks either he has a virus, infection, or tumor.

she prescribed me antibiotic medicine and told me either it'll work and he'll get better or it won't work and then i will need to put him down.. i don't wanna lose my hedgehog i love this little guy.

so i'm going to pick up his medicine right away and then take it from there.. i'm really really hoping he turns right around in the next couple weeks or else i think it will be too late for my little guy.

in the mean time while i'm giving him medicine.. what's the best way to feed him and give him water.. i'm clueless to this type of situation and i'd really appreciate it if some of you guys can help.

as of right now he is really wobbly and uncoordinated.. when he tries to walk after a few steps he falls over.. it's like something is messing with his system. when i grab him he won't roll up into a ball or anything.. just lets me pick him up.. he never ever used to be like that he would stay a ball until he got comfortable again enough to uncurl and then walk around and everything.. so i'm at a loss of words after this i really do not know what to do... i hope my hedgehog doesn't die on me.


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## leopardhedgehog

I can't actually help, but I wanted to say I really hope he's ok. Also, like amber-vroman said, Nancy is a health expert so hopefully she'll post


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## sonic.

just throwing this out there.. and i seriously hope this is not the case.. but could my hedgehog possibly have wobbly hedgehog syndrome..


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## nikki

It doesn't sound like WHS it came on to fast. He's probably just weak and dehydrated from not eating and drinking. Keep him at a warmer temp than usualy, when they're sick they need to be extra warm. Did the vet give him any fluids while you were there? To syringe feed him you can get a can of Hills A/D from your vet, its made for syringe feeding. Mix some with a bit of water and suck it up into a syringe. Hold your hedgie so he's sort of sitting on his butt and put the syringe in the side of his mouth. Squirt a small bit in and wait for him to swallow it. You can do the same with water. Try to get about 5 cc (ml's) into him at a time.


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## Immortalia

WHS wouldn't have set in this quick. But wait till the experts chime in. 

The vet should have gone through syringing proceedures with you, made sure you have some syringes and food like hills a/d or better yet, carnivore care. If they did not tell you all this while you were there, you should go back and pick some up. 

Also antibiotics can be tough on tummies so it may also be benificial to pick up something like benbac as a probiotic to give between medicine feedings. 

I know there is at least one thread with picture samples on how to syringe feed a bundled hedgie, so until more experts chime in, it would be good to look up syringe feeding in the search(located upper right corner). I'd help but I'm posting this on my phone and its a pain to do searches

(woo and there's nikki)


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## sonic.

the vet gave me absolutely nothing while i was there and told me nothing about syringe feeding or how to do it.. i have absolutely no syringes or any special type of food... the vet is 50 miles away and i have no way to get there at the moment until at least tomorrow if i have to go!!! ugh i wish i would of known some of this while i was there!!!


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## LarryT

What's your location? Maybe we can help you find a GOOD vet.


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## Kalandra

Good lord, what is wrong with some vets? If this hedgehog hasn't drank in 3 days your vet should have addressed this. A sub-q of fluids should have been administered. Hedgehogs that are dehydrated can become extremely wobbly and have little to no strength. Is your hedgehog's nose wet? Are its eyes sunken in? If you pinch the skin on its back does it stay pinched or go quickly back to normal position? Dry noses, sunken in eyes, and skin that doesn't return to normal are signs of dehydration. A sub-q of fluids can fix that quickly. Otherwise start getting water into your hedgehog.

Go to a pet store and look for a feeding syringe. Petsmart and petco do usually carry such items. They are usually 10cc and located in the dog/cat section. Often near baby supplies. Call the stores first to see if they have them. They are more expensive, but will work in a pinch when you need them.

For syringe feeding, I use Innova canned cat food. Any good quality canned cat food that is smooth will syringe feed. You may need to warm it slightly, add a little water and smash it until its smooth. Then suck it up in a syringe. Approach the hedgehog from the side of the mouth and put a little in its mouth. Approach from the side because hedgehogs have tiny hairs on their mouth that is sensitive and should you squirt too much it won't go down the throat and cause the hedgehog to aspirate.


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## sonic.

i live way to far up north to have the luxury of multiple vets and petsmarts. we have one local pet store in this town and only one vet.

his nose was dry and he appeared very lazy.. so i fed him about 15cc of water and i gave him 20cc of his medicine.. i have a weeks worth of medicine that i have to give him 2 times daily.


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## Immortalia

Do you mean 1.5 and 2.0? 15 and 20 are awfully large numbers for such a small animal and I would highly question the dosage the vet gave if that is the case. 

There are no blvets near you at all?

For now, soak some kibble in hot water to soften it. Then blend it into a mush. This should be syringeable. Also, pharmacys also carry syringes. Ask them and they should direct you. I got my syringes for free. I just asked them at the pharmacy couter and they took it from back there.


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## susanaproenca

You can use the best quality cat food you can find at the grocery store, if you can't get any wet cat food tonight you can give him baby food with the syringe. 

Personally, I don't like your vet's approach of "if the antibiotic doesn't work you will have to put him down." I would try and take him to see a different vet. If you post where you're located maybe someone could help you find a vet within reasonable distance.


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## sonic.

there isn't anymore vets up here. i'm up in northern canada and the other nearest vet is probly at least 3-4 hours away.

i gave him .2 mm of medicine and i keep giving him 1mm of water here and there every 20 mins.. he's getting water.. i will soak some of his food in water and try give him some tonight.

i cant drive right now so my mobility is very limited at the moment.


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## Darth Vader

If you got a store that sells pedialyte, that will help your hedgehog stay hydrated. If they won't drink out of the bowl, our vet recommended to give them .5 ml every 2 hours. If you buy the box of the pedialyte popsiciles, don't freeze them and you can just open one up at a time and it will not go bad as fast as opening regular containers of pedialyte.


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## nikki

Where in Northern Canada are you? I'm in Northern Alberta


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## SnufflePuff

Do you mean Northern Canada as in the North West Territories or the Yukon? If that's the case, there probably really isnt' any vets nearby at all. But if you are in the northern end of another province, there are usually at least rural vets around. They may not be all that hedgehog knowledgeable but they should at least know the procedure for dehydrated animals, sheesh. :roll: I can't believe your vet was like that!

As for further advice, keep syringing the water and if you can find some pedialyte as mentioned, give that as well. pedialyte is children's electrolyte solution by the way, and any brand will do. Your grocery store will have it either in the medication aisle or the baby food aisle. Any flavour will do, usually apple is good. 

Definitely start getting the food in the hedgehog too. Did you manage to get a syringe? Even if you rinse out the syringe you are using for the medication and double it as a feeding syringe, or if you own an eye dropper, that works too.

If you can't find a high quality wet cat food, take the kibble you are feeding, grind it up, add some warm water and make it into a syringeable mush. If you have any plain canned pumpkin at all or can pick some up from a local grocery store as well, I usually give a little bit of this as well as probiotic (it's called acidiophilus and you buy it in tablets in the human vitamin section, crush it up and give about a pinch between antibiotic dosings). I mix the pumpkin and acidophilus in with the food and that way it helps offset the further upset tummy caused by the antibiotics (if their tummy gets more upset, they won't want to eat). 

for syringe feeding, I know it can be daunting at first, so here's how I do it (and I've had to do it many times unfortunnately from sick hedgehogs and other animals).
- Lay out some towels on the floor (it will be messy). Get your hedgehog and put them on the towels (never syringe feed with them on their back, they will choke). Put a glove on your left hand (preferably one with some grip, like a work glove). gently "scruff" your hedgehog with your left hand, by grabbing the loose skin on the back of their neck (the same place you would find the scruff on a cat or dog Same place you would find the scruff on a cat or dog – the scruff is the loose skin on the neck the mom uses to carry the babies around with). 
Take the syringe in your right hand and insert in the side of the mouth. There’s a hole between their back teeth that if you can get it in, the food usually goes in well. 
Squirt a small amount of liquid, wait for the hedgehog to swallow. Then repeat. It may be slow but it’s better than squirting too much and them choking on it or it just flowing out the mouth and being wasted.

Never syringe straight into the mouth (from the front) as it will basically go right into the lungs.
You should syringe at least 5ml food and water/pedialyte every couple hours if possible. 

The syringe feeding may need to go on the entire duration of the anitbiotics or perhaps longer, but there is the chance your hedgehog will bounce back (mine have multiple times even after 2 weeks of syringe feeding) so keep it up! I know it’s tiring but you can do it!
Your hedgehog should be rechecked by the vet right before the antibiotics run out (preferably a differnent better vet, but do what you can). 
It could be a tumour, could be an infection, could be multiple things and it may or may not be treatable. But if you can get your hedgehog nourished and hydrated, he could still live a fairly normal rest of his life. 
I hope he makes it!!! Keep us posted!


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## sonic.

nikki said:


> Where in Northern Canada are you? I'm in Northern Alberta


i'm in northern alberta up in high level


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## sonic.

i have two tiny 1mm syringes right now one for water and one for his medicine.. i do not know if the syringes are big enough to push soft food through it though.. ugh this is just so frustrating.. i need to do better to help cotton out.. i feel like i'm doing nothing at all.


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## sonic.

that's it i think he's done. he's getting worse. i pick him up and he's like so limp. i flip him from side to side in my hands and all he does it just lay motionless.. i'm losing him and i don't know what to do. his breathing appears to be slowing and everything. ima tear up if i keep going so i'm getting off. let you know if he survives the morning. he's suffering i can tell.


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## xspiked

I'm praying for him. I really hope he gets better and don't give up!
Snufflepuff's instructions on syringe feeding are great. Don't stop trying to make sure he's hydrated and fed and warm. 
I really hope he makes it.


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## sonic.

he is definately warm the heat pad is working. i just checked on him and he either ground all of his side teeth down or they fell out.. his mouth was bloody and he had fresh black tarry poop hanging down from him bum. i'm expecting the worse.


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## SnufflePuff

Okay you need to pick up a phone book call every vet in the area. This little guy needs emergency treatment right now or he needs to be euthanized. Bleeding from the mouth/suddenly losing all teeth/internal bleeding as indicated by black tarry stool - he must be suffering immensely. Please try take him somewhere for help or to end his suffering. I am very sorry you are going through this, but for both of your sakes, you need outside help, I don't want you to have to sit and watch him die or for him to die slowly and painfully


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## lpercz

oh no im so sorry  yeah i'd say call any vet and tell them he needs help whether they're familiar with hedgehogs or not. i think it's a little different since he has these symptoms. they're probably similar to other animals so maybe they can help


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## sonic.

i feel like he is getting worse or not getting better.. i can't stand to see him suffer like this.. i think i gotta put him down as much as this is killing me. ugh.


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## Maeg8

I'm a total newbie, have no authority on animal health, but it sounds like the right thing to do. To end if for both of you. I know it hurts, I've had to take animals to be euthanized before, but being merciful is never wrong in situations like this. Even if they do pull through, living after this may be painful and have little quality for your hedgehog. My heart goes out to you and I'm so sorry.


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## sonic.

he died early this morning. i came to his tank to check him and he is cold to the touch and stiff. i never even had a chance to say goodbye. i'm so crushed.


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## tie-dye hedgie

I am so sorry. He was obviously loved. Rest in Peace little guy.


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## nikki

I'm so sorry for you loss. I live in Manning, 2 hours south of you, and my vet here is good with hedgies. I'm sorry I couldn't get back here to answer you sooner. If you ever need help with a hedgie again, please contact me and I will do everything I can to help.


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## LarryT

So glad this hog is no longer suffering also so sorry for your loss.


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## sonic.

thanks for the wishes guys.. i just wish my hedgehog was alive and well. i still need to bury him, but i don't want to go to his tank. can't stand to see him like that.



> by nikki on Sun May 29, 2011 2:19 pm
> 
> I'm so sorry for you loss. I live in Manning, 2 hours south of you, and my vet here is good with hedgies. I'm sorry I couldn't get back here to answer you sooner. If you ever need help with a hedgie again, please contact me and I will do everything I can to help.


thanks i really appreciate it.. i want another albino hedgehog eventually. but this time i want one right from a youngin' so i can start fresh. but right now.. idk.


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## lpercz

I'm so sorry  Take your time and dont rush it. Everything will turn out the way its supposed to with time. You did the best you could and now he's not suffering anymore. I know he knew you loved him and I'm sure he was glad you were with him. Stay strong <3


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## Maeg8

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. His suffering has ended though and you should be proud of yourself for trying so hard and caring so much.


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## Lukeinator1995

I know it's 4 years later, but I just wanted to say sorry for your loss. I can't imagine what loosing a pet is like. I'm 19 and never had to go through that (yet). But honestly I wouldn't have taken that crap from the vet. I would've kept going to the next one and got a more honest answer. That vet had never delt with a hedgehog.


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## KatieRose737

My hedgehog wasn't eating properly, so I picked him up, waved a piece of food under his nose, and hand fed him. Maybe that'll work


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## Lilysmommy

Luke, I know you probably meant well, but please don't bring up threads that are this old, especially knowingly. The OP hasn't been on this site for 4 years either, so the comment doesn't do much. Bringing up old threads just confuses people who may not look closely & think it's a recent one.


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## Hedgie MoM

*Help!!!!!!!*

Please Help me!!! I need to know if your Cloud ever got better!!?? My Inuyasha is my rescue albino and he is in the SAME EXACT PLACE!!!! The vet told us the same thing as well and gave us the antibiotic as well. PLEASE RESPOND!!!!!


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## liam1

Hedgie MoM said:


> Please Help me!!! I need to know if your Cloud ever got better!!?? My Inuyasha is my rescue albino and he is in the SAME EXACT PLACE!!!! The vet told us the same thing as well and gave us the antibiotic as well. PLEASE RESPOND!!!!!


The original poster of this thread hasn't been back since 2011 and sadly, even though they tried as hard as they could Cloud didn't make it. I suggest starting a new thread to get faster and more in depth answers.


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