# Infected Cut or Something More?



## Naaaaancy (Jan 13, 2010)

I've had my hedgehog since Mid-December of '09, and he's the sweetest. Since I got him I've noticed that he always kind of just limps on the right hind leg. Or, it just drags along. I bathed him, and noticed a sort of lump over in that general area of the leg. I took him over to the pet store where we got him and they said that it might just be a little sprain or something from the move. It sounded reasonable so I just went with that. A bit after it didn't get any better so I went back and they said to check for quills that got stuck in the leg or the bump area. He didn't have anything like that. A few days later, I noticed there was blood on his quills, so I went back to the pet store and the guy who sold it to us was checking him out, and he said it was a cut, he then squeezed it and blood and pus came out. The bump looked smaller afterwards. I took him home and put some hydrogen peroxide on the cut. It's been a few days, and he's climbing and stuff, but when I took him out today, his cut smelled awful, I then gave him a bath and he's just relaxing now all bundled up. The bump is still there, and I can still see the cut. Just asking for anything that can help me out at this point. I'll try and snap a shot of it, so it can be seen what I'm talking about.


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## Stephanie76 (Nov 2, 2009)

How about taking your hedgie to the vet instead of back to the pet store employees for medical advice? :|


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## Naaaaancy (Jan 13, 2010)

Just about 10 minutes after posting this, I went to check on my Hedgie, and where the cut is, it's now like a flap of skin and it's just covering a hole. If ANYONE can help me, PLEASE do so. Tomorrow he is going to the store/vet to get it checked out.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Don't even bother with the store, that was your first mistake. The moment you noticed something was wrong, you should've taken him to the vet, where they are licensed to treat injuries. Do NOT bother taking him to the store again, I'm sure you've done all the research you're supposed to and know which vet in your area will look at hedgies. However, if it's really bad, I'd opt to go to the emergency vet RIGHT NOW. 

Another thing that worried me in your post... was the climbing....
Hedgies should NOT be allowed to climb. Their limbs are easily broken(real cases of broken bones from falling few inches). 

Hydrogen peroxide kills good bacteria as well as the bad. And it's not good to use. If you had gone to the vets..........

But seriously, if he was mine, I'd be in the car and off to the emergency vet. It almost sounds like his wound is very infected.


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## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

He needs a vet. If it was an abscess that they squeezed, they did a very stupid thing. Squeezing it can force the infection into the blood stream causing blood poisoning. He needs to be on antibiotics immediately.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

This site has the best Hedgehog forum on the web IMO but it's not a replacement for a good hedgie vet  take em to the vet ASAP.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Your hedgehog needs to see a veterinarian. The petstore is not a substitute for veterinary care. If this has been infected for as long as you describe and especially since the wound was "squeezed" until pus came out, your hedgehog could be more sick than it was before. Wounds should never be squeezed, an abscess is the bodies way of trying to prevent an infection from spreading to healthy tissue. While it may have erupted outward, it may have also erupted inward causing this infection to spread to healthy tissue and to the blood stream, as mentioned by HedgeMom. The person in the petstore was extremely irresponsible and may have caused your hedgehog a lot of harm. 

Please let your veterinarian know what happened and please keep us updated on how your little one is doing. Good luck.


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## Naaaaancy (Jan 13, 2010)

Just took him in, all seems to be well. Thank you for your help.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

what did the vet say/do?


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