# HELP:severe acne



## lemme (Aug 25, 2011)

i dont know what's going on with coco, since these acnes just come out of nowhere. 
what is it actually? i've read some other threads here and all i can think is 'oh please not cancer/tumor'. or is it? 
i've taken him to the vet 3 days ago, he said that its because of too much protein. okay, so i changed his food. and the doctor gave me an anti-inflammation cream, which i gave it to coco 3 times a day. 
today's already the 3rd day after i bring him to the vet, and its gotten worse  i need a hedgie proactive! 
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/50 ... 239an.jpg/


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Poor baby!
Could it be a staph infection?


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## Quinn (Apr 24, 2011)

Poor Coco I hope it goes away soon. Let us know what the vet says.


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## smsaifyr (Jul 20, 2011)

Do you use plastic dishes? I don't know if it is true for hedgehogs but cats can develop an allergy to plastic dishes. It looks a lot like that.


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## lemme (Aug 25, 2011)

PJM said:


> Poor baby!
> Could it be a staph infection?


*after some googling* maybe, since staph infects babies (coco is 5 months old, i'll count him as a baby). and if it is, its treatable yay! i'll take him to the vet tomorrow



Quinn said:


> Poor Coco I hope it goes away soon. Let us know what the vet says.


i hope so too 



smsaifyr said:


> Do you use plastic dishes? I don't know if it is true for hedgehogs but cats can develop an allergy to plastic dishes. It looks a lot like that.


i do use plastic container for its cage (the floor), but i used it for 5 months (since i got him) and no signs of acne. he just got it now, so i dont know exactly


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

Poor Coco. I'll be praying he gets better. Poor little guy.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Is it anywhere other than on his snout? It does look like staph but it is usually on other areas as well as the face such as legs, chin, quill line. If it is staph, most breeders have found Antirobe works best at getting rid of it. Typically it is young babies that get it but any hedgehog, animal or human can get it.

Has he had it before?

Another thought is allergy? What type of bedding is he on?


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## lemme (Aug 25, 2011)

Nancy said:


> Is it anywhere other than on his snout? It does look like staph but it is usually on other areas as well as the face such as legs, chin, quill line. If it is staph, most breeders have found Antirobe works best at getting rid of it. Typically it is young babies that get it but any hedgehog, animal or human can get it.
> Has he had it before?
> Another thought is allergy? What type of bedding is he on?


it's only on his snout, and his first time having it. his bedding is ripped-paper, it has been about 3 months (the last time i use wood shaving, it got stuck on his *cough*genitals*cough* and bleed) 
what is an Antirobe?


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2011)

lemme said:


> Nancy said:
> 
> 
> > Is it anywhere other than on his snout? It does look like staph but it is usually on other areas as well as the face such as legs, chin, quill line. If it is staph, most breeders have found Antirobe works best at getting rid of it. Typically it is young babies that get it but any hedgehog, animal or human can get it.
> ...


I know hedgehogs can react badly to the ink on the newspapers sometimes its possible its that especially is he his burrowing in it they go face first after all.

Antirobe is a medication for animals if I am not mistaken.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

I would suggest putting your hedgie on fleece liners to see if it is a reaction to the paper...maybe he's getting tiny papercuts from it?. Paper can also be dusty and it gets cold when wet so can chill your hedgie. 

Antirobe is an antibiotic.


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## lemme (Aug 25, 2011)

TWCOGAR said:


> I know hedgehogs can react badly to the ink on the newspapers sometimes its possible its that especially is he his burrowing in it they go face first after all.
> 
> Antirobe is a medication for animals if I am not mistaken.





nikki said:


> I would suggest putting your hedgie on fleece liners to see if it is a reaction to the paper...maybe he's getting tiny papercuts from it?. Paper can also be dusty and it gets cold when wet so can chill your hedgie.
> 
> Antirobe is an antibiotic.


got it, changing his bedding to fleece liners starting now! i'll keep you updated on cocos' acnes if it is from the paper inks


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## ProjectParanoia (Jan 27, 2010)

Any updates? My mom's been asking about Coco's condition every day since I told her. :lol: 
I hope he's doing better.


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## lemme (Aug 25, 2011)

ProjectParanoia said:


> Any updates? My mom's been asking about Coco's condition every day since I told her. :lol:
> I hope he's doing better.


AWW thanks a bunch!  coco and i really appreciate that!

after my first post (about a week ago) his acnes are starting to reduce, in size and amount. i've been giving him the cream and an organic lotion daily. but still there's one or two that is still swelling. now it's white and he doesn't scratch it anymore (maybe its not as itchy as the first time) so i assume he's getting better 

im taking him to the vet next tuesday and will be posting a pic and the vets resume asap


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## lemme (Aug 25, 2011)

:LAST UPDATE:
it was clearly because of excessive protein. no tumor. no cancer.  
this acnes are hard if you touch it, cancers' are a little soft and wouldnt go smaller. 
for you all hedgie owners, NO CAT FOOD please. as much as they love it, their body doesnt. it contains about more than 20% of protein. the best one is dog food, ADULT dog food (not puppies), which is under 20%.

always keep your hedgies clean. a once in a while bath is a must, and a 15min sunbath (under 9am). the vet also gave me an option to use (you can google the image, idk the english word for it) _pohon cemara_ leaves for its bedding, its closer to their natural habitat but gets dirty fast.

http://www.linkstar.co.id/image/556.jpeg
coco is getting much better! only some little whiteheads left.
again, thank you all for the concerns and advices


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2011)

lemme said:


> :LAST UPDATE:
> it was clearly because of excessive protein. no tumor. no cancer.
> this acnes are hard if you touch it, cancers' are a little soft and wouldnt go smaller.
> for you all hedgie owners, NO CAT FOOD please. as much as they love it, their body doesnt. it contains about more than 20% of protein. the best one is dog food, ADULT dog food (not puppies), which is under 20%.
> ...


Interesting that your vet came up with protein as the issue, however I am skeptical to that statement while some people are known to use dog food you need to grind it down to make it easier for them to eat without choking. Its true we do not know what the best primary food is for a hedgehog however I highly doubt a creature that lives on insects in the wild would have a protein issue at 20% +, perhaps it is something specific to your hedgehog but I would really want to know how the vet came up with those the bedding baffles me as well.

I can't speak for cancer in hedgehogs but I know plenty of people hear have had hedgehogs with cancer who would speak more on that. I would agree they wouldn't get smaller as cancer is the rapid mutation and growth of cells.

A once in awhile bath is fine most find a full bath a month is enough, my girls both groom themselves to remain clean and from all I've seen aside from a select amount hedgehogs are clean animals.

You input does make me want to research more however I just wanted to state my opinion 

EDIT: POHON CEMARA NATAL comes up as a Conifers which there are some in Africa but idk about that...


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