# First visit to the vet



## PJM (May 7, 2010)

We have had Cholla (choy-ya, like the cactus) less than a week. I decided to take him to the vet, just to get checked out. He's been so mild mannered so far, with us & friends. Even with the vet's assistant. But the INSTANT he saw the vet, he balled up completely & hisses & hissed. There was no comforting him until she left the room, then he came out of the ball for me. When she stepped back in, the same thing happened. And again, he was fine after she left. If he wasn't so upset, it would have been funny. But the last time, she snuck in & I continued to hold him close. She wasn't able to examine him, but checked stool for parasites. (Still charged the full fee though!) She has a few other hedgies that she sees, so she's familiar with them. Ultimately, she said he looked fine & was obviously bonding with us, which made me happy. I wondered, though, if I took him a bit too soon. But we took him out last night for our bonding time & he was just fine. Sleepy & cuddly.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

heehee, maybe it's white coat syndrome. Like humans whose blood pressure goes up when at the doctors office. 

Some hedgies are very particular about who they like and who they don't. Perhaps the vet was one he didn't like, or the vet had a certain odor, who knows. 

Funny little guy. :lol:


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I thought we traumatized him! But when we took him out later, he was like "No big deal, that was SO a few hours ago"! He even Splat out a bit on my husband (which he has never done before), so we figure he's alright. If nothing else, I REALLY appreciate now what a sweetheart he is. *edit* still figuring out how to add pictures!


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

That is pretty funny (other than the fact that he was stressed by it of course). My hedgehogs are the same way with the vet, so the technicians always scruff them, that way the vet can look in their mouths, and palpate their bellies, as well as trim their nails. 

I'm not really sure why more vets don't do this...it doesn't hurt the hedgehogs and it's way safer than sedation, and they actually can examine them. :roll: 

Sounds like your hedgie is a sweetheart though


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Doesn't it give you a warm fuzzy feeling when your hedgie acts like that at the vets though? :lol: It may not be the best to act like that, but it does give warm fuzzy feelings lol Just shows how well bonding is going. 

The vet had my boy on a towel and was looking at his back, the moment he put him back on the table, he immediately ran across the table towards me, and nuzzled against my arm and trying to crawl onto me.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

lol I have to agree that even though it's a pain when they ball up for the vet it does give you a good feeling cause its like they accept you and you are special to them. Im glad too because something about getting to hold them with their little feet and warm bellies makes all the poop cleaning so worth it lol


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

SnufflePuff said:


> the technicians always scruff them, that way the vet can look in their mouths, and palpate their bellies, as well as trim their nails.
> 
> I'm not really sure why more vets don't do this...it doesn't hurt the hedgehogs and it's way safer than sedation, and they actually can examine them. :roll:


I asked her if she wanted me to scruff him & she said "No, he's already stressed. If we need to examine him & he won't unball, we will gas him so it doesn't traumatize him".

Although I was happy I didn't have to scruff him (having never done it before), I was a bit concerned about the gassing part. From reading past posts, it didn't sit right with me. Neither did the fact that she didn't really examine him. Just his poop. I let it pass because I didn't believe anything was wrong with him. But I did leave feeling kind of ...ehhh.


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