# Just want to remind you that you're all awesome (version 2)



## Faifai (Jun 10, 2010)

Hello folks, 

I want to say that I really love this forum and the community that surrounds it. Hedgeworth's first vet visit was today and although I was told this vet was excellent and experienced in hedgehogs, I was sorely disappointed. He used leather gloves (immediately making Hedgeworth panic, ball up, and pop and hiss furiously) and handled my hedgehog quite roughly, even tossing him against the table with an audible "thump" and I bet he would have tossed him back into the carrier at the end if he could have. I will never go back there. The fact that it was near the end of the day is no excuse whatsoever for the way he treated Hedgeworth. Not worth the 2-hour travel time to and from at ALL. Hedgeworth has a clean bill of health, and my point is:

Everything the vet told me wasn't anything I didn't already know or couldn't have diagnosed myself thanks to the endless information found right here.

You guys rock.

Poor Hedgeworth is still mad even after coming back home.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I'm sorry to hear about your vet visit, I would've been totally upset too to see my hedgie treated like that  There is no excuse and I can only imagine how you must be feeling.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Hedgeworth will forgive you, well he's probably just more crabby about the day, tommorrow is a new one. The leather gloves I can kind of understand, they are sharp little guys when they ball up, but the tossing onto the table, I would have freaked out on him. I don't care what clown college you went to for your Vet Degree, he's probably one of those guys who wanted to be a big shot doctor and flunked out, any vet that actually loves animals wouldn't have been so rough, no matter what time of the day. But I'd also like to note I'm glad we have this community here, its a world of knowledge that otherwise would be hard to find on the internet.

What vet was this, just for anyone also in your area on here can steer clear of it.


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## Faifai (Jun 10, 2010)

I'll post this information in the Vets section too.

It was Dr. Upjohn at Eagle Ridge Animal & Bird Hospital, way out in Coquitlam. I've searched for reviews about him once I got home and found one saying he was really good, but that was with the poster's rabbit so I still wouldn't know. I was told about this place third-hand - it was the girl's friend who had gone with her hedgehog, but she apparently had a good time there. I'm open to more reviews because I've only been there once, but still, after that, I'll be more hesistant to call them from now on.


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## illsley (Jul 16, 2010)

That sounds awful! I would have been very upset with that doctor...although it's a vet's job to make sure your pet is healthy even when it is being disagreeable, they should always be kind and patient when handling it. Where did you get your hedgie from? Perhaps the breeder or pet store you got hedgeworth from could tell you where they take their hedgies for care :]


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## Faifai (Jun 10, 2010)

I got Hedgeworth from a pet store and I did ask them for a vet suggestion, but the girl I was asking actually had to search online for it so I don't know if I should go there. I could always give it a try.. It's closer anyway. Also, unfortunately there aren't any breeders actually IN my city otherwise I'd ask them where they take their hedgehogs. x:

You guys still rock. I somehow have the feeling I know more about hedgehogs than that vet does, and that's only with the sheer amount of information I've learned from here.


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

He should not have put Hedgeworth down like that, no sensible vet would do that. Do you say anything to him after he did that? I would've gone off on him, no matter who was around!


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## Jd In Van (Jul 9, 2010)

I'm really agast hearing this. Dr Upjohn is my vet and the vet that the Small Animal Rescue utilizes. I've never ever ever ever ever seen any behavior like that from him and as far as I know in all the hundreds and hundreds of animals we've brought to him (though admittedly 90% of them are rabbits) I've never heard of him being callus with an animal like that. Infact I've never heard a single complaint about him by anyone (and we do literally bring hundreds of animals to him a year). 

 

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. It strikes me as remarkably out of character for him.


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## Faifai (Jun 10, 2010)

You mean to say you bring your hedgehog to Dr. Upjohn, Jd? I would like to know if he always uses leather gloves with hedgies s:


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## Jd In Van (Jul 9, 2010)

I have not yet taken Quill into him personally. But he is the vet that treats all the hedgies in the shelter (along with everything else) I'll have to ask about and find out if he usually uses leather gloves with them as I know we have two seniors in foster care currently that need a lot of vet attention.


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## Jd In Van (Jul 9, 2010)

I spoke to a few people and all the vets use leather gloves when handling hedges unless you speak to them and tell them they're unnessesary. They require their hands to work and can't afford to get them damaged by a suddenly prickly or biting hedgy... But even more so, you would be even madder if they suddenly dropped your animal when it unexpectedly prickly up in their bare hands. 

I think Faifi you'd be well served by talking to the vet next time prior to getting your hedgie out of the cage and explaining what it's used to and if it can be trusted to stay calm. (if it can) and talking to him a bit about the animal's history and what you want out of the visit. Did you do this?

Also did you speak to him about the way he treated your animal that made you uncomfortable? I know once I got really pissed at a vet for "pinching" my cat which very much upset her as she was already in pain at the time. It turned out he was checking for skin elasticity which is a sign of dehydration (as she is diabetic and does, as I've learned, get dehydrated a lot). If I hadn't asked I wouldn't have understood what he really was doing and why. 

I did speak to several people that had experience taking hedgies to Upjohn, they agree across the board that he's the best person for them to see and none of them could imaging him 'throwing' an animal on a table or into a carrier. I told them of your experience and all of them suggested you speak to Dr Upjohn and expression your concerns personally.


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## Faifai (Jun 10, 2010)

Thanks very much for your help Jd. The gloves I was just wondering about, thanks for answering my question. I was actually upset at hearing the "thump" when he was trying to get a closer look at Hedgeworth. To be fair, he might have just slipped and it was an accident... I'll give him another try next time.

Sorry for making such a big deal out of this >:


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Both vets I have seen with my hedgies, in northern Alberta Canada, handled the hedgies with bare hands, even one of my rescues who never unballed and hissed and popped the entire time. There is no reason for a vet to wear gloves while handling a hedgie. They're more likely to get their hands injured handing a cat. Cat scratches and bites are much more serious than a poke or bite from an unco-operative hedgie. Believe me I know, I used to work in Vet clinics as an AHT.


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## Faifai (Jun 10, 2010)

WOW Dr. Upjohn personally phoned me just now. We exchanged a few words and I feel better about the vet visit... I'm sincerely sorry for freaking out and giving him a bad name (he will probably see this too - and I hope he does!). I will take Hedgeworth back to him next time.

I'm sorry to everyone else too whom I've affected.

Now I feel like a dumb.


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

You did what I would've done in a heartbeat for that type of situation. So don't feel bad or dumb about what you have said prior to the call you recieved from Dr. Upjohn. I'm surprised he called you and spoke to you about the incident, but that's great that he did! It's good to hear that everything is cleared up now!


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## Faifai (Jun 10, 2010)

Because our conversation was a bit awkward I called him back as soon as I got home. We had a much better conversation once I had the time to think things over and we're all good now. I will be bringing Hedgeworth to him again in the future. Once again I'm sorry for overreacting and thanks to the folks who replied to this thread.

Rawrawrawr someone hide this thread so that I can feel stupid in secret :U lol~


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