# Albino Boy Very Sick, Need Help! Please!



## jucypie7 (Sep 16, 2010)

Help! I have a four month old albino hedgehog with a few problem and I desperately need advice. About a week ago I noticed he was tripping over things in his cage and being clumsy. I didn't think much of it at first because he has a plastic tub cage and I thought he was slipping on the bottom. Then when I cleaned the cage 2 days later and I put him on the bed I noticed he couldnt walk straight and kept falling over on his side! I work at a vet so I took him immediately. He has a slight head tilt and he kept walking in a circle until he'd fall over. We did and ear cytology and saw stuff that looked like a mix between cocci and yeast (which is very weird) and concluded it was some kind of ear infection. He got an initial injection of Baytril antibiotic and took home enough Baytril for an oral supplement for a week and baytril Ear drops. Since he couldnt walk well he couldnt get to his food and water so i syringe fed him. Initially he started getting better and was more active (but I think thats just the high calorie wet cat food he started getting) but now his head tilt went away but he still keeps falling over on his side!! I'm taking him back tomorrow but I dont know what else it could be. Hes too young for WHS. I thought it only shows after about a year? And he came from a successful breeder that has been WHS free for several generations. Im not sure how much longer he'll last! Please help me if you can!

And some what non-related but could be related: He has some very deformed quills. Not alot but like 10-15 you can see on his back. Some are curved in a C and some look very immature and scrawny with a grey black tint on the end. I tried to look it up but havent read anything on it. He gets fed Purina Pro Plan Chicken and Rice Kitten which Im told is very good. Does anyone know about that?? 

Thank you
Juliann


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## Hedgehog Grove (Jul 21, 2010)

I'm going to comment on the food first:

Ingredients:
Chicken, *brewers rice, corn gluten meal*, *chicken by-product meal*, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, dried egg product, p*oultry by-product meal*, soy protein isolate, fish meal, wheat flour, animal liver flavor, salt, phosphoric acid, choline chloride, potassium chloride, Vitamin E supplement, taurine, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), manganese sulfate, niacin, calcium carbonate, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.

Everything in *bold* is bad in my opinion for hedgies.

Chicken/Poultry By-products: It contains necks, feet, intestines, beaks, head, entrails, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, stomach, bones, blood, , and any other part of the carcass not fit for human consumption.

Corn Gluten/Meal or Brewers Rice: Is hard for hedgehogs to digest and is a filler!

Secondly:
*Crude Protein (Min) 41.0 %* - WAY too high in protein for a Hedgehog.
Crude Fat (Min) 18.0 % - A little high but he is still a baby.
Crude Fiber (Max) 3.0 %

You need to switch him over gradually to a High Quality cat kibble such as Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul - Lite, Authority Sensitive Solutions Formula, Blue Buffalo Spa Select Weight Control Formula or Natural Balance Green Pea & Duck. Those are ones I can remember off the top of my head and are in my hedge mix.

Edited for more details


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## Hedgehog Grove (Jul 21, 2010)

Head tilt (wry neck, torticollis):
This is usually due to internal ear infection, sometimes secondary to a respiratory infection. The hedgehog usually tilts the head to one side and has a loss of balance, often falling or circling when trying to walk. Bacteria are the usual cause. Treatment is with antibiotics.

He may need a longer treatment of antibiotics, try him on a course of them for 2 weeks. Also check his lungs for crackling sounds, eyes & nose for leakage etc.

What bedding are you using for him?

Does he has amble light and heat?


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## zorropirate (Aug 13, 2010)

My gerbil once had a very similar problem, we had to do about 4 courses of 2 weeks of meds to finally tackle the infection.  (over 2 months of meds! 3 times a day!)

Poor little fellow.


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## Hedgehog Grove (Jul 21, 2010)

About the Quills.

Try this topic http://hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5413&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Edited for wrong link lol


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## jucypie7 (Sep 16, 2010)

I use pine bedding.

And the quills are just secondary and may be a result of stress? I will keep him on the antibiotics for longer and hope it gets better. Thank you. So you think that is all it is just a ear infection?


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

Pine is a bad bedding in general because there are many health risks. The preferred bedding material around here is fleece because it doesn't aggravate the respiratory system, dry out the skin, and get stuck in the genitalia. It is also soft and affordable. However, if you want to stick with shavings, you should try aspen or something like Carefresh.


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## Hedgehog Grove (Jul 21, 2010)

Yes I am pretty sure his symptoms are related to the ear infection and he needs to be on the antibiotics for a course of 2 weeks solid. It is usually treated 2-3 times a day for 2 weeks.

AS for his bedding, like EryBee said; Pine isn't the best for hedgies, it can cause irritants and cause other problems.

I would switch to fleece liners, either just fleece cut to fit the cage bottom or the absorbent type which is made of 3 layers of fabric such as fleece on top and flannel on bottom and the middle layer been an absorbent material such and quilting. This is made to fit the bottom of your cage.


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## jucypie7 (Sep 16, 2010)

I had Carefresh with my first store bought hedgehog and she actually dies because she started to eat it. I looked and saw there were other reports of hedgies dying from eating it so I stuck to pine and that is what my breeder recommended


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I'm so sorry about your first hedgie. And I'm sorry your albino hedgie is sick. 
I have found so much help on this site. Hopefully it can help you too. 
Personally, I do fleece liners. I can wash them & I don't have to worry about the mess or anything being too dusty or being eaten. 
I hope everything goes well for your little one.


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## Hedgiepets (Aug 21, 2008)

WHS symptoms can show up as early as 8 weeks. I have seen it. Hopefully, it is just an ear infection.

2 hedgehogs who are WHS carriers can produce WHS babies.


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

Welcome to HHC!
I have to agree, and say that pine is just bad, bad, bad for hedgies, it can cause Upper Respiratory Infections, be sharp enough to cut or slice skin, splinters, etc. I suggest, as others have, to switch to fleece fabric, you just cut it to fit the bottom of the cage and put it in there, no sewing needed.  However, if you still want wood bedding, go with *aspen,* *not* pine.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Ear infections can take a long time to clear up. If the baytril didn't completely work, he should go on a different antibiotic. They can do a swab and test for what antibiotic will work best. It could take a month of antibiotics to clear up. The fact that he started to get better then got worse again could mean either the antibiotic wasn't given long enough, or that particular antibiotic didn't work well enough, or both. 

Circling is a sign of an inner ear infection but they can also circle with any neurological issue or tumour. 

Is he scratching at his ears or head? 

There is also Vestibular Syndrome which causes head tilt, circling, vomiting, falling over and loss of appetite. Vestibular syndrome makes them dizzy which is why the vomiting and loss of appetite because they are too dizzy to eat. Usually it goes away after about a week. Did your vet mention it? 

Anything that puts pressure on the middle or inner ear can cause the same problems. Something like a tumour or tooth infection can do it too. 

Did the vet mention anything about ear drops? When my Roll had the ear infection he was on both antibiotic and ear drops.


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## jucypie7 (Sep 16, 2010)

He is also on the baytril ear drops. So any shaking and itching of his ears only occurs after I give him the drops. No vomiting. And I have to syringe feed him but he still wants to eat. Im taking him back today to get more done.

Thank you everyone for your help!


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