# When to euthanize?



## Mern (Dec 5, 2010)

Hi everybody, I am new here but not new to reading posts. I have an urgent situation and worse decision to make. Nearly two weeks ago we had a terrible accident with Pepper, whom we have had since July. I asked my 8 year old daughter to give our hedgehog a 'foot soak' in the bathroom sink. She has done this countless times before without issue. With the foot soak she knows to put in a couple of inches of barely warm water and let the poop come off her feet. This time, she filled up the sink with hot water to the top and put Pepper in, obviously not thinking. I was in the other room when my daughter cried out that Pepper was bleeding. The water must have burnt her so badly that blood was seeping through the skin on her legs and she ripped out three front nails as well. We brought her to the vet, got her on Clavamox and Metacam and have waited. She quit eating and using the litter box so we brought her back in on Friday. Our vet told us to up the Metacam a bit, syringe feed her and apply a burn gel as best as possible. I have been able to uncurl her and take a good look and it is pretty bad...most of the swelling is gone down, but the skin has peeled off (she has eaten it off), she is raw and leaking yellowish fluid. When she walks, it is like her back feet and hind end doesn't cooperate. I assume this is from the nerve damage done. Her foot pads have turned white and some of the hind end a black/blue colour. I feel terrible that this has happened and my daughter is beating herself up over it...I am not sure what to do. What is the proper thing to do here? Should I have her euthanized to end the suffering or should I try and see how she will heal up?


----------



## Hedgiepets (Aug 21, 2008)

We are not experts. I would ask your vet what his thoughts on her recovery.


----------



## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

I agree with HedgiePets. Talk to your vet and ask what are the chances she will recover, how long it will take and what would be (if any) the sequels. I'm sorry this has happened.


----------



## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

What kind of prognosis did the vet give her?


----------



## PJM (May 7, 2010)

This was just a heart-breaking story for me. I'm so sorry that this happened. Poor, poor baby. I have no advise. I can honestly say that I don't know what I would do. 
That is such a heavy burden to bear for your little daughter. I hope that she can understand that we all make mistakes.

I wonder if this older thread would help you at all...
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=135&p=763&hilit=burn#p763

There is always hope. I'm sorry that this had to be your first post. I hope that future posts will positively relate the details of Pepper's recovery. And your daughter's.


----------



## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

You will need to work closely with your veterinarian. What did the vet say would be the prognosis of recovery? When there are changes in color, fluid seepage, etc, call your vet and give him an update. Your vet will be able to help you determine if what you are seeing is healing or if the damage is getting worse. Also ask your vet point blank if euthanizing the hedgehog is the best course of action to take.

There have been others who have accidentally burned their hedgehog's legs with hot water and I do believe they recovered. However it took a lot of work on the owner's part as they required a lot of care. Here is another link to a thread with burned feet. Maybe they will give you some insight as to what to expect and what to talk to doc about.: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1445&start=0

I believe Sunrayz is still a member here and logs in...


----------



## Bt6776 (Nov 15, 2008)

well since youve got the clavimox and the meloxicam.. did they give you silvedine ointment? Its the same stuff they put on burn victims.. my vet gave it to me after spike chewed off his man bits.. keep him on an old white shirt just to watch for other weird fluids... pepper should probably recover.. from my experience hedgehogs are pretty tough little animals.. the silvedine stuff willl cause them to get itchy but I guess it does taste pretty awful so in away it keeps them from chomping on other things.. even less if you keep them pretty doped up.


----------

