# Limb Paralysis/Possible Cancer?



## Claire12491 (Oct 4, 2011)

Hi everyone,
This is a hard post to write. I'm having a really difficult time now as Oliver is doing very poorly and would like your opinions/advice.
Some background--he is close to 2.5 years old, male, and the only other health problem he had was a case of mites last winter.
Right now, Oliver seems to be incapable of using his two front legs for much of anything. It's heartbreaking to watch him scoot around, and I'm doing everything I can to make life more comfortable for him. Here's how his condition has progressed: 
1. Noticed him losing a few more quills than normal; had a red sore under his front right arm. And seemed to have an occasional slight limp. Took him to vet, told her I thought it was mites again; she didn't do a skin-scrape and gave me Revolution (she tried to give him Ivermectin but I was not having that). Got topical medication for his small red sore. This vet visit occurred about 2-3 weeks after I first noticed quill loss, and 1 week after I noticed his on-and-off limp.
2. Quill loss stopped, limp was on and off--I figured he had just hurt his paw somehow, but his limp progressed until it was constant and he was having some trouble standing. Took him into the vet again (about 1.5 weeks after his first visit).
3. Vet put him under, did a full-body exam and an x-ray (Unprofessionally talked about all the possibilities of what COULD be wrong before she took him back to the exam room--i was researching hedgehog amputations on my phone and worrying myself half to death before I even knew what was wrong). The x-ray showed nothing abnormal, except a small white line that COULD be a hairline fracture--that seems very unlikely now. She also suggested hedgehog arthritis and prescribed him some hedgie aspirin. Told me the fracture would heal on its own, if that's what it was. Mentioned WHS, but said it seemed unlikely that Oliver's trouble was in his front paw, not his back. Also told me that she felt a strangely hard coil of something in his colon/stomach area that she said was either hardened poop or a tumor. She warned me that, if it was a tumor, she wouldn't be able to remove it because it's so entangled in all his vital organs down there. She told me to come back in 3 weeks with a warning that basically sounded like she was telling me to prepare to have to put him down. 
4. In the days following this second visit, the paralysis/trouble with his leg was now affecting his left front leg as well, and this is where he stands now. 

I've also noticed that his mouth has been bleeding a bit. I looked up videos of WHS hedgies and other symptom info and am pretty convinced that's not what it is. I also saw on one information site that intestinal cancer may impact a hedgie's balance/walking ability. 
I'm so worried. I can't bear the thought of parting with my little guy. He's not even 3  His appetite is normal, though his poops are a little smaller than usual. He won't run in his wheel but is still as grumpy as always (not that I blame him now) and is very alert. He does not seem to be in pain, as he attempts to scoot around his cage at night. 

I just don't know what to do. I've spent so much money at the vet over the past month and am afraid to take him back out of the fear that 
a. They won't know what's wrong with him (again) and
b. They'll recommend putting him down. 

Any advice?
I'm sorry for the long post--I just didn't want to leave anything out. 
-Claire


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

WHS can start with a front leg and progress from there. Has he lost weight? An anti-inflammatory might help if this is caused by an injury. 

What do you mean by his mouth is bleeding? Where and when do you notice the blood? Is it after eating. Does it run out of his mouth? Did the vet check his mouth when he was under? He may have a tooth issue. When he eats does he seem to crunch normally?

You mention his poops are smaller than normal. Are they dry? If so, perhaps giving him some canned food, or baby food squash or canned unseasoned pumpkin would help. 

As long as he is eating and wanting to be active and seems happy, he is not at the point of even considering helping him cross, especially not knowing what is wrong with him.


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## Claire12491 (Oct 4, 2011)

The vet did not weigh him, which I thought was weird. I should have asked but I was pretty overwhelmed. 
He is currently on animal aspirin, but I can't really tell if it's helping. He doesn't seem to be in pain, but he didn't seem to hurt before the aspirin either. He just seems unable to use his legs--he curls them under his body and uses his back legs to move himself forward. 
The blood is not so excessive that it is running out of his mouth. I saw a little blood when he bit on a white towel and a few days later when he was chewing on a toilet paper tube. I don't think it was connected with just eating, but I've been trying to soften his food anyway to make it easier for him to chew, though he seems to be able to chew normally. I don't think she examined his mouth, but if she did she didn't mention it. 
His poops are not more dry than normal either--just smaller. I wonder if his digestive system is slowing down a bit because he doesn't run anymore. I will try the baby food suggestion though--I gave it to him as a treat a while ago and he liked it. 
I really appreciated your reply. I thought the vet was a bit quick to suggest euthanasia, and it put me off to the clinic, as did her constant suggestions of what "could" be wrong or what solutions "could" work before she even looked at him. She also seemed extremely rushed and left me feeling confused. 
I'll continue to keep an eye on him and give him the best care I can, and I think that if/when I take him in again I will look for a new vet.


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