# Self-inflicted sore under chin?



## strawberryfields (Oct 3, 2009)

Recently, after I gave Rocko a bath, he became extremely stressed out and started doing this weird motion where he licked and chewed at his chin/neck area. He just wouldn't stop; I had no idea what was going on, but me trying to touch him just made him angry and then he would do it more! It was like he was having some kind of nervous episode. :shock: 
I ended up leaving him alone for a bit and he seemed fine. The area he had been chewing at was not an open wound, but it was red/irritated and scabbed over after a few days. I noticed Rocko seemed especially stressed out for a day or two and would start hissing and popping just when I walked in the room. (He has gotten a bit grumpy as he's gotten older, but this was out of the ordinary.)

Well, that was a few days ago, and it seemed to be healing up just fine (and he was acting back to normal). However, last night, he ripped the scab off and opened the wound again.  
I found a few sections of the scab as well as very light spots of blood on his white liner. He was not bleeding at all by the time I got to him. I washed him with some warm water and tried to look him over, but he was again very stressed out. He will not allow himself to be inspected - he even bit me, which has only happened a couple times in over three years.

I'm hesitant to take him to the vet right away, because finances are tight and the vets around here all seem to be very bad with hedgehogs - Even the ones who claim to specialize in exotics. I'm going to treat him with Revolution in case the irritation is being caused by mites.

I want to put Polysporin on the sore, but when he first created the sore, I had just tried to put Polysporin on his foot (after the bath.) His foot had appeared a bit swollen for a few days so I did that, and a little bit after that is when he started chewing on himself. I'm worried about using any more Polysporin in case that somehow provoked the behavior. His foot is fine, by the way.

I am trying to think of anything else that could have caused this. I looked up a few threads with similar problems, and I saw that it tends to happen in hedgehogs of the.. er, rolly-polly variety (which he is, just a bit) and that it could be stress, irritation from environment, or even mites. I can't think of any other recent changes other than the Polysporin. I don't see any other symptoms of mites, but I'm going to use Revolution anyway just to see if it does anything. At least that way, if I end up having to take him to the vet, we won't have to go through the Ivermectin argument or have anyone insist that I need to pay $80 for a skin scrape. :|

For reference, he is eating, drinking, pooping, and wheeling normally. The rest of his skin is fine, his eyes and ears are fine, quills are fine.

Any ideas? Experiences with something similar? My biggest concern is that he could seriously hurt himself, or cause an infection.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Do you think maybe he had a bug bite there that is itching, and so he keeps biting it?

I would wait a few days, monitor him, and see if it gets better. Just try to keep the area as clean as possible (maybe don't even put Polysporin on it).


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## strawberryfields (Oct 3, 2009)

Thank you for your response. 

A bug bite is possible. I'm not sure when he would have gotten bitten, but stranger things have happened.. And I have read it could be mites, so maybe he's chewing on some irritation from something like that, as well. I'm also not quite sure how likely he would be to get mites, living on fleece liners, but we do have a dog who goes outside so I suppose it's possible.

It does seem like stress causes him to do it more, though. I just washed him up and inspected the area, which looks less irritated, but does have a scab again. But of course, as soon as I was done making sure the sore was clean and free of debris, he started chewing on it again. I gave him a few mealies to hopefully distract him.

I'll continue to keep an eye on him and look out for whatever could be causing this.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

A bug bite is possible, but less likely. Mites, could be, but you would see him scratching all over. It could be a bit of irritation started from dampness in the fold under the chin. Possibly a bit of little boy stuff got there and dried. 

Whatever the cause, what happens is there is a bit of irritation so they bug at it and make it worse. Then it starts to scab and heal and healing gets itchy and the scab starts to dry out and pulls a bit so he bugs at it even more, making it bigger and the healing, scab, itcy, messing with it starts all over. It becomes a viscous circle and sometimes it becomes a habit they have difficulty breaking. 

I've had many, mostly boys, but a few girls. It also happens more frequently with the fluffy ones. What I've had good success with is putting a tiny amount of vaseline over the area. It keeps it from drying out too quickly and helps with the itchiness. One thing you have to be certain is the vaseline doesn't entice hedgie to chew at it even more. Also NEVER put vaseline on anything that looks like it could be infected. A tiny bit of regular polysporin under the vaseline will help it heal. I do mean tiny amounts. Don't gob it on, just a thin layer. 

This is a fairly common issue that can lead to horrid self inflicted wounds, so if the polysporin/vaseline doesn't work and he continues to chew at it, he will need to see the vet to break the cycle of chewing before it becomes a chronic habit.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

I'm dealing with something similar now. It's terrible and stressful and heart breaking to watch him hurting himself and not be able to stop him. About a week and a half ago he clawed his eye out and had surgery to clean the wound and sew it shut. After surgery he still had some abrasions and scabs in the surrounding area because he had been scratching so much. He left it alone for over a week and then he scratched the scab off, it looked healed underneath so I wasn't too worried until last night when I noticed fresh scratches. The vet told me to do a revolution treatment in case it is mites even though he has no other symptoms. After the surgery I was given a cone to use for him just in case he started scratching but it doesn't stay on his head. The vet also gave me a medicated ointment for the area and he's on pain meds. The vet said that if he continues scratching I should wrap up his feet with surgical tape so he's not getting his sharp claws into it. I know you're hedgehog is biting the area too but that might help if he's also scratching it. 

I'm sorry you're going through this too. I'm finding it very difficult, he seems very stressed and in pain but there isn't much more I can do. I'm also finding that handling him makes it worse like you said happened with Rocko. Why do they put us through these things? I'm sure he thinks I'm torturing him every time I give him meds and he was so upset after we tried to get the cone on him yesterday.  

I hope you have better luck with Rocko.


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## strawberryfields (Oct 3, 2009)

Thanks Nancy and Heather.  

It certainly is stressful. I can't help but get all worked up and feel like a huge failure because I didn't prevent it somehow. I know it's silly.. But it's just awful watching him hurt himself and not being able to do anything, like you said.

I might end up taking him in to the vet if it doesn't start to clear up soon. I wish I knew of a good vet in the area.. More than one have been very disappointing, I don't really want to take him back to any of them. They claim to specialize in exotics, but you go in there and they are obviously not good with hedgehogs, and they aren't willing to listen, either. Frustrating beyond words. They're terribly overpriced, too, and I'm not so great on money right now. It's all really a bummer but I will do what I have to do.

Rocko should be happy, he's getting all kinds of attention.. and mealworms. Bizarre little creatures bent on driving us crazy.

Again, thanks for the responses. It's good to know I'm not alone, although I don't like hearing that anyone else is having a hard time, either.


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## kvmommy (Feb 2, 2013)

If its not mites, you may consider allergies. My dog has a gluten sensitivity and allergic to certain foods. She will itch herself till she bleeds or chew herself. When we changed to a high quality, gluten free food, she got significantly better. So perhaps your hedgies are allergic to the food?


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## strawberryfields (Oct 3, 2009)

^ Hmm, I hadn't considered that! At this point I have scrutinized everything, including my laundry detergent.. Nothing has changed that I can think of, but I assume allergies and sensitivities can develop over time. I'll keep that in mind.

I'm considering taking him to the vet at this point, because my nerves just won't be calmed. He's still acting normal but can't seem to leave the sore alone, so I worry that he's in pain. I read that pain medication can break the cycle.

I have exams Monday and Tuesday so I'm not sure what day I'll take him. But any advice about what they will want to give him and how treatment goes from here? He's been a ball of quills so I'm worrying about how I'll give him medication, if they prescribe any. Are there some pain meds that are better than others? Antibiotics that are preferred, or ones to avoid? Any words of wisdom would be appreciated, as I've never given him any medication other than Revolution.


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