# Have to Wake Up??



## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi guys!

Not sure if this belongs in health or behavior. For the last few nights I have had to wake up Herc to eat. When I wake him up he eats like a pig, then runs for a couple hours on his wheel like normal. Last night I left him to see if he'd get up on his own. At 3am I finally wake him up. My question is this: Why is he not getting up on his own? I know it's not heat. He's still sneezing, I'm wondering if he's still sick? Or, is he just getting lazy, much like me? Any advice is appreciated!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Anything changed like brightness in the room, activity in the house or outside. 

How long has he been on the antibiotic this time? Perhaps he needs a different antibiotic. If it weren't that he is still sneezing, I'd say possibly it is the a reaction to seasons starting to change or something different in his environment.


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

Nancy said:


> Anything changed like brightness in the room, activity in the house or outside.
> 
> How long has he been on the antibiotic this time? Perhaps he needs a different antibiotic. If it weren't that he is still sneezing, I'd say possibly it is the a reaction to seasons starting to change or something different in his environment.


Thanks for the response Nancy, I always value your opinion!

I've been waking him up an hour earlier than normal, at 7pm, to get his medicine. He used to get up at 8 with us. His cage has also been moved to the other side of the room and is now facing the other way, so he's not getting direct sunlight in his pigloo, but the bedroom light is on for him at the same times. He is now on his third week in total of meds: 1 week of a weaker antibiotic (sorry but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it right now), twice a day at 7am and 7pm When that didn't work the vet put him back on Baytril once a day and took him off the other med. Tomorrow is the last day of the Baytril, 2 weeks of it. In the last 2 weeks we have also added Sunshine Factor for him. I should mention once he gets up he wheels like a demon and eats like a pig, but I have to wake him up and physically put him in front of his food bowl for him to do that. Any ideas?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Have you tried not waking him up and seeing when/if he will get up on his own? His schedule could be changing, sometimes they do switch things just to worry us. :lol: 

I'd contact the vet and let him know that he is still sneezing. Ten days on baytril should have gotten rid of any respiratory issues but perhaps the baytril isn't the right antibiotic either. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic but doesn't cover everything. Baytril is also hard on the tummy but that he is eating well when he finally gets to it is odd. Usually they don't want to eat at all. I think a vet call is the next step.


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi Nancy,

I'll try not waking him up tonight, although I do have to get him up at 7 for meds. He usually stays up with us for about an hour then back to bed. I left him last night, and at 3am I finally couldn't take it anymore, and I woke him up, put him in front of his food dish, and he went crazy eating it. Then, he wheeled like a madman almost non-stop for a few hours. His eating and poop are all normal, no changes. The sneezing has changed though, it almost sounds like something is blocking his nose.

I've left a message for the vet to call me back, so I'll just wait to see what she says. I read an article last week online saying they don't give Baytril to very young puppies because it can cause growths in the nasal area, have you heard anything about this? I'm wondering in the back of my mind if maybe he has a growth or something in there? I 'll keep you posted as to what the vet says. Thanks for your help!


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

*Re: Have to Wake Up?? *UPDATE**

*UPDATE*

Just got off the phone with the vet. She said to give him some baby benadryl. She thinks what is happening is he's growing scar tissue in his nose from all the illnesses, and the sneezing will clear out any nasty stuff better than anything she can do. She doesn't want to do an x-ray, because she doesn't want to knock him out as he might have a bad reaction to it, since he reacts to almost everything. So, for the next week or so, I'm giving him 0.01cc of baby benadryl, and she said this should help clear up his nose. Has anyone else used Benadryl on their hedgehog?


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## RalphsMum (Oct 14, 2010)

Haven't used Benadryl on a hedgie...but wanted to send some hugs Herc's (and your)way...poor lil guy...he doesn't seem to catch a break, bless him.


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

RalphsMum said:


> Haven't used Benadryl on a hedgie...but wanted to send some hugs Herc's (and your)way...poor lil guy...he doesn't seem to catch a break, bless him.


He really doesn't catch a break, poor guy. Thanks for the hugs (from both of us).


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I personally have not used Benadryl but know of people who have for various reasons. I've not heard of adverse effects.

Baytril can inhibit bone and cartilage growth in young animals but that is for ones who are still growing. Herc is past that isn't he? I've never heard anything about other issues in dogs but then haven't done any research since we don't have a dog. :lol:


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

Nancy said:


> Baytril can inhibit bone and cartilage growth in young animals but that is for ones who are still growing. Herc is past that isn't he? I've never heard anything about other issues in dogs but then haven't done any research since we don't have a dog. :lol:


Herc is around 15 months, but he was given Baytril when he was little and still growing. I did hear back from the vet, and I asked her about that. She said it wasn't proven, more of a rumor, and the concern was mostly that joings in the legs don't form properly in puppies given Baytril.

I'll keep you guys posted on how the Benadryl works!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Yes I know it isn't proven to cause problems in hedgehogs but better safe than sorry if another drug will work. A few of mine were on baytril as babies and it caused no problems. Sometimes it's the only choice and I would worry more about the stomach upset which in some can be brutal. Luckily, mine that were on it didn't have too much tummy trouble either.


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