# Enteritis case, I need some help (and good thoughts)



## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

Ok, I kinda hate to introduce myself that way, but Chin n Quills is down, and my little girl is sick and I'd like some advice.

Litchi is my 3 years old hedgie and I own ser since she's 6 weeks.

Two night ago I noticed not much food was gone. Also, 1-2 days before, I just gave her new hedgie bag I made. But the fleece did make some fuzzball, so I got scared it can do Litchi wrong (if she ate them) so I gave her her old one. I replaced the food and said to me if she's like tomorow, I'll count her pellets. Usually when I get a little upset like that she eat like the pig in the night. She didn't. I counted her pellets and she ate only 2 and only one tiny poo. So off to the vet.

My boyfriend took her to our vet (she was nice to squeeze us in since they say they don't do emergency). He told her about the fuzball and so they took X-Ray. They didn't see and impatico, wich is kinda good I guess, but her poor GI Track was empty and full of gas.

They gave us Metronidazol, Novamoxin and Bene-Bac (between her meds to help her GI track). Now I'm serynging her food (hill's AD and I'll try some baby pea food she likes) and water and I'm wondering how much I should gave her. I try do feed her a little at the time but more often since she seems to be in pain when I feed her. Also the vent metioned it would be a good thing to add a dab of mineral oil, is that a good thing?

Also I wonder if massaging her tummy would be good? I know it's a good thing to to on chin that has GI Statis, but I don't know on hedgies...

Thank you and please have good thoughts for her.


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## Cimredopyh (Oct 13, 2008)

Sorry to hear that Litchi is not feeling well, i cant give you much help but i sympathize and know how worrying and frustrating it is when they stop eating. ( Did the vet also check her teeth?) 
Keeping her in my thoughts and prayers.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

Yes, her teeth are fine. She has a chipped tooth since a long time, but the vet said it won't cause any problem. The good thing is the X-ray showed no tumors or anything and the vet said she was in suberb contition for a 3 year old.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Wow , I tried postign this earlier and it didn't actually post. 

My general rule for syringe feeding is usually to give them as much as they will willingly take. With that said, i typically like to see at least 4 ccs a feeding, given 3 feedings a day. And that is usually if they are eating on their own some too. If they aren't eating I've had hedgehogs eat as much as 7 ccs a sitting.

I've never heard the term gi stasis referred to a hedgehog. Their bowels are not like rabbits and chinchillas so I suspect that is why. When I've had one that had nothing in their bowels, the vet was more concerned with getting food back in. 

Mineral oil is a laxative. Does the vet feel there is a blockage that would pass with a laxative? 

Is the hedgehog actually eating what you are syringe feeding?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I'm sorry Litchi is sick. I've had ones full of gas before and they've bounced back quickly. 

When I am syringing I always try to get them to eat as much as possible. It depends on how much s/he eats how often I syringe. If they will only take a few mls at a time, I syringe every couple of hours. I aim for 3-4 mls, 3-4 times per day. One thing that is helpful is to know how much your hedgehog will eat when s/he is not sick. Some are light eaters, others pigs. I also judge how sick they are by how much they willingly take. We had a little intestinal issue here in the fall with a few of them and while they wouldn't touch a thing on their own, they happily ate 7-10 ish mls per feeding with me syringing them. 

Give her a hug for me and tell her my gang want her to get feeling better soon. 

Hugs


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

The vet tought that she might have some of the fuzz ball but isn't sure since it didn't show on the x-rays. Since yesterday she ate about 4 cc of food and 8cc of Pedyalite and 1.5 cc of water. The goo thing is that she seemed more willing to take food today. So I'll try a couple of times to see if that works.


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## AprilD (Jan 15, 2009)

From my understanding, if you do believe something is causing blockage, wouldn't an ultrasound be a more accurate determination? I hope Litchi gets better and if she is taking syringed foods without throwing it back up then hopefully this is not a blockage. My vet also believes that Miss Annabelle Oswald also consumed fuzz from her hedgie bag which may have irritated her stomach. Keeping quills crossed for Litchi.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

We're not sure about the fuzz, but it happend at the same time so it's kinda of a bad coincidence. I'm starting to think it wasn't a blocage since she just pooped on us. Ok not big, brown poo (small-medium and dark/green-ish), but it's a start. She just ate a whoping 5cc and drank about 3.5cc, here apetite is comming back and the meds will be kiking in soon.

The vet told my boyfriend she was surprised Litchi was lively as ever, running around super active. She said most of the time, owner wait 'till it's too late and they are thin, dehydrated and letargic. She said she had one owner that wanted to put his/her hedgehog to sleep because of gas. She was like "No I won't. Surrender the hedgie and I'll take care of him/her". Some people don't have a heart. It's not like it's too expensive only 175$ with 2 x-rays and 3 meds to make them better.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I think it would be highly coincidental to suddenly start having hedgehogs with blockages from their bedding. Hedgehogs have been using fleece hedgiebags and things for years and this is the first I've ever heard of the possibility of a blockage because of it. Not saying it couldn't happen but weird to have two in such a short time span. Hopefully that is not the problem.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

I think so. But I'm not taking anymore chance. I'll buy new fleece that isn't that fluffy, like the old one, wich resisted to her digging but wasn't that cute. Now I'm stuck with 3 meters of useless fabrick *sigh*


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I buy so much fleece and you never know which one will be fuzzy. Try washing and drying it a bunch of times before you make anything out of it. Things that are made, wash with the fleece side out, hot dryer. I don't have too much problem with fleece except when it is new. After a few washings it's ok unless hedgie is a digger. 

I find it's the cheaper fleece that is more of a problem. The good stuff fluffs initially but then usually stops. Problem is, at the stores, it is all lumped in together usually for the same price. 

With things you already have, put the fleece side out.


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## AprilD (Jan 15, 2009)

Nancy said:


> Hedgehogs have been using fleece hedgiebags and things for years and this is the first I've ever heard of the possibility of a blockage because of it. Not saying it couldn't happen but weird to have two in such a short time span. Hopefully that is not the problem.


I too think it is a bit strange but perhaps the quality of fabrics has been declining. It would make sense only if *more* than one or two of us are noticing it. Changes to products are common whenever an economy changes. Product quality drops so that companies can produce the same amount for less and maintain their business. Its either that or perhaps some of our hedgies have increased their digging activity. Though I don't want to speak too soon, but perhaps it is best if we advise those with diggers (and toes suckers :lol: ) to more durable materials (although I think some of us have been doing this).


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I think there's always been cheap fleece depending on where it's purchased from. Some of it really holds static even when washed and dried the same as others. I've been finding with fabrics the quality doesn't necessarily go down but the price goes up. Flannelet has taken a 30% increase in price at the beginning of the year. 

I also wonder if the vets are starting to blame fleece when they haven't got any other answer for the problem or perhaps it has happened before and nobody recognized it. shrug


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

The fleece was suposed to be high quality (and pricy!) I'll try you tip Nancy and wash them/dry them a lot. I also have a little device that remove fuzz from fabric, I'll try that too. The vet didn't blame the fuzz, she just said it was an un-likely a fuzz blocage, only a possibility.


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## AprilD (Jan 15, 2009)

Nancy said:


> Flannelet has taken a 30% increase in price at the beginning of the year.


Some of our Fabriclands are going belly up. Everything is 80% off making most flannels under $1 a meter. I'd be willing to buy a ton for you and ship it, but I wonder if that would save you any money....

How is Litchi doing? I wonder if some added fiber might also help....


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

WOW, that is cheap cheap cheap flannel. It's now $9 here.


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## hedgieMate (Aug 28, 2008)

Hi, Karine. How is Litchi doing this morning? I hope her tummy was getting back to normal over the weekend. Big hedgie hugs to both Litchi and you!


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

She's pooping more (sadly not so firm and still green-ish) and my boyfriend heard her drink tonight. Still we have to serynge her food but it's less of a nigthmare and she take 3 to 5 cc in one sitting (we do 4 a day).


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

She is on antibiotics, the greenish color could be from that. Are you giving the benbac at the same time as the antibiotics or between antibiotic doses? If at the same time, give them mid way between. The antibiotics will kill the probiotics if given too close together. You may already know this, but just in case


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## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

I have found that Benebac doesn't always help as much as you need. A good high potency acidophilus sprinkled on her food could go a long way to helping. Don't forget the canned plain pumpkin. Fiber can help move things along, too.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

I give the Benebac 2 hours after her med, I know that I'll kill the affect by giving it at the same time. I still have acidofilus, I might had it on her food along with straight canned pumpkin. But would the Benebac + acidofilus be too much?


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

I just looked at the ingredient list for Bene-bac for cats... it has Ethoxyquin in it! 

Personally, I'd drop the bene-bac, and stick to giving a high concentrate acidolphilus.

Ingredients of Bene-bac gel for cats:
Ingredients: Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried L. plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Streptococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried L. casei Fermentation Product, Vegetable Oils, Sugar, Silicondioxide, Artificial Color, Polysorbate 80 (a preservative) with Tertiary Butyl Hydroquinone and Ethoxyquin.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

Kalandra, what's wrong with the Ethoxyquin in Bene-Bac. I know people use them with chins but chin and hedgehog are different. How much concentrate should the acidophilus be. I have a bottle of "5 billion" per caplet, is it good or not (I have to buy another one anyway since it's expired)?


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## Cimredopyh (Oct 13, 2008)

I belive Ethoxyquin is on the list on things to avoid (not only in bene-bac but cat food that contains Ethoxyquin should also be avoided) because it is a carcinogen.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

I would think 5 billion would be ok. I usually look for the highest billion count I can find. 

Ethoxyquin, was originally intended to be used as a rubber stabilizer, its also been used as a pesticide for fruits, then the USDA approved it for animal feed. It is a preservative that is not approved for use in human foods (except it can be used in very low amounts to preserve the color in some spices). It has anecdotally been linked to thyroid, kidney, reproductive illnesses, as well as cancer.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

It's weird, I did a reseach on Benebac to find the list of ingredient and they don't always list Ethoxyquin in them. I guess I'll just discontinue the use and buy a new bottle of acidofilus. I wish I had know that before, it would have saved me some money.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

I'm so happy, there's inprovement. Although she still have ratter small and dark green poo, she ate 14 kibble last night (plus 3 cc of her Hills A/D).


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

YAY! That's great news.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Small steps forward are always welcomed. At last they are steps forward. Keep it up!


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

Good news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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