# Help Very Scared Crazy Hedgie



## Kyouhai (Jul 26, 2013)

Ok, So here is the story, My Hedgie is almost three he will be in November. I took him to the vet today because he has a lump on his leg and his eye was cloudy. 

The prognosis: Cancer in his leg, and an ulcer in his eye. 

So I leave the vet having scheduled a surgery for removal and with an ointment for his eye. When I arrive home he is fine a little anxious and antsy but fine. I then proceed to give him the ointment in his eye. 

He roamed for a bit and then went under his blankets and slept a little while maybe 15-20 minutes. 

Then it started. He got restless and began to push and jump around under his blanket and eventually he came out and started running around like mad and on his wheel to the point he started to tumble over onto his back and kick and trip over himself. Then he'd lay down for a minute his eyes would drop and close then he'd jerk awake and keep going. 

I contacted the vet and he thinks it may have been a reaction to the eye drops.

He has been awake since Noon and it is now 9:30 in the evening. He has calmed down and running at a more normal pace and not acting as wild but he still will not settle down and relax. 

He has also started licking at his own urine when he pee's he doesn't annoint just licks. 

I am very frightened for my little one. If anyone has some insight it would really help. Thank you.

Also side not the procedures done today were:

- an eye dye where they placed a fluorescent dye in his eye to see the ulcer under UV light 

- a needle aspiration on the lump on his leg.


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## Kyouhai (Jul 26, 2013)

Okay, so he is no longer running around like crazy and has been sleeping since 5 Am this morning but now he is just very upset when there are people inside the room and noises. Almost like he's frightened and anxious. I can't move him or myself since we share a room. Does anyone have any suggestions?


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## honeywhistle (Mar 29, 2014)

I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds scary.

I had a very traumatic experience with one of my girls a few months back after a trip to the vet. She had to come back for shots three days in a row, and on the last day after getting her shot she just lost it. I won't get into all the details because it's still unpleasant for me to remember, but your description of your hedgie's reaction to the eye ointment reminded me of it.

At the time the vet thought she was going into shock, and she had thought she might have a heart attack and die. After it was over though--and after talking to some people on this forum--it seems more likely that it was a reaction to extreme stress brought on by not only the pain of the shot, but also the unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people and unfamiliar smells, etc. 

Bottom line is, hedgehogs can have strong reactions if they are stressed or in 'fight or flight' mode. My girl started to act better almost immediately after leaving the vet's office that day, but it took her a few days before she seemed back to normal. I would just do everything you can to make the next few days as low-stress as possible for your hedgie. If he's reacting to people and noises, then try to make sure things are as quiet and people-free as possible for him for a couple days. Give him his favorite treats. Do whatever you can to make him feel safe and ok and hopefully in a couple days he'll have gotten over whatever the experience was that set him off.


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