# PJ's first Vet visit



## PJsMom (Nov 20, 2010)

Everything came out great...they did a fecal check on him, since he was having diharrea...good news..it came out negative for parasites. They gave him a sulfur bath because he was itching like crazy. They wanted to give him Ivermectin injection :shock: i told them straight out no! i told them i had read on here that it can be lethal..so he said he was going to check up on it and make sure he doesnt give it other hedgies  

all in all...they LOVED my lil PJ..they said he was the most social hedgie they had come thru there. 

so now..i feel relieved..but they did give him Flagyl for his diahrrea...has anyone heard of this? is it safe for hedgies?


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## I<3Hejji (Aug 29, 2010)

Flagyl (generic name metronidazole) is an antibiotic given to humans for infections, often of the GI tract. I only know about its use in humans (I am a nursing student) and am not sure of the safety for Hedgehogs, hopefully someone with more experience can answer that. It sounds like your vet thinks PJ has a bacterial infection, did they send his fecal sample out for further testing or only look for parasites? Flagyl can cause GI upset, including diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting. 

What reason did your vet give you for giving him Flagyl/what dose/how long do you have to give it to PJ?

I hope he feels better soon!


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## PJsMom (Nov 20, 2010)

they did a complete check on his poop. they said he needs to take .01 cc by mouth twice a day it's 125mg/5ml.

he said he was going to give it for him incase he has a slight infection and to stop the diarrhea...

now i'm leary.. :|


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## I<3Hejji (Aug 29, 2010)

I just remembered seeing another of your posts. PJ could be super itchy because he is about 8 weeks old and could be starting quilling. When Hejji went through his quilling he had terrible dry skin and was really itchy. He also wheeled less, a few nights not at all (at least from what I could tell). His poop also changed consistency, became a little bit softer (but it wasn't as bad as PJ's sounds) and he was eating a little less. It really helped him to get Aveno Oatmeal baths twice a month followed by a rinse of water + flax seed oil & flax seed oil added to his food. Just wanted to throw that out there if you are still worried about his itchiness. 

Also, I forgot to say: Good for you for doing your research before the vet! I am so happy you had already learned about Ivermectin being dangerous for hedgehogs, and was able to pass that info along to your vet 

*Just saw your response: I think that dose is small enough not to upset his tummy too much. But I am pretty new to hedgehogs still, so I think another member might have more insight.


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## PJsMom (Nov 20, 2010)

everything you described was exactly what PJ was going thru. he didnt want to wheel as much and slept alot...very very itchy...he ate and drank ok too..but the diahrrea is what made me nervous.

hopefully this passes soon. i get real nervous lol being a new mom like you thanks so much for your response. it makes me feel a lot better


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

Hercules was given metronidazole a couple months back when he was sick. He hated the taste (from what I hear it's nasty stuff). I had to hide it in different treats when I gave it to him. I even resorted to mixing a little bit of banana baby food and syringing it. Hopefully your little guy isn't too fussy.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

I always take it as a good sign when a vet is willing to learn or at least research, there are some that basically want to tell you to shut up, they know what they're doing. I think I'm the one who said watch out for it in one of your other threads, there are cases of hogs not having any reaction, some who have gotten ill, and some who have died. Revolution so far has not had any fatalities.

As for meds, I'd have to double check the forums but I think some members have found they can inject the meds into a mealworm with a needle and then feed it that way.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

PJsMom said:


> they did a complete check on his poop. they said he needs to take .01 cc by mouth twice a day it's 125mg/5ml.
> 
> he said he was going to give it for him incase he has a slight infection and to stop the diarrhea...
> 
> now i'm leary.. :|


Did you take PJ to the vet today and the fecal results came out today as well??

The lab technician can look at the stool sample under the microscope to look for parasites, but a bacteriological test requires testing the sample in petri dishes, to determine what bacteria grows, and that takes time as some bacteria will grow only in a couple of days. Are you sure they tested it for bacterias too?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

They can usually tell in the stool sample if bacteria is present. Some types are are obvious, others have to be grown. 

Metronidazole is commonly given for a wide range of intestinal issues in our hedgehogs. It is NASTY tasting stuff so make sure you disguise it with something. 

Keep track of how much he eats by counting his kibble so you know exactly how much he is eating. Expect there might be some green nasty poop before it starts to improve.


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## PJsMom (Nov 20, 2010)

So far so good. he's taking his meds with no problem..well once he bit the syringe lol but other than that...all is good. 

he's eating ok and drinking...he did use a poop put he's not a non stop gusher like he was before..hopefully it's working. he's real active right now. we came to my family's for thanksgiving..unfortunately..i forgot his wheel..NOT happy! lol i'll have to go pick one up at petsmart soon.

it took them two hours to do a fecal test and bathe him...yeah i waited..was NOT going to leave him there unattended, but they took real real good care of him. i'm glad...i found a great vet


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

Thank you for the update!


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