Cancer

Hedgehogs are prone to get cancer. All hedgehogs carry cancer cells in their body, just not all becomes active. Some studies have shown that most hedgehogs above the age of 3 years develop cancer. 

Amongst the list of cancers is, dental related / brain / neurologic, reproductive / skin related. 

Hedgehogs can get tumors that can be safely removed if it is not benign (not cancerous). The problem with hedgehogs is that very often when the owner discovers the growth, it is already advanced. 

Oral tumors- Regular inspection of your hedgehog`s teeth can help to detect any abnormal growth in early stages. This is difficult as it is very difficult to properly inspect a hedgehog`s mouth, teeth, and gums. It is sometimes a two-man job. Otherwise, put a mirror on a flat surface, hols the hedgehog above the mirror and try to pry open the mouth. If cancer is sets in the lower or upper jaw, there is little that even experienced exotic vets can do about the situation. The humane thing is to euthanise the animal to prevent further suffering. 

Brain- These types of cancers can be very misleading, as it is not visible to the naked eye. Typical symptoms of the animal will be unbalanced, even paralyzed, not behave like normal, not able to run the wheel. 

Walking might be impaired. Drastic change in normal behaviour and patterns. This cancer affects the nervous systems and therefore without proper examination (X-rays, Sonars) it often gets misdiagnosed. 

Reproductive- Females often suffers from these types of cancers. Uterus, Ovary infections and cancers are more common under breeding hedgehogs. Although that is not to say that a female who never had babies cannot get this. 

Female hedgehogs affected by reproductive cancers (in the uterus or ovaries) can show non-specific signs initially of weight loss or decreased appetite and activity. Many presents with bloody discharge from the urogenital region, which often looks like blood in the urine. Prolapse of the tissue out of the vulva is a serious complication of advanced disease. Treatment requires spaying to resolve the primary issue, and some patients need other supportive care treatments prior to pursuing surgery to make sure they are good anaesthetic candidates. Most of the time, spaying is curative for this disease. At the SAHBA, breeders are restricted in terms of quantity of litters per female is allowed. This is to prevent overbreeding and possibility of cancer risks. 

Skin tumors-

Tumors on the skin are frequently seen on the soft haired belly area but can be seen anywhere on the body including under the quills, on the limbs, or around the face. These tumors often grow rapidly and can break open causing bleeding as well as become infected. Most tumors are easily removed from the skin when they are small. Unfortunately, many of these tumors are aggressive and can spread to other areas of the body. If you see a bump on your hedgehog, don't wait until it gets big to get it checked! Surgical removal generally has a good outcome.

When referring to organ failure, we mostly refer to kidneys, liver, lungs, heart. Because heart failure and lung functions are captured under cardiac issues and the lungs under respiratory infections, we will only focus on kidneys and liver failure. Unless an animal is born with a defected kidney or liver, organ failures as with many other illnesses are a result of other primary illnesses. The ultimate organ failure eventually resulted in death. Without the basic functions of organs, living organisms such as mammals cannot survive. It can be linked to lifestyle- (diet and health) and genetically. 

Kidney failure: 

Kidney disease is also common and, in many cases, may be secondary to systemic disease. Kidney failure is a condition in which one or both kidneys no longer work on their own. Kidneys have several jobs. One of the most important jobs is helping the body eliminate toxins. Kidneys filter the blood and send waste products out of the hedgehog`s body in the form of urine.

What triggers it: Genetic or dietary factors may contribute to the high prevalence of kidney disease. Causes include diabetes and acute kidney injuries. Extensive prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can contribute as well. Nutritional disorders – lack of certain nutritional or too much of certain nutritional elements such as calcium can cause renal problems or failure and kidney stones. Clinical signs associated with kidney disease tend to be nonspecific, although polyuria and/or polydipsia may occur. Diagnosis should be based on urinalysis and serum chemistry panels. Very often a hedgehog that is overweight and diabetic can have renal failure as well. 

Symptoms:  Include fatigue, swelling, changes in how often the hedgehog urinates, high water consumption. Hedgehogs with kidney stones will typically frequently urinates, a little bit at a time, because it is painful. Untreated kidney stones can be lethal. Urine can be thick and discoloured. Healthy hedgehogs’ urine will be yellow without clouds or spots of blood in it. 

Treatment: Consists of correcting the underlying cause, if possible, administration of fluid therapy, and supportive care. Kidney failures are often linked to diabetes and calcium related matters. In terms of diabetic, change in lifestyle is recommended. Vet to prescribe treatment in terms of acute cases. 

Fun Fact: The normal size of a hedgehog kidney is 2 cm x 2 cm x 3.5cm.

Liver failure:

Fatty Liver failure or also called Hepatic lipidosis is another silent killer of hedgehogs. 

Hepatic lipidosis is somewhat common and may be a sequela of numerous disease processes. Obese animals may have subclinical hepatic lipidosis. Diagnosis is supported by testing for hepatic enzyme activities, plasma bilirubin and bile acid concentrations. Radiography and ultrasound-guided liver aspiration may also be performed.

What triggers it: Genetically, food-diet, lifestyle (poor cage conditions, heating, irregular access to food and water, malnutrition) extensive treatment with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, obesity, stress, kidney malfunction, salmonella, herpes or infections. Even Wobbly disease causes liver failure. 

Symptoms: Clinical signs include lethargy, inappetence, icterus, diarrhoea, and signs of hepatic encephalopathy. Signs of deterioration of brain function or other neurological issues. With hedgehogs is can sometimes be indicated by yellowish colouring of underbelly, eyes and hair. Obese animals are prone to suffer from Fatty Liver Disease and even though they may show no symptoms (called asymptomatic), the consequences will sadly be realised later.

Treatment: If caught early, fatty liver disease can be somewhat reversed, or further damage can be stalled. Liver tonic can be prescribed, combined with healthy lifestyle to improve the liver function. If caught too late, it ultimately leads to death. 

How many hedgehog`s were euthanized because their owners read up about this and firmly believe it is the end of the line? 

Wobbly hedgehog syndrome, also known as demyelinating paralysis, is a progressive disease, that is a degenerating disease that affects hedgehogs neurological and cannot be cured. This can also be genetically carried over. This disease specifically targets hedgehogs. It was noticed and recorded also that WHS are also triggered with inbreeding. 

This causes ataxia (difficulty walking, stumbling), paralysis, and weight loss in hedgehogs. There is an evident “wobble” when the hedgehog tries to stand still. Signs usually occurs around 2-3 years of age but can happen at any age. Both males and females can be affected with equal frequency. Death commonly occurs 18-24 months after onset of clinical signs. WHD has become the culprit when owners or vets don`t know what the cause of certain illnesses is. Middle ear infection is one example, which is a disease that can be treated, yet hedgehogs are put down just for the suspicion of WHD.

Symptoms: Symptoms are often the same as other diseases such as ataxia (difficulty walking, stumbling), paralysis, and weight loss in hedgehogs. Brain or spinal cord diseases, vestibular (inner ear) problems, malnutrition, tumors, toxins, trauma, or other conditions that can be mistaken for WHD. There is an evident “wobble” when the hedgehog tries to stand still. Signs usually occurs around 2-3 years of age but can happen at any age. Both males and females can be affected with equal frequency. Death commonly occurs 18-24 months after onset of clinical signs.

Treatment: Treatment for WHS is supportive care; helping the hedgehog remain upright using towels, making food and water easier to access or hand feeding, and cleaning after the hedgehog as soiled itself. There is no cure for WHS. Prognosis is grave and euthanasia is recommended when quality of life is poor.

Diabetes melinites occurs way more often under African Pygmy hedgehog`s than what is known or recorded. In the case of captive hedgehog`s it is more likely that overweight hedgehog`s suffers from Type 2 diabetes. Just as with humans it means that the hedgehog`s body does not produce insulin. It means that the sugar levels in their blood are uncontrolled.

Symptoms:  High water consumption, urinating a lot, urine oftens have a different smell and colour as healthy urine. Rapid weight gaining / loss. If the hedgehog has an infection or minor wound, it takes much longer to heal than those of a healthy hedgehog. If left untreated, it can cause for permanent damage to organs, resulting in organ failure. 

Treatment:  In order to get a diagnosis, blood or urine tests should be first conducted. Treatment involves change of lifestyle – getting more exercise and healthier food, and in some cases, treatment with insulin. If a hedgehog is diagnosed with diabetes, then it requires regular testing of blood sugar levels. Holistic treatment – insulin injections to be conducted, prescribed by an exotic vet.

Urine tests can be bought online in South Africa, at pharmacies, or obtained from a vet. See picture below of Doring, an extreme obese hedgehog. Ultimately, he died because of ultimate organ failure, which can be linked to diabetes. 

Metabolic Bone Decease (MBD) is a common decease in hedgehogs caused by a lack of calcium in the body. This lack of calcium is most caused by an imbalance of calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamin D3.

Symptoms: Soft or brittle teeth, micro bone fractures, weakening bones, deformities, reduced movement, joint abnormalities, inability for blood to clot, muscle tremors, loss of appetite, lethargy, pain, sometimes seizures and paralyses, and if left untreated it will lead to a slow and painful death.

What triggers it:  Calcium/phosphorus imbalance – Food related. Incorrect diet! Vitamin D deficiency- Food and lack of exposure to natural light- no proper day and night cycle. Taking your hedgehog out for short periods in the sun are good for them. Lack of exercise- No wheel, cage too small. Stress and anxiety- Stressful (noisy) environment, being harassed by other animals, children, lack of entertainment (Wheel), lights permanent on in room or cage. Disrupt digestion and affect calcium absorption causes for bodily stress as well. Underlying illnesses. 

Foods to avoid: Certain vegetables and even meats have a Ca:P ratio that is too high in phosphorous, but according to the United States Library of Medicine, boiling meats and vegetables reduces the phosphorus content. This is also one of the reasons why we boil our meats and vegetables before feeding them to our hedgehogs.

Mealworms: Calcium /Phosphorus Ratio incorrect 1:5

Super worms: Calcium /Phosphorus Ratio incorrect 1:3

Crickets: Calcium /Phosphorus Ratio incorrect 1:6

Beetles: Calcium /Phosphorus Ratio incorrect 1:3

Sunflower Hearts: Calcium Phosphorus Ratio incorrect: 1:7

Treatment: 

MBD can only be diagnosed with an x-ray. On a healthy hedgehog the bones on an x-ray will appear white and they will have a thick white layer were as with a hedgehog with MBD the lines are dim, and the bones appear blurred. This is because the hedgehog’s bones are becoming soft and soft tissue absorbs less x-rays making the bones appear grey and not as prominent as with a healthy hedgehog.

Most often, if your hedgehog was diagnosed with MBD he will have to be put down and therefore it is so important for us to rather follow a safe diet and prevent it as far as possible than to have to deal with the loss of a pet. 

Once discovered it is not always too late to turn around, but if the calcium in the bones have been depleted, it can’t be easily reversed. You may try working with your vet to increase their calcium and D3 intake and to balance their intake of calcium to phosphorus intake during meals. This can better their condition if it did not worsen beyond control, but unfortunately, we usually only recognise the problem once it is too late and therefor prevention is much better than cure.

Point to remember is that hedgehog`s that are on a staple diet of dry cat food, they get their calcium take in from the pellets and do not need extra calcium in their diet. 

Cardiac related matters all involve the heart. There are different types of cardiac illnesses. Some cause for immediate death, while others is a condition that can be treated, but not cured. Valvular Degeneration, Dilated Cardiomyopathy (CDM), Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Heart Arrhythmias, and congenital heart disease. To make this easier to understand we are going to break in down in lament language. All cardiac related diseases can lead to cardiac arrest or a heart attack. This is a very common disease under hedgehogs, and in some cases, it can be genetically related.

Cardiac arrest means when an animal or human`s heart has malfunctioned stopped beating. The lack of blood flow to the brain and other organs can cause a hedgehog to lose consciousness, become disabled or die if not treated immediately. This is regarded as a “electrical problem” or electric event. 

Heart attack occurs when a blocked artery prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching a section of the heart. This is called a “circulation problem”. 

What is: 

Valvular Degeneration – Heart valves that does not function properly. 

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (CDM)-Enlarged heart. An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) can be caused by damage to the heart muscle or any condition that makes the heart pump harder than usual.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)- a condition that causes muscles of the heart to thicken, decreasing the heart's efficiency and sometimes creating symptoms in other parts of the body.

Heart Arrhythmias- The heart may beat too fast, too slow, or it may skip beats. An irregular heartbeat is the primary symptom of arrhythmia. 

What triggers it: Nutritional deficiencies (lack of vitamin E, selenium, potassium, copper, iron, thiamine, magnesium, protein–calorie, essential amino acids, taurine, L-carnitine, and choline), obesity, genetically factors. 

Symptoms: Decreased activity, weight loss, heart murmur, fluid build-up in abdomen, shortness of breath, blue gums and lips, and acute death.

Treatment: Practising standard cardiac treatment in hedgehogs is recommended, prescribing diuretic medicine such as Furosemide, Enalapril, Pimobendane and l-carnitine might be successful in minor cases. 

Blindness or eye related matters are also very common under hedgehogs. In general hedgehogs do not have excellent eyesight or depth perception. They can make out shapes and outlines, have difficulty with gauging distance, which causes them to easily bump into things. But luckily hedgehog`s can easily find their way even if there are blind. They rely more on their hearing and small senses. They are able only to see a few colours such as green, yellow and blue. Being partially colour blind does not bother them at all. They are after all nocturnal. 

Losing eyesight can be caused by a variety of things. 

Causes- Injuries, neurological cause, glaucoma, tumors, birth defects, untreated eye infections. Hedgehogs often lost their eyes accidently with their own quills. Loose quills in bedding can cause eye injuries. Grass, sharp objects in cages are other causes as well. Hedgehogs that suffered a head injury can become blind. Glaucoma is when the optic nerve is damaged and is a very common cause as well. Babies can be born blind because of a genetic disorder, mutation such as the Lethal White Syndrome. Sometimes babies will have puss in their eyes shortly before their eyes open, and if left untreated the hoglet can lose its eye or eyesight. 

Symptoms – Apart from being visibly blind- missing eyes, cataracts, blueish eyes, blind hedgehogs will bump into things more often than a seeing hedgehog. You can check by waving an object in front of the hedgehog to see if he reacts to it. Vets do a pupil reaction test to see if an animal is blind or not. 

Treatment- Eye infection or small injury can be treated by a vet and save the eye. Cataracts, glaucoma and other types of eye illnesses are permanent and cannot be cured. With hedgehogs’ prevention is the treatment. Avoid having sharp objects in the cage, grass and wood shavings are contributors to infections and injuries. Even the nipple of a water bottle can cause eye injuries. Once your hedgehog turns blind, do not change the layout of his cage, move food and water bowls closer to the sleeping den. Remove ramps or levels to second level of cage to reduce falling risks. Some blind hedgehogs can run on their wheels, but most owners remove the wheels. Mild eye infections or irritable eyes can be treated by wiping the eye daily with a wet Rooibos tea bag. This works well for babies that has a puss build-up behind the eye lids. 

This is one of the most difficult illnesses to correctly diagnosed. The reason for this is that there are many diseases and conditions that can cause seizures. Plus, seizures come in different types. Convulsions, jerking, stiffening, shaking, loss of consciousness, or just tweaking of facial muscles.  Epilepsy or seizures are also often wrongly diagnosed as Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome. 

Most common types of seizures:

Partial Seizures- or also called reactive seizures, caused by focal abnormal electrical event in the brain, caused by metabolic issues, such as tumors, low blood sugar, kidney / liver failure etc. These seizures are brought on by an illness. Simple partial seizures can even be the twitching of facial muscles. 

Generalised- Also called idiopathic epilepsy. This can be convulsions and is the most common seizures seen in animals. It will be combined with symmetric stiffening, trashing, loss of mobility of the limb muscles. Animals with idiopathic epilepsy may have severe generalised seizures. Idiopathic epilepsy means when no other cause / illness exists, yet the hedgehog suffers from seizures. Noticeable is that inbreeding hedgehog babies can suffer from idiopathic epilepsy. The parents don`t have these seizures, yet the babies can suffer from it. Under IE (Idiopathic Epilepsy) falls genetically carried over epilepsy. 

More and more study cases show that genetic factors contribute to the etiology of seizures and disorders. It is also possible that in one litter some babies might be unaffected. This is called autosomal recessive idiopathic epilepsy. Then there is also the genetically carried over type of disorders that can happen, although not because of inbreeding. Meaning, the parents are not related, but have genetically carried over disorders, and some babies of the whole litter may suffer from it. In south Africa we have witnessed a few cases of inbreeding babies that suffered from IE. 

Secondary epileptic seizures- This is the direct result of an abnormal brain structure. This can be brought on by tumors, fever as to a result of inflammation or strokes.

Reactive epileptic seizures- This is caused by physiologic stress. Physiological stress is the body's response to a stressor, such as an environmental condition or a stimulus. Examples of physiological stress are fatigue, dehydration, heat illness, hypothermia, and even boredom- too small cage, no stimulation like a wheel. Hedgehog being kept in a stressful environment -noise, lights burning 24/7, going through periods of irregular feeding, being kept from food and water etc. 

Treatment: Diazepam can be prescribed by vets to treat epilepsy. 

This is a syndrome that mostly appears in wild hedgehogs. This happens when they crawl through fences or small holes and injure themselves. The orbicularis muscle, that runs around the hedgehog’s skirt and enables them to curl up, tear and pops up over the pelvis. All their quills are attached to this muscle and when this happens all the quills move up over the top of their body and appear like a tortoise shell or hat. When this happen the hedgehog will not be able to curl up in a ball and quite often the back legs also get pulled up and outwards, which means that the hedgehog will not be able to move around leaving them helpless and unprotected.

The sad part of this situation is that it happens more and more with our exotic hedgehogs as a result of people that want to try and take cute photos of them for example in a glass or an object that is too small. It will also happen if you provide your hedgehog with a house that’s too small or too small pipes/tunnels for the hedgehog to hide or play in. When your hedgehog is in a small space, they will try and worm themselves out. They then tear the muscle on their back resulting in Pop Off Syndrome. In this case the muscles need to be repaired through surgery and only your vet will be able to help. 

Never put your hedgehog in a mug or glass to take photos. Make sure the entrance to your hedgehog’s house is big enough - at least 110mm and never use a small house for instance a rat house. They will try and hide away in this house even if it is too small which will cause trauma and injury. Never give your hedgehog a pipe/ tunnel to hide in that’s smaller than 110mm. Also make sure that there’s no small spaces in his cage where he can hide in for example a tree stump or toy. Also make sure that your cage’s wire is small enough that your hedgehog doesn’t try and worm himself through and get stuck. This also counts for jungle gyms and obstacle courses. Hedgehogs are curios little animal that will always look for a space to crawl through or escape from their cage and this is one of the reasons why proper cage and surroundings are very important to them.

Hedgehog balloon syndrome is a rare life-threatening medical condition that can occur under hedgehogs. 

This condition is when gas in trap under the skin of hedgehogs due to an injury or infection, causing the hedgehog to inflate. This appears similar like the skin emphysema in humans. This phenomenon is possible because of the tissue structure of hedgehogs. It makes the hedgehog swollen up like a balloon, sometimes twice their normal body size. 

Due to the fact that hedgehogs have extra loose skin that enables them to roll up in a ball, this syndrome can occur under hedgehogs. Although, it is regarded as very rare. 

How do this happen? 

To understand how the injury can occurs, we first need to look at the hedgehog autonomy.

Hedgehogs have a windpipe (trachea) that begins at their mouths and is connected at their noses and lungs. At the top of this windpipe is the glottis. The glottis is the space between the larynx and arytenoid cartilage consisting of vocal cords and the opening between them. The glottis opens into the windpipe and is responsible for sound. This opens and closes as the hedgehog breath. 

If a hedgehog is kicked, or struck by something while the glottis is closed, it caused for the air to be trapped, causing for lungs to rapture or resulting into damage to the rib muscles. With each breath the hedgehog then takes, the air accumulates inside the hedgehog, causing the animal to inflate. 

Treatment: Treatment involves pain medicine as it is a painful procedure to release the gas, and antibiotics. A series of punctures then needs to be made over the hedgehog body to help the air escape. A large gauge needle attached to a 3-way stopcock is used to aspirate the air. It is necessary to enter at several sites to release the air as the space beneath the skin is compartmentalised by connective tissue.

Romain Pizzi, the specialist wildlife veterinary surgeon at the Scottish SPCA said that most cases look more like “bubble wrap” than a balloon. 

So far, the only cases reported that can be found on the internet is from European Hedgehogs. Perhaps the fact that African Pygmy Hedgehogs we encounter are mostly kept as pets, and live a rather protective life, it can be the reason for no reported incidents so far.