Infections

There are different bacterial infections hedgehogs can get. we are going to discuss four here. Bacterial infections requires a visit to a veterinary and antibiotics. If left untreated, in most cases, it results in death. In all cases of diseases, it is always recommended to isolate the hedgehog to prevent further spreading of the disease. Wash hands carefully before and after handling, ensure cages are disinfect on a regular basis. 

Mouth: Gum infections, dental abscesses. There is no over the counter medicine to combat this, antibiotics are required to clear up the infection. Hedgehogs with mouth related infections will often stop eating, have swollen areas in the face, blood coming out of the mouth, or the hedgehog will try to scratch or rub his face. 

Preventative methods for tooth decay are to feeding your hedgehog a healthy balance between dry (hard) and wet (soft) food. Pellets can assist in keeping teeth sharp and clean, but if pellets are too hard and they don’t get anything else to eat, it can crack or dull the teeth. Offering only soft food will improve on tooth decay. But common sense to be applied when it comes to elderly hedgehogs who are starting to lose their teeth. To help them maintain a healthy lifestyle it is recommended to soak their pellets and still offering treats. By eating soft cat pellets, they still get all the supplements and nutrients that is in the cat pellets. Do not try to brush your hedgehogs’ teeth! You can cause for more trouble than actually helping. Teeth check-ups and cleaning can be done by a skilled vet if you are concerned about this. 

Urine: Urinary, bladder infections. Very often urinary diseases are a secondary symptom / problem from the original or main disease. It can be then kidney related as well. Most often it is noticed when the hedgehog has blood in the urine, struggling to urinate. Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) can be affected the bladder, urethra, and kidneys. This again cannot be ignored and requires veterinary treatment. While awaiting an appointment ensure to provide as much as possible clean fresh water. If your hedgehog’s urine is a yellow colour it is an indication of a healthy urinary tract system. If there is a problem the hedgehog will urinate regularly, as to relieve only a little bit of urine at a time, as to reduce the pain. 

Intestine Infections: Gastrointestinal diseases include anything that affects the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestine, colon, or rectum. Signs to look out for include diarrhea, dehydration, decreased appetite, and weight loss. Slimy green poop is normally an indication. Blood in the fecal matter is an alarming indication that something is seriously wrong. Keep the hedgehog hydrated and get to a vet as soon as possible.

Respiratory Infections: 

In all cases of respiratory infections, a vet`s visit is mandatory. Upper Respiratory Infections will typically have symptoms such as; irritated and infected nasal cavities, shortness of breath, sniffing sneezing, constant licking of lips, watery eyes. They also can have a thick dis-coloured type of mucus (snot) coming from the nose.  When a URI are left untreated, it turns into a more serious case of pneumonia. Pneumonia will display symptoms such as wheezing lungs, coughing, lack of appetite.   

Causes: 

1) Wet bedding 

2) Draft on hedgehogs cage

3) Not dried properly after bathing

4) Aromatic or dusty environment

5) Cold conditions in cage

Wound Infections: 

Wound treatment normally begin directly after the accident happened. To rinse off all possible debris with clean water, apply pressure to the wound to stop bleeding, and to bandage up if possible.  In some cases you might find yourself in the situation with a rescue that has an untreated old wound that become infectious. Infectious wounds needs to be cleaned, drained, treated by an vet. The veterinarian will decide whether to close the wound or to manage it as an open wound. Wounds have different classifications and sometimes gets treated differently.  

Bite wounds - Caused by cats and dogs - that can be puncture bite wounds, and even torn flesh wounds

Cuts, tears or lacerations- sometimes requires stitches, depending if there is muscle or tendons damage. Tears often involves a ear torn off by another hedgehog. 

De-gloving injuries- That is when skin where scraped off, for example hit by a car. Even paws can be de-gloved, if the animal had its feet got stuck in something and then ripped of the skin in a attempt to get free. 

Pressure wounds-  They are most common in paralyzed or immobile animals. If the animal are lying in the same position for long periods the pressure to the skin cause  decubital ulcers. This is not common with hedgehogs as paralyzed hedgehogs mostly gets to be euthanized to end suffering.