Hedgehog greenish urine

[emccarthy]

Hello Hedgehog lovers,

I get many hedgehogs to my garden and last night had 3 eating at the same time. I have noticed in the morning they have often left poo's around where they ate. Recently ie for the past 2 nights I noticed 2 pools of liquid by the food, I assumed one had been sick. It was clear but with some green soft bits in it. Tonight I watched and saw it was coming from the tail end of a hedgehog. Is this somthing to worry about as the hedgehog doing it actually resides in one of my hedgehog houses? Is she sick? Or is she peeing to try and discourage the other hedgehogs eating? Please anyone who might have a clue I would love to hear.

[Jez]

Welcome to WAB emccarthy, this link maybe of some help to your Hedgehogs?

British Hedgehog Preservation Society

[Hedge Witch]

Hi, welcome.

I'm don't think what you describe is normal behaviour for a hedgehog.

I think you need to contact someone - here is a list of people who might be able to help:

British Hedgehog Preservation Society - Hedgehog Carers

All the best.

[vole-woman]

Could it an extreme form of diarrhoea? Hedgehogs are very prone to it, I understand, especially if they've managed to get hold of milk-based food somewhere.

[Hedgehoggy]

It'll be diarrhoea, not urine. Green diarrhoea in hedgehogs is usually one of two things (or even both): severe worm infestation or a gastroenteritis, both of which will need medical treatment by a vet or local wildlife hospital asap.

[emccarthy]

Thank you for your replies. I think you are right its not urine but diarrhoea. There was a normal poo left tonight and none watery so I am hoping it may be cured. The problem is we have so many visiting hogs its difficult to track to a particular one. I am also afraid to take the one in the house out to get it looked at, as the last one we had staying in one of the hog houses, when I noticed he was unwell ( different problem this one was walking funny) I brought him to a rescue centre but after 3 weeks of antibiotics he died. I was so upset and I think its made me alittle fearful of bringing the hogs to a rescue centre. I appreciate your feedback though and will keep an eye on the situation. Aren't hedgehogs gorgeous !!

[ninneve]

I had a sick juvenile hedgehog over the summer who had green mucous diarrhoea - what was most distinct about it however was the smell which was absolutely awful. From the reasearch I did at the time, all fingers seemed to point at Intestinal Flukes (STOKER L (2000) Practical Wildlife Care, p. 186). Sadly the wee thing died within a couple of days and was unresponsive to treatment which I think came to late to make a difference.

[Hedgehoggy]

I too had a very sick hoglet brought to me last winter suffering from a severe infestation of intestinal flukes (worms). She was vomiting up green mucous, as well as the diarrhoea. Sadly, even with immediate veterinary treatment, she didn't make it through the night, too much internal damage had already been done .

Worms are transmitted to hedgehogs from ingesting affected snails/slugs and so I always treat any brought into care for worms, whether they have symptoms or not.

[emccarthy]

Would I be able to buy worm treatment and treat the hedgehogs that visit me? However if its anything like getting a cat to swallow a pill I would not realish the task. The fact that I work long hours in the city means I cannot be taking time off each week to get my hogs in good shape. I think I need to rent the spare room out to a vet Thank you for your feedback Hedgehog friends.

[Hedgehoggy]

I use Panacur Small Animal 2.5% oral suspension which I buy on the internet (cheaper than buying from vets!). I mix the (palatable) liquid into a small portion of their food to ensure it's all taken, before giving them the rest of their food

I don't treat the visiting hogs to my garden for worms, simply because I wouldn't be able to keep track of who has eaten what! A lot of people claim to have a single hedgehog visiting their gardens, when in fact it's more likely they have many more!