Urgent hedgehog advice please

[Purplepixii]

Hi
Tonight I found a hedgehog in my garden. I'm pretty sure he's the same one who has been visiting nightly since 24th Feb & raiding the food I leave out for them.

I found him tonight lying on his side in the garden. He's a male weighing 580g, has a little spine loss near his "skirt" and (unfortunately) a few ticks. I've put him in a cat carrier lined with newspaper and straw & put a bowl of food & water in with him.

I've just checked on him and he's alive and breathing although still lying on his side. I'm pretty confident that this isn't "normal" behaviour as I currently have 2 (healthy) fostered hedgehogs also. There's no obvious external signs of any trauma.

Is there anything I can do in addition to what I am already doing? Unfortunately I can't remove the ticks because I have a stupid phobia of the damn things (something I'm going to have to work on getting over!)
The rescue centre where I got my hogs from is closed until 9am tomorrow so I can't contact them. The rspca will be of no use either (from past experience).

Any advice gratefully received
Sarah

[Farplace]

Keep him warm (not too warm) and quiet overnight.... then get him to a vet. This is not normal and he will be in some sort of crisis.
The tick(s) are probably incidental. i think its something more major.
Jan

[Purplepixii]

Hi Jan
Thanks for the reply. He's in the catbox in the garage (where the other 2 hedgies are in their hutches) so hopefully that's the right place for him.

Would you recommend that I contact my local vet instead of the wildlife trust (where I got my rescue hogs from) in the morning? I'm guessing the vets will be better placed to treat him?

Sarah

[CharlieCreek]

A hog lying on its side isn't normal and if often the position they take when quite poorly and also seen when suffering from conditions such as dehydration, pneumonia, hypothermia etc along with other signs. Other signs being pale gums, sunken eyes.

The main priorities until you can get the hog to the rescue centre are fluids, warmth and somewhere quiet to keep any stress down.

You can mix a re-hydration solution, tablespoon sugar, pinch salt in 500ml water (small pop bottles are 500ml) and try giving the hog some with a dropper into his/her mouth. Watch that it is being swallowed though as it is easy for it to go into the lungs (you can stroke the throat to aid swallowing). Also put this solution into the water bowl.

Keep the hog warm (in this case a covered water bottle would be a good idea but will need changing before it goes too cold), keep it secluded and somewhere dark but when they are like this it is best not to cover the head and rather than straw an old towel might be better as you can make the hog snug without covering the head just in case of any breathing difficulties.

If the hog has laboured breathing you can put a drop of eucalyptus or Olbas oil on a tissue a little distance away.

Hope this may help

Charlie

[Farplace]

If you send him to the Wildlife trust - or a rescue centre - or anywhere else.... they will need to get him to a vet. If you can do this first, it will be better for the hedgehog. it sounds like he needs to be seen sooner rather than later.

[CharlieCreek]

Just seen your last post after I hit post...

bring him indoors the garage for a poorly hog will be too cold it needs to be around 18 degrees.

Rather than the Wildlife Trust the hog will need to go to either a hedgehog rescue unit, a wildlife hospital or a vets. I would suggest the rescue unit or wildlife hospital first as many vets have little experience with wildlife but the wildlife hospital or rescue unit will have contact with wildlife experienced vets. But if neither of the first two is possible then the vets.

[Purplepixii]

I've got the solution mixed up and towels instead of straw. Fingers crossed he accepts the solution. Going to bring him indoors and put him in the downstairs cloakroom where it's quiet and warmer than the garage.

This is the wildlife trust I foster hogs through: Hart Wildlife - Home

I'm guessing they may well be the best people to deal with the hog based on what you've said? They certainly seem pretty darn good when I've been there.

Sarah

[CharlieCreek]

Yes they are the best bet, when I saw Wildlife Trust in your post I was thinking you meant wildlife trust as in The Wildlife Trusts and not a wildlife rescue place.

Fingers crossed for tonight.

[Purplepixii]

"Spike" did seem a little more responsive when I tried the solution with him - he's now curling into a ball which he wasn't doing before... I'm guessing he's somehow not well, but could he be exhausted too? He just strikes me as being "very tired"...

Fingers crossed for tonight - I'll be going to bed in 30ish mins so will do a last check of him then. I'll post any update(s) I have tomorrow.

Thanks all for the advice
Sarah

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi Sarah, I agree with all the good advice already offered. It doesn’t sound good and ideally he really needs to be assessed this evening, but I appreciate this option isn’t viable for everybody, so as already been advised, keep him warm and comfortable overnight.

If you found him lying out in your garden, chances are he’s also suffering with hypothermia and he won’t be able to take fluids (or food) if he’s cold so some direct heat will be essential (hot water bottle, or plastic pop bottle, wrapped in towel, ensuring there’s enough room in the carrier for him to move away from if he gets too hot – but if he’s totally unable to move by himself, place the direct source of heat at the side of him and not underneath so some warmth will still penetrate. The hot water bottle will need to be changed every few hours otherwise it will have an ice-pack effect). As Charlie has already said, in cases like this towels for bedding are preferable to straw, plus you can also detect any blood loss easily (straw will absorb all such matter).

That all said, if you suspect he’s suffered any trauma (e.g. been hit by a car), direct heat isn’t advisable if internal bleeding is suspected. Hard call to make! But under these circumstances I’d opt for the direct heat in the first instance.

Fingers crossed he makes it through the night. You’re giving him a good chance by keeping him safe and warm.

P.S. Don’t worry about the ticks for now, a few ticks won’t kill a hedgehog.