The smallest hoglets in so far.

CharlieCreek · #1 (**permalink**) 14-07-2011, 05:11 PM

Today has seen the smallest hoglets we have had in so far this year and taken us up to 16 hoglets in with us at the moment.

These two were found in the road where their mum had been hit by a car. Sadly she had to be euthanized as she was going downhill very quickly and was having terrible difficulty in breathing.

They weighed in at 15 and 18 grams.

I never seem to get pics working on here the way I want them (my fault not WABS

)so if you want a peek they are on our news page.

Willows Hedgehog Rescue - News - Local life & Little Histories

Hedgehoggy · #2 (**permalink**) 14-07-2011, 06:09 PM

Jeez, what a tragic story

I was wondering why the mother was in the middle of a road with all her newborns

Maybe the shock and trauma of being hit by the car induced spontaneous birth of her babies on the spot? Poor little mites, and poor mum. They’re in the best hands with you, Charlie. Sending best wishes to you and Jayne and to all the big and little charges in your care atm.

Do please keep us updated, as and when you get time.

CharlieCreek · #3 (**permalink**) 14-07-2011, 06:24 PM

Thank you, all best wishes gratefully received and hopefully turned into luck for our hogs

We arrived at that conclusion as well, that she must have given birth in the road as a result of the car accident.

Our vets performed scans to make sure that no more hoglets were inside her before she was euthanized.

So sad to see the mum have to leave her newborns in this way.

sunnydale · #4 (**permalink**) 14-07-2011, 08:32 PM

Such a shame about mum & the youngsters that were killed.

Good luck with all the others though. You're doing a great job.

Tracey

CharlieCreek · #5 (**permalink**) 14-07-2011, 10:03 PM

We haven't had ones in this size before, well basically new born, three or four days old yes but a couple of hours no.

So we had to seek some advice on feeding from Tiggywinkles and they are on 50/50 colostrum and milk replacement 2 hourly feeds and around 0.5ml a feed.

So far they have had four feeds and are noticeably changing every feed. When they came in no spines (under a protective membrane/skin to allow birth), now a full compliment of white spines there.

One is taking food straight away the other needs a little more coaxing but they are both feeding.

CharlieCreek · #6 (**permalink**) 15-07-2011, 08:28 PM

Well it is a sad day here today,

the two hoglets died during the night. There isn't much to say beyond that apart from we are gutted. One car wiped out a mum and around five hoglets in the end.

The bad news continues, amongst all the new life in the rescue area and all the good news stories, Hope our resident stimmer injury hog is, well my gut feeling tells me she is dying.

She came in with her nose cut in two, she went through two operations on her nose and a long time on meds. She got over it and went into the secure garden and did well and seemed very happy. The plan was to monitor her for a while before possible release back into the wild.

A couple of weeks ago she started acting out of character and we brought her back in. She had lost around 150 grams and her breathing was awful.
She had an infection in her nose and had gained a worm burden.

She has slowly deteriorated over the last two weeks, she seemed to pick up a little for a while but it was a brief respite. Even though she can breath without difficulty now she is refusing to eat and wont hand feed either.

She has been on two types of antibiotics at one point, anti-inflammatory meds and has been having fluid therapy.

Tonight she is unresponsive and breathing very slowly and shallow and I think slowly slipping away. The sad thing is that there is nothing more we can do but let her decide to fight or slip away.

Farplace · #7 (**permalink**) 15-07-2011, 09:09 PM

I dont know what to say except I am thinking about you, and your charges. (((hugs)))

CharlieCreek · #8 (**permalink**) 15-07-2011, 09:24 PM

Hope has just passed away..

Hedgehoggy · #9 (**permalink**) 15-07-2011, 09:46 PM

Truly sorry about the turn of events, Charlie. I can imagine how wretched you’re feeling right now.

You couldn’t have done any more than you were already doing for those weeny hoglets. You pulled out all the stops to save them, but the odds were against them from the onset.

That’s a double blow for you with Hope’s passing. Just when you think they’re on the road to recovery after being nursed back to health, they can unexpectedly go downhill, and fast. You kept her comfortable, warm and safe in her final hours.

Sadly, we can’t save them all, we can only try our damnedest. Stay positive and think of all the hedgehogs you have saved in the past, and those that you’ll save in the future...

Sending you and Jayne BIG hugs too xx