time to euthanize?

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Grace Kelly

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Messages
12
hi all,

i posted a few days/weeks ago about my hedgehog who was having some limping. he is anywhere from 5.5 to 6 years old.

well, the "limping" has progressed into full blown hind leg paralysis. he can't move his hind legs. he can't drag himself to the food and water. i try to feed him and give him water but he won't accept it. he drags himself around at night and lays in puddles of his own urine. i move him into his bedding, but he goes back and just lays still all day in his urine.

i had to take out his igloo because it was causing distress/was a huge obstacle he'd hurt himself on. i took out his wheel because as much as he wants to, he can't even get on it.

he can't walk anymore. he just drags himself.

my dad, boyfriend, and i are going to take him to the vet tomorrow. i am afraid it is time to say goodbye. what last bits of advice do you guys have? i'm 12 hrs away from the decision...

thanks.
 
I'm so sorry but it sounds like you are making the right decision. It's never easy and I think we always have that shred of hope.

Hugs
 
Grace, Your question is a hard one, without seeing him and interacting with him it is so hard to tell you yes or no. I am so sorry you are at this point. It is one of the hardest things to have to decide. I have one who is rear leg paralyzed too. However, she has always kept the ability to move around with her front legs. Yes she drags her back legs, but she is still very able. She gets out of her bed, gets away from her feces/urine and gets to her food and water bowls. She no longer has a wheel, and I put very soft fleece liners in her cage to prevent abrasions. But she is in no noticeable pain and seems to still enjoy burrowing under her liners nightly.

If he is not eating/drinking it sounds like there is something more than just the rear leg paralysis going on. Is there any sign of discomfort or pain? Pain can cause them to not want to eat/move around. Also if he hasn't been drinking enough, how about dehydration? Dehydration can weaken them to the point that they cannot stand and it can set in quickly.

For me, I look at their quality of life. Will this situation improve any? Are they in pain/discomfort? When there is no chance of improvement and they can no longer move away from their urine/feces and seem to be either in discomfort or giving up, I make that hard decision.

If you have any doubt, and if you trust your vet, discuss the matter with him. It is a hard decision, but from what you have stated above, it sounds like it may be the right one to make.
 
Nancy said:
I'm so sorry but it sounds like you are making the right decision. It's never easy and I think we always have that shred of hope.

Hugs
Click to expand...

thank you my dear. i have been crying hysterically all night and having panic attacks, but i think this is the right decision. he's lost control of his bladder too. he pees everywhere, in little squirts. it's SO sad. i took a video of his legs. i will post it a little later. perhaps someone has some ideas as to what on earth this could be but this is nooooot arthritis at all. it seems to be spreading upwards. i fear the lungs and heart may be affected. and that would cause agony.

Kalandra said:
Grace, Your question is a hard one, without seeing him and interacting with him it is so hard to tell you yes or no. I am so sorry you are at this point. It is one of the hardest things to have to decide. I have one who is rear leg paralyzed too. However, she has always kept the ability to move around with her front legs. Yes she drags her back legs, but she is still very able. She gets out of her bed, gets away from her feces/urine and gets to her food and water bowls. She no longer has a wheel, and I put very soft fleece liners in her cage to prevent abrasions. But she is in no noticeable pain and seems to still enjoy burrowing under her liners nightly.

If he is not eating/drinking it sounds like there is something more than just the rear leg paralysis going on. Is there any sign of discomfort or pain? Pain can cause them to not want to eat/move around. Also if he hasn't been drinking enough, how about dehydration? Dehydration can weaken them to the point that they cannot stand and it can set in quickly.

For me, I look at their quality of life. Will this situation improve any? Are they in pain/discomfort? When there is no chance of improvement and they can no longer move away from their urine/feces and seem to be either in discomfort or giving up, I make that hard decision.

If you have any doubt, and if you trust your vet, discuss the matter with him. It is a hard decision, but from what you have stated above, it sounds like it may be the right one to make.
Click to expand...

he seems to be in a lot of pain. when he drags himself, he drags his legs behind him and i see his quills raise out of nowhere from the effort. my mom said he makes some kind of noises. and as i mentioned above, loss of bladder control. he pees all over himself. and he sleeps in his own urine. i don't want him getting skin infections.

i do not think, at his age of 5.5-6 yrs, this could ever get any better. i don't know if it's WHS but whatever it is, he is only getting worse and it is pathetic to watch. we give him water frequently and i left food in his bedding for him to eat but he won't eat. it's so sad. i have no words for how i feel now.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Best wishes. You will make the right decision, and it sounds like it is time if he is in pain. As his mom, you know best and he will love you for your help.
 
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