Adisa is sick

[akane]

She's occasionally leaving blood behind. My husband first noticed it when he went to put her back in her cage from the storage container she was in until her fleece was clean. We couldn't find any injuries. My husband called the exotics vet twice today and despite their site saying they are open he didn't get an answer. Trying again Monday morning and if they are closed through christmas we'll have to drive to the bigger exotics vet 45mins from here. Hopefully it's just a UTI, maybe kidney stones... Those are treatable. Apparently hedgehog uterine infections do not respond well to antibiotics and they have to be spayed before they go septic.

She hasn't acted sick. She's just as friendly as always. Eating, drinking, pooping all over her cage, pulling up her liner until it's a ball in the center and I have to put it back with bricks to hold it down. I'm leaning towards kidney stones since that would be temporary pain and she could act normal between them.

 

[Bailey59]

I hope she feels better!

Get well soon Adisa :hug2:

She sounds like a sweetheart.

P.S. Love the name!

 

[smhufflepuff]

I'd bring her to the vet who can see her now (even if it's further), rather than closer and later. If you're contemplating Monday, that's several days bloody urine. That's not good.

 

[Dragonflye]

I agree with what was said above. If is a uterine infection or a UTI, as you stated above, you could be risking a lot by waiting until Monday.

 

[akane]

Can't do anything about it. This is the middle of nowhere surrounded by farm fields right before a major holiday in the midst of several severe ice and snow storms. There are small vet clinics scattered about who mostly see livestock, cats, and dogs with the odd rabbit or guinea pig with no emergency options. Some are only open 4 days a week until 5pm. Many who used to do rabbit and guinea pig neuters at a lower cost no longer will because it wasn't cost effective to keep a specialist on staff. The only open vet on a sunday is the ER cat clinic who would not have a clue what to do with a hedgehog. Likely they'd just turn down seeing one. I've had it happen before. We are lucky to even have a knowledgeable exotics vet on normal weekdays. When I was a teenager we didn't have an exotics vet in driving distance and lost rodents to very basic illnesses because the only vet that would treat them had no clue what he was doing.

Most people who breed pretty much anything treat their animals themselves with otc feed store medications and limited diagnostic tools. More of the shot in the dark approach. Although with 1 equine veterinary class in college and the internet I could diagnose and treat my horses better than the only equine specific vet in the area. It was rather sad. I started driving my horses 80miles north of here to the clinic of the vet who taught the class rather than throw away money on 5 different and useless diagnosis by the local vets. I tried to get in to some small animal veterinary classes during college but I would have had to change my major and follow their program track instead of just getting the info I wanted out of it like I did with the equine program.

 

[Narcissus]

where there is a will, there is a way.... i've driven 4 hours to see an emergency vet leaving my house at 1am because none of the vets close to me would even look at a sugar glider. we as breeders( and pet owners) have a responsibility to do everything we can for our animals. if I were you id be calling every vet with in 200 miles to find an emergency vet who with look at hedgies. I hope yours pulls through.

 

[Raindog]

Hope she is okay. Thinking of you guys.

 

[akane]

It's good you can take off in the middle of the night and drive so far. I can't and I don't have to justify it to you. I am putting in reasonable effort to find a vet given difficult circumstances and bad timing.

Do hedgehogs bleed while in heat? I shall go ask google.

 

[smhufflepuff]

No. They don't bleed unless there's something awry. I can definitely understand your hope that maybe it's a variation on "normal," but bleeding isn't one of those things. It's a sign that hedgie needs veterinary help.

 

[Narcissus]

I'm not asking you to justify anything to me. I simply stated my opinion that as pet owners/breeders we have a responsibility to our animals to get them veterinary care when necessary.

 

[tunes]

akane - Chill. Narcissus didn't ask you to justify anything and your remark was uncalled for. Keep a civil tone when you post.

I'm going to 1000th what everyone else has said - she needs a vet. I cannot believe that there is not a single vet that will be open before Monday, especially in the case of an emergency. From what the weather channel shows, you guys will be clear by Christmas. Is it completely impossible to find a vet for Thursday? I know vets around here are working.

 

[Nancy]

Do hedgehogs bleed while in heat? I shall go ask google.

Shouldn't you have known the answer to this BEFORE you decided to breed hedgehogs?

 

[Raindog]

How is Adisa? Was your vet open or did you have to go to the far away one? Hope all is well.

 

[Raindog]

I couldn't decide if I wanted to post but I do want to know how Adisa is doing. I know we have a lot of very passionate pet owners here, which is awesome, but unless I am misunderstanding her, Akane was planning to take her to the vet Monday as per her first post right? Which was roughly a day and a half later. I'm just not sure why it turned into people thinking she was going to wait several days. I know things can turn fast for our little ones, and that bleeding is bad and definitely needs a vet, but is it so unreasonable that due to whatever personal reasons and the fact that the hedgie is acting ok, to wait the day to be able go to a trusted vet?

I hope I'm not out of line and I mean no disrespect but as I said I want to know how she is and its Christmas, I would feel bad if I didn't say anything.