Not Quite Sure

[OddDarkMatter91]

Ok, so, I’m quite stressed at the moment.

For the past 4 days, Igor has been acting weird. He’s been much friendlier, cuddly, and less aggressive.

Now most people would see this as a good thing, (like my family), but I’m sceptical. He hasn’t been trying to bite me as much anymore, and I can pick him up without him jumping like normal.
I don’t know if these signs are symptoms of lethargy, but I know it isn’t normal.

We have been sitting with a cold front for 3 days now, and I’ve been doing everything to keep Igor warm. He still eats like a champ, and sleeps through the day. His urine is completely fine, and his feces has been shaped well for the last couple of days.

Last night, he didn’t run as much on his wheel though. I am narrowing it down to the cold though, seeing as last night was extra cold. (Or it could be the supposed lethargy, I hope not though)

He’s in my bed throughout the day, with the electric blanket on, so he’s not cold at all throughout the day. I put a warm water bottle in his bed in his cage at night which he snuggles against when he sleeps.
I also cover his cage with a blanket, and close the cupboard doors (not completely) so that it’s warmer inside.

Though it’s about to warm up again by tomorrow or the day after.

I wouldn’t say he’s lethargic, I’d just say he’s.. different than normal.

Now my immediate worry is pneumonia, seeing as he was suffering from URI, but I got antibodies for him. The symptoms didn’t disappear immediately after the prescription finished, so I was planning to make another vet call when lockdown happened. The symptoms have seemed to decrease drastically, but I’m scared that I’ve just been blind, and it might’ve evolved into pneumonia without my knowledge.

I’ve done some research online and found that pneumonia can also be cured with antibiotics. So I’m going to go to the vet at the end of the month, here at the 21st if nothing has changed, or he has worsen. If it does get worse though, I’ll have to borrow money from someone to get him there quicker.

I know I’m jumping to conclusions, but I’m scared. So for now I’m going to observe him, and hopefully he’ll get better, and start biting me again.

[Spiky_Floof<3]

Hi!
It's okay to be concerned about your hedgehog! I think that if a vet visit would make you feel better than you should go. I think that he might be slower because of the cold, but it sounds like he is functioning normally otherwise, and he sounds healthy to me. I'm no expert though haha. If he is still this way after the cold front passes, maybe try checking in with the vet, if he goes back to normal then you did a job well done!
Good luck

[OddDarkMatter91]

Thank you! Honestly, I worry way too much about him. Thank you for your in put! I’ll watch him and see how things go

[Ria]

I mean he seems to be the complete opposite of his normal self. Which could easily just be the cold. Do skin to skin contact with him as much as you can, just let him sleep on you on the sofa of your at home, even if its not your normal bonding. Hopefully when it gets warmer it will stop and he will be normal.

Obviously as you know they are great at just carrying on, even if they are ill, which is truly annoying! But hey you know your hog well so its okay!

If however after a few days of it being warmer and it doesn't change, he is still the complete opposite then take him to a vet to get him checked. I know its going to cost you, but honestly its gonna be needed, now you know its nothing visible (because knowing you, you have probably checked him all over for that already!) So unless you missed anything, which they will obviously look themselves, I would try get them to do scans to look at the inside making sure theres nothing there.

I generally hope there is nothing seriously wrong with him and an easy to cure thing! Hopefully just be the cold!

[OddDarkMatter91]

Thank you Ria. Yeah, it’s nothing visible at all, so the cold is the best option.
I’ll make sure to keep a close eye on him, and hold him close, keep him warm and everything I can.

[Vallyrie]

Hi! First of all, your little dude has the best owner ever. You love him so so much. Second of all, take everything I’m about to say with a grain of salt because it’s really fresh for me and I feel awful scaring you, but I wanted to make sure I shared this just in case. My little guy, Spike, went through this between a week and two weeks ago. All of a sudden he got really sweet instead of his normal, sassy behavior. He was eating fine, his poop was fine, just like Igor. The only difference I’m seeing is the heating. Spike’s heating didn’t fluctuate like your weather has been. I took him to the vet after I noticed he wasn’t running on his wheel for a couple days. It turned out he had a mass (maybe cancerous) and it was causing the lethargy. He ended up going in his sleep that night (the anesthesia didn’t help with his exhaustion).

I wouldn’t just assume that this is what’s going on with Igor, Spike was getting to that age and every hedgie is different. But that was my experience with the symptoms. If you have anymore specific questions about him, feel free to ask. I hope little Igor gets better soon and that the weather puts some pep in his step!!

[OddDarkMatter91]

Originally Posted by Vallyrie

Hi! First of all, your little dude has the best owner ever. You love him so so much. Second of all, take everything I’m about to say with a grain of salt because it’s really fresh for me and I feel awful scaring you, but I wanted to make sure I shared this just in case. My little guy, Spike, went through this between a week and two weeks ago. All of a sudden he got really sweet instead of his normal, sassy behavior. He was eating fine, his poop was fine, just like Igor. The only difference I’m seeing is the heating. Spike’s heating didn’t fluctuate like your weather has been. I took him to the vet after I noticed he wasn’t running on his wheel for a couple days. It turned out he had a mass (maybe cancerous) and it was causing the lethargy. He ended up going in his sleep that night (the anesthesia didn’t help with his exhaustion).

I wouldn’t just assume that this is what’s going on with Igor, Spike was getting to that age and every hedgie is different. But that was my experience with the symptoms. If you have anymore specific questions about him, feel free to ask. I hope little Igor gets better soon and that the weather puts some pep in his step!!

Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry for your loss. That’s one of my greatest fears with Igor. Tumours and masses. I feel him through every day to make sure he hasn’t got something growing on the surface.

Where was the mass on your little boy located? And how did they find it? I might go to the vet and ask for them to check him over with a scan.

And I have seen improvements in Igor. Yesterday morning, about 4 am, I took him out of his cage and put him in my bed for extra heating. Instead of going to sleep, he started exploring my bed like crazy.

He walked under the covers, above the covers, climbed over me, under me, in my hair, over my face, under my pillow, etc &#x1f602; So it’s becoming clear that it is the cold. My bed is warm, and it shows he can still move. Which I’m very thankful for.

Thank you for sharing your story with me. Again, I’m so sorry for your loss, but atleast your boy is in a better place now.

[Ria]

Originally Posted by OddDarkMatter91

I might go to the vet and ask for them to check him over with a scan.

And I have seen improvements in Igor. Yesterday morning, about 4 am, I took him out of his cage and put him in my bed for extra heating. Instead of going to sleep, he started exploring my bed like crazy.

He walked under the covers, above the covers, climbed over me, under me, in my hair, over my face, under my pillow, etc &#x1f602; So it’s becoming clear that it is the cold. My bed is warm, and it shows he can still move. Which I’m very thankful for.

Thank you for sharing your story with me. Again, I’m so sorry for your loss, but atleast your boy is in a better place now.

I'm glad that Igor is improving! Seems it was just too cold for him, but you did great at helping him!

Unless he is still ill or you see any other signs, then don't go to the vet to get a scan just because your worried about masses and tumors now.

Save up your money when you really have to get a vet, because there is something there, Igor doesn't need a scan right now.
Honestly if he has improved and seems better and theres nothing else don't stress.

[OddDarkMatter91]

Ok I’m gonna start stressing again.

Igor just completely lost control of his bladder and bowel movement.

He was lying next to me in my bed like every day, and was cuddling me. All of a sudden I smelled something, and I knew he did a number two. I checked and he urinated aswell. But the placement of both excretions looked normal, so I thought nothing of it. I went and cleaned it up.

When I came back to lie down, there was more. Feces came out while he was walking, and there was urine patches everywhere, the whole bed full. I started becoming curious. I cleaned as much as I could and put him in my gran’s bed while the bed covers were being changed.

When I went to go get him, there was also a urine patch in my gran’s bed, and as I picked him up, he was still urinating in my hands. I immediately got a bowl of warm, shallow water ready for him and place him in, just to wash everything off, and maybe catch the last bit of urine in his bladder.

Afterwards I dried him, and wrapped him in a towel and placed him back in my bed. It’s still cold after all. A few seconds later, there was a urine patch on the towel.

He calmed down now and is sleeping in the towel. Doesn’t seem to leak anymore.

It feels like everything is just going downhill and I’m panicking. He’s two and 7 months. It can’t be his time yet. Next week Tuesday, my mom gets her pay. So I have till then to observe him and keep him ok.

I’m so frustrated, he did ok, became lethargic, became ok again, and now this?! I feel terrible. I don’t know if he’s in pain, or suffering at the moment. I don’t know how to make everything better for him.

I’m sorry for my rant, I just wanted to give an update of what just happened.

[Vallyrie]

Originally Posted by OddDarkMatter91

Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry for your loss. That’s one of my greatest fears with Igor. Tumours and masses. I feel him through every day to make sure he hasn’t got something growing on the surface.

Where was the mass on your little boy located? And how did they find it? I might go to the vet and ask for them to check him over with a scan.

And I have seen improvements in Igor. Yesterday morning, about 4 am, I took him out of his cage and put him in my bed for extra heating. Instead of going to sleep, he started exploring my bed like crazy.

He walked under the covers, above the covers, climbed over me, under me, in my hair, over my face, under my pillow, etc &#x1f602; So it’s becoming clear that it is the cold. My bed is warm, and it shows he can still move. Which I’m very thankful for.

Thank you for sharing your story with me. Again, I’m so sorry for your loss, but atleast your boy is in a better place now.

I'm so sorry! I thought I would get an email notification if you replied, but I guess not. I'll check more often from now on. Anyway, thank you, I really appreciate it. Spike's mass was right at the front of his rib cage and they saw it with an x-ray. The vet also said she could feel it when he was under the anesthesia. However, I am SO glad to hear that Igor's mood has perked up!! That's great news! Please keep us updated on everything with him.