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Hemoglobin in urine

998 views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  DexterKH 
#1 ·
Hi there, I am just new to this forum but my hedgehog Dexie (1 1/2 years) is having a similar problem as to Nell-Bell. The poor thing has had multiple health issues since the beginning of the year. She first presented with blood/mucous when she went to the washroom so I thought it was an UTI. I took her to an exotic vet-she was put on antibiotics and X-ray was taken. The X-ray revealed an enlarged organ but they weren't sure which one. She then underwent an ultrasound where ii was found she had fluid and polyps in her vagina, diagnosis vaginitis. I ended up having her spayed. Two weeks after her spay she presented with the same blood/mucous when she went to the washroom. Right away I thought the spay hadn't worked but it turned out she now had colitis. The vet attributed it to her diet so they advised to switch her food and put her on probiotics. In retrospect, I think the colitis was due to not having the probiotics with the antibiotics. In total she had been on antibiotics for 3 weeks at two different times. Now her most recent problem has been what I thought was blood when she goes to the washroom. Back to the vet where they have done a urine dipstick, urine sediment test and blood test (White blood cell count and biochemistry panel). She doesn't have an infection but the urine dipstick showed hemoglobin in her urine. There were no RBCs detected on the dipstick but only a small amount microscopically visible on the urine sedimentation test. This issue is not reproductive or gastrointestinal related. They consider her healthy as she is eating, peeing, pooping and running. It really freaks me out seeing a dark spot in her urine all the time but the vet insists that it is not hurting her. I really don't understand how they can say that as something is lysing her RBCs. There will be times when I don't see the dark spot and I'll get so hopeful this has past and then it happens the next day again. I'm so frustrated and worried. The vet has recommended taking her off cat food altogether and putting her just on hedgehog food. The vet says that some hedgehogs can react to cat food this way but she didn't know why. Dexie is a very picky eater and loves her cat food but I have been weaning her off it and giving her hedgehog precision. Sorry for the long post but I was wondering if the Cosequin and mealworms have helped? Dexie only gets mealworms as a treat, like once a week as since the spay she has gained a lot of weight. So along with all this other stuff I have been trying to bring her weight down and since mealworms are high in fat she hasn't been getting them. Thanks.
 
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#2 ·
Can you please tell me about the spay surgery and your experience. Did your hedgehog's behavior change? How was the recovery? Did they have complications in surgery? My hedgehog has been recommended for surgery but I am so scared because I don't want my hedgehog to die in surgery.

Sorry I don't have much info to help you as to figure out what the dark spot in urine means but for food I usually use wet cat food and mix in ground up high protein cat food and hedgehog food into it to help supplement better food options for my hedgie.

Michelle
 
#3 ·
Can you please tell me about the spay surgery and your experience. Did your hedgehog's behavior change? How was the recovery? Did they have complications in surgery? My hedgehog has been recommended for surgery but I am so scared because I don't want my hedgehog to die in surgery.

Sorry I don't have much info to help you as to figure out what the dark spot in urine means but for food I usually use wet cat food and mix in ground up high protein cat food and hedgehog food into it to help supplement better food options for my hedgie.

Michelle
Hi Michelle,

Dexie's surgery was uneventful but I totally understand your hesitancy. I was a nervous wreck that day. She was eating and walking around her cage one hour after surgery. She was only mildly hypothermic. The only thing that gave her a problem was the pain medicine metacam. It made her so constipated but pumpkin seemed to help. At the time before surgery she wasn't sleeping in her igloo but under a puppy pad. After surgery, she immediately sought out the safety of her igloo-I think she wanted to be nice and cozy. The vet also suggested increasing the temp to around 80. It took 10 weeks for her to start running on her wheel again. She didn't eat much after surgery. She was only mildly bruised at the incision site. The incision looked really good. I started counting cat kibble and was weighing her every day. Her stitches were dissolvable but there were a couple times when the thread was sticking out of her abdomen probably around 1 month post surgery. I was assured that was fine along as it didn't accompany red pimples. The thread eventually fell off on its own both times. She did however gain weight after the spay so I have been battling with that. One other thing I notice is that her back end seems to dip when she goes to the washroom. Someone else also indicated that their hedgie does this since being spayed.

What's wrong with your hedgie? I wish you good luck if you go ahead with the spay.
 
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