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Hi, I'm a new member and this is my first post - but for the past year this forum has really helped me to learn about chip (our hedgie) and has been a really amazing resource for me. Please help me!
Chip is my boyfriends hedgehog, but i am definitely his main caregiver. He is about four years old and came to live with me a year and a half ago since he wasn't getting enough attention at home. This forum really helped me to bond with him since he was super fearful at first. I have come to really love the little grump and am super worried. I apologize in advance for being long winded, i just want to give u a full picture!
He has always been a bit weak and slow in moving - but used to run on his wheel every night. Recently he has stopped. Last week, we went to an emergency vet since his breathing was labored and wheezy and he clearly wasn't moving about at all. He was super lethargic and made no effort to ball up. The vet gave us enrofloxacin in case of URI. My boyfriend is wary of having xrays done, since it is expensive and we don't see surgery as an option.
It has been a week since then. His strength has improved with regular syringe feeding and watering, and the antibiotics.
The issue is he struggles to use his back legs (particularly his left), does not move about his cage at all **even for food or water**, has discharge from his nose, a few nosebleeds, cannot fully ball up, has forest green poops (slimy at first, now solid but still green), poops infrequently, pees where he sits and doesn't move away from it, tiny short bursts of energy (but only when i have him out with me, which is often), wheezy/huffy breathing on and off.
The only thing he will eat willingly are meal worms if i'm lucky (but i don't want to overdo it with those since i know they're really fatty). I gut load both to try to get some nutrients in him. He won't eat kibble either (even crushed). He eats wellness kibble and lives in a cage with a large plastic bottom, large bucket wheel, soft cat toys, TP rolls, and plushy tea towels. we use a 40w night heat bulb for warmth and he gets light and handling daily. This week we changed from crinkle paper bedding to lining his cage with puppy pee pads so i could keep track of his urination and bowel movements.
I'm at a total loss on what to do- it took ages to get to a point where he would snuggle on my tummy and eat bugs without huffing and puffing. I never thought i would be this attached to chipster, but i'm absolutely beside myself about what to do. I'm trying to take the best care of him that I can, but i'm worried about his quality of life and my bf thinks we should put him down. esp since i'm with family for x-mas and he will have to take care of him on his own.
Does this kind of thing improve?? I've always thought he was getting weaker and weaker but my bf thought i was being 'obsessive' over him.
Has anyone with a whs hog had this experience? the vet said it could be possible but u cant tell until a necropsy is performed.
Sorry for the length of this post! I am really in need of advice/support for my adoptive hedgie baby. Its time for medicine and another messy round of syringe feeding, so bye for now. Thanks!
Chip is my boyfriends hedgehog, but i am definitely his main caregiver. He is about four years old and came to live with me a year and a half ago since he wasn't getting enough attention at home. This forum really helped me to bond with him since he was super fearful at first. I have come to really love the little grump and am super worried. I apologize in advance for being long winded, i just want to give u a full picture!
He has always been a bit weak and slow in moving - but used to run on his wheel every night. Recently he has stopped. Last week, we went to an emergency vet since his breathing was labored and wheezy and he clearly wasn't moving about at all. He was super lethargic and made no effort to ball up. The vet gave us enrofloxacin in case of URI. My boyfriend is wary of having xrays done, since it is expensive and we don't see surgery as an option.
It has been a week since then. His strength has improved with regular syringe feeding and watering, and the antibiotics.
The issue is he struggles to use his back legs (particularly his left), does not move about his cage at all **even for food or water**, has discharge from his nose, a few nosebleeds, cannot fully ball up, has forest green poops (slimy at first, now solid but still green), poops infrequently, pees where he sits and doesn't move away from it, tiny short bursts of energy (but only when i have him out with me, which is often), wheezy/huffy breathing on and off.
The only thing he will eat willingly are meal worms if i'm lucky (but i don't want to overdo it with those since i know they're really fatty). I gut load both to try to get some nutrients in him. He won't eat kibble either (even crushed). He eats wellness kibble and lives in a cage with a large plastic bottom, large bucket wheel, soft cat toys, TP rolls, and plushy tea towels. we use a 40w night heat bulb for warmth and he gets light and handling daily. This week we changed from crinkle paper bedding to lining his cage with puppy pee pads so i could keep track of his urination and bowel movements.
I'm at a total loss on what to do- it took ages to get to a point where he would snuggle on my tummy and eat bugs without huffing and puffing. I never thought i would be this attached to chipster, but i'm absolutely beside myself about what to do. I'm trying to take the best care of him that I can, but i'm worried about his quality of life and my bf thinks we should put him down. esp since i'm with family for x-mas and he will have to take care of him on his own.
Does this kind of thing improve?? I've always thought he was getting weaker and weaker but my bf thought i was being 'obsessive' over him.
Has anyone with a whs hog had this experience? the vet said it could be possible but u cant tell until a necropsy is performed.
Sorry for the length of this post! I am really in need of advice/support for my adoptive hedgie baby. Its time for medicine and another messy round of syringe feeding, so bye for now. Thanks!
