Pictorial Index:
Disorders Of The African Pygmy Hedgehog
-Page 3-

Copyright © 1999 - Laura Mowrey - All Rights Reserved





WARNING: Some of the following photos are extremely graphic.


The following 5 pictures are of a hedgehog named Lucky who was bitten by a spider just below the eye. This poor
little hedgie consequently died as a result, despite the medical treatment recieved. These photos show
the rapid progression and destruction of surrounding tissue the bite caused.
The owner later learned that had the Vet not cut into the affected area, the venom might not have spread so extensively.
Photos courtesy of: Julie Haynes.


















The next 3 photos show bites on one of my own hedgehogs, Miss Heidi. We believe they are spider bites, and
the damage you are about to see literally happened overnight:


.......
This shows the damage to Heidi's face and genital area.



Full body view.

Within 24 hours of treatment, Heidi's wounds shrunk down to appx 1/4 of the size you see above and she continues
to improve. Her treatment consisted of Baytril, Amoxicillan and Benedryl twice a day, along with
washing the affected areas with Chlorhexiderm twice daily also. I am also giving her a daily herbal
detox tincture (orally).




The next photo of "Bug" the hedgie, shows what the Vet believed to be an ulcer developing around the eye, which
progressively grew over the eye itself and did not respond to oral or topical antibiotics. Two hedgies
(siblings) were affected. The condition gradually disappeared, and Bug was left with only 1 good
eye. This was thought to be a disease similarly found in baby rabbits, although there were no rabbits being
kept in this household at that time.


Photo courtesy of Stasi Kanyuck.

UPDATE: Stasi reports Bugs eye cleared up and he is doing fine. Records were misplaced however and
she cannot remember what the exact diagnosis and treatment was.




The following photos are of spontaneously aborted hedgehog fetuses:

****


These two are more developed then the ones shown above:

*******




Photo courtesy of Susan Goetcheus

Fangio had a 3mm cystic mass on his R quill/ventrum border - a solid mass was excised from this mass.
Fine needle aspirate of this mass demonstrated WBCS, RBCS, and
frequent rod-shaped bacteria. The solid mass was submitted to histopathology for diagnosis.
Ruleouts for this lesion include:
- organized hematoma
- organized abscess/granuloma
- other tumor
The lesion was left to heal as an open wound and chlorhexidine solution (1:20 dilution) and triple
antibiotic ointment were directed for use as dressing. Also, a
2mm sebaceous cyst was noted in the L quill/ventrum border; sebum was expressed.

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Trabecular Trichoblastoma; benign hair tumor.
Its origin was a primitive hair germ and its center was degenerate material.
The excision was complete, so there is nothing to worry about.
Fangio's scab fell off a week after the mass was excised, and the skin underneath is pink and lovely.




ALLERGIES::

This is Knarla Pog, Heather Johnson's hedgehog. Knarla has allergies. To read her story and to find out more
information about allergies and how to treat them, please visit her webpage at:

Heather Johnson's Webpage



5. Vestibular Syndrome can sometimes be mistaken be mistaken for WHS.
Please click on the following link for information about this condition:
Vestibular Syndrome



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