Broken Leg

[Johanna]

I just got a call from a woman I work with who has hedgehogs. She was looking for my vet's number because one of her hedgehogs appears to have a broken or sprained leg. She said her daughter was cleaning the cage last Tuesday and the hedgehog wouldn't come out so she cleaned around it. When she turned her back the hedgehog climbed out and fell over the ledge. It was apparent that it hurt its leg but the woman thought that maybe it was a sprain and would get better.

She said the hedgie is eating and trying to run on the wheel, but is limping terribly. She knows I have hedgehogs and called to get help :D

I gave her my vets number. I told her to get an x-ray. She was wondering if the hedgie can be splint. Anybody dealt with a broken or sprained limb before and have some words of advice? I would like to pass the info on to the vet for when he see's her hog.

[Cimredopyh]

I have no experience with this, but i just wanted to share a couple of things that came to mind.
I recall seeing some pictures of hedgehogs with small casts or bandaged splints awhile back, but they were European hedgehogs
I will search now..
here it is !
http://hedgehog-cast.hillbilly.com/images/pics/15120.jpg

Despite the size difference perhaps the same thing can be done for African hedgehogs?

Also i think removing the wheel temporarily would be wise?

Poor little one, i hope it heals up soon :(

[Jeanette]

That photo looks as though the hedgehog got its foot amputated.

Who would be dumb enough *sorry* to just leave the hedgehog to suffer with a sprained foot? You try just 'living with' a sprained foot!!

[Johanna]

Well at least she is doing something about it now and that is better than nothing. She probably wouldn't have thought about taking the hog to the vet unless she heard me talking about my sick babies and the days I was spending at the vet. I talked to her about good food choices (rather than grocery store cat and kitten food) and the problems that can arise with those rodent balls. She uses a glove to handle the wee ones and I thought about talking to her about that but I don't want her to just discount everything I say.

So--if I can help in any small way with suggestions about the current issue, then that is a start right?

[Cimredopyh]

That photo looks as though the hedgehog got its foot amputated.

The story that the picture came from said that it was a cast for a broken leg :dunno:

here is the thread http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128794&highlight=cast

[xiki]

Perhaps can help you, this explain how to make for inmobilizate a leg of an hedgie in house. Is in spanish but you can see the photos:

http://www.lawebdeloserizos.com/manualidades/yeso.php

[Jeanette]

The story that the picture came from said that it was a cast for a broken leg :dunno:

here is the thread http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128794&highlight=castIt probably did have a broken leg and it's foot might have been ravished as well and it had to go. That's just what it looks like to me. Probably still would work though

[Johanna]

So I e-mailed for an update about the hedgie and the prognosis wasn't good; not only a broken leg but looks like the hedgie has cancer in her bone. Vet gave pain medication. Apparently nothing else can be done. Is that true?

[Johanna]

I asked whether the leg was splint and apparently no as the vet said bone too thin for splint. Apparently the bone with grow back together and she'll have a limp; assuming the cancer doesn't get to her first. The owner is hopeful that the vet just got it wrong.

Any words of advice? Should I tell her to take the hedgie for a second opinion?

[Johanna]

OK--just spoke to her again--vet never actually said 'bone cancer'; it could be soft tissue tumour as it is a bulge that is located between the 2 elongated bones in their legs. Can't this be operated on and removed?