injured leg.

[floppysocks]

i'm really worried that Skitzo may have a broken leg.he's been limping on his right back leg for a while. he'll limp on it , and then after a while, he'll pick it up and wont walk on it. i havn't taken him into the vet yet, because i have no time. we have the money for an office visit, but what if his leg is broken? what if he needs surgery? what if they can't do anything about the leg and have to amputate it? i dont have that kind of money... my family doesn't have that kind of money. what if we have to (God, forbid it) put him to sleep?? i'm lost as to what i can do.

....anyone have any advice?

[PrettyHate]

Take him to the vet ASAP! And then work from there. It is no fair to your hedgie to leave him with an injury as serious as a possible leg break.
If he isnt walking on it, then it is obvious that its hurting him.

Please, get your hedgie the help he needs.

In the mean time, take everything out of his cage that he could futher injure himself on (wheels, levels, etc.). If the bedding you currently use is some type of wood shavings, you may consider changing to fabric liners, so that it is easier for him to walk.

Good luck, keep us updated.

[floppysocks]

i know! i NEED to take him to the vet. and i have enough money for the office visit which is about $37. but WHAT IF they can't do anything for him, and have to put him to sleep? or what if theycan do something for him, but costs lots and LOTS of money that i dont have?

keep in mind, that i'm 15, and dont have very much money to begin with, and my parents make ME pay for skitzo's every need. they tell me that he's my responsibility, and I have to pay for his food, bedding, and health care.

my mom LOVES skitzo, but if my dad finds out that my mom spent money on a hedgehog....... he'll blow up!

[karynnd]

Floppysocks,

One of the things a responsible owner does is take their animals to the vet if its sick or injured. If your hedgehog's leg is truly hurt or broken, it's in PAIN and needs to go to the vet as soon as possible. I really don't mean to be harsh with you, but the longer you wait the worse your pet's leg can get.

You honestly won't know how bad your animal's leg is until you take him in to the vet. If it's really bad and you don't have all the money, most vets will take a payment plan. However, it might be something more minor that medication or an antibiotic cream can help.

Let us know how your hedgie is doing and how your vet visit turns out. :)

[Sarah+Sonic]

By ignoring the problem, it is NOT going away, its getting worse. Infections in the leg, loose bone shards, bones resetting incorrectly, muscles straining or rubbing against shards, etc..

$37, plus $40-50 or so for xray, plus possibly surgery, post-op antibiotics/probiotics/pain meds, etc.

You needed to be at the vet before now. You dont have time?!?! Skip school, and take him to the vet.

If he needs amputation, then amputate. There are other 3 legged hedgies who make nice recoveries.

If he needs to be put to sleep, then he has been suffering for too long.


Sarah

[Kalandra]

The only advice you are going to find is that your hedgehog needed to see a vet as soon as you thought he had a hurt leg. Yes it may cost a lot of money, more than you have, and you may have to ask your parents for a loan, but these are things you are going to have to face and make a decision. You can also ask your vet if he will take payments, many vets will, you just have to ask.

If it is broken, your hedgehog is in a lot of pain, he may not be showing it, that is just how hedgehogs are, they hide problems as best as they can.

Take him to the vet, find out what is wrong. There is nothing that any of us can do to help in this situation.

[paris26]

i'm really worried that Skitzo may have a broken leg.he's been limping on his right back leg for a while. he'll limp on it , and then after a while, he'll pick it up and wont walk on it.

The obvious need has already been stated several times. He needs to see a vet!! How long has he been limping? You stated that it's been a while, so what made you decide he needs to see a vet now instead of when the limping actually started? The longer you procrastinate, the more pain he is in and the more expensive treatment will be! You're not going to know what your vet recommends until you actually take him. MAKE THE TIME TO TAKE HIM!!!

[Lauren]

you said that you KNOW that he needs to see a vet, you said that you HAVE enough money to take him and since you KNOW that he needs to see the vet WHY isn't he there right now??? I mean really, if you know your pet is in pain and obviously has been for who knows how long (you said for a while now he's been limping which means that it hurts to walk on it)....the longer you wait, the worse its going to get. What ifs wont do you any good, you need to find out whats wrong with him then deal with how much it will cost you, if you need to work it out with the vet Im sure they will be more than happy to help you out.

"keep in mind, that i'm 15, and dont have very much money to begin with, and my parents make ME pay for skitzo's every need. they tell me that he's my responsibility, and I have to pay for his food, bedding, and health care."

Im also 15, I dont make that much money from where I work, but when getting yourself into owning a pet you have to realize that they might have an emergancy that needs to be taken care of and you need to have money saved up in the bank. Even if its almost all you make from work its something that your responsible for, becuase its something that you got yourself into when you bought him. I have to pay for everything that has to do with my hedgehogs too, my parents help me out if there is a huge vet bill and I pay them back right when I get the money.

[floppysocks]

first of all, i noticed the limping on saturday. i told my mom about it, and she said to wait because maybe the limping would go away. on sunday, he still wouldnt walk on his leg. the vet's office is closed on sundays. on monday, he'd limp a little. the vet wasn't open because of labour day. and yesturday, the limping disappeared.

i know, i should still take him in to see the vet. but my mother thinks otherwise. she told me, "what's the point in taking him in if there's nothing wrong with him? it'd be a waste of money." <------ exact words that came out of my mother's mouth.

and second of all, i'm homeschooled and am home, alone, all day until about 3:00 PM when my mom comes and picks me up to leave. during they day, i could take him to the vet, but there's one problem....... how do i get there? my brother is at college all day, my other brother doesn't live here anymore, my mom works, and my dad's a truck driver so he's never home. i could ask one of the neighbor's for a ride, but they're never home either. they're a bunch of winter texans, and arent home this time of year. i could walk, but the vet's office is like 12 minutes away....driving. and if i walk, it would be horrible, both, for me and my hedgehog since the weather here is unbearable. i know my mom wont take the time off of work to do this. and my brother wont skip school, because my mom wont let him. the only time i'd' be able to take him in, would be on friday.

i thank all of you, though, for caring. come friday, i shall take the skitzter in to see the vet. i'm sorry if i sounded like an irresponsable hedgehog owner, but i just didn't know what to do.

[bloane]

Most vet clinics are open until 5 or 6 pm. Your mom picks you up at 3. Vet office is 15 minutes away. Explain to me one more time how you don't have time to take him in?? Looks to me like you have 2 hours in the afternoon or longer to get him there.

Becca