Healthy, but not? I need opinions

[kaiteedyd]

Miss Malachite has officially beaten her mites. YAY!!! Her ears are looking so much better. I couldn't be happier about that.

However I've noticed a lack of balance lately. We went to the vet today and she was stumped. She agrees somethings not quite right but she's not sure what. Everything pointed to a healthy hedgehog, good heart rate, excellent lung sounds, nice pink gums. The vet couldn't fault her health.

But I'm sitting here watching my girl walking around a little wobbly. I do not suspect WHS. I'm thinking it is either A) side effects from her Mites, Mite Treatment or Anti-biotic or B) an Inner Ear problem that is affecting her balance or C) Perhaps due to her Pine bedding (she has a harder time balancing herself in the bedding than on a flat surface)

The reason I'm not hyper-ventilating about WHS is because she's from Hedgehog Valley who has to date not had a case of WHS. I'm really thinking it's an inner ear problem in which case she's on some meds that should take care of it. Any permanent damage that may be caused obviously is irreversable. But she seems happy, is eating and drinking and exploring.

Thoughts?

[kaiteedyd]

Another two points, she is going on her wheel as I type, slowly but she's going.

Also she stayed in a school for a month and a half several months ago as a class pet and her nails got SO long. I don't know if that matters but she had long nails for a while so maybe she got used to walking that way? I dunno, just a thought.

[Nancy]

Try warming up her environment a few degrees and see if that helps. Sometimes just a bit cool can make them a bit unsteady but not quite enough to send them into semi hibernation. :)

[kaiteedyd]

I don't think she's cold. She has a heat lamp and I'm in Florida. Before I got back to Florida I was in Virginia and the house temperature was 72 degrees.

[Ododad]

Frodo had a really bad ear infection. He ran and walked fine before he went to the vets but was wobbly when he got back home. I called the vet and he said that it might have been caused by the flushing of his ears and the drops put in. Frodo is fine now though.
Please keep us updated on this.

[Nancy]

So did you travel recently with her? Plane or car? If plane perhaps she has an clogged ear. Even the car might do it.

[kaiteedyd]

We've been traveling alot lately. She's gone from Melbourn Fl to Jacksonville Fl, to Virginia and back to Jacksonville. All in a car. If she has a clogged ear what can I do? Should I get a cotton ball and attemp to clean them out?

[Nancy]

I don't think you could do anything yourself. A vet visit would be needed although you mentioned in the first post that the vet didn't find anything.

Actually I think there was something said about this not too long ago.

[bloane]

It could very easily be an ear infection, or some form of reaction to a medication.
Since you have taken her to the vet (EXCELLENT) and the vet didn't see any problems, I would make sure she is toasty warm, keep her clean and tidy, make sure she is eating and drinking, and give her a couple of days and see if she improves or not. If she doesn't improve, then you definately need to get back with your vet, and have her look over your girl again.
Becca

[kaiteedyd]

I did a search for clogged ear in the forum and got a result. The hedgehog that was the topic of that post died but Jeanne had responded with a suggestion of getting the hedgehog to open its mouth and applying something warm to the ears.

Could this be a side effect of Ivermectin?