Sick Hedgehog

[JennyGoLightly]

Tonka is a 3 year-old hedgehog. He seemed fine and just the other day he stopped using his front legs and his poop is very sticky and dark green. He is not eating much, we are going to start giving him food through a syringe. He is on meds for the bacteria in his poop. The vet wants more tests but we cannot afford them right now. I don't know what to do.

[kaiteedyd]

Can you desribe in more detail his symptoms, and how they first appeared? Three years old is the age you start to see problems like cancer and WHS. Did you get him from a breeder or a petstore?

[Kalandra]

If this is a sudden onset I would say it isn't WHS but more likely something else that can cause paralysis and wobbly conditions. Has your little one suffered a fall recently?

Back injuries, tumors, strokes, etc. can all cause similar symptoms. The green stool could be from bacteria growth (which I'm guessing your vet tested for?) or due to stress on the system (new diets, illness, etc.) can all cause this.

What kind of tests did your vet want to run?

[JennyGoLightly]

We got him from a rescue. He hasn't fallen. His sickness was very sudden. He has lost some quills and has dry skin. He has been treated for mites (the vet though it was mites at first) and bacteria. We are feeding him wet cat food mixed with chicken broth so he gets some food and pedialyte to keep him hydrated through a syringe. He is drinking water when I hold him up to his water dish. This is the first time he has been sick so I'm not sure what else to do. I'm hoping his stool will be a bit more solid now that we are making him eat. I'm hoping that it is not a stroke.

[Nancy]

You mention he was treated for mites. What was he treated with? Did him not using his front legs start before or after the mite treatment?
Sometimes Ivermectin can have adverse reactions.
All of us here are saying a prayer for Tonka. I love that name by the way. :)

[JennyGoLightly]

He was treated with Ivermectin, but he wasn't putting much pressure on his front legs before that.

[paris26]

Do you know what bacteria your hog is being treated? I'm treating mine for campylobacter and he has yucky poo's. Keep up with the syringe feeding ( I've been using canned A/D, chicken baby food and strawberry boost) Tico has been taking it okay. Keep him warm and maybe your vet will be willing to do a payment plan. The only thing is that time is of the essence. Hedgehogs can go downhill pretty fast!