Nancy
03-23-2006, 09:06 AM
We lost Pixie last night. I am devasted. I feel I did this to her. Pixie had a baby boy 4 weeks ago today. She was a wonderful mother and 2 weeks ago I asked her if she could care for another boy whose mother didn't seem to have enough milk for her two babies. Both litters were born the same night.
Pixie took on the new baby just like he was her own and continued to be a wonderful mother to both baby boys. Last Thursday she chewed up her mealies and spit them out which I thought odd but not totally unusual as some mealies they just don't like. Friday I didn't think she'd eaten her kibble so I counted it. I also found her sleeping outside the nest box Friday evening which is not unusual either as sometimes the moms just want a break. Saturday she was still outside the nest box and peeing green, As always seems to happen at the very worst times, their vet was on holidays.
First thing Monday she had xrays, and bloodwork which pointed to a uterine infection but the vet had concerns about her liver. Wednesday she went in for a spay and the vet found she had Fatty Liver Disease which is almost always fatal. She had a feeding tube put in her stomach in hopes that it could be reversed but sadly our wonderful girl passed away Wednesday evening.
I had a friend say to me last night that she has never seen an animal as good at hiding illness and as resistant to having us help them as hedgehogs are. I had been trying to syringe feed her since Friday but she just would not swallow it. She'd clench her teeth and what I did manage to get through her teeth she'd let run right back out her mouth. If only we could make them understand.
We don't know what started this. Possibly a uterine infection caused her to go off her food which then started the FLD. Perhaps she was predisposed to this and motherhood brought it on. Possibly it was something that would have happened anyways. Regardless of what the cause, right now I feel breeding sucks!
RIP Sweet Angel. We love you so much.
Pixie took on the new baby just like he was her own and continued to be a wonderful mother to both baby boys. Last Thursday she chewed up her mealies and spit them out which I thought odd but not totally unusual as some mealies they just don't like. Friday I didn't think she'd eaten her kibble so I counted it. I also found her sleeping outside the nest box Friday evening which is not unusual either as sometimes the moms just want a break. Saturday she was still outside the nest box and peeing green, As always seems to happen at the very worst times, their vet was on holidays.
First thing Monday she had xrays, and bloodwork which pointed to a uterine infection but the vet had concerns about her liver. Wednesday she went in for a spay and the vet found she had Fatty Liver Disease which is almost always fatal. She had a feeding tube put in her stomach in hopes that it could be reversed but sadly our wonderful girl passed away Wednesday evening.
I had a friend say to me last night that she has never seen an animal as good at hiding illness and as resistant to having us help them as hedgehogs are. I had been trying to syringe feed her since Friday but she just would not swallow it. She'd clench her teeth and what I did manage to get through her teeth she'd let run right back out her mouth. If only we could make them understand.
We don't know what started this. Possibly a uterine infection caused her to go off her food which then started the FLD. Perhaps she was predisposed to this and motherhood brought it on. Possibly it was something that would have happened anyways. Regardless of what the cause, right now I feel breeding sucks!
RIP Sweet Angel. We love you so much.