A Peggy Update

Peggy has been off the social media radar recently. And here's why:

Before christmas she was worryingly urinating a lot of blood. However she was still her perky self, eating well and using her wheel at night. A bewildered vet and some antibiotics later she was back to her self again.

This week however, the blood urinating has reappeared and this time she is definitely not well. She has lost a ton of weight and is very dehydrated (her gums are pale). She is on antibiotics again which because of her lack lustre self I am able to give to her straight, with a syringe. She is not eating or drinking so I am also feeding her cooked watered down chicken juice (yuk) from a syringe. This evening she has also been pulling her back legs along and appears very flat-looking. It's not looking good and it has been quite distressing to see.

Edit: I believe this could be 'Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome'.

I have taken out the ladder to the upper level of her cage as well as made a pile of litter so she doesn't have to heave herself into the litter tray. Edit: I've ground up her normal biscuits and put her food and water on shallow trays for easy access. The two rolled up tea towels were to give her support to stand but she's more inclined to move away from them and to lie near the edge of her cage which is heated from the warmth of the radiator.

There is a specialist vet that I will book in to see asap but in the mean time I wish nature would do it's thing and end any pain she's in. I really don't want to be the one to decide- if you are pet owner you will empathise! I would rather the specialist vet say what's to happen next. Peggy is nearly 4 years old (they live 3-5 yrs) now and I have had her since she was 8 weeks old so she will be a big loss in my life.

UPDATED 30/1/16

UPDATED 4/2/17

Whoops, sorry for the delay- this is the first time since my last post where I've been able to sit down and catch you up properly!

Peggy is alive and well! She is back home and in recovery from her big operation. The vet could feel a swollen 'mass' in Peggy's abdomen and suspected a tumour in the uterus which would be bleeding. Hence her blood loss. However, on operating, there was no tumour there but the uterus was bigger than normal and he has explained the following: as female hedgehogs age, hormonal changes cause the lining of the uterus to develop abnormalities which lead to bleeding (resembling menstrual bleeding). This is not uncommon in ladies of a certain age who require removal of the womb known as 'Hysterectomy'. One condition (which Peggy may have had) is called 'Cystic Endometrial Hyperplasia'. Removal of Peggy's uterus and ovaries known as 'Spaying' should have cured her abnormal bleeding.

Peggy has a neat little scar on her belly and is not to do any wheel-running for at least a week. She is on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication (giving medicine to a hedgehog is tricky I'll tell ya that!) The vet said to monitor her and give her some TLC as us humans would want after any operation. She's looking more wide-eyed and lively now and has been gulping down lots of water, nibbling her biscuits and mealworms and doing lots of poo- which I've never been happier to see!

More Peggy:

Keeping an African Pgymy Hedgehog 

100 Days of Peggy 

12 Days of Peggy (xmas Edition)