The Most Common Hedgehog Diseases

While hedgehogs are usually hardy little individuals, it may be inevitable that your hedgehog will become ill during the course of its life. Hygiene and a clean environment will go a long way to keeping your hedgehog healthy as will keeping its cage in a draft free part of the house. You should always keep hedgehogs within a temperature range of 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit.

3-week-old Hedgehog by scpetrel

Respiratory Disease: Symptoms of respiratory disease include wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, lack of appetite and sudden death. Respiratory diseases in hedgehogs are usually caused by bacterial infections. Internal parasite infestations can also lead to respiratory disease, as can an inappropriate diet or dirty cage. Respiratory disease can start off mild but can quickly turn into pneumonia so you should never ignore any symptoms of respiratory disease. If your hedgehog exhibits any of described symptoms you should take it to the vet immediately.

Gastrointestinal Disease: Hedgehogs are susceptible to a wide range of gastrointestinal diseases, the most common being intestinal blockage. Symptoms of gastrointestinal obstruction are vomiting, severe lethargy and sudden loss of appetite. If left untreated coma and death ensue. Hedgehogs can develop intestinal obstructions and blockages by ingesting carpet fibers or swallowing foreign objects so always make sure you supervise your pet when it is out of its cage.

Urogenital Disease: While urogenital diseases are not very common in hedgehogs, they can develop bladder infections and bladder stones. Symptoms of bladder infections include difficulty in urinating and urine discoloration. This condition is very painful and could potentially be fatal so if you observe these symptoms in your pet you shouldn't delay in taking it to the vet. Hedgehogs can also develop liver and kidney damage or failure and signs of these diseases include vomiting, decreased appetite, excessive or decreased urine production, rapid loss of weight and anemia. Only a qualified vet can diagnose kidney and liver disease through a series of tests.

Cancer: Approximately 90% of captive owned African Pygmy hedgehogs develop cancer as they age. Why this is so is as yet unknown but treatments do exist depending on whether the cancer has spread to several organs or not. Surgery is an option in some cases as well as chemotherapy.

Hedgehogs, like other small mammals, are prone to many serious illnesses and diseases, and you shouldn't attempt owning one unless you have access to a vet who is qualified for treating these animals. As hedgehogs have only recently become popular as pets, qualified vets are hard to find. If you can't provide the needed veterinary care for your pet, please don't get one.

Author Resource: Written by Des Finney
Des likes to write on an assortment of topics and has been doing so for a number of years. His latest site provides folks with information on computer remote control software.