Andrea
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Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the big day! - 2008/04/07 15:26
I have scheduled Spikey's first appointment with the vet tomorrow at 2:30pm. This is a big vet practice that has a whole sub speciality in "exotics" and they specifically list hedgehog in their list of animals they treat. The receptionist was very nice and I explained that this was a first well-pet visit but that I also had some questions/concerns about one particular issue.
Later that morning I spoke to Stasi about some things I have observed in Spikey of late. For the past 2 weeks he has been really tearing up his cage by morning time. My husband reports every morning "another tornado went through last night". Meaning, the hedgie bag is on the other side of the cage, toilet paper rolls are all over, ball is in food dish (but food has been eaten so that is ok), spikey is curled up under carefresh mountain. I know this is not a crises and heck, I am glad he is active and vigorous, but his pooping seems off, too (i.e. he is no longer going in one spot and he seems to be pooping a bit less than early on). I also found a little poop on one tp tube and also on one ball--so his rump seems to be all over the place. But I have not seen him straining to poop when I have had him out, he seems very happy and relaxed (even stretching out in a long 'hedgie splat' (something new I learned from Stasi today) posture, he is curious and active when I play with him in the mornings, and he is eating. So I will have the vet check him to make sure there is no constipation problems.
On Saturday my sister and her husband and two small children came over and her husband held Spikey with no problems and Spikey looked so cute in his hands. To me, he has an expressive face. Her husband wanted to be a vet and grew up on a farm so he loves and is comfortable with animals. So I am hoping tomorrow at the vet things go smoothly. I am bringing a few items from home (i.e. the two small blankets I put over the carpet when Spikey explores on the floor) to hopefully make things a bit more comfortable and familiar. The receptionist did say that sometimes they have to use a little gas if the hedgie does not coorporate--well, I hope that is not the case with Spikey. Stasi gave me some excellent coaching today on the phone on staying relaxed and being confident in Spikey. I am really going to push "lets try this without the gas" and I am not going to let the vet rush to the gas without an honest effort on our part to examine him sans gas.
Wish us luck!!!
Andrea
PS--I bought Spikey a silent spinner wheel this morning. Stasi said that will help with channeling the energy. Spikey and I are now doing great in terms of my ability to handle him so if he does get poopy feet (I may do the mini pads at some point), I think I will be able to handle it.
This forum has been a tremendous help and I love the support and encouragement from everybody. And Stasi has been a TOTAL ANGEL.
Hedgies ROCK.
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omelette
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Re:Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the big day! - 2008/04/08 00:06
I am so happy to hear that everything with you and Spikey is going good! I hope to hear that the vet visit went well and that he is in excellent health! Good luck! 
Lisa
My Heart Belongs to:
Teddy, Sugar, Sapphie, Fudge, Archie, Chuckie - The Yorkies
Emery (Black), Wendy (Siamese Mix), Echo (Tabby) - Cats
Omelette - Hedgehog
Jack - Guinea Pig
Artex - Hamster
Lesley - Hermit Crab
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Andrea
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Re:Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the big day! - 2008/04/08 16:57
Well, we survived the vet's appointment; and kudos for Stasi for taking an emergency call and also debriefing afterwards.
Spikey did really well with the tech, who has owned hedgehogs before. She said Spikey was really friendly and that he was one of the most friendly she had seen. Then the two doctors came in (by then Spikey had gone to sleep in his hedgie bag because there was a lag time between the tech and the doctors). Spikey was ok...a little grumpy and was doing the forehead quills. But he was letting me handle him with no problem. But the vet wanted to do a thorough exam since this morning I noticed a pink spot/stain on the papertowel under his hedgie bag. So, they used gas.....and I initially was stressed because they said I could not watch or be in the room and they did not really explain what the steps were (but of course I had to sign a form allowing this). That is when I called Stasi for an emergency consult.
The exam went fine. His weight is 234 grams. They did a urine culture and found blood in his urine. He has some kind of infection. The lab tests will be back on Friday but they started him on antibiotics 2x/day .05 via a syringe for 10 days. The other tech, a male, also used to have hedgies and he was holding Spikey and he came to the waiting room to get me. Spikey looked so cute but fragile in his arms and Spikey was very very wobbly as the effects were wearing off. It was really sad to see Spikey so wobbly. Fortunately I brought one of his snuggle blankets and I just made a nice nest and I held him and kept him warm while the doctors got the meds etc. The male tech showed me how to do the syringe; WISH ME LUCK WITH THIS 
Anyway, I was very satisfied with this particular practice; the whole building is a vets practice with separate offices for exotics, dogs/cats, obedience, rehab center etc. They had pictures of all kinds of animals--birds, bunnies, ferrets, snakes, lizards, parrots....but they only had three hedgehog pictures. So I need to get a picture of Spikey and send it to them to add to their bulletin board.
Phew....thanks for listening and thank you Stasi.
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LORI611
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Re:Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the big day! - 2008/04/09 18:08
Wow!! Wishing you EXTRA,EXTRA, good luck with that syringe!! Keep us updated.
LORI, SOUTHINGTON, CT
Mom of:
Chloe(dog), Mr.Toad(frog) and Hazel the hedgie!! |
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HappyHedgie8
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Re:Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the big day! - 2008/04/09 19:48
LORI611 wrote:
Wow!! Wishing you EXTRA,EXTRA, good luck with that syringe!! Keep us updated.
Same here! Good luck with everything, we are all rooting for you!
~Felicia
**Mommy of Tweetle the hedgehog!**
~Felicia :] |
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CandJ327
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Re:Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the big day! - 2008/04/10 22:44
best of luck! Did they say how he may have gotten a UTI?
Ava's mom!
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Andrea
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Re:Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the big day! - 2008/04/11 19:43
They did not say how he got this kind of infection. I wrote an update on the results in my post under the disease forum
Andrea
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