Do you want to learn more about hedgehog pet wound care?
I remember vividly the first time I noticed a deep wound on my hedgehog pet, it was quite disturbing because I never thought I would ever see it because of how much I give it its necessary care, I am grateful to my vet for giving it the treatment required and would like to share this with you. I’d like you to read my post on Hedgehog Pet Skin Infection which will also inform you on how to deal with any skin issues that may arise with your pet.
Here we go,
What May Injure My Hedgehog Pet
A wound is a break in the skin or mucous membranes brought on by mechanical force. Infected, pierced, crushed, torn, and other types of wounds exist. The following may give your hedgehog pet an injury:
- A hit by a vehicle on your hedgehog.
- A severe fall from a height may cause head injury to your pet.
- A struggle with another hedgehog can result in injuries.
- Hedgehogs can sustain eye injuries from battles with other animals as well as infections from other head traumas that are not visible.
- Another animal attacking your hedgehog may cause mouth or jaw injuries
How Do I Know My Hedgehog Pet Is Wounded
You may notice several indicators if your hedgehog is hurt. They include the hedgehog yelling in agony, fidgeting and agitation, the growth of foreign bodies, dragging paws or claws, etc.
Problems with the genitals are frequently caused by inappropriate fillers, namely sawdust, which is not recommended for your pet. If you observe a little irritation in the penis or vagina, it must be cleaned. This can be done by pouring a little amount of water into a hedgehog basin at the appropriate temperature and allowing the hedgehog to stroll about for a few minutes. The animal should then be completely dried before being placed in a clean house to rest. If the irritation does not go away, you should consult an expert for a diagnosis.
How To Care For My Injured Hedgehog Pet
Hedgehogs need their wounds treated for a variety of reasons, but generally speaking, first aid should be administered to a hedgehog with a wound before bringing it to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
Finding out if and when an animal needs help is crucial in the first place. This is true for sick, underweight, damaged, or weak animals as well as for young animals under 120 g that are motherless.
A hedgehog’s inability to tread on a leg, limping, and occasionally even a piercing shriek are all symptoms of a fracture or sprain.
If your hedgehog has gravely hurt one of its limbs, it must be taken to a veterinarian right away so that he can assess the damage and perform the required operations to anesthetize and repair the affected region.
Any incorrect surface might cause your animal’s feet to hurt or its claws to shatter. Parasites can infest your hedgehog if you do not clean the terrarium regularly.
Treatment For My Injured Hedgehog
Hedgehogs can and should receive the same wound care as other animals. It is common to see animals with old, infected wounds, and it is important to determine whether treatment is still workable
The first step is to warm up a weak hedgehog. Hedgehogs typically have body temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius. Make sure not to overheat your pet when trying to keep it warm. Warm water bottles, warming mats, red light lamps, warming plates, and other warming products are appropriate for warming up your pets. The drugs needing to be supplied should also be taken when body temperature is normal.
- Hedgehog drug treatment can take many different forms. Most likely, administering medications subcutaneously is the easiest and safest method.
- Avoid administering injections into the circular muscle.
- Spot-on treatments or sprays should only be applied with care. It should be mentioned that following medication administration is important
- Long bone fractures can be treated similarly to those in other small animals. The animals typically accept being imprisoned until the fracture has fully healed
Ways In Treating Hedgehog Pets With Injuries
- Your pet’s wound should be treated using a cloth that has been dipped in salt water.
- Apply levomenthol and rinse the wound with peroxide or potassium permanganate. Do note that Alcohol-containing disinfectant preparations shouldn’t be utilized.
- To treat bite wounds, a syringe without a needle can be used. Dermizol solution should be used for therapy if wounds have dead tissue. Bite wounds are treated with crotyl solution
- The use of Sudocrem is suggested in circumstances where the hedgehog has small wounds.
- Large wounds should be treated with intrasite gel
- When a hedgehog has a fractured, infected paw, antibiotics should be administered to treat the infection. If medications are ineffective, the paw should be amputated.
- Swollen and infected wounds can be treated with ointments like actovegin.
- Do not self-medicate or allow things to get worse on their own when a hedgehog has a fracture or sprain; instead, take the animal to a veterinarian right away so that he may examine the damage and perform the necessary operations to anesthetize and fix the affected area. Your pet’s later life may suffer as a result of fused bones or bruising that has not healed.
The hedgehog will need further care if it is unable to eat or drink on its own. Through a feeding tube, the veterinarian can administer food and fluids. Surgery can also be necessary, depending on the severity of the wounds.
The wound must then be cleaned and disinfected. It is best to visit a podiatrist to proceed with the extraction of the spikes using surgical methods and determine whether it is necessary to be immunized against tetanus after the hedgehog bite if the spikes cannot be removed with ease after the affected area has been softened with warm water and salt.
Conclusion
Wounds are unpleasant and painful, and if you find you are unable to provide essential first aid, please take your pet to a vet facility for treatment. It is vital to understand your pet and know how to heal its wounds if it is injured. In any case, you should not self-medicate since hedgehogs have extremely delicate skin, and various lotions and ointments can seriously harm them. I would want you to read my articles on Hedgehog Pet With Dry Skin which will help you understand possible treatments for any related dry skin condition your pet may have