Nancy
Hooked on Hogs
Hedgehog first aid kit
1. MONEY. Always have at least $200 available for an emergency vet visit. So often people post that their pet is very ill but they don’t have the money to take it to the vet. Hedgehogs hide illness very well. By the time they are showing symptoms of illness, they are usually very sick and require vet attention IMMEDIATELY!
2. A card with your vet’s phone number and address. Also add alternate vets phone numbers and addresses and an emergency vets phone number and address.
Below is a list of Lab Values for hedgehogs. Print these and keep with your vets information.
3. Always have a human heating pad. If you do not need it on a regular basis you will have it for emergency use.
4. 2 cans of Hills AD cat food which is available at your vets. This is used for syringe feeding and is a fine consistency that will easily go through a syringe. Make sure it is room temperature or warmer before feeding. (keep track of the expiry date and replace as needed)
5. A couple of bottles of pedialite for syringing water. Make sure it is room temperature or warmer before syringing it. (keep track of the expiry date and replace as needed)
6. A can or two of human Boost or Ensure as it is a good source of nutrition for an ill hedgehog and it is easily syringed. Make sure it is room temperature or warmer before use. (keep track of the expiry date and replace as needed)
7. A supply of syringes. Either ones made specifically for syringing small animals, or 1ml syringes available at any vet or pharmacy. These wear out quickly with use so have numerous ones on hand.
8. A supply of white or predominantly white liners or receiving blankets to use as bedding. These enable you to see what colour the hedgehogs bodily functions are. Baby receiving blankets are cheap and available at any department store.
9. A mid sized clear sterlite or rubbermaid bin for use as a sick cage. It prevents drafts and is easily transportable Ensure it is at least 15” tall. Ventilate the lid. This bin will also hold all of your emergency supplies. This cage can also be used in the event of a power outage as it will be easier to keep warm.
10. Regular Polysporin. DO NOT use extra strength or pain control as these are toxic.
11. Vaseline or a water based, non-toxic lubricant.
12. A roll of paper towels.
13. A package of sterile gauze pads. A human first aid kit works well.
14. Unscented baby wipes
15. Nail clippers & small scissors
16. Tweezers
17. Q-tips
18. Four or cornstarch to stop bleeding of nails
Your trip to the vet
Have a travel carrier set up and ready to go at all times. In the carrier have the following….
- Your name, address and phone # on a tag and attach it to the carrier.
- A card prepared ahead of time with the hedgehogs birthdate, normal weight, and any prior medical history.
- A couple of hand warmers or a snuggle safe to provide warmth.
- White or mostly white receiving blankets work well to line the carrier and use as blankets or have a set of bedding specifically for the carrier. White will show any bodily fluids.
- A small container that you can take some of the hedgehogs food and a water bottle to take some of your water with you in case he needs to remain at the vet.
Hedgehog Lab Values
Print out and keep in your first aid kit
They are taken from the Merck vet manual.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp
MEASUREMENT ... REFERENCE RANGE
HEMATOLOGY
PCV (%) ... 36 ±7 (22-64)
RBC (10^6/microliter) ... 6 ±2 (3-16)
Hb (g/dl) ... 12.0 ±2.8 (7.0-21.1)
MCV (fl) ... 67 ±9 (41-94)
MCH (pg) ... 22 ±4 (11-31)
MCHC (g/dl) ... 34 ±5 (17-48)
Platelets (10^3/microliter) ... 226 ±108 (60-347)
WBC (10^3/microliter) … 11 ±6 (3-43)
Neutrophils (10^3/microliter) ... 5.1 ±5.2 (0.6-37.4)
Lymphocytes (10^3/microliter) ... 4.0 ±2.2 (0.9-13.1)
Monocytes (10^3/microliter) ... 0.3 ±0.3 (0.0-1.6)
Eosinophils (10^3/microliter) ... 1.2 ±0.9 (0.0-5.1)
Basophils (10^3/microliter) ... 0.4 ±0.3 (0.0-1.5)
CHEMISTRIES
Alkaline phosphatase (IU/L) ... 51 ±21 (8-92)
ALT (IU/L) ... 53 ±24 (16-134)
Amylase (IU/L) ... 510 ±170 (244-858)
AST (IU/L) ... 34 ±22 (8-137)
Bilirubin, total (mg/dl) ... 0.3 ±0.3 (0.0-1.3)
BUN (mg/dl) ... 27 ±9 (13-54)
Calcium (mg/dl) ... 8.8 ±1.4 (5.2-11.3)
Chloride (mEq/L) ... 109 ±10 (92-128)
Cholesterol (mg/dl) ... 131 ±25 (86-189)
Creatinine kinase (IU/L) ... 863 ±413 (333-1964)
Creatinine (mg/dl) ... 0.4 ±0.2 (0.0-0.8)
GGT (IU/L) ... 4 ±1 (0-12)
Glucose (mg/dl) ... 89 ±30
LDH (IU/L) ... 441 ±258 (57-820)
Phosphorous (mg/dl) ... 5.3 ±1.9 (2.4-12.0)
Potassium (mEq/L) ... 4.9 ±1.0 (3.2-7.2)
Protein, total (g/dl) ... 5.8 ±0.7 (4.0-7.7)
Albumin (part of Protein, above, g/dl) ... 2.9 ±0.4 (1.8-4.2)
Globulin (part of Protein, above, g/dl) ... 2.7 ±0.5 (1.6-3.9)
Sodium (mEq/L) ... 141 ±9 (120-165)
Triglycerides (mg/dl) ... 38 ±22 (10-96)
1. MONEY. Always have at least $200 available for an emergency vet visit. So often people post that their pet is very ill but they don’t have the money to take it to the vet. Hedgehogs hide illness very well. By the time they are showing symptoms of illness, they are usually very sick and require vet attention IMMEDIATELY!
2. A card with your vet’s phone number and address. Also add alternate vets phone numbers and addresses and an emergency vets phone number and address.
Below is a list of Lab Values for hedgehogs. Print these and keep with your vets information.
3. Always have a human heating pad. If you do not need it on a regular basis you will have it for emergency use.
4. 2 cans of Hills AD cat food which is available at your vets. This is used for syringe feeding and is a fine consistency that will easily go through a syringe. Make sure it is room temperature or warmer before feeding. (keep track of the expiry date and replace as needed)
5. A couple of bottles of pedialite for syringing water. Make sure it is room temperature or warmer before syringing it. (keep track of the expiry date and replace as needed)
6. A can or two of human Boost or Ensure as it is a good source of nutrition for an ill hedgehog and it is easily syringed. Make sure it is room temperature or warmer before use. (keep track of the expiry date and replace as needed)
7. A supply of syringes. Either ones made specifically for syringing small animals, or 1ml syringes available at any vet or pharmacy. These wear out quickly with use so have numerous ones on hand.
8. A supply of white or predominantly white liners or receiving blankets to use as bedding. These enable you to see what colour the hedgehogs bodily functions are. Baby receiving blankets are cheap and available at any department store.
9. A mid sized clear sterlite or rubbermaid bin for use as a sick cage. It prevents drafts and is easily transportable Ensure it is at least 15” tall. Ventilate the lid. This bin will also hold all of your emergency supplies. This cage can also be used in the event of a power outage as it will be easier to keep warm.
10. Regular Polysporin. DO NOT use extra strength or pain control as these are toxic.
11. Vaseline or a water based, non-toxic lubricant.
12. A roll of paper towels.
13. A package of sterile gauze pads. A human first aid kit works well.
14. Unscented baby wipes
15. Nail clippers & small scissors
16. Tweezers
17. Q-tips
18. Four or cornstarch to stop bleeding of nails
Your trip to the vet
Have a travel carrier set up and ready to go at all times. In the carrier have the following….
- Your name, address and phone # on a tag and attach it to the carrier.
- A card prepared ahead of time with the hedgehogs birthdate, normal weight, and any prior medical history.
- A couple of hand warmers or a snuggle safe to provide warmth.
- White or mostly white receiving blankets work well to line the carrier and use as blankets or have a set of bedding specifically for the carrier. White will show any bodily fluids.
- A small container that you can take some of the hedgehogs food and a water bottle to take some of your water with you in case he needs to remain at the vet.
Hedgehog Lab Values
Print out and keep in your first aid kit
They are taken from the Merck vet manual.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp
MEASUREMENT ... REFERENCE RANGE
HEMATOLOGY
PCV (%) ... 36 ±7 (22-64)
RBC (10^6/microliter) ... 6 ±2 (3-16)
Hb (g/dl) ... 12.0 ±2.8 (7.0-21.1)
MCV (fl) ... 67 ±9 (41-94)
MCH (pg) ... 22 ±4 (11-31)
MCHC (g/dl) ... 34 ±5 (17-48)
Platelets (10^3/microliter) ... 226 ±108 (60-347)
WBC (10^3/microliter) … 11 ±6 (3-43)
Neutrophils (10^3/microliter) ... 5.1 ±5.2 (0.6-37.4)
Lymphocytes (10^3/microliter) ... 4.0 ±2.2 (0.9-13.1)
Monocytes (10^3/microliter) ... 0.3 ±0.3 (0.0-1.6)
Eosinophils (10^3/microliter) ... 1.2 ±0.9 (0.0-5.1)
Basophils (10^3/microliter) ... 0.4 ±0.3 (0.0-1.5)
CHEMISTRIES
Alkaline phosphatase (IU/L) ... 51 ±21 (8-92)
ALT (IU/L) ... 53 ±24 (16-134)
Amylase (IU/L) ... 510 ±170 (244-858)
AST (IU/L) ... 34 ±22 (8-137)
Bilirubin, total (mg/dl) ... 0.3 ±0.3 (0.0-1.3)
BUN (mg/dl) ... 27 ±9 (13-54)
Calcium (mg/dl) ... 8.8 ±1.4 (5.2-11.3)
Chloride (mEq/L) ... 109 ±10 (92-128)
Cholesterol (mg/dl) ... 131 ±25 (86-189)
Creatinine kinase (IU/L) ... 863 ±413 (333-1964)
Creatinine (mg/dl) ... 0.4 ±0.2 (0.0-0.8)
GGT (IU/L) ... 4 ±1 (0-12)
Glucose (mg/dl) ... 89 ±30
LDH (IU/L) ... 441 ±258 (57-820)
Phosphorous (mg/dl) ... 5.3 ±1.9 (2.4-12.0)
Potassium (mEq/L) ... 4.9 ±1.0 (3.2-7.2)
Protein, total (g/dl) ... 5.8 ±0.7 (4.0-7.7)
Albumin (part of Protein, above, g/dl) ... 2.9 ±0.4 (1.8-4.2)
Globulin (part of Protein, above, g/dl) ... 2.7 ±0.5 (1.6-3.9)
Sodium (mEq/L) ... 141 ±9 (120-165)
Triglycerides (mg/dl) ... 38 ±22 (10-96)
