# Sick hog. Vet talking about uv?!?



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I took my APH to the vet today expecting the worst as the last two days he has seemed unwell. Normally he's running everywhere, eating snd drinking well. Two days ago he was in a ball most the day and yesterday he tried to eat a bit but I noticed he seemed to be having trouble and walking funny. Kinda wobbly. I am not just jumping to assuming it's WHS, as I know many illnesses can have the same signs.
He hadn't eaten properly for a few days prior. Today he tried to drink a little. His face looks gaunt and his eyes are tiny and weepy. The furs wet around his eyes.

I took him up and the vet said he didn't look that bad. She cant guarantee he will be ok but there are things to try if I want to. Well I wanna give him as many chances as possible without him suffering. She tried to check him over and his teeth etc. She only said that he's a bit underweight and that he's dehydrated...maybe from being too hot. She noticed his face was a little pink. I asked about a respiratory infection and she said he might have a mild one. 
They kept him in and she said the wildlife vet will see him soon. 
She rang me back and said he had a look when he came in early and he will give me a ring back later when he's back in properly. 

She did say though that he may need a bit of anestetic to unroll him to examine him 100% as he wont unroll. He keeps staying half rolled. The she said he would typically also have an X-ray. These together would cost £65.
She said they've given him something already which I'm assuming is fluids and they can see if he will perk up for a day or two first before trying putting him under. They wanna see him walk etc.
I'm not comfortable just yet with him being that ill and small as well as he may not make it. 

One thing she said was that it was probably a husbandary issue...mainly uv. She asked if he's been under uv in a viv or anything. She said might be a bone issue. Maybe i misunderstood her but thats what i gathered. Well I have never heard of a hog needing uv before ever. Ok, he doesn't get much light in there cos of the place of which he's situated in the room and of course he's asleep most of the daylight hours anyway. He cage sits next to the bearded dragons viv next to the uv bit but it isn't right next to it touching it and its not in any way in the way of the uv. 

I don't know what's best to do and I feel guilty even tho I know they don't need uv. Also he hasn't had a varied diet because the only thing he will eat is dry cat food and he won't even touch crickets or mealies either.


----------



## panther_87k (Feb 4, 2009)

sounds to me like your vet doesnt really know anything about APH, esp as she/he passed the issue onto a wildlife vet, whom also is unlikely to know much about their specifics, although they do share a fair amount with our wildie hogs they arent the same. 
Where abouts in the country are you? someone might know a better vet near you.
If by chance you are in south wales then Lance Jepson would be best for you, he travels to a few different surgeries throughout the week


----------



## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Are you sure its not a hibernation attempt? Its not a wildlife vet he needs to see its an exotic vet:bash: Hedeghogs do not need UV


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks. I'm in Newport south Wales. I go to Summerhill vets. Do you have the details of this person? I'll look him up in a min. Its difficult cos he's already under the care of this Alex person at the vets. He did admit he's a wildlife vet and has treated wild hedgehogs for over eleven years but doesn't know much about African Pygmy hedgehogs and no one knows much about them, so he has to grt hid info from the net and asking around same as we do snd same as I did before I got him. He said he's a trainee nurse and he runs by the vet what he thinks he should do before he does it, as he's not a qualified nurse/vet.
He thinks I should get some numbers tonight for Pygmy hedgehog rescues or any sources for info on housing. About uv. But mainly about heat.
He did say it looks possibly like a hibernation attempt as its been cold the last few days and that would make him wobbly etc too. He has attempted this before and I helped him at home when I caught him quick enough. Couple days ago he was rolled up all day.

He has put him in a viv overnight with a heat lamp and he's going to ring me in the morning I think before he puts him under if he's stable enough. 
He said he might need an X-ray at some point which will mean another anaesthetic but I don't see the need as he wojldnt have any bone problems from no uv cos he doesn't need it.

I'm going to suggest in the morning he also see the exotic vet. Ive givn permission for him to go under if need be as a last resort to examine him 100%. Theres not much they can do otherwise. Just a bit worried as he says he doesn't know an awful lot except for about wild hogs and he can just go by they are the same but smaller and love in Africa where it's obviously a lot hotter. But there are obviously some differences.

He says I need to put a heat source over his cage. Now he's got a big indoor rabbit/guniea pig cage with the coating on the bars so will he be ok with just a normal desk lamp? Or will it melt the coating/paint on the bars? Cos I don't want fumes with my parrotlet in the same room also.
He said modt wild hogs come out of being under ok but it's 50/50 and he wouldn't like to put him under how he is ATM.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Rikimaru passed on about half hour ago. They did an xray and it showed a very swollen bone. He also had a sore on him but they said it looks like some internal injury might have been going on. They can't tell without a post mortem. I think he said he didn't even get to put him under and he passed. But maybe I misheard..as I don't think he could do an X-ray or see a sore without unballing him. Could be down to stress. I'm taking him home soon. He was only about three and a half. :,( 

R.I.P little Riki. I'm sorry and I'll miss you baby.


----------



## ChazzieJo (Jun 14, 2012)

Sorry for your loss. 

I will say however 3 and a half is a decent age for an APH. The rough average is 3-4(1/2) years, so don't feel too down, he/she had a good life.

APH's do NOT need UV. Your vet had no idea what he was talking about. If you look to get another in the future definitely look into a vet that knows his stuff. 

Mind if I ask a few questions?

What enclosure was he kept in? What substrate did you use? What food was you feeding? What wheel did you use?

x


----------



## panther_87k (Feb 4, 2009)

im so sorry i couldnt get back to you quick enough.

If you have any other APH or have any others in the future Lance is at the following during the week:

The Fenton Veterinary Practice, 21 Portfield, Haverfordwest (tuesdays and fridays)

St James Veterinary Group, 253 Gower Road, Sketty, Swansea (wednesdays)

St James Veterinary Group, 35a Lewis Road, Neath (Thursdays)

Carmarthen Vet Centre, Llysonnen Road, Camarthen (mondays)

Alfold Veterinary Surgery, Unit 13, Alfold Business Centre, Loxwood Road, Alfold, Cranleigh, Surrey (These surgeries are usually every 3 months and are by appointment only. These surgeries are for routine or long-term referral cases.)

Hes a great vet and is amazing with APH. 

I know this isn't any use to you now but hope it may help you (or others) in future.

*hugs*


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thank you both. I just wish he wouldve gone peacefully and pain free at least. He was still in a ball when he went and when my dad buried him when I brought him home he still got pricked by his spines which makes me think he was terrified when he died. I hope it wasn't a heart attack or anything.
I still can't believe it. He wasn't the most sociable of hogs and liked to be left alone but he was so cute and funny. Never bit. A little grumpy. Always running round, rattling the water bowl and crunching his biscuits. When cleaned out he would spend the whole day running round making it how he wanted it. I'm not getting another. 
I wish I could've done more for him or sooner.
The vet said he didn't think it was hibernation in the end as he was kept warm all night and wouldn't have just went like that but I know they can as it's very dangerous and csn cause all sorts of internal problems too. He said he thinks the cause was internal and that it was probably lungworm. 
Bearing in mind he works with wild hogs i did a quick search and it says lungworms are contracted via foxes/dogs and by eating slugs and snails which he never has. 

I kept him in a large indoor rabbit/ g pig run cage and he had newspaper as substrate and as litter in his cat tray. He was fed on anything that was dry cat food but nothing to do with fish. He didn't like mealies, crickets etc and wasnt fussed in chicken when he tried it. Didn't eat it the second time.
I didn't try him on any wet cat food as I was afraid he'd get diarreah.
He used to have a big wheel that was a silent spinner I think, or similar. But it didn't last long as it broke and I couldn't find a safe alternative.

I thought APHs lived till around 3/4 but then I heard they can live till 6/8?


----------



## PPVallhunds (May 23, 2010)

Sorry for your loss. 
But i can defernatly recomnd lance, he sees the exotic animals at work and he is the only vet i trust with my budgies.


----------



## ChazzieJo (Jun 14, 2012)

BlackRose said:


> Thank you both. I just wish he wouldve gone peacefully and pain free at least. He was still in a ball when he went and when my dad buried him when I brought him home he still got pricked by his spines which makes me think he was terrified when he died. I hope it wasn't a heart attack or anything.
> I still can't believe it. He wasn't the most sociable of hogs and liked to be left alone but he was so cute and funny. Never bit. A little grumpy. Always running round, rattling the water bowl and crunching his biscuits. When cleaned out he would spend the whole day running round making it how he wanted it. I'm not getting another.
> I wish I could've done more for him or sooner.
> The vet said he didn't think it was hibernation in the end as he was kept warm all night and wouldn't have just went like that but I know they can as it's very dangerous and csn cause all sorts of internal problems too. He said he thinks the cause was internal and that it was probably lungworm.
> ...


Aw, sounds like you did everything right. My Hog suddenly passed away out of nowhere back in June, she was only 1 though  Was such a huge shock, I was devastated. I decided against a post-mortem as I just wanted to bury her in peace so I suppose I'll never know what the cause was.. these things happen 

3/4 is the average, 6/8 is normally a case of "I know somebody who knows somebody"... I would say 3 1/2 is an old Hog so he had a good life.


----------



## BikerChick (Oct 20, 2012)

Hi there everyone, firstly I wanted to say how sorry I am for the loss of your baby...  I lost my girl today and I feel so sad.. I also wanted to say that I AM an exotics vet and I agree with everything that I read (though I will admit I didn't read everything as it's late and I'm off to sleeps soon!) 
But no, they do not need UV... and to the lady who has a fussy eater (and your APH just eats cat food?) perhaps use the nutrobal powers every 3 days as APH can get metabolic bones diseases or even osteomyeltis from some form of trauma (a knock from a wheel or a bit a rough an tumble) and if the bone dose not have enough vitamin D (although inlikely as the liver normally stores enough for a 1.5 yr period!) then the bone cannot react in the proper way an health properly.. I am talking on the micro-scale here... so not a broken bone, literally a minor 'bone bruise' if you will and without the right supplemetation the body cant react in the way it should.
Also... sadly cat food (although having protein in it) does not have as good QUALITY protein as some dog food brands and has far more fat.. thus if a APH gets a certain level of fat in their body they will often attempt to hibernate, thus less cat food and a more varied diet is best, but if he will only eat cat food (and no bugs etc) supplementation with calcium etc is the bet way forward and a change onto a dog fod with a lower fat contact e.g. iams (for heavens sake NOT bakers!! thats like Macdonalds for doggies! - sorry but tests have shown so... even tho I like to advert! lol) can be beneficial. 
I have seen APH's brought to me who are just hypothermic... and they were kept in a house, but in the bathroom etc where there is a cool windy breeze etc so it is important to bob-down to where their enclosure is and have a feel... if you feel cold then they will! simple as... but I am so so sorry for your loss and lots of love being sent your way... maybe your APH will meet mine in heaven!?!?  xx night


----------

