March 31st, 2010 Warning of graphic photos of injury.

We got our first hedgehog needing help the other day. The phone rang and Brian answered. He came to get me from my card making session to let me know a man was on the phone about a hedgehog he had found. The man explained that he was a gardener and he had found a hedgehog in his van. Apparently it had hibernated in there since last November. He said he had a bag of garden rubbish in his van at that time and that must have been when the little one had got into his van. So since November the poor thing had had no food or water until the morning of the 29th when he found him sitting on his drivers seat of the van. He said he thought the little one had an injury too. So I told him how to get here and he brought little Harry the 2nd. He was very very thin and dehydrated and definitely has an injury. I think it is possibly caused by a strimmer. So please folks check before you do any strimming or mowing. I have some photos that I will post here, and they are not pretty so be warned now.
Anyway, first and foremost was to get him some food and water. But little and often. The next thing was to call the vet to book an appointment. He was going to need at least some antibiotics if not stitching up. The poor little thing drank his fill and I put him out some Science Diet Recovery food and he ate that readily. I also made up some recovery fluid of water with salt and sugar.... 1 litre of water, 1tsp salt, 1Tablespoon sugar. I also heated up our microwavable heat pads and keeping him warm in some fleeces with the pads nearby. And unfortunately the weather has now decided to change and go cold again. So we are keeping the heating on in the conservatory too for him.
We took him to the vets and she examined him. And gave us the antibiotics. She was too afraid to give him an anesthetic so she could look at the wound and clean it up. She listened to his heart and found he had a heart murmur too. So sent us home with instructions on how to clean the wound with some plain water or camomile tea. It has natural antistheic properties. And we are to try to build him up so that if the wound doesn't heal right then she will be able to do something with out the thought of him dieing on us in the process. He is putting on weight and getting a little better in himself. But we still have a very very long way to go. He has a very sweet nature and allows me to pick him up without my gloves. I am finding when you get hoggies that are this ill they tend to lay their spines flat. Although when I put on some ointment on his cut he does prickle up a little. I am very very careful as it is so close to his eye. And from the photo he does still have his eye.

Also a big thanks to the man who found him and got him some help straight away. If he had been left any longer I don't think he would have any chance at all. A hedgehog in trouble needs help immediately. Don't sit and watch it. Pick it up and get it to a carer or a vet straight away, please!!!

Our new little boy has a guardian too.... Jingles is watching over him and is now sleeping out in the conservatory with him. Jings in his box ontop of some fleeces next to the cat flap and Harry is in his cage all tucked up.



Here is our little guy and be warned about the photos......