African Hedgehog
Diseases part 3

Urogenital Disease
Disease of the urinary system is not commonly recognized in the pet hedgehog. However, these pets can develop bladder infections and stones. Signs of bladder disease may include urine discoloration, straining to urinate, frequent small urination or a complete inability to urinate.
In addition, the pain caused by a bladder condition can cause the hedgehog to have a reduced or complete loss of appetite and become lethargic. If your pet shows any of these signs, you should get it to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian can diagnose bladder disease with a urinalysis and an x-ray. A culture of the urine may be done to aid in the selection of an antibiotic. Bladder stones need to be removed surgically. It is important to encourage your hedgehog to drink extra amounts of fluids when treating for bladder disease. It may help to flavor the water with a small amount of one of the products mentioned under the section on medication.

Hedgehogs can develop kidney disease, which becomes more common as the pet ages. Signs of kidney disease can be vague and can include decreased or loss of appetite, wasting, lethargy, decreased or increased urine output and anemia. Kidney disease is diagnosed by a combination of urinalysis and blood tests. In addition, an x-ray or ultrasound examination may be helpful.

The most common disease of the reproductive organs, the testicles, uterus and ovaries is cancer. Hedgehogs can also develop infections of these tissues. Signs of disease in these organs may include infertility, loss of interest in breeding, penile or vaginal discharge, lethargy, loss of appetite and swelling of the abdomen. Disease of the reproductive organs is diagnosed by physical examination, x-ray, ultrasound and, in some cases, by exploratory surgery. It is usually recommended to remove the affected organ(s) to affectively treat the disease.

Gastrointestinal Disease
There are a variety of diseases that afflict the hedgehog gastrointestinal or digestive tract. One of the more serious is an obstruction of the intestine or stomach with foreign material. Hedgehogs can eat a variety of things in their environment, including pieces of soft rubber toys, other pet’s hair and carpet fibers. Since these items are indigestible, they can become lodged at the pylorus (the outflow area of the stomach) or in the intestine. Once this happens, the hedgehog can die in 24 to 48 hours. Signs of gastrointestinal obstruction include sudden loss of appetite, vomiting (they don’t always vomit) and sudden, severe lethargy and depression. The condition rapidly worsens until the hedgehog is completely collapsed and comatose. These signs indicate a dire emergency and you must not delay getting your pet to your veterinarian. An x-ray will confirm the diagnosis and exploratory surgery is necessary to remove the foreign material.

Hedgehogs can also develop a number of different infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The infectious disease of the most concern is salmonellosis. Hedgehogs can carry the Salmonella bacteria normally in their intestinal tracts (as can other species of animals, most notably reptiles) and never develop any signs of disease. Hedgehogs can also develop clinical disease with Salmonella. Signs of salmonellosis include diarrhea, depression, loss of appetite, wasting and sudden death. It is known that humans can contract salmonellosis from hedgehogs. As of this writing, human salmonellosis contracted from African hedgehogs is an extremely rare occurrence and the chances of transmission are reduced to nearly zero with good hygienic practices as discussed earlier in this writing. Follow these practices strictly, particularly in cases where your hedgehog has diarrhea. Diagnosis of salmonellosis in the hedgehog is made by a fecal culture. You will need to discuss the treatment options with your veterinarian based on the public health risk for your household. Infants and immune compromised individuals are most at risk for contracting this or any other disease.

Other conditions of the hedgehog gastrointestinal tract include intestinal parasites, the ingestion of toxic substances, cancer and dietary disease. These diseases can have similar signs including diarrhea or constipation, decreased or absent appetite, wasting, vomiting or lethargy. Your veterinarian can make a diagnosis based on a variety of diagnostic tests including fecal examination, blood tests, x-ray, ultrasound and abdominal exploratory.

Rabies
As of this writing, rabies has not been identified in pet African hedgehogs. It is likely that they can contract this disease if exposed to it, but since they are primarily kept as household pets, exposure is minimal. There is currently no approved rabies vaccine for hedgehogs and it is not recommended to vaccinate them with a dog or cat product. A normal behavior called “anointing” is often mistaken for a sign of rabies.

Nutritional Disease
It is likely that nutritional disease is a common problem in the captive African hedgehog. Extensive nutritional studies have not yet been done in this species and it is likely that the natural wild diet of the hedgehog is not being 100% accurately reproduced in captivity. Subtle nutritional deficiencies or excesses could underlie other disease. Therefore, it is imperative for you to stay informed on current progress in recommendations for the hedgehog diet by staying in contact with one of the hedgehog organizations and your veterinarian.

At least one nutritionally related disease that is seen with some frequency is obesity. This is common in hedgehogs that are on a diet too high in fat coupled with a lack of exercise. In addition, there is a condition called hepatic lipidosis, which is an excessive fat accumulation in the liver. Fat cells replace liver cells until the liver can no longer function normally. The hedgehog becomes lethargic, depressed, loses its appetite and may exhibit bizarre behavior such as seizures and unusual aggression. These signs are due to the build up of toxic waste products in the blood, such as ammonia, which then affect the brain. Liver disease can be diagnosed with blood tests, x-rays, ultrasound and liver biopsy if necessary. Treatment for obesity and fatty liver disease is directed at reducing the fat in the diet and increasing exercise. Other medications may be used as needed. Hepatic lipidosis can be reversed if it is caught in time.

Neoplasia (Cancer)
Unfortunately, a large percentage of the captive African hedgehog population is prone to developing cancer as they age. Cancer has been reported affecting almost every organ of the body. Signs of disease vary depending on the area affected. The treatment is based on the organ(s) affected and may even include chemotherapy. It is unknown at this time why African hedgehogs have such a high cancer rate, but perhaps over time the answer will reveal itself as more is learned about this pet.
© 2003 Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital