The right decision?

[Rdwilliams]

Hi All,

I posted a message in the other ‘sightings’ room about our resident hedgehog which had over the last 3 days starting losing spines (about 100 a night for the last couple of nights noted in the feeding station). After speaking to a local carer they said it was almost certainly ringworm as there was also dandruff like flakes. They asked me to bring the hedgehog in but after doing so I have started to question whether I did the right thing!? (Natural born worrier!)

The lady told me it was a female hedgehog and could be pregnant as it was 1.1kg. I know hedgehogs can live asymptomatically with ringworm, and as I had only recently noticed the spines it didn’t have any scabs or bald patches (but was losing a fair few spines as it was inspected by the carer). Thus I don’t know if I should have waited more that the few days before acting and if it might have got better on its own? I know captivity is fairly stressful for hedgehogs and also particularly wouldn’t have wanted to disturb a pregnant hog. I can only presume it would have got worse rather better as the nest bedding is the same as what the hog had for hibernation and so would carry the fungal spores. Guessing if the hog is pregnant then the hoglets would have also ended up with ringworm too.

Also, as the hedgehog lives in a house, I lifted it out of the house in the day and took it straight to the carer, thinking this would be the least stressful option, rather than catching it from the feeding station at night and then having to keep it over night in a box before taking it to the carer.

Hopefully people can put my mind at rest?

Thanks

Rob

[stef]

Hi Rob

You did absolutely the right thing.
The sooner it gets treatment the better and the hog should make a full recovery. It is also possible the problem is mites or mange or even a combination of these things. All are contagious
It’s a little early for females to be pregnant but not unheard of.

I would recommend that you clean out and burn what is in the hog house, and disinfect it, ideally with F10 disinfectant as this will kill the ringworm spores.

Hope this helps and don’t worry you did the right thing

[Rdwilliams]

Thanks Stef,

That makes me feel much better! I am planning to clean out the hog house this weekend and disinfect – I already have some Virkon S disinfectant (which i use to clean aquatic survey equipment) and this is effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi / spores and it seems like horsey folk use it against ringworm too, so at least the hog can come back to a clean home after her holiday.

Cheers

Rob

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