Hedgehogs and the Vet

A very good report I found in the Independent.ie siteregarding hedgehogs and vets and what they have to contend with

Hedgehogs are shy creatures with an effective response to the prying fingers of a vet: they curl into a tight ball. Wearing gloves, I carefully lifted the rolled-up creature out of the box onto my consult table to have a better look, but all I could see was a sphere of prickly spines.

Hedgehogs present an entirely new type of challenge to vets: when a prickly patient is on the consulting table, it's impossible to examine it properly if its curled up. Patience is needed: eventually, hedgehogs cautiously unroll themselves, and a gentle examination can then commence.

Hedgehogs are my favourite type of wild animal patient. If anyone reports that they've found a sick or injured hedgehog, I'm always happy to have a look. In fact, even healthy hedgehogs can benefit from a quick visit to the vet: it's useful to have a weight check, worm dose and flea treatment. Poorly hedgehogs often need much more intensive intervention, but it can be rewarding: they seem less stressed by human contact than some wild animals. After a few weeks in rehabilitation, a hedgehog that is on the verge of death can be restored to full health, ready to be released to an independent life in the wild.

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