W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome)

Subject: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:04 am

I have information on this disorder on my website.....Can you add anything more about it Lois?

Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:34 am

*Runs to check what info you already have first*

Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:46 am

Here you go, if there's anything else you'd like me to add give me a shout!

Before you jump to the conclusion that your hedgehog has WHS, you need to consider other causes for it's wobbliness.
Hedgehogs can appear "wobbly" for many reasons: scratch

1. Is your hedgehog cold? Feel it's belly and if it is cool to the touch, warm him or her up by placing it under your shirt. Then take steps to insure that this will not happen again by increasing the ambient temperature, placing a heating pad set on low under the cage, or some other means. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it is SAFE! DO NOT use hot rocks designed for reptiles as they can cause serious burns to your hedgehog.

2. Injury, and arthritis are other possibilities. Your Vet can help determine by x-ray or ultrasound if there is something wrong there.

3. Tumours are also known to cause wobbliness and other neurological abnormalities. Here again, your vet can help determine what is wrong and decide on possible treatments.

4. Check your hedgehog’s legs. Make sure there is no hair or fibres wrapped around them, cutting off the circulation. This happens more often then you might think, and hedgehogs have lost their legs to this. Check the nails also, to make sure that they have not become overgrown and cutting into the pads of their feet.

5. Vestibular Syndrome may also be mistaken for WHS, as it causes loss of balance. This is normally caused by an infection of the inner ear which may be treatable with antibiotics from the vet. As well as loss of balance, this will cause
• Vomiting
• Lack of appetite
• Circling in the same direction the head is tilted
• Rapid, almost uncontrolled eye movements known as nystagmus

Housing a hedgie with WHS:
Limbs become retracted and the spinal column bends. They will need assistance walking which can be provided by propping them up with items such as towels either side or similar.
Sleep

If the hedgie cannot keep upright on it’s own, it is also important to consider the substrate you are bedding them on. For instance, sand and the like may result in ‘bed sores’ where the hedgie is laying on one side for long periods of time. If this is the case, switching to soft fleecy liners or similar would be recommended. Also, disposable baby nappies or puppy training pads can be laid under them to absorb their excretions and reduce ammonia burns from the urine.
It is VERY important to keep your hedgie warm enough, but not too warm. You can use anything from electric heating pads, reptile heating devices, over head lamps, to hot water bottles. Use EXTREME caution with any electrical heating devices. They have been known to short out and cause burns and even fires. Also, bear in mind that a hedgie with WHS may not be able to move away from a device that becomes too hot. I use a small electric blanket from Argos :
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4428121/Trail/searchtext%3EHEAT+PAD.htm
Also, ‘Snuggle Safe’ microwavable discs are great if you’re around to heat them regularly. They are plastic discs with material coverings that can be quickly heated in the microwave and dissipate heat for around 6 hours. These are by far in my opinion the safest option. They are available in most pet shops, try ‘Pets at Home’ or I’ve also seen them for a similar price (around £20) on ebay. See link:
http://www.snugglesafe.co.uk/heatpad.htm

-Daily massaging is important. Like any person with is partially paralyzed, they still need their muscles moved. A body that doesn't move loses muscle tone (atrophy) and the internal organs will cease to function well, which in turn can bring on a whole other set of health problems. You can massage your hedgie by laying him on his back in your lap and rubbing your fingers in a clockwise circular motion on the abdomen (NEVER MASSAGE THE ABDOMEN COUNTER-CLOCKWISE). This will help the digestive system and keep things moving well. Take the legs and feet, massaging each one and then moving them in a simulated walking motion, then turn him on his belly and gently message the back, beginning at the top of his head and working your way down to his tail in small circular motions.

-If your hedgie becomes constipated:
Try feeding small amounts of canned pumpkin, ensure this has no additives and is not sweetened or salted!
Take your hedgehog and place him in a sink of warm water, move the body around and let them have a long soak. This will often make the bowels move as well. Ensure you don’t let any water get into the nose, ears or mouth! And NEVER leave your hedgehog unattended in the water!
As a last resort, take a regular thermometer, lubricate the end using Vaseline or KY jelly, and gently insert the tip into your hedgehogs rectum about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, Move it around a VERY small amount, this will usually result in a bowel movement. Use EXTREME CAUTION when doing this. If you are not confident, the best bet may be to take it to a vet to do (although they’ll charge you the earth for a very simple procedure). Embarassed

If all this has failed, either your hedgehog isn't eating and therefore not producing any bowel movements or there could be a blockage of some sort and you need to take him/her to a Vet!

-Optimal diet for a hedgie with WHS: cherry

-unprocessed foods daily in the form of insects
-small amounts of fruits and vegetables if they are tolerated
- baked-unseasoned, skinless chicken breast or turkey
- premium commercial food that is void of chemical preservatives, by-products, artificial flavours and colours, or any sub quality ingredients whatsoever.
To this, add a tiny amount of phosphorous-free calcium supplement to balance the calcium/phosphorus ratio, pro-biotic and digestive enzymes whose job is to assist the body absorb the nutrients from the food it takes in, and a vitamin/mineral supplement INCLUSIVE of vitamins E, B complex; (especially B-12) amino acids; particularly Choline, Zinc and Selenium, all of which benefit the nervous system, to be used in very small amounts twice a week. Vitamin E supplements, this will alleviate the symptoms, but the body will eventually become resistant and it will not halt progression of the disease.

Due to the muscle weakness, eventually you may need to feed a soft diet. This is best fed through a syringe. The diet described above can be placed in a blender until it is the consistency of jarred baby food. You can also use baby foods, just make sure that are no onions in them. If you want the chicken baby food, buy just plain chicken, not the chicken/veggie combos as most have onion and even those that don't contain a questionable amount of meat in them. Draw a mixture you've made up into the syringe or pipette, position it into the side of your hedgies mouth and slowly inject the food into him. Most hedgies will lap it up easily, but if your doesn't, just be patient and keep trying! If your hedgie tends to fight this by balling up, you can "scruff" them by the back of the neck as you would a kitten and carefully wedge the syringe tip into the side of their mouth.
If your hedgie is or has lost a lot of weight, you can purchase a canned food from your vet made by Hills Called A/D. It is made for animals that need a quick boost of calories (like in diabetes with hypoglycaemia). Do not use this for more then a week or two, as it is high in fat and hard on your hedgie's liver. This is quite mushy, and can easily be mixed with a small amount of warm water to form a paste and then fed through a syringe as before.

It is important to make sure your hedgehog is taking in enough water so as not to get dehydrated. Small amounts of very dark, concentrated urine is a very good indication of this. Frequent drinks from a water bottle works as long as he is taking in enough, which is hard to gauge. An excellent method is by using pipettes, which you should be able to get from your Vet. They are long tubular-like devices with a bulb on the end to control the suction. You should get a large pipette full of water down your hedgie SEVERAL times a day. If for some reason your hedgehog refuses to take water at all, dehydration will occur rapidly and it will be necessary to get him to your Vet ASAP for an injection of saline solution subcutaneously (under the skin). This procedure is simple and life-saving, and can be done at home. Please be advised that giving a sub-cutaneous saline injection can raise blood pressure (since it raises the volume of the blood), so make sure your vet checks the hedgie’s BP to start with. Most vets in the UK are very naïve when it comes to hedgies and logic seems to go out the window!

Euthanasia: Sad

WHS is a fatal disease. There will sadly come a point where the quality of life may be impaired beyond a point where it’s fair to let them continue. If this is the case they will require Euthanasia by a vet. Ensure the vet uses gas anaesthesia before administering the lethal injection into the abdomen. Since it costs more, this is not routinely done on small animals, but it will ensure your hedgie feels no pain upon being injected and simply ‘passes away’ in their sleep. Be aware that vets may try and convince you that this is pointless and they will die quickly without experiencing much pain from the injection. In my opinion this is NOT the case. (As you have probably gathered, for a vet student I’m pretty cynical about vets!)

Eliminating WHS from the line:
One way to gain something positive from the experience of caring for a hedgehog with WHS is to schedule a necropsy (autopsy) to determine if he or she did indeed have WHS. There is a strong genetic component to this disease, and any data we can collect to track it may someday help to stop it. At the very least, if you have access to your hedgehog’s breeder, you can inform the breeder of the necropsy results and hopefully encourage the cessation of further breeding from that hedgehog’s bloodlines. The breeder can then notify the owners of any other offspring from that line.

If you simply want an answer to the question, “Did my hedgehog have WHS?”, any veterinary pathologist can answer that question for you. Please discuss this in advance with your veterinarian; your veterinarian should ask a pathologist to examine the histopathology of the brain and spinal cord for lesions, as well as any other organs that might have contributed to the pathology of this animal.

This means brain and spinal cord tissue will be dissected, fixed in formalin, and stained to examine the tissue microscopically. The pathologist will report a general description of the tissues. Most pathologists are not yet familiar with the term "WHS" and may not give a diagnosis of Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome. WHS is caused by damage to the fatty myelin sheath that insulates nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. In addition, WHS involves degeneration of the axons of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The WHS lesions may be described by the pathologist as:

"Leukoencephalopathy": Damage to the myelin that forms the white matter in the brain.
"Spongiform Changes": Changes that make the nervous tissue look like a holey sponge.
"Demyelination": Loss of myelin, which is the covering of the nerves that allows for smooth and rapid transmission of impulses.
"Axonal Degeneration": Evidence that axons of nerve cells have been damaged or destroyed.
"Neuronopathy": Disease that affects the nerves.

It is imperative that the tissues be fresh. This is why your veterinarian should know that you plan to have a necropsy done, and should prepare the tissues for the pathologist as soon as possible after your hedgehog passes away. If your hedgehog should die at home, do NOT put the body in the freezer! Ice crystals will form inside the cells and interfere with the histopathology results. Wrap the body in paper towels, place in a loosely closed plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator until you can take the body to your veterinarian or pack it for immediate shipping.

This can be very expensive, so probably would only be considered by very conscientious breeders and hedgie owners in the financial position to be able to do it. Crying or Very sad

Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:29 pm

Very informative and priceless to the forum Lois....Thank you.A very devasting & frightenening disease.Let's hope we never have to deal with it in our own hedgies.

Age : 15 Joined : 20 Mar 2008 Posts : 34 Location : Bristol

is it like wobblers or what ever it called in dobermans?

Josh:D
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Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:10 pm

Go onto youtube and do a search for it but be warned it is a very upsetting condition.
It is like multiple sclerosis in humans.Not sure about the doberman thing but i'm sure Lois can set you straight.
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two 100%het for albino royal pythons (Bob Clark bred)
one albino burmese python (Bob Clarck bred)

will be owning pretty soon a type two albino reticulated python
also Bob Clark bred

Age : 15 Joined : 20 Mar 2008 Posts : 34 Location : Bristol

omg that has really pout me off getting one now it really upsetting i would not want the risk of mine gettin it that really up setting i would have to get the poor thing pts.

Josh:D
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Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:23 pm

It is very rare...but again getting a registered hog may reduce the risk as any hog with this in it's lines are not bred.
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two 100%het for albino royal pythons (Bob Clark bred)
one albino burmese python (Bob Clarck bred)

will be owning pretty soon a type two albino reticulated python
also Bob Clark bred

Age : 15 Joined : 20 Mar 2008 Posts : 34 Location : Bristol

oh thats made me feal better lol i will ask when dad gets home i stil got wait untill june:(

Josh:D
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Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:49 pm

You should get your dad to check this forum out.
_________________

two 100%het for albino royal pythons (Bob Clark bred)
one albino burmese python (Bob Clarck bred)

will be owning pretty soon a type two albino reticulated python
also Bob Clark bred

Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:50 pm

So he knows and you know everything about hedgies before you decide if it's the right pet for you.
_________________

two 100%het for albino royal pythons (Bob Clark bred)
one albino burmese python (Bob Clarck bred)

will be owning pretty soon a type two albino reticulated python
also Bob Clark bred

Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:59 pm

Sorry if the video was upsetting but i think it would have given you the genaral idea of what to expect if your hedgie was to develop the condition.
As i said it's rare but it happens.It's a very distressing disease.
_________________

two 100%het for albino royal pythons (Bob Clark bred)
one albino burmese python (Bob Clarck bred)

will be owning pretty soon a type two albino reticulated python
also Bob Clark bred

Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:15 pm

Oh i'm sorry this has upset you Josh but it is better that you know exactly the impact of this devastating disease.As python has said it is rare but best that you are aware of it before getting your new hedgie.

Age : 15 Joined : 20 Mar 2008 Posts : 34 Location : Bristol

it watching it trying to walk when it can not thats the upsetting bit

Josh:D
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Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:07 am

As the others have said, it is VERY RARE and thankfully mostly eliminated from registered hogs over here thanks to some careful, diligent breeders Smile

Don't let this dreadful disease put you off owning one. xxx

Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:00 pm

I agree, WHS is not a reason not to get a hedgehog, it just proves that when getting a hedgehog you have to realize that there may come a time when you have to take them to the vet! For that reason it is important to factor in vet bills when considering the cost of owning a hedgehog. It is very important to have an exotic vet lined up when you purchase your hog so you are not scrambling around at the last minute looking for one when the need arises. But not getting a hedgehog because of WHS would be like not getting a dog or cat for fear that it might one day come down with cancer or some other disease. The fact of the matter is, all living creatures are liable to get some disease at some point. However, that is not a reason not to have them in the first place! Surprised

-Susan H.

Subject: Re: W.H.S.(Wobbly hedgehog syndrome) Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:37 pm

_________________

two 100%het for albino royal pythons (Bob Clark bred)
one albino burmese python (Bob Clarck bred)

will be owning pretty soon a type two albino reticulated python
also Bob Clark bred