Post by ChamZilla on Mar 31, 2008 0:24:49 GMT -5
Hey everyone
Well everyone around here knows how much I care for and love my pets. Well hedgehogs arn't seen by most vets as they are rodents. I guess rodents don't have status in Canada! LOL well my little guy has previously had a lump removed from the inside of his leg. This is how that surgery went and what it looked like....
GRAPHIC PHOTOS!
This tumor took almost 9 months to get this big, to be operated on. Caterpiller is an almost 6.5 year old African pygmy hedgehog, male.
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/caterpillertumoroct072.jpg
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/caterpillertumoroct073.jpg
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/Caterpillertumoroct074.jpg
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/Caterpillertumoroct075.jpg
He went through this surgery with no complications and minimum time off doing his running. After he grew this tumor he grew another. Behind his ear, that after 5 months it is still the same size as it was when I found it. The size of a small bead. The new tumor he grew popped up in December 2007. This tumor I thought would be like the rest and grow slowly. It was not the case. Since I was pre occupied in helping my bf with the fractured spine. I kept my hedgehogs clean, but didn't really spend a lot of time with them until this month when my bf went back to work without dr's approval. So I had time to examine my little ones, let them out for runs around the living room and play time for the two of them together. I noticed that my hedgies tumor was signifigantly bigger than it was previously in such a short time. His tumor grew from nothing into a golf ball size in a matter of 3 months.
I was hoping the Dr. could just tell me that it was an abcess, a skin infection something like that. But I knew better. He was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on Tuesday. That is obviously fast growing. You can see that from the pictures to follow,one from feb. and the ones from march. The tumor could probably be operated on, but it would risk his life just to do the operation. As no one knows what is involved under the mass and what else it has drug into its clutches. Also looking at his age as being an old tymer hedgehog, that is working against him to. Option number two would be to let him live it out until his health starts failing (prior to the lump growing so massive and still to the present time, he still eats, walks around, eliminates normally, and drinks. He for the most part doesn't realize what this lump is that is weighing him down) Which will mean when he stops eating, or not going to the bathroom, not moving around or the leision on his skin becomes bigger. And Option #3 would be to put him down. But the vet didn't see this as an immediate option because he is still carrying on with his daily activities and is still in good spirits about everything. ALSO something major is that he doesn't seem to be in any pain. Being a rodent they can squeek and bite. Then his tumor is touched or even gently squeezed he shows no signs of struggle, squeeking or even nipping. So this likely means that he is in no pain.
So for the time being I will spoil my boy until he is going to be called across that rainbow bridge. He has had a long go at life as he is almost 6.5 years old. Most hedgehogs are lucky to make it to 5 let alone any further.
Here are a few pictures of his present tumor and its massive size with the leision on the underside of it. You can still see how much life is in those bright eyes. He is still a happy little guy and you wouldn't believe how attached you get to them. Even if they are classified as rodents. Its just not true. He is a beautiful little buddy of mine who I wish could live for 20 healthy years.
This picture is from February 1, 2008
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/pikola.jpg
These photos are from March 25, 2008
Here is him walking from the side...
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/pickolatumor3.jpg
The lesion on the tumor....
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/pickolatumor1.jpg
And his bright cute little face.....
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/pickolatumor2.jpg
Here are a few photo's of him in younger years....
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/caterpillersummer04.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/hedgies028.jpg
Well everyone around here knows how much I care for and love my pets. Well hedgehogs arn't seen by most vets as they are rodents. I guess rodents don't have status in Canada! LOL well my little guy has previously had a lump removed from the inside of his leg. This is how that surgery went and what it looked like....
GRAPHIC PHOTOS!
This tumor took almost 9 months to get this big, to be operated on. Caterpiller is an almost 6.5 year old African pygmy hedgehog, male.
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/caterpillertumoroct072.jpg
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/caterpillertumoroct073.jpg
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/Caterpillertumoroct074.jpg
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/Caterpillertumoroct075.jpg
He went through this surgery with no complications and minimum time off doing his running. After he grew this tumor he grew another. Behind his ear, that after 5 months it is still the same size as it was when I found it. The size of a small bead. The new tumor he grew popped up in December 2007. This tumor I thought would be like the rest and grow slowly. It was not the case. Since I was pre occupied in helping my bf with the fractured spine. I kept my hedgehogs clean, but didn't really spend a lot of time with them until this month when my bf went back to work without dr's approval. So I had time to examine my little ones, let them out for runs around the living room and play time for the two of them together. I noticed that my hedgies tumor was signifigantly bigger than it was previously in such a short time. His tumor grew from nothing into a golf ball size in a matter of 3 months.
I was hoping the Dr. could just tell me that it was an abcess, a skin infection something like that. But I knew better. He was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on Tuesday. That is obviously fast growing. You can see that from the pictures to follow,one from feb. and the ones from march. The tumor could probably be operated on, but it would risk his life just to do the operation. As no one knows what is involved under the mass and what else it has drug into its clutches. Also looking at his age as being an old tymer hedgehog, that is working against him to. Option number two would be to let him live it out until his health starts failing (prior to the lump growing so massive and still to the present time, he still eats, walks around, eliminates normally, and drinks. He for the most part doesn't realize what this lump is that is weighing him down) Which will mean when he stops eating, or not going to the bathroom, not moving around or the leision on his skin becomes bigger. And Option #3 would be to put him down. But the vet didn't see this as an immediate option because he is still carrying on with his daily activities and is still in good spirits about everything. ALSO something major is that he doesn't seem to be in any pain. Being a rodent they can squeek and bite. Then his tumor is touched or even gently squeezed he shows no signs of struggle, squeeking or even nipping. So this likely means that he is in no pain.
So for the time being I will spoil my boy until he is going to be called across that rainbow bridge. He has had a long go at life as he is almost 6.5 years old. Most hedgehogs are lucky to make it to 5 let alone any further.
Here are a few pictures of his present tumor and its massive size with the leision on the underside of it. You can still see how much life is in those bright eyes. He is still a happy little guy and you wouldn't believe how attached you get to them. Even if they are classified as rodents. Its just not true. He is a beautiful little buddy of mine who I wish could live for 20 healthy years.
This picture is from February 1, 2008
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/gtogirl/pikola.jpg
These photos are from March 25, 2008
Here is him walking from the side...
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/pickolatumor3.jpg
The lesion on the tumor....
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/pickolatumor1.jpg
And his bright cute little face.....
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/pickolatumor2.jpg
Here are a few photo's of him in younger years....
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/caterpillersummer04.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChamZilla80/hedgies028.jpg