Hedgehogs

Anaesthesia of wildlife casualties can be challenging. Many patients suffer stress, related not only to disease or injury, but to confinement in captivity. This is exacerbated by restraint and handling and often necessitates the use of sedation or anaesthesia for thorough examination. It is important that the basic principles of good anaesthesia are applied, that the patient and equipment are prepared correctly and that appropriate methods of chemical restraint are chosen.

Alongside a growing general interest in wildlife health there has been an encouraging growth of input by professional veterinary bodies into monitoring zoonoses, infectious diseases and new pathogens and environmental pollutants. This chapter explores the methods and challenges of clinical pathology of wildlife, including: sampling methods, diagnostic tests, interpretation and record-keeping, and post-mortem examinations.

Hedgehogs are easily recognized by their distinctive spines and are familiar to most people as they often inhabit parks and gardens near to human habitation. Their popularity, relative abundance and easy capture make them one of the most common wildlife patients presented for veterinary attention, with thousands taken into care annually. This chapter covers: ecology and biology; anatomy and physiology; capture, handling and transportation; clinical assessment; first aid and hospitalization; anaesthesia and analgesia; specific conditions; therapeutics; husbandry; rearing of hoglets; rehabilitation and release; and legal considerations.

The veterinary surgeon’s role in the investigation of wildlife crime falls within the developing specialist area of forensic veterinary medicine. The standard of investigation and reporting of alleged wildlife crime has improved markedly in recent times and, consequently, investigators have high expectations of the potential depth and quality of evidence provided by the veterinary profession. This chapter gives information to help veterinary surgeons recognize and record potential wildlife crimes to a standard that will assist the investigation process.

There is an expectation and a responsibility (moral and legal) for veterinary practices to provide good and accurate advice to members of the public who discover, report and attempt to intervene with wildlife casualties. Staff must be aware of the appropriate methods of capture, handling and transportation, including the risk of bites and scratches, and zoonotic diseases.

The very ‘wildness’ of wildlife casualties is central to the veterinary surgeon’s goals in their treatment. This chapter considers the ethical judgements to be made concerning wildlife casualties, and highlights the considerations and complications of managing wildlife casualties. It aims to encourage the reader to take a holistic view of the individual wildlife casualty in the context of the ecosystem from which it originated.