Hedgehog chest scab: How to stop her picking and help it heal?

Hello, and thank you for your question. Possible causes of itching in hedgehogs include dry skin, mites, bacterial infection, or ringworm. I'd recommend starting with a vet exam, who may be able to help pinpoint a cause by physical exam alone. They will likely recommend a medication for mites, even if none are seen, as mites are a common cause of itching. In the meantime, you can try supplementing Gummy's diet with a bit of omega 3 oil in case dryness is involved. I'd also do a thorough clean of her cage, accessories and bedding in case of mites, although this won't be effective in itself - we'd need to treat Gummy with medication from the vet as well. I hope this helps, and that Gummy is feeling better soon!

Hello, my name is Dr. Elizabeth and I am happy to help. I hate to hear this lesion on Patch is not healing. I think the main thing to address is the licking. The first thing you need to do is stop the licking (since this can make it worse). Patches should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Remember that the collar must come out past her nose in order to be effective. Next, wear gloves to handle the lesion and be sure to wash your hands afterwards. Get pet wipes that contain Chlorhexidine. Cleanse the area twice a day. This will help to control the number of topical pathogens as well as remove oil and dead skin cells. Lastly, after the area is completely dry, apply a topical antibiotic twice a day. Just a dab will do and rub it in well. Neosporin is fine to use. Again, wear gloves or apply with a q-tip. Patches needs to be indoors at all times. Cats can't wear elizabethan collars outside as they are a choking hazard if they were to get hung up. She can only wear the collar if she is in a safe environment. If the spot is not much better in 1 week, if it gets worse at any point or if the lesion is not completely healed within 2 weeks, Patches needs to be examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

Hi, and thanks for your question. Even though a picture would help to give you a more specific answer, this presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths twice daily. If the cut does not heal in the next 4-5 days or is worsening a check up would be required. Neosporin is not needed at this stage, if the cut is small and minor as you described, disinfection will be enough. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any scratching (if any). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Yes, I would temporarily remove her wheel. You can also try using this spray on her lesions. If no improvement in a week or so you should have a vet check her as this could be ringworm or skin mites. https://vetericyn.com/product/vetericyn-plus-all-animal-wound-and-skin-care/

I think it will be fine to try and treat this at home for now (even though we don't know the cause), but would recommend a visit to the vet if it doesn't get better in 2 weeks. Here are my recommendations: 1) Clip the hair around the area and expose all of the sore skin. 2) Wash/spray the area with just cool, clean water (no soap or other antiseptics) for at least 5 minutes at a time. Do this at least twice a day. 3) Bandage the wound with gauze and apply an over-the-counter antibacterial cream (i.e Neosporin) to the wound. Keeping it covered and keeping Snoball from licking it will be the most difficult part of the treatment. You can help keep the bandage on by placing a good (really sticky) tape above and below the bandage. You can find sprays in the pet store, like bitter apple, that are meant to deter licking. This can be sprayed on the bandage (not the wound) to help keep Snoball from chewing it off. NOTE: Be careful not to bandage too tight or it can cut-off the circulation. If you notice that the toes/foot starts to swell, then remove the bandage and leave it off until the swelling goes down. You can also help keep the bandage on by taping a clean sock over the bandage. These types of lesions tend to take a long time to heal, so don't be surprised if its not completely healed until a month later. Once the skin looks normal and Snoball stops trying to lick, you can stop the cleaning/bandaging. I hope that helps and Snoball gets better soon.

Thanks for reaching out about Peggy and including a photo. The skin does appear a little flakey. Dermatopathies such as quill mites, skin infections, vitamin A deficiencies or other nutritional problems needs to be investigated. Monitor her for being itchy. If you continue to have problems or the condition progresses, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

I am so sorry that this is happening to you and Hoshi. I didn’t see how long you have had Hoshi, or how old she is, but there are a few things that could be going on. She may be itchy - this can be due to infectious diseases, such as parasites. She may have also traumatized herself and now is not letting it heal and making it worse. She could also have a growth, or mass, in the region that is growing and bothering her, or it could be another cause. I would recommend taking her to see a veterinarian. They can evaluate her for parasites, and can look at a sample of the affected region under the microscope to determine what is going on. They can also prescribe her pain medications, and potentially other medications depending on what is going on. Please don’t give any human medications to Hoshi, as many of them are harmful to our furry friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!