What to do about the hedgehog!

[pembo]

So the shortened story is that I have a pet albino pygmy hedgehog, picked it up 2 years ago as a bit of a spur of the moment thing but it's quite a fun and easy pet to have.... until this week.

We noticed when cleaning out her cage that there were spots of blood in her cage (hedgehogs don't have periods) and then when we got her out for a play and a bath we noticed that there was a bit of a lump in her groin area and just before we put her back we noticed a bit of blood coming from her genitals.

This started the discussion with the OH about visiting the vet, as a typical bloke I avoid the doctors and just believe I will 'get over it' and thought the hedgehog should do the same but the OH was adamant and she was booked in to see the vet yesterday evening.

Well she had to go back today for an ultrasound and now they have advised that she needs an operation to be spayed and have a 2x4cm tumor removed!

I've been thinking it over and not wanting to cause the poor thing any more pain but also not wanting to end her life as she seems to be fine and happy otherwise.

So we went with the operation and I am picking her up this evening but it's not the cheapest thing I've ever done and I'm not looking forward to paying it (hedgehog insurance is not very common so I haven't got it) but hopefully she will be all sorted soon.

I was just wondering what the general opinion on this is, would you have gone with fixing her up or let her go?

[pembo]

Affording it is the issue, Mr Credit-Card has come out to help me out again, just after I'd managed to get them all cleared.

Might have affected the holiday this year but at least she's sorted so it could just be a road trip to Scotland instead of a week in Quatar, I might just take her with us to show her what she has lowered me to

Here is the pic, no custard though, I don't like the stuff:

[bexVN]

Assuming she has a good prognosis (as much as a vet can make) then I'd have gone for it. She may not deal well with the surgery (not sure as I've never seen a hedgehog be spayed) so there is a risk of putting her through surgery and her not recovering but equally she could do really well and she deserves that chance.

Hope she's all ok soon

[mrmaggit]

Assuming the Vet can do it, fix her up.

[Superficial]

If the vet's prognosis was that she would have a fighting chance of a good life after the op then I'd have gone for it, 100%. IMO, cost should never be a factor in treatment, just the animals best interests.

[Happy82]

I was willing to pay the £370 required for an operation on my Guinea Pig after he had eaten a cork pin board and it had swelled in his tummy, however he died shortly before it was due to take place

The way I saw it was that it was his life against me working for four weeks (was working behind a bar at the time on about £3 an hour), and I thought it morally wrong to let money be more important than his life.

[pembo]

I'm glad it seems everyone feels I made the right decision, I'm sure a few people would think I'm crazy but now I'm happy to say she seems to be doing well after the operation yesterday, when I picked her up she seemed a bit dozy and slumped out on my lap for ages but she has had a good sleep and is running about today.

I was more worried about paying to put her through pain and then have her die on us straight after but early signs seem quite good so I'm hoping she will be fine for a little while longer now.

Back to the vet today in my lunch hour so she is back in the office with me keeping everyone entertained.

[Munter]

I'd have paid for it.

I'm paying x00 to have the cats bladder scanned to look for stones/crystals etc. That's before any treatment/operation.

He's already had £300 of dental. (Insurance will not cover as they consider the problems to be "existing conditions" before we took out the policy)