Prevention and Treatment of Gastroenteritis in Hedgehog Farming

1) Causes: Unsanitary feed, moldy and spoiled feed, rotten forage and succulent feed, overeating and indigestion, etc., can cause large numbers of pathogenic microorganisms to enter the hedgehog's body, resulting in gastric dilation, intestinal bloating, hemorrhagic septicemia, paratyphoid, coccidiosis, etc., all of which can secondary cause gastroenteritis.

2) Symptoms: In the early stage of superficial gastrointestinal inflammation, only decreased appetite, indigestion, and transparent mucus attached to the outside of the feces are shown. When the inflammation develops to deeper layers, because gastrointestinal contents accumulate for too long, undergo abnormal fermentation, and bacteria multiply, the toxins produced are absorbed by the body, resulting in metabolic disorders, digestive disturbance, complete refusal to eat, foul-smelling feces, pasty consistency, mixed with mucus and tissue fragments, and diarrhea begins. The sick hedgehog becomes dehydrated, stands motionless, loses weight, has muscle stiffness, reduced urine output, and soon dies.

3) Prevention and treatment

① In the early stage of dehydration, oral rehydration can be given. The formula is sodium chloride 3.5 g + sodium bicarbonate 2.5 g + potassium chloride 1.5 g + glucose 20 g + cool boiled water 1000 ml, and let it drink freely.

② Orally administer Xieliting, 1 tablet per affected hedgehog each time, once a day, for 3-5 consecutive days.

③ Orally administer sulfaguanidine and baking soda 0.01-0.02 g/kg body weight, 3 times a day, for 3-5 consecutive days.

④ Orally administer oxytetracycline powder 0.025 g/kg body weight, 3 times a day, for 3-5 consecutive days.

⑤ Orally administer berberine powder 0.01-0.02 g/kg body weight, 3 times a day, for 3-5 consecutive days.

⑥ Orally administer neomycin 0.025 g/kg body weight, 3 times a day, for 3-5 consecutive days.

⑦ Orally administer furazolidone 5-10 mg/kg body weight, once a day, for 3-5 consecutive days.