Yesterday was hard. We made the tough decision to have our 5 year old hedgehog, Miss Prickles (aka Hedgie) "put to sleep". She was an anniversary present from my husband (four years prior), and by far the best surprise he has ever given me! She grew to trust me, to recognize the sound of my voice, my scent etc., and I grew to love her more than I ever could have imagined! Hedgehogs are so unique, so quirky, and curious. Not to mention, absolutely adorable!
Knowing that this little ball of spikes and fur had gone from being afraid of everyone, to trusting only me, made me feel so special, and really bonded us. People often think that hedgehogs are just mean, but that's not true...they are afraid. They are solitary animals, that assume everyone and everything is a threat, and react accordingly. However, once you earn their trust, you will see them in a whole new light! It is a wonderful feeling of privilege, knowing you have made it into their "circle of trust".
Last week, when we were cleaning out her cage, we noticed she was having difficulty walking. I attributed that to her longer nails (hedgehogs require monthly nail trimmings). The next evening, I gave her a bath, and trimmed her nails, and during that bath she kept falling over to one side, seemingly unable to keep her balance. By that night, she was no longer able to walk. This was on a Friday, and she spent the entire weekend unable to walk. I fed her, and gave her water by hand, and she was very alert and still had a good appetite, which made her lack of mobility even more heartbreaking to watch. Just the week before, she was running on her excercise wheel, and seemingly fine. Her decline was rapid, and I knew (due to her age) she was likely just reaching the end of her life, and that she would not recover.
First thing Monday morning, we called several vets. We initially found only one that specialized in "exotics", but they could not get her in until the next morning. I couldn't bare the thought of her spending yet another day just laying on her side, unable to move. We found an amazing veterinary hospital, with a kind and compassionate doctor, who could see her that afternoon. I wrapped her in one of my shirts, so that my scent would comfort her, as I held her and waited for the doctor to come in. In the end, the doctor agreed that euthanasia was probably the most humane decision. She explained the process very thoroughly, and allowed me to be with my sweet girl throughout most of it. It is not a quick process, like it is with a cat or a dog, because Hedgie's have a much more rapid heartbeat, so it's more difficult to slow it down. She was given Co2 (rendering her unconscious), and then an injection to slow her heart. She was a fighter, and kept holding on. She had to be given another injection, and then she passed just as the doctor was handing her back to me.
I cried pretty much the entire time. I never expected to have to go through something so heartbreaking with her. I suppose, I expected her to just pass away one day in her sleep, rather than having to watch her slowly and miserably decline. The euthanasia was also more drawn out and traumatic than I had expected. I had Colton (my eight year old) with me, while my husband waited in the car with our toddler, so I was trying to "keep it together", but I just couldn't. I sobbed all the way back to the car, with her lifeless body still wrapped in my shirt.
We buried her in our garden that evening, and placed a hedgehog statue over top, as her grave marker. It was beyond hard.
I think most people who have never owned a hedgehog would wonder how the loss of one could possibly be so devastating. But those who have loved and lost a hedgie, know all too well.