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Hedgehogs should also be given a variety of vegetables, such as beans, cooked carrots, squash, peas, tomatoes, and leafy greens. Dr. Kehoe warns that only very small amounts of fruits—less than ¼ teaspoon per day—should be offered as treats. Fruits are high in sugar. Fresh water should be always available in a shallow pan and changed daily. No additives are needed for your hedgehog’s water. Exercise and Veterinary Care for Your Hedgehog In the wild hedgehogs are good swimmers and agile climbers. They may run several miles a night. In captivity, they need an enclosure large enough to allow for natural foraging behavior. Dr. Kehoe recommends providing an exercise wheel, but the wheel must have a solid bottom, not a wire one, which can lead to severe injuries such as broken legs. “Since hedgehogs are nocturnal, nighttime is the best time to interact with your pet,” says Dr. Kehoe. “Interaction is mentally stimulating for your hedgehog and allows them to become more comfortable with you and with handling.”
One warning about handling hedgehogs, though: hedgehogs can carry the salmonella bacteria without showing any symptoms. Salmonella causes a disease in humans and animals with the symptoms of diarrhea, weight loss, and dehydration. This disease can be fatal if left untreated. For this reason, it is very important to use caution and wash your hands after handling your pet. Hedgehogs typically live 4 to 6 years, and Dr. Kehoe recommends a veterinary checkup every six months. Common health concerns in hedgehogs include obesity, fatty liver disease, cancer, wobbly hedgehog syndrome, skin disease, and dental disease. Unspayed female hedgehogs can also develop reproductive diseases. Obesity and fatty liver disease can be prevented by giving your pet a proper diet and plenty of exercise. If you have questions about hedgehogs or other pets, please see your local veterinarian. Source: College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Social Aims
Warren County Connection
Sun Protection = Skin Care Prevention As the sun and fun of summer begin, most people think of sun protection only when they spend a day at the lake, beach, or pool. However, sun exposure adds up day after day all year long. It’s also the time of year we think more about skin cancer which is by far the most common type of cancer in the United States and worldwide. 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70 and more than two people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour.
“We see people at our practice at UConn having sunburns during June more often than we do in July or August,” said Dr. Philip Kerr, Chair of Dermatology, UConn Health. He said the June sun is the strongest because the days are long and the sun is directly over us. Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Most of this exposure comes from the sun, but some can come from man-made sources, such as indoor tanning beds and sun lamps. People who get a lot of exposure to UV rays are at greater risk for skin cancer. The main types of UV rays that can affect your skin include UVA rays and UVB rays. UVB rays have more energy and are a more potent cause of at least some skin cancers, but both UVA and UVB rays can damage skin and cause skin cancer. There are no safe UV rays. “Any color to the skin including a tan is the skin’s way of protecting itself from UV radiation by producing more melanin,” says Dr. Hao Feng, a Mohs micrographic surgeon and the Director of Laser Surgery and Cosmetic Dermatology at UConn Health. Sunburn accelerates skin aging and is a leading cause in the majority of cases of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer worldwide. In the United States, it accounts for approximately 80 percent of all skin cancers. The majority of basal cell carcinomas are easily and successfully treated with current therapies. According to Dr. Feng, basal cell carcinomas are most commonly found on the face, neck, ear, trunk, or other parts of the body that are frequently exposed to the sun. The cure (Continued on page 9)
