Wildlife

I usually try to get people who find sick or injured wildlife to call the National Control Centre as the Animal Welfare Officers are better placed to handle them than we are. However I did bike over and collect a hedgehog on  Friday as the caller didn't have anywhere safe to shut it in away from her two dogs.

Took Hhog in to the clinic on Saturday when I went in for Taylor's weekly foot examination and the clinician diagnosed probable lungworm infestation and gave him subcutaneous fluids and panacur.

The problem with treating lungworms is that, although panacur wormer will kill off the parasites, it's not good for you to have dead worms embedded in your lungs either. By yesterday evening the hedgehog was obviously worse and he'd also opened up a nasty puncture wound which had fly eggs developing into maggots, so I ran him in to the hospital as an emergency. Sadly, they called in the morning to say he was still deteriorating and recommending euthanasia.

Unfortunately almost any wild animal will be extremely ill or injured before it will let humans get up close, meaning there's a dilemma of whether you are simply prolonging the animal's distress by trying to treat.

On a happier note, Taylor's sore feet are gradually improving and only one still looks really bad.

If anyone has lost a budgie, one was handed in to Village Vets over the weekend and will be adopted by one of the nurses if no-one claims him.