23/10/2026
A Little Adventure Gone Wrong
This little Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec managed to escape his enclosure and had a very unlucky encounter with a German shepherd.
He arrived with several deep wounds and needed to be sedated so they could be thoroughly cleaned and flushed. He then spent a couple of days in hospital receiving strong pain relief, antibiotics, supportive care, and close monitoring.
Thankfully, he recovered well and has since been able to return home.
This case is a good reminder that even a short unsupervised adventure can turn into an emergency very quickly, especially for small exotic pets!
Some quick tenrec facts: despite their appearance, tenrecs are not actually related to hedgehogs.
They are native to Madagascar and retain several primitive mammalian traits, including a relatively low and variable body temperature. They can also enter torpor to conserve energy — on a daily basis in very hot weather, or even for up to 5 months at a time when conditions are unsuitable.
Dr Ashleigh is here this Saturday.
She is also available most weekdays depending on the roster. Her knowledge on exotic patients and avian species goes a long way in assisting our community!
