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Hedgehogs For most of us, our first knowledge of hedgehogs came from a Beatrix Potter story about Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, a matronly washer-“woman”. (The story, written in 1905, is not as well known as her story about Peter Rabbit.) Native to Asia, Africa, continental Europe, and Britain, hedgehogs are most closely related to the shrew family. Despite their prickly appearance they are not related to the porcupine. There are 14 different species of hedgehogs across the world. They come in a wide variety of colors including Salt and Pepper, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Champagne, and Apricot. The color is in the quills which are generally white with colored bands. The quills are quite remarkable. The average “hedgie” has 7,000 quills. Rather than being solid the quills are filled with a complex network of air chambers; this makes the quill light, strong, and virtually unbreakable. If you are interested in adopting a hedgehog please visit www.hedgehogclub.com to find the rescue closest to you, or contact Lori Keller via e-mail at lori_j_keller@yahoo.com. There is an initial consultation with Lori to see if you would be a good hedgehog “parent”. A donation is requested for the actual adoption. Goodbye Stacey, Jen, and Danielle Welcome new veterinary students Chaplin McWhorter comes from Dallas, Texas. She received her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Kansas in 1999. After graduation she worked in a public relations firm in Chicago where she was involved in the “Got Milk?” advertising campaign. After working for a while in the business world, Chaplin decided that veterinary medicine was the direction she wanted to take. She gained experience working for a small animal emergency clinic in the Denver area. Now in her first year in veterinary school at The Ohio State University, Chaplin is a member of the milking team and the Veterinary Business Management Association. She enjoys jogging and downhill skiing, and spending time with her Persian cat, Tonka. Kathy Galan was born in Slovakia but came to the United States at two years of age. She graduated from State University of New York – Binghamton in 2004 with a degree in Biology. This is her first year at The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Kathy has a special interest in exotics and small animal medicine and is active in the veterinary fraternity, Omega Tau Sigma. In her spare time she likes literature, traveling (she has visited her home country), and working to socialize her two parakeets, Sunny and Buddy. Amy Pugh is a native of Findlay, Ohio. She received a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Biology from Bowling Green State University. She is a first year student in the veterinary school at The Ohio State University and is active in the Student Chapter of the Academy of Veterinary Medicine along with the Exotics Club. Amy is also on the milking team at OSU. She enjoys roller blading, listening to music, and socializing with friends. Her pet family consists of Bailey, a Beagle, her Domestic Shorthair cat, Pootie, two cockatiels, Rockefeller and Krista, and a hedgehog she calls Doña Juanita. Welcome to Courtney Welcome to Emmy Welcome to Jonas Phillip Testing for Prescription Medications What will we be testing for? Depending on the condition we are treating and your pet's current health status we may do tests to screen the following.
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Bob, a new four-legged member of the staff at East Hilliard Veterinary Services, has sparked a lot of interest in hedgehogs. As clients come into our reception area they are always checking on Bob, often asking to hold him. Stephanie, our receptionist, is usually happy to comply. We adopted Bob through Lori Keller, a client of ours who does Hedgehog rescue. (More information on hedgehog rescue and adoption is at the end of the article.)
The domestic hedgehog is a result of cross-breeding of the White-Bellied hedgehog of central Africa and the Algerian hedgehog, found primarily along the Mediterranean coast of Africa. The average size of domestic hedgehogs is one to two pounds. In the wild, hedgehogs eat insects, small rodents, and snakes. Domestic hedgehogs can be fed a specially formulated hedgehog food or a quality dry cat food, and they enjoy treats of meal worms and crickets.
Hedgehogs are nocturnal, most active after dark. Once socialized, they have a quiet and gentle disposition and can be very affectionate, even snuggling up with their owner and watching television. They are intelligent and enjoy playing in tunnels and mazes and running on a hedgehog wheel. 
At the base, the quill is firmly attached to muscle tissue. When threatened, the hedgehog rolls into a ball and contracts those muscles drawing the quills into an upright position, forming a nearly impenetrable barrier. The quills also help cushion falls.
Anointing is another unique characteristic of hedgehogs. When they encounter an unfamiliar scent they may froth at the mouth to create a foamy lather which is then deposited on their quills. The jury is still out on why hedgehogs anoint; it is theorized that anointing is used to mask their scent. 
The time has come again for us to say goodbye and good luck to three valued staff members. Veterinary students Stacey Poskarbiewicz, Jen Huck, and Danielle Badami are headed into the portion of their schooling referred to as clinics. It is a very busy time for them with no time to work for us too. From what we’ve seen while working with them, all three of these young ladies will be excellent veterinarians. While we are sad to see them go, we wish all of them the best of luck.
As the fourth-year students move on, we welcome three new first-year students
to our staff. 
Emmy
is the newest four-legged member of the staff. She came to us one evening
after being hit by a car on Brown Park Drive. She was a neighborhood
stray which we’d seen on occasion but were never able to approach.
She received fairly severe head injuries and required treatment for
shock, and supportive therapy. As she recovered from her injuries we
worked to socialize her, then adopted her into our family. As a result
of her injuries she is only partially sighted and although friendly,
she is easily startled.
Medications play a very important role in your pet's health care. Getting the correct dose on the correct schedule is not your veterinarian's only concern. Many medications, especially ones used long term require regular testing to monitor the medication's effect on your pet's organs. We'll test before starting the medication to be sure organ function is normal and to establish a base line, then test periodically during treatment to monitor response and uncover any hidden reactions. Should a problem arise, we can alter the treatment plan.