Vets 'pop' hedgehog

to save its life after it balloons to size of football

Vets had to save a hedgehog by popping it after it ballooned to the size of a football.
A woman found the hugely inflated hog, nicknamed Michelin, curled up on her driveway and became worried because it was unable to move.
She managed to pick up the prickly creature and took him to a nearby animal rescue centre where experts deflated him.
The unusual condition which caused Michelin to swell with air is called "ballooning".
It is caused by air escaping from the hedgehog's lungs and being trapped underneath its skin.


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A rare condition has left 'Michelin' (right) full of air and the size of a football, (left) a normal sized fully grown hedgehog
This causes the animal to gradually inflate until it is disproportionably large.
Sara Cowen, Head Veterinary Nurse at Wildlife Aid in Leatherhead, Surrey, managed to deflate Michelin.
She made a small scalpel incision in the hedgehog's skin and then inserted a short piece of plastic tubing.
Wildlife Aid spokeswoman Becky Banning said: "It's basically a bit like popping a balloon.
"The air escaped with a loud 'phfwooooft' noise and within three hours he was back to his normal size."
Michelin, who had been found outside a house in Mickleham, Surrey, has now been put on a three day course of antibiotics to heal his lungs.
The tube has been left in place until he is completely better.
It will then be removed and the incision stitched.
Becky added: "Michelin is recovering well but if you don't catch a ballooning hedgehog in time it will expand until it can no longer move and will then starve to death."
Hedgehogs can be susceptible to the condition if their lungs are injured or punctured, causing air to leak and become trapped under their skin.
Wildlife Aid urges people to take care when carrying out garden maintenance because hedgehogs find their homes in hedges, trees and compost heaps and at this time of year may have young they are feeding and rearing.

Poor little thing

So glad someone found him, he is very lucky poor little hoggie xx