DOI : 10.56496 / IUBT9985

Jordan Vile , RVN , DipVNZS , APVN ( Small Animal , Avian , Herp , Wildlife , Zoo Animals )

ZSL London Zoo

ENVELOPE jordanvilee @ hotmail . co . uk

Jordan qualified as an RVN in May 2022 and works as a veterinary nurse in the veterinary department at ZSL London Zoo . She loves working with exotic and zoo animals , and has her full certificate in exotic veterinary nursing . She is currently undertaking her emergency and critical care certificate . Her passion for helping exotic animals began with her African pygmy hedgehog Mable , who received the first documented diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in the species . The diagnosis sparked Jordan ' s desire to become a veterinary nurse and to help exotic animals get the gold standard of care they require .

ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disease , which can affect African pygmy hedgehogs ( Aterlerix albiventris ). However , there are very few scientific studies on the condition in this species .

This article will discuss a case of diabetes mellitus in an African pygmy hedgehog , from the clinical signs that prompted veterinary attention to the successful management of this case with twicedaily insulin injections .

Keywords African pygmy hedgehog , diabetes mellitus , Aterlerix albiventris

Introduction

African pygmy hedgehogs ( Aterlerix albiventris ) have become popular household pets , particularly since social media coverage of the species has increased . However , their health can become a problem and there are few published scientific articles or case studies on the species .

Diabetes mellitus ( DM ) is a common condition and is the subject of some literature [ 1 ] . However , at the time of writing , there is no information available on the treatment options for DM in African pygmy hedgehogs . This article will discuss a case of DM in the species , including the initial clinical signs and diagnosis , and the successful management of the case following a trial of twice-daily insulin injections .

32 Veterinary Nursing Journal