Nurse provides compassionate care for a hoglet

Natalie Sargent
RVN
Tremain Veterinary Group

The context

A client dropped off a juvenile hedgehog which was underweight, malnourished and lethargic. The client was distressed about the situation as they had been unable to feed the hedgehog at home.

The action

Natalie volunteered to take on the responsibility of caring for the hedgehog. She went out of her way to research specific nursing care for hoglets and advocated for its care. She spent several days engaging in round the clock feeding and medicating for the hoglet. Natalie worked with the wider veterinary team to come up with a treatment plan and used it as a teaching opportunity for the SVN and vets in the clinic. Although she provided the best of care, she did make the decision to euthanise the hoglet when the prognosis became guarded due to neurologic signs.

The ripple effect

Natalie’s dedication to helping the hedgehog was inspiring to the team. Although we mainly treat cats and dogs, I felt a great deal of admiration for the high level of care she provided. Her ability to turn the situation into a teaching moment was amazing. The entire team was able to improve their hedgehog knowledge, allowing us to help other hedgehogs in the future. Although the outcome was not positive, she provided the hoglet with a peaceful passing without suffering. It brought the entire team a feeling of appreciation that all efforts were made and that we can help even the most unlikely of critters.

Voting opens 13 November.