Hyperglycemia in Pet African Pygmy Hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris): Prevalence, Clinical Characteristics, and Prognostic Indicators of Severe Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is known to negatively affect various animal species, but data on African pygmy hedgehogs remain limited. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of hyperglycemia and evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of severe hyperglycemia (≥180 mg/dL) in hedgehogs. A retrospective review of medical records from 252 hedgehogs and 579 blood test results collected between 2019 and 2021 was performed. Among the 252 hedgehogs, 28 were identified with severe hyperglycemia, indicating a prevalence of 11.1%. The frequency of hyperglycemic samples among all blood tests was 48.1%, and that of severe hyperglycemia was 11.6%. In hedgehogs with severe hyperglycemia, the mean blood glucose level was 269.1 ± 81.6 mg/dL (range, 186-522), and the mortality rate was 53.6% (15/28). The severity of anorexia on the day of diagnosis was significantly associated with mortality (<i>p</i> = 0.013). Hedgehogs that recovered from hyperglycemia by the next test showed favorable outcomes (<i>p</i> < 0.001). These findings suggest that anorexia severity and early glucose normalization may serve as potential prognostic indicators and provide baseline data for improving the clinical management of hyperglycemia in hedgehogs.