[Endoparasites of the hedgehog]

There is an increasing number of sick and young hedgehogs presented to veterinarians each fall. These wild hedgehogs are often heavily infected with parasites. Helminths in the respiratory tract (Crenosoma striatum and Capillaria aerophila) cause lung dysfunction. Intestinal tract of these small mammals is often infected by Capillaria erinacei. Furthermore hedgehogs may be occasionally infected by other nematodes (Physaloptera clausa), trematodes (Brachylaemus erinacei) and cestodes (Hymenolepis erinacei). Occasionally hedgehogs are infected by coccidia (Isospora rastegaiev) and cryptosporidia (Cryptosporidium spp.). Increasing importance of hedgehogs in small animal practice requires adequate knowledge about their parasitoses in order to have a sufficient approach to diagnosis and treatment of those infections.