INCREDIBLE images show two “miracle hogs” who managed to survive despite being found getting ravished by over 3,000 blood-sucking ticks.
Annabelle and Rocky were given less than 12 hours to live after being found in a wooded area in Binbrook, Lincolnshire two weeks ago.
The 12-week-old hoglets are believed to have stumbled across a massive tick nest when the pesky parasites decided to leech onto their skin.
Animal rescuers at Cherry Cottage Hedgehog Rescue removed 400 ticks from their eyes and ears alone.
Usually, it only takes around 30 ticks to cause anemia and organ failure in hogs – resulting in their death.
But the prickly duo have shocked animal rescuers after making a full recovery – with tick-free Rocky already being released back into the wild.
Cherry Cottage Hedgehog Rescue shared an adorable photograph on Sunday of Annabelle giving two “high fives” after making a full recovery.
The images were inundated with messaged from animal lovers.
Juliet Prentice said: “Best news all week! Thank you for all you do for these wonderful creatures.”
Ida Walker said: “Great news. Just show what a little bit of love can do.”
Karen Scott said: “That’s fantastic you guys do a great job.
“My dog gets poorly with one or two ticks. I can’t imagine how ill these babies were, and it’s amazing they have survived the ordeal.”
And Karen and Shaun Mullins said: “Awww that double high five is just adorable.”
Joanne Deighton, who runs the rescue centre, today said: ” “The likelihood of survival was very small and the vet stated they would not survive more than 12 hours, over 30 ticks can cause severe anaemia and lead to organ failure.
“The British Hedgehog Preservation Society had never seen anything like it previously.
“I used a treatment not used for hedgehogs previously as the vet said I had nothing to lose.
“I used 400 micrograms of folic acid in a palatable drop daily for seven days.
“Folic acid is part of haematinics and is used to help renew red blood cells and help the blood to transport oxygen around the body.
Rocky had lost 10g in weight from the ticks. Whereas Annabelle, who originally weighed 572g, went down to 352g.
Joanne, from Brocklesby, Lincolnshire worked tirelessly to remove every egg manually, and provided pain relief antibiotics daily for seven days.
Annabelle and Rocky had both been in incubators since their admission.
Cherry Cottage Hedgehog Rescue take in sick hedgehog’s, treat them, and release them back into the wild as soon as they are fit enough.
The rescue centre monitor’s the health of the rescued hedgehogs by marking them humanely with a strip of coloured nail polish.
Joanne added: “I am totally overwhelmed with happiness that they have surpassed all expectations and survived, it makes me very emotional.”
