Treatment of a Thyroid Tumor in an African Pygmy Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

A 4-year-old, intact male, African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) was presented for evaluation of a 1.5 × 2.5 cm firm mass on the right ventral neck. The ventral cervical mass was surgically resected and histopathologically diagnosed as a presumptive metastatic C-cell carcinoma. Following surgery, the hedgehog was treated with a total of 32 Gy (8 Gy/fraction for 4 weekly fractions) via external beam radiation therapy. No acute radiation side effects were noted during or 1 week post–radiation therapy. At the time of writing, the hedgehog was 9 months postdiagnosis with no evidence of local recurrence or metastatic disease.