THANK you for publishing the British Hedgehog Preservation Society's advice on care and feeding (June 17).

Meat-based dog or cat food and water are, as they have said, the correct things to offer; but many people still put out bread and milk, both of which are extremely dangerous as insectivores such as hedgehogs are unable to digest them.

Apart from slug pellets, the other major hazard is lung-worm infestation, which causes pulmonary damage and fatal pneumonia. Any hedgehog which is breathing too fast and/or coughing needs urgent attention from a veterinary surgeon who deals with wildlife.

St Tiggywinkle's Hospital (tel 01844-292292) will fax details of their lung-worm treatment to any vet who asks for it, and the medication can be delivered to the surgery within hours by the nearest veterinary pharmacy.

Finally, hedgehogs are nocturnal, so a hedgehog who is out in daylight is in trouble, either for health reasons, or because of starvation. Once inside a rescue box it will need air, water, food, and newspaper with which to make a nest, as its first priority will be to cover itself over, hence making it invisible to predators.

Louise Grahame,

Trafalgar Street,

South Bank,

York.

Updated: 10:15 Wednesday, June 23, 2004