As we’re coming into the summer months I thought it would be a good idea to talk about Heat stroke in guinea pigs and how to prevent it.
Guinea Pigs are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature. 20 degrees or over is considered on the warmer side and owners should watch out for symptoms of heatstroke.
Symptoms of Heatstroke
- Drooling
- Eyes that have sunken or closed
- Limp, weak, floppy, lethargic and unable to stand
- Rapid breathing or reverse shallow breathing
- Mouth, lips and feet can turn blue tinged
- Seizures
How to treat Heatstroke
At the earliest opportunity, call your vet and get immediate treatment. If this isn’t possibly for a few hours, then follow the steps below.
Firstly you want to take your Guinea Pig out of the current area it is in and take it indoors. Preferably a cooler area in the house.
Soak a few tea towels in cool water, wring them out and then wrap the Guinea Pig up. Change the towels every 5 minutes to keep them cool and continue this until the Guinea Pig starts to recover – Getting their strength back up, ears not as hot, and breathing calmer.
Do not ever put your Guinea Pig in cool water or pour water over them, as this can cause shock.
Put Vicks Vaporub on the end of their nose or nearby can help ease their breathing.
Do not syringe feed your Guinea Pig, because their could potentially be fluid on the lungs and your Guinea pig will be too weak to swallow. This could lead to infections or pneumonia.
Treatment afterwards
Give fluids for several days after heatstroke. You must keep the Guinea Pig hydrated is extremely important, because heatstroke can cause renal issues. Water should be careful syringed orally and should be aimed to be continued every 2 hours, especially if it’s still warm outside.
Keep an eye on your pet for several days after heatstroke, just to make sure they are back to normal health again.
If you have any concerns, make sure you call a vet.
How to prevent heat stroke
If your Guinea pig lives outdoors, make sure the hutch is kept out of direct sunlight, because these can rise 8-19 degrees more than the outside temperature. If you’re Guinea Pig is inside, make sure they aren’t in direct sun light as the plastic could get very hot for Guinea Pigs.
Use lighter fleece items and other bedding will be cooler for Guinea Pigs. If you’re using fleece, make sure the cage is in a well ventilated and make sure they can hide underneath it, because they can overheat. Cuddlesacks, fleece BC beds and other cosy toys shouldn’t be used in warm weather. Also be cautious when using plastic hideys, because the heat can rise very quickly in them.
When travelling, make sure you use a large carrier, because this will allow for more air to pass through and help Guinea Pigs breath better.
Where ever you live, there will be cooler hours during the day, so make sure if putting your Guinea Pigs out on the grass, to put them out during the cooler hours of the day. In the UK, these hours are normally between 7-8 am and 7-8pm
If you put your Guinea Pigs in the garden, try and give them as much shade as possible, so use blankets or towels to cover parts of the run which has sun in.
Always make sure your Guinea Pigs have fresh cold water all day, and ensuring you change it at least 2x a day. Giving watery Fruit and Vegetables (Cucumber and Watermelon) during the day, will also help keep them hydrated.
For those longer hair piggies, make sure you give them a trim and even thin out their fur to ensure they can be as cool as possible.
You can use fans to keep the air circulating around the the room, but make sure it’s not being pointed directly at the cage. You can also use air conditioning, but again don’t let it aim directly at the cage and make sure the temperature stays steady.
If you have any old tiles from the kitchen floor or bathroom floor, then you can use those to keep your Guinea Pig cool. Do not put them directly in the sun light as these can get exceptionally hot and make sure they don’t have any sharp edges, so it won’t cause any injuries.
You can freeze water bottles or ice packs, wrap them in towels, socks or blankets and put them in areas of the cage so your Guinea Pig can lay next to it if it’s getting a little warm.
Come back next Sunday for more interesting facts about Guinea Pigs!
Lokiandthor18 