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Fozzy heat stroke

nedajaffa

nedajaffa

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 27, 2013
Messages
220
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284
Points
345
Location
West Berkshire
Hi all,
Yesterday my Mr Fozz got heat stroke. I'm devastated.
We cooled him down at home (damp towel, lukewarm bath etc.) and gave cc and rehydration solution. Wasn't eating or drinking. He spent the nights with the vet. His temp. was 40 deg!

This morning we've collected him. His temp is down to 38.5 and he's showing some interest in food. Still "unFozzy" like. However, has eaten some hay.

My plan today is to keep him cool and watch him like a hawk. The AC is running to cool down the room. Is there anything else I need to do? Any words of wisdom, experience or just encouragement willingly received!
X
 
VickiA said:
I think I’d be tempted to syringe feed as a top up while he is recovering. Perhaps give a watery solution to help him with fluids?
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Agree. We gave some yesterday as he hadn't eaten. Even though I've seen him eat some hay today, I still think cc will be needed. Thanks x
 
nedajaffa said:
Agree. We gave some yesterday as he hadn't eaten. Even though I've seen him eat some hay today, I still think cc will be needed. Thanks x
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You’re welcome. Sorry I can’t offer more help. Hopefully @Wiebke may have more tips x
 
nedajaffa said:
Hi all,
Yesterday my Mr Fozz got heat stroke. I'm devastated.
We cooled him down at home (damp towel, lukewarm bath etc.) and gave cc and rehydration solution. Wasn't eating or drinking. He spent the nights with the vet. His temp. was 40 deg!

This morning we've collected him. His temp is down to 38.5 and he's showing some interest in food. Still "unFozzy" like. However, has eaten some hay.

My plan today is to keep him cool and watch him like a hawk. The AC is running to cool down the room. Is there anything else I need to do? Any words of wisdom, experience or just encouragement willingly received!
X
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Hi!

I am very sorry.

Please read the advice in the links below. Heat stroke can cause GI stasis (the guts stop working). It is vital that you support him with syringe feed and that you monitor his weight on a daily basis.
Please do not run the A/C unit aimed at him full blast; that can cause a respiratory infection. Place a dampened sheet in between so the evaporating water will additionally cool the air.
Follow the tips on how to keep him cool in the hot weather guide; I have included about every tip I have ever come across, from keeping the flat/house as cool as possible to what you can do to keep your piggy as cool as possible!

Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike
Bloat, GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight Monitoring and Management
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

I am very sorry.

Please read the advice in the links below. Heat stroke can cause GI stasis (the guts stop working). It is vital that you support him with syringe feed and that you monitor his weight on a daily basis.
Please do not run the A/C unit aimed at him full blast; that can cause a respiratory infection. Place a dampened sheet in between so the evaporating water will additionally cool the air.
Follow the tips on how to keep him cool in the hot weather guide; I have included about every tip I have ever come across, from keeping the flat/house as cool as possible to what you can do to keep your piggy as cool as possible!

Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike
Bloat, GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight Monitoring and Management
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Thank you. Do you know how long the recovery period should last? Apart from showing some interest in food, there are few outward signs of improvement. I'm terribly worried about him.
X
 
nedajaffa said:
Thank you. Do you know how long the recovery period should last? Apart from showing some interest in food, there are few outward signs of improvement. I'm terribly worried about him.
X
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Hi!

Have you started feeding him every two hours round the clock to get the gut going? This is absolutely vital!
Please read the links, they can make the difference between your boy winning through or not! He is by no means out of the woods yet.

There is no set time for recovery; it usually takes several days in more severe cases. It all depends on how badly the heat stroke has affected/damaged his body.
Please keep him as cool and calm as possible, make sure that feed him to keep the body going and to give him the energy he needs for a recovery. The fact that he is nibbling means that the guts have started working/not stopped completely but it is down to your care to keep the conveyor belt going. Please be strong for him and do your own bit to keep him going as much as possible. He is very weak right now as his body has been under immense pressure, and with the ongoing high temperatures that is continuing.

Have you put a bottle of water (not full) in the freezer to put in the cage wrapped in a towel as soon as it is frozen solid for the hottest hours of the day?
 
nedajaffa said:
I've taken him back I to the vets. They'll keep him in over night again.
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Are they syringe feeding him? Unlike cats and dogs he cannot go long without eating. A healthy guinea pig eats the equivalent of up to 120 ml in a day.
 
Wiebke said:
Are they syringe feeding him? Unlike cats and dogs he cannot go long without eating. A healthy guinea pig eats the equivalent of up to 120 ml in a day.
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Yes, that was one of my main concerns as he's been fighting the cc this morning. They will care for him overnight. I'm so sad. Thanks for your help and advice.
 
nedajaffa said:
Yes, that was one of my main concerns as he's been fighting the cc this morning. They will care for him overnight. I'm so sad. Thanks for your help and advice.
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Hang on in there and concentrate on sending him healing and loving thoughts. You are doing the best you can. :tu:
Right now you are unfortunately in the wait and hope for the best stage. It is a very anxious time. :(
 
Wiebke said:
Hang on in there and concentrate on sending him healing and loving thoughts. You are doing the best you can. :tu:
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Thank you. He's very precious to me (aren't they all?) and I'm beating myself up about not preventing it better. I will send all the love I can to him. X
 
nedajaffa said:
Thank you. He's very precious to me (aren't they all?) and I'm beating myself up about not preventing it better. I will send all the love I can to him. X
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Please try not to beat yourself up too badly. There are always things you learn the hard way because they were not foreseeable and therefore not preventable. It doesn't make you a bad owner. Pet ownership is a life long learning curve. You never start out knowing everything and you will never be perfect.

Heat stroke is very insidious and all too easy to underestimate. We live in an age of weather extremes and that is impacting on so many levels that we cannot anticipate everything all the time. Guinea pigs are also more susceptible at certain ages or under certain circumstances (babies, pregnant sows, illness/underlying problems or old age and increasing frailty).
 
nedajaffa said:
Thank you. He's very precious to me (aren't they all?) and I'm beating myself up about not preventing it better. I will send all the love I can to him. X
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Hang in there. We are all sending you healing vibes and hoping for the best outcome.
 
nedajaffa said:
Thanks so much. Just spoken to the vets, they say he's doing well and pooing. (always my biggest fear!) fingers crossed he can come home. We've missed him terribly.
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Glad that he is doing so much better and that the guts are working. that is always the biggest fear.
I hope that he continues to recover well!
 
Oh gosh it's such a worry. Please don't be too hard on yourself. When the weather spikes it's hard to try and keep them the right temperature. I once had the start of heatstroke with my late piggy Peter. He went very wobbly but was still eating etc. He was vet checked and I kept offering syringe feeding until it was clear he was fine. If he's fighting the feeding it demonstrates he still has some strength and I usually see that as a good sign as they usually only do it when they are starting to be able to eat enough by themselves. Fingers crossed he continues to improve
 
Lady Kelly said:
Oh gosh it's such a worry. Please don't be too hard on yourself. When the weather spikes it's hard to try and keep them the right temperature. I once had the start of heatstroke with my late piggy Peter. He went very wobbly but was still eating etc. He was vet checked and I kept offering syringe feeding until it was clear he was fine. If he's fighting the feeding it demonstrates he still has some strength and I usually see that as a good sign as they usually only do it when they are starting to be able to eat enough by themselves. Fingers crossed he continues to improve
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Thank you, that's very reassuring to know. Poor Mr fozz has always been a "goldilocks" piggy when it comes to heat, (not too hot, not too cold!) I think it's all his wonderful, black fuzzy fur! I just hope that we did enough, earlier enough. The vet said we'd done a good job cooling him down but the not eating is always my biggest concern. Fingers crossed for my sturdy boy. X
 
Wiebke said:
Glad that he is doing so much better and that the guts are working. that is always the biggest fear.
I hope that he continues to recover well!
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Thank you. We lost a piggie to GI stasis so it's always my biggest fear! Fingers crossed
 
nedajaffa said:
Thank you. We lost a piggie to GI stasis so it's always my biggest fear! Fingers crossed
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You have done all the right things to give Fuzzy every chance to pull through.

I always worry myself sick in hot weather (my hub is calling me obsessed) but I have lost too many of my elderly and frail piggies in the wake of a heat spike, simply because the extra pressure on the body tipped an already very frail balance. Thankfully because of my obsession, I have so far never have a piggy with a heat stroke, only some overheating. Rex type piggies with their dense fur are suffering more in the heat, as I know from my own teddies.

But I have had piggies with GI stasis and know myself what a hard battle it can be. It is now a wait because Fuzzy is in the gap where the guts are working but the output is reflecting the intake gap during the heat stroke and the immediate aftermath. That is often the most difficult phase to sit through. All you can do is continue to get as much food in and hope for the gut to pick up speed...
But take heart in that he is past the most dangerous stage now. ;)
 
Fozz is back home! He's eating hay and a few nuggets. Vets say he's passing normal poops. I will continue to cc him though just until I see him really go back to his food. He's more alert than yesterday and is more like his usual self. I'll know he's back on the road when he starts bickering with Rollie again!
 
Sending Fozzy healing vibes. Come on Fozzy - get bickering with your mate again.
Sending you hugs, you've been through a difficult time.
 
piggieminder said:
Sending Fozzy healing vibes. Come on Fozzy - get bickering with your mate again.
Sending you hugs, you've been through a difficult time.
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Thank you! He's now gone to sleep in his favourite bed. Rollie is looking up at him longingly... It's been a long 24hrs for him without Fozz! Pleased that fozz has already had a couple of nuggets and oats, yesterday he would only look at them.
 
nedajaffa said:
Fozz is back home! He's eating hay and a few nuggets. Vets say he's passing normal poops. I will continue to cc him though just until I see him really go back to his food. He's more alert than yesterday and is more like his usual self. I'll know he's back on the road when he starts bickering with Rollie again!
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That is great news! All the best for a quick and full recovery!
 
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