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| ▲ Two cute guinea pigs eating feed (Source: Pixar Bay) |
Short legs and a chubby body, the cute guinea pigs are very sociable and solidified as great pets. If you are welcoming guinea pigs as pets, it is a good idea to keep a few cautions.
Guinea pigs are vulnerable to temperature because they can not sweat like a person, and are prone to heat stroke. According to the Brookhurst Animal Care Center, guinea pigs do not take 10 to 15 minutes to catch heat stroke.
Symptoms of guinea pig fever
1. Rectal body temperature goes up to 39 ~ 40 ℃.
2. Symptoms of dehydration appear, and urine volume decreases.
3. Breathing gets worse.
4. Lethargy symptoms appear.
5. Mainly lying down.
6. Seizures
7. Cramps
8. Increased heart rate
9. Unable to move
Guinea Pig Heatstroke Countermeasures
The first thing to do is to lower the body temperature of the guinea pigs. Avoid direct sunlight and move the guinea pigs to the air-conditioned room, or move the cage in front of sunlight windows.
1. Put the guinea pigs with heat stroke into a container containing lukewarm water at a depth of 4 cm. The guinea pig body should be softened with lukewarm water for about 10 minutes. Ice water should not be used at this time, as guinea pigs can fall into shock.
2. Make sure that guinea pigs are able to consume water.
3. Mix 3/4 cup of water with honey to restore strength. Feed them at two hour intervals until they show a reaction.
4. It is best to keep it in a quiet, dark and cool place, except when feeding the guinea pigs so that they can recover and relieve stress.
5. If you are very debilitated or have a seizure and no response, you should take it to the vet.
Prevention of heat stroke of guinea pig
If you take the guinea pig out of the house on a hot day, avoid direct sunlight and heat. It is recommended to leave it inside when the outside temperature exceeds 27 ℃. You have to play in the shaded places. We must feed large amounts of water and vegetables.
On hot days, you can wrap the ice bucket in a towel and put it in the cage. When the temperature rises, prevention of dehydration is important, so you should be able to feed fresh water.
It is also effective to put a small stone or brick in a corner of the cage. Guinea pigs like a cool surface when they take a break. In addition, the cage should be moved to a place where there is no direct sunlight, and the room temperature should be maintained at 20 ° C. It is also essential to have a car air conditioner when you put guinea pigs in your car.
What causes a guinea pig fracture?
One of the emergencies in guinea pigs is a fracture. Most of the causes of fractures are related to children. Guinea pigs in children's arms arise because they are clumsy, jumped or hurt, or children are held in the wrong way. Fractures can also occur when hanging over a lamp installed in the cage. In addition, if proper feed is not given, bones become weak and fractures tend to occur.
How to deal with a guinea pig fracture?
If a guinea pig is injured in a fracture, you should seek a vet immediately. Fractures are not a fatal emergency, but they can cause guinea pigs to die because they are accompanied by considerable pain.
The veterinarian takes an X-ray to find the fractured bone accurately. You can also place the splint or fix it with a pin until the fracture site is healed. If splinting or surgery is untreated or the time is delayed after the fracture, it may be performed. If the condition is severe, the veterinarian may recommend euthanasia as a last resort.
Prevention of fractures
It is important to feed proper diet for guinea pig bone health. It is a good idea to remove any objects that may fall over in the cage.
Children should sit on the floor when holding the guinea pigs, and inform their family members when they are out of the cage. This is because you can step on the guinea pig.
Guinea pig owners do not need to be self-defeating in the event of an accident, but children should be careful when dealing with guinea pigs.
