1. Definition of heatstroke
Heatstroke refers to when the chinchilla is exposed to both temperature and humidity. In a very high environment, because the body’s heat cannot be discharged normally, it is impossible to regulate body temperature normally, which in turn causes dysfunction of the central nervous system and circulatory system, resulting in disturbance of water and electrolyte metabolism and impaired nervous system function.
Because chinchillas have very thick fur and few sweat glands, their heat dissipation system is relatively poor. If you do not take heatstroke prevention and cooling measures in summer, chinchillas are prone to heat stroke. Severe heatstroke will cause chinchillas to die quickly, and pet owners can’t even react to the reasons for the abnormal state of chinchillas, so we need to understand the countermeasures in advance to avoid accidents.
2. Symptoms of Chinchilla heatstroke
Chinchilla heatstroke can be divided into mild heatstroke, moderate heatstroke and severe heatstroke according to the severity of clinical symptoms , the specific symptoms are as follows:
Mild heatstroke: a little lack of energy, loss of appetite, and dislike of activities. If the chinchilla’s body begins to weaken and cooling measures are not taken in time, the symptoms will continue to develop into moderate heat stroke.
Moderate heatstroke: Unsteady standing, difficulty eating, red and hot ears, etc. At this time, it is actually quite dangerous, and continued development may endanger the life of chinchillas.
Severe heat stroke: The chinchilla begins to fall into a coma, spins on its side for a long time, tilts its head back, and stiffens its limbs. If treatment is not taken in time, chinchillas will die quickly. Even if the treatment is successful, chinchillas may leave some sequelae, and the pet owner needs to take more careful care in the later stage, so that chinchillas can return to their normal state as much as possible.
Third, what should I do if My Neighbor Totoro suffers from heat stroke?
If it is mild and moderate heat stroke symptoms, pet owners can try to treat them at home.
First move the chinchilla to a cool place indoors, pay attention to opening windows for ventilation or turning on air conditioners and fans to reduce the indoor temperature. Then apply a small amount of balsamic essence or alcohol on the nose, foot pads
and heels of the ears to promote skin heat dissipation. Finally, grind Rendan into powder and mix it with water at a ratio of 1:1, then feed it to chinchillas with a syringe, and provide chinchillas with grass powder and other foods that are easy to chew and digest, and pay attention to providing sufficient drinking water.
If the chinchilla is in a state of severe heatstroke and can no longer eat and drink by itself, after taking the above treatment methods, it is necessary to give the chinchilla a glucose solution regularly to help it regulate electrolytes. Observe for 5-10 minutes after treatment. If the chinchilla’s symptoms do not improve, it is recommended to send it to a pet hospital for treatment in time.
Because chinchillas with severe heatstroke will have symptoms of constant rolling and twitching, pets should pay attention to transferring chinchillas to a relatively small box to avoid chinchillas bruising. Finally, if the chinchilla is incontinent, its excrement should be cleaned up in time to avoid breeding bacteria and causing other diseases.
