Frusemide - Heatstroke?

[Abnoba]

Reading the CCT Newsletter I got a bit confused.

How exactly does a diuretic help when a piggy has heatstroke?

I am no expert, thats why I am asking, I am confused. When a piggy has a heatstroke, you need to cool it down, slowly, not too quickly as that would be quite a shock for their system. wet towels, shadow, fan, we know all that.

but wouldnt it make sense for the piggy to drink plenty to cool down, instead of giving the piggy something that makes it LOSE WATER? O_o

I have only known the use of a diuretic to shift fluid out of the lungs - but what has that got to do with heatstroke?
Do they automatically get liquid in their lungs when they have a heatstroke?

I am just completely lost and dont get why Vedra thinks we should have diuretic tablets in our first aid kit because of heatstroke?

Someone here, please, let that make sense to me!

 

[cavykind]

Well, as no one has answered you, I guess everyone is as much in the dark as you are

I'd think that Vedra suggests that diuretics might be needed as heatstroke can put the heart under extra pressure and this often, if not always, has a knock on effect to the lungs. As a consequence as you have mentioned, fluid can build up and compromise breathing. This in turn puts even more stress on the heart as it tries to compensate and beat harder. Ultimately this can lead to heart failure and death.

Rather than cool the guinea down by giving a lot to drink, it is more effective and safer to cool them from the outside in, if that makes sense, with cool wet towels etc. Sometimes, in fact often - heatstroke can make people feel nauseous and their digestive system less effective, in severe cases, it may not be able to cope with oral fluids in any great amount, they might even need an IV put up.

Personally, I really don't think anyone other that a qualified vet should be messing around giving diuretics to their guinea pig.
A vet will be able to ascertain by listening to the guineas lungs if there is fluid present and the correct amount of frusemide to give.
Giving by injection, will prove much more effective than orally anyway. Frusemide will likely be given as a one off to resolve a critical situation, severe breathing probs, fluid replacement would be secondary, though very important to this.

These are just my thoughts on the matter and very much based on a human nursey point of view. Hope they help?

Barbara

 

[cavykind]

oops, double post :

 

[cavies]

That is very interesting Kindcavy

 

[cavykind]

That is very interesting Kindcavy

Thank you, and Kindcavy has a lovely ring to it

Did this help you Abnoba?

Barbara

 

[Abnoba]

yep, that helped thanks alot!

does this mean then, that guinea pigs who suffer a heatstroke actually die suffocating, because they cant breath properly due to the fluid in the lungs? Because the way Vedra made it sound like was that most piggies who died would have survived with a diuretic.. is that the main cause then, the fluid? I thought it was the system in general collapsing, not being able to coping with the high temperature, just like we get dizzy if its really hot.

 

[cavykind]

yep, that helped thanks alot!

does this mean then, that guinea pigs who suffer a heatstroke actually die suffocating, because they cant breath properly due to the fluid in the lungs? Because the way Vedra made it sound like was that most piggies who died would have survived with a diuretic.. is that the main cause then, the fluid? I thought it was the system in general collapsing, not being able to coping with the high temperature, just like we get dizzy if its really hot.

As I understand, yes, it's likely that the fluid on the lungs is the predisposing factor. As you say heatstroke does affect many organs of the body if untreated, but the priority would be to free up the lungs and the stress on the animals heart.
Obviously, not every Guinea pig with heatstroke will be affected to that level, just as not every person would be.

I think I a right in saying, as remember, heatstroke can also cause arrhythmia's (unnatural heart rhythms) and these if untreated may result in cardiac arrest.

As I say, just my understanding