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Merlin got heatstroke

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B

Billies Mum

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I think he's ok but it was a bit pf a panic for a while

We had brought him back from Bournemouth in a car. He was in a sleeping bag inside a smallish carrying case (BIG mistake, please don't do it)
The car was aircon-ed and he had food in the case so I thought he would be ok

I got him home and he flopped onto his stomach, breathing and panting rapidly. I gave him a syringe of water (since found out from a book that i shouldnt have) and wrapped him in a cool wet tea towel for a few moments, whilst OH grabbed my guinea books. After reading one of my better ones i followed the advice. Put him in an inch or so of cold water in the sink.
Then I called the emergency vets. She said i had done all I could, and to put him by the open fridge or freezer for a little while to cool him right down.

An hour has gone by and he seems back to normal. He is running about and is eating hay. He has had more syringes of water.

My pulse has just about returned to normal.

Any advice on anything i should be doing for the rest of the day?
Should i be giving him diarolyte or more syringes?

Any advice would be much apppreciated for a stupid, stupid woman :embarassed:
 
Oh hun your not stupid!

As he sounds like he's pretty much alright now, i'd carry on doing what your doing...giving him water and keeping him cool. I'm sure you already are, but check on him all the time and if you notice any change ring up the vets for more advice.

Keep your chin up sweetheart, it's not your fault and you sound like you have everything covered

xx
 
Not got anything really to add to what Guinea-Tia-Flossie. Only if he seems alright and/or stable just keep an eye on him. Keep him in a room that is at room temperature and he should be fine. If he is alright and you are still keeping him cool it could do more harm then good. I hope this all makes sense. Keep us updated. O0
 
For a start you're not stupid, you just didn't realise, remember these guys don't tell us or warn us till the last moment :(
Sounds like to me you've done everything good, just keep an eagle eye on him, which i'm sure you will :-* :-* hope you get some rest and sleep over night cause i know you'll be checking him heaps, just like i would O0
Sending heaps of healing wheeks and cuddles to our little Merlin :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: come on little man :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
and lots of hugs to you for support :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
awww poor merlin it sounds as if you did everything right and you've learnt some good info to share with us all, we now know what not to do ,dont blame yourself ;)
 
Thanks all.

I feel silly for not being mindful of his temperature in the car. He stayed in the sleeping bag so i assumed he was ok - he would have come out if he was too hot.

I was so scared as I know that this can be fatal if not treated correctly - and I also know that trying to cool them down too quickly can send them into shock.

I'm so grateful that he is ok, and its "almost" a blessing as now i know that he is susceptible to heatstoke and i must take extra extra care in the summer months.
 
Aww bless you! ((huggs))

I'm sure he will be okay, sounds like you went into supermum mode! I'm sure he will be fine now O0
 
Now take a deep breath and relax a little and go give that little man a quick hug and kiss and then look at him and tell him he'll be OK O0 :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
Thank goodness you're such a good mummy that you checked up on him :-* :-*
I honestly don't think they know if they get too hot, i've noticed before that Duke can bury himself under his hay or towels in the heat and come out looking limp bright red ears and totally not with it... :-\
Take care love :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Thanks

I need to nip out for an hour now but he's been ok for 2 hours now and is quietly snoozing in his cage. I'll give him another syringe before i go out and maybe get him some rehydration stuff later if i can find a chemist open

Thanks all for your support. It means a lot. My heart skipped several beats when I realised what was happening
 
Oh Jen you're not stupid, please don't think that :) You weren't to know he'd be too hot, do you think it was the sleeping bag, the case being small or both? I usually just use hay in the carrier when they go in the car and they are fine, and I always put in cucumber so as they can get water from it. You did a great job in cooling him down :) and he's going to be fine thanks to your quick thinking. Don't beat yourself up over it :-*
 
bev said:
Oh Jen you're not stupid, please don't think that :) You weren't to know he'd be too hot, do you think it was the sleeping bag, the case being small or both? I usually just use hay in the carrier when they go in the car and they are fine, and I always put in cucumber so as they can get water from it. You did a great job in cooling him down :) and he's going to be fine thanks to your quick thinking. Don't beat yourself up over it :-*
Click to expand...

I put the sleeping bag inside for him to sit ON, not IN. ;D I thought it would be more comfortable than straw all the way up. After an hour he found his way inside and curled up. When we were almost home he stuck his head out of the sleeping bag and lay his chin down. I thought that his eyes looked very expressive. Now I know - he was trying to tell me he was too hot.

Back home now and he is absolutely fine. I'll make sure that he has plenty of fluids tonight and hopefully he should make a full recovery.

Thanks all for the kind words. A lesson learned today.
 
Good to hear that he's feeling better and you've calmed down now :) :)
GIve him a kiss and scratch on the head from us, silly Merlin ;) :smitten: :smitten:
 
Hiya

Yeah he is good
Had a comfortable night and back to his cheeky scamp little self today. He doesnt like cucumber so i gave him lots of carrot and celery over night and again today so he can get his fluids

He also has a water bottle and a huge bowl of water in his cage that can act as a paddling pool
 
Awww, I am pleased he is acting like himself. Lucky boy, having you waiting on him hand and foot and having his own private paddling pool. It's alright for some. ::) ;D
 
:-* :-* :-* kisses to the recovering Merlin x x x
 
:smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: Merlin from all of us.

I always worry about this
 
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