Surgery Room Temperature

[Piggies2023]

I thought I had read somewhere on here about keeping guinea pigs warm after surgery but I can't find it. What room temp does it need to be when recovering from surgery please? Nancy's last surgery was in August so it was warm enough but now the house gets cold so will need to adjust heating for her. She's having another ovary out next week.

 

[Wiebke]

I thought I had read somewhere on here about keeping guinea pigs warm after surgery but I can't find it. What room temp does it need to be when recovering from surgery please? Nancy's last surgery was in August so it was warm enough but now the house gets cold so will need to adjust heating for her. She's having another ovary out next week.

Hi

Usually by the time your piggies come home their body temperature should have stabilised again and they should have eaten a bit of food on their own volition. Normal room temperatures around 20 C are fine.

You can use half-heated microwaveable pads (snugglesafes) for your piggy ideally underneath their favourity cosy or a fleece mat you place their favourite hut on and change more frequently but you need to always allow space for your ill piggies to move away from a source of heat as soon as they feel overheated. By not heating the snugglesafes fully, indoors piggies are more inclined to use them in my own experience. This gives your piggies more control over their own comfort levels.

At the best, your piggy should be only a bit subdued and sore but behaving like normal.

Tips For Post-operative Care

All the best.

 

[Piggies2023]

Hi

Usually by the time your piggies come home their body temperature should have stabilised again and they should have eaten a bit of food on their own volition. Normal room temperatures around 20 C are fine.

You can use half-heated microwaveable pads (snugglesafes) for your piggy ideally underneath their favourity cosy or a fleece mat you place their favourite hut on and change more frequently but you need to always allow space for your ill piggies to move away from a source of heat as soon as they feel overheated. By not heating the snugglesafes fully, indoors piggies are more inclined to use them in my own experience. This gives your piggies more control over their own comfort levels.

At the best, your piggy should be only a bit subdued and sore but behaving like normal.

Tips For Post-operative Care

All the best.

Thank you. What is the coldest that is okay post op? I will need to put a seperate heater on. My bedroom gets really cold overnight, poorly insulated, has been known to get to 7C which I know is too cold. Does it need to be like 18C all the time?

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. What is the coldest that is okay post op? I will need to put a seperate heater on. My bedroom gets really cold overnight, poorly insulated, has been known to get to 7C which I know is too cold. Does it need to be like 18C all the time?

I would recommend it for the first 3 days and then for as long as she is struggling/not full eating on her own with a bad recovery. Adapt the length to which you heat the snuggle safes accordingly.

7 C is too low for guinea pigs. Ideally you protect the cage with some large blankets over the top and side on colder nights in order to keep the heat in as much as possible.
Cold Weather Care for Indoor and Outdoor Guinea Pigs

 

[Piggies2023]

I would recommend it for the first 3 days and then for as long as she is struggling/not full eating on her own with a bad recovery. Adapt the length to which you heat the snuggle safes accordingly.

7 C is too low for guinea pigs. Ideally you protect the cage with some large blankets over the top and side on colder nights in order to keep the heat in as much as possible.
Cold Weather Care for Indoor and Outdoor Guinea Pigs

Thank you. I appreciate the advice. I will set up a heater to keep her warm. It's been currently dropping to 13C overnight, not quite winter yet. The temperature makes me a little anxious.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. I appreciate the advice. I will set up a heater to keep her warm. It's been currently dropping to 13C overnight, not quite winter yet. The temperature makes me a little anxious.

Please read the link with lots of practical advice.

All the best for the operation. Hopefully it goes well and your girl will be back on board quickly once the healing process gets underway from day 2-3 onwards.

 

[Piggies2023]

Please read the link with lots of practical advice.

All the best for the operation. Hopefully it goes well and your girl will be back on board quickly once the healing process gets underway from day 2-3 onwards.

Thank you. I hope I'm making the right decision. She has pain when weeing. We've already done the whole cartrophen etc stuff. Vet thinks hormones are having an impact, which I do think was the case before the first ovary came out. I have seen an improvement with one out. But I have also read if it's IC having too little estrogen can be a problem as well as too much (Nancy had too much before). But on the basis that she still regularly has days of squeaking in pain and she's on two painkillers I'm just hoping I'm doing the right thing! Trying to improve her quality of life. I do have a very good vet, so she is in good hands.