What to Do If a Hamster Has Heatstroke? Teach You the Correct Way to Handle It
Hamsters are the general term for animals in the subfamily Cricetinae, a very dominant solitary animal, and also a very popular pet. In the hot summer, people may suffer heatstroke, dogs and cats may suffer heatstroke, and tiny hamsters may also suffer heatstroke. After heatstroke, they all show symptoms different from usual. Let's take a look below at what to do if a hamster has heatstroke!
Causes of Heatstroke in Hamsters
The hamster or hamster cage is in a place where sunlight can shine directly or where the room temperature is above 30°C. If the cage is an all-plastic cage with poor ventilation, heatstroke is even more likely to occur. Heatstroke generally occurs in the hot summer, but if the hamster is in a place where sunlight can shine directly, it may also suffer heatstroke even in other seasons, so please try to avoid placing the hamster cage in a place where sunlight can shine directly (such as a balcony). Hamsters themselves also like dark places.
Symptoms of Heatstroke in Hamsters
Observation shows that a hamster that has just suffered heatstroke will appear very excited. They will run around with all their strength, looking very excited and crazy. However, after just a few minutes it begins to wilt. If not handled in time, the hamster may die within a few minutes. Remember, this is not alarmist talk, but the truth.
What to Do If a Hamster Has Heatstroke?
1. After a hamster suffers heatstroke, it must be immediately placed in a room with air conditioning. It is best to lay a towel in a small box, place the hamster facing upward, stand the towel up to block the wind, and at the same time cover the hamster's abdomen and feet. The chest and body must be kept warm. Absolutely do not simply lower the temperature.
2. Take the small packet of physiological saline that doctors often prescribe for rehydration when people have diarrhea (containing glucose). Add a very small amount to pure water and stir (if the hamster is small, do not add too much physiological saline). Use a cotton swab to dip it and apply it to the hamster's mouth. If the hamster is conscious, it will subconsciously swallow it. If it is unconscious, hold the hamster's head upward and gently push its mouth to help the liquid enter the hamster's intestines. Be sure not to give only pure water to rehydrate the hamster here, because heatstroke causes a large loss of salt in the body and dehydration. Therefore, giving only pure water will cause an imbalance in concentration inside and outside the cells and worsen the dehydration symptoms. If there is no physiological saline, adding a little edible salt is also acceptable, but edible salt does not contain glucose, so relatively speaking its nutritional effect is somewhat poorer.
3. Sometimes the hamster's condition may be very dangerous: it may kick its legs, breathe with its mouth open, have rapid breathing, or show no reaction at all. At this time, while paying attention to keeping it warm, you can give it a little medicine used by humans to rescue the heart. You can put a Jiuxin Pill (a very small black pill) into the hamster's mouth to hold, and at the same time dip physiological saline and drip it into the hamster's mouth to help the pill dissolve. At this time the hamster should have little reaction. The process lasts about 3 to 4 minutes. During this period the hamster's feet may become cold. You can rub them for it, and you can also gently massage its chest to help the hamster breathe normally and maintain body temperature.
4. After a period of time, the hamster gradually becomes conscious and will subconsciously spit out the pill. You can put it back once or twice, or you can take the pill out, because the hamster is small and a little bit of the medicine is already enough. Of course, the premise is that it has recovered subconscious awareness and has the ability to respond on its own. Continue to supplement physiological saline at regular intervals. The hamster may refuse (such as pushing it away with its paws), but you still need to persist!
5. Supplement physiological saline at regular intervals for about 3 hours or so (it does not need to be very regular, but it should be given, and do not give it too frequently). The hamster may not have woken up yet, but when you touch it, it will react a little and also chirp softly twice. At this time what you need to do is wrap the hamster in a towel, expose a ventilated area, and place it in an air-conditioned room to rest well. Because the hamster needs a certain amount of time to recover, at this time you can place the hamster with its belly facing down, so that the abdomen is warmer and the hamster will sleep. Although it still has not opened its eyes, you can clearly feel that it is fine, shown by steady breathing and warm limbs, including the soles of the feet.