Well I never thought it would/could happen here, but last night my prized chinchilla Dakota, tov homo hunk had a heat stroke.
I guess it was the humidity and the fact he had a long run,temp. was 65 humidity was 75 %.
He was chasing his cage mate around, she’d turn and chase him as he was getting on her nerves. Once I had to stomped my foot and tell them to knock it off.
I was doing a major clean on their cage, and as it had been so hot for the past week they didn’t get a good run. It was cooler last night so I left them running around the room for a good 20 minutes. I never left the room, and I was finishing up when I heard a barking
I couldn’t see the 2 that were out. They seemed a little too quiet all of a sudden. Again came the barking , so I got down on all fours to find Dakota sitting beside a cage barking away. I picked him up and he continued to bark. That’s never happened before.
I cuddled him, he seemed fine. I put him in the dust bath so I could fine the other one.
I quickly found her,put her back in the cage, to return and find Dakota slumped in the dust bottle. Picking him up I could feel the heat in his body. I ran for a cold damp cloth and took him out side, as it was very cool last night. Good thing.
He lay there for about 10 minutes and he seemed to be slipping away right in my arms.
I talked to him and stroked him with the cloth letting it sit in his ears for the most part.
My hubby and I just watched as his eyes seem to flicker and roll back in his head, then he had a seizure{stiffened, tail whipping in circles, and limbs out straight} and went limp. He made a little whimper, and I was sure he was gone.
I felt for his heart and nothing. I was just about to put him to my ear, when he made a jerk.
Hubby thought it was a good sign while I was afraid it was the end.
I kept stroking him, and talking, thinking I was saying goodbye, when he made another little jerk, then blinked his eyes. He seemed to be showing some kind of life, but was still very limp.
It seemed like for ever but he seemed to be coming back. I tried sitting him on the cold concrete floor but he would just fall to his side. I went back to the cold cloth on his ears and walking around the garden. I was freezing but he seemed to be responding, and was showing signs of fatigue like he was falling asleep.
I still had a few cages to do so I kept him in my arms and quickly filled the last few feed dishes. Still with the cloth on his ears, and sometimes I would even let him sit on it, as his feet were hot.
The more he started coming out of it the less he would sit on the cloth, but he was grateful still for it on his ears and stroking is face. I’d fill a food dish and go back out side, another food dish and back outside.
I tried him with a drink of cranberry juice that he lapped down.
After a good 2 hours I placed him in a small cage and gave him his treat, well maybe two lots. I sat with him for another couple hours. When he was all dried off from the damp cloth and seemed to be doing OK I put him in a cage by himself for the night.
First thing this morning I went down, and got good and barked at when I tried to take him out. I was tickled, and he seemed like he just didn’t want to leave his new cage.
Maybe they did have a fight and she upset him as well as getting over heated?
I had one die like that before, and I always thought if I had of kept him in my arms, and comforted he would not have lived.
I’m sure they suffer from shock as well with the heat stroke, sounds logical.
After going through it this time with much better results, I’m convinced with me and my chins I’d better keep them up in my arms, it’s the only place they feel truly safe when things are not right.
Those who have had chins come through things like this could you please tell me if they suffer any lasting side effects from heat stroke?
I’m just so happy he got through this, and can hardly wait until tonight to see if he’s back to his normal self, I’ll let him rest today.
