HEAT RELATED DEATH
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SoCalCavies
- Partners in Crime
From what I can gather online, the section of town I am in reached 100 degrees with very little humidity - about 19%. Dew point was 32.6 degrees F, and pressure was 29.16in. Wind speed was only 3mph, but we broke records that day bigtime.
You said that the cage is next to a window. I know that you said they had fans blowing and air circulating. However, I'm wondering, were they in direct sunlight from that window?
Maybe the sunlight was only there for part of the day and you haven't been able to see that because you are gone at work for that part.
Not trying to lay blame, just help you think.
Did you have frozen water bottles for the pigs to lay next to? Some people do this and wrap them in socks for the pigs.
Maybe the sunlight was only there for part of the day and you haven't been able to see that because you are gone at work for that part.
Not trying to lay blame, just help you think.
Did you have frozen water bottles for the pigs to lay next to? Some people do this and wrap them in socks for the pigs.
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SoCalCavies
- Partners in Crime
The cage is next to a window, but the sun only hits certain parts of the cage at a time. (The cage is huge.) So, they definitely had shade in different spots throughout the day.
I am absolutely to blame. That's the saddest part of this story - it IS my fault & I have to live with that. I KNEW the heat was going to break records that day - it was all over the radio. I made the decision not to go home to check on them during the day. It was a mistake, but it was absolutely my fault & I will never forgive myself.
No frozen bottles. No cotton to get off the fleece. Nothing! :(
I am absolutely to blame. That's the saddest part of this story - it IS my fault & I have to live with that. I KNEW the heat was going to break records that day - it was all over the radio. I made the decision not to go home to check on them during the day. It was a mistake, but it was absolutely my fault & I will never forgive myself.
No frozen bottles. No cotton to get off the fleece. Nothing! :(
SoCal,
I want to tell you that this post certainly has raised my awareness about guinea pigs tolerating heat.
I am in NY state and the last two days we have close to 90 degree temps. That is very atypical for this area at this time of the year. It was a big jump in temperature...we went from the 70s the days before way up to 90.
My guinea pigs were feeling the heat yesterday...they were all sprawled out and drank way more water than is normal. I made up frozen water bottles and put them in the cages.
They did rest near the bottles for some of the day.
Seeing how they reacted to the heat, combined with reading your story, I have decided that I am going to buy air conditioners for their rooms to help them stay cool.
I want to tell you that this post certainly has raised my awareness about guinea pigs tolerating heat.
I am in NY state and the last two days we have close to 90 degree temps. That is very atypical for this area at this time of the year. It was a big jump in temperature...we went from the 70s the days before way up to 90.
My guinea pigs were feeling the heat yesterday...they were all sprawled out and drank way more water than is normal. I made up frozen water bottles and put them in the cages.
They did rest near the bottles for some of the day.
Seeing how they reacted to the heat, combined with reading your story, I have decided that I am going to buy air conditioners for their rooms to help them stay cool.
So, today, I am home sick. I put the pigs out on my deck, fenced in by grids. It was 80F+ by the thermometer in the house and there were cool breezes on the deck. It was much cooler on the deck.
Maybe 10% of the deck had sun, the rest is in pretty deep shade from the roof built over it.
The pigs spent time pancaked in the sun! Like, they'd go over there and sprawl in it in close proximity to another pig just to stay in the sun. (I have boars, so this is Not Done.)
I also assumed that they were smart enough to get OUT of the sun, but I really dont know now.
Poor CJ (my PEW) had purple ears and a slightly elevated temp when I finally removed him after 20min. He was not pleased to be picked up from his nap and probed with a thermometer.
I re fenced the deck to exclude the sun.
I am wondering if your pigs fell asleep in a sun patch, or wanted to bask in a sun patch and just didn't move. Mine sure as heck weren't about to move today.
Don't beat yourself up too much. There's so much that's out of our control, even when we provide the best care.
Maybe 10% of the deck had sun, the rest is in pretty deep shade from the roof built over it.
The pigs spent time pancaked in the sun! Like, they'd go over there and sprawl in it in close proximity to another pig just to stay in the sun. (I have boars, so this is Not Done.)
I also assumed that they were smart enough to get OUT of the sun, but I really dont know now.
Poor CJ (my PEW) had purple ears and a slightly elevated temp when I finally removed him after 20min. He was not pleased to be picked up from his nap and probed with a thermometer.
I re fenced the deck to exclude the sun.
I am wondering if your pigs fell asleep in a sun patch, or wanted to bask in a sun patch and just didn't move. Mine sure as heck weren't about to move today.
Don't beat yourself up too much. There's so much that's out of our control, even when we provide the best care.
I am very sorry for your loss. I live in Scripps Ranch so I know how terribly hot that day was. It was ridiculous to get that hot in April here in San Diego.
I'm glad to hear all of your pigs recovered. Sometimes I have to move my boys out of the room they are in because when it gets hot the room is ridiculously warm.
It was an accident.
Nancy
I'm glad to hear all of your pigs recovered. Sometimes I have to move my boys out of the room they are in because when it gets hot the room is ridiculously warm.
It was an accident.
Nancy
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SoCalCavies
- Partners in Crime
That brings up a really good question (and reminds me of my original question of what happens to pigs when they overheat)... WOULD pigs know to get out of the sun if it was too hot?
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SoCalCavies
- Partners in Crime
Sus4rabbitsnpigs, can you let me know how to see that chat you referred to in this post that warns about the heat? I couldn't find it. Thank you.
Well... here's an example. In my office at work today, the air conditioner was broken. The air conditioner on the other side of the SAME FLOOR was working, and keeping that side at 72 degrees. However, even though all that cold air wasn't being blocked from my side of the office, the temperature outside got to the mid 80s and my side of the office got to 80 degrees. Without air conditioning, I cannot imagine a pig surviving in the heat indoors caused by 106 degree heat outdoors. Fans make you FEEL cooler, but they're not going to help much if it's 106 out. As you can see from my example, indoor temperatures can get pretty darn close to outdoor temps very rapidly even when it's not that hot out. Considering 80+ degrees is the "warning" level for guinea pigs, 106 degrees could easily put your home in that range.
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Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
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CavyHouse
- Supporter in '11
SoCalCavies - I am so sorry for your loss.
Your post has reminded me to do something I've been doing whenever we have heatwaves in our area. I've been posting on the Pets section of craigslist heat warnings for piggies and telling people what to do to avoid problems - including the frozen water bottles etc. I've had lots of people thank me. Not everyone knows to even look for information on heat problems. It's something other people may want to think about doing for their area. Hopefully a copy of my old post is still around.
Your post has reminded me to do something I've been doing whenever we have heatwaves in our area. I've been posting on the Pets section of craigslist heat warnings for piggies and telling people what to do to avoid problems - including the frozen water bottles etc. I've had lots of people thank me. Not everyone knows to even look for information on heat problems. It's something other people may want to think about doing for their area. Hopefully a copy of my old post is still around.
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