Heat Stroke

[Carolyn]

After the post entitled "Help" I thoughtit would be a good idea since the warmer weather is coming to someparts of our posters areas now to put a post up about Heat/SunStroke.

Heatstroke can kill a rabbit very quickly. Some things thatyou can do to prevent such an untimely and unnecessary death for yourlagamorph are listed below.

1) Be sure to provide your rabbit shade. Rabbits can getsun/heat stroke just by having their cage in the sun. Best tobe sure the location of the cage is away from where the sun rays willbeam in.

2) Don't subject your rabbit to extreme temperatures: hot or airconditioning. Air conditioning can be used, butit's best to have your rabbit in a separate room so that the roomdoesn't get too cold or the air isn't blowing on the rabbit.

3) Be sure they have a lot of water; they tend to drink more in the summer to stay cool.

4) You can use a fan. I like toaimthefanso that the air will reach part of the cage, but if therabbit feels it's too much,s/he can move out of theway. If you're going to keep your fan on all day, best tokeep it on low.

5) If the rabbit is indoors, on really hot days Iclose the shades to keep out as muchheat as possible.

6) If the rabbit is outside, you may want to mist the ears a bit in the heat of the afternoon.

7) Some people fill old milk cartons or soda bottles with cold waterand put them in the cage with their rabbit so that s/he can lean upagainst it if it gets very cool.

Additions to this list are most welcome and appreciated.

-Carolyn

 

[mygrl2k3]

I freeze pop bottles... is that keeping it too cold??

Cristy

 

[bunty]

We freeze soda bottles too but wrap them up interry cloth so the direct cold is not on buns. When we are in car wealso take them along just incase car trouble. I like tofreeze so they last a long time.

 

[Carolyn]

No I don't think so, Mygrl2K3. As longas your little one can get away from the bottle and isn't subjected toalways leaning on it, you're all right, I think.

(Sorry Bunty, didn't see that we replied at the same time.)

* * * * * * * *

Thought I might copy and post this here as well. It is the suggestionsthat Pamnock had given to a poster who's rabbit was suffering fromsymptoms of heatstroke. Thanks Again, Pam! Buntyalso makes some great recommendations in that 'Help' thread.

-Carolyn

* * * * * * * *

Get a fan going on her to help cool her. Put a little wateron her ears and force some liquids with a syringe.

If the situation becomes worse, she can be soaked in lukewarm water.

If things become serious, she may need to go to the vet for IV fluids.

Rabbits do not take the heat well, and caution to be taken not to let them play in the sun on warm/humid days.

Pam

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I give my bunnies pop bottle filled with water andthen frozen when it's warm. I don't think it's too cold for them. Minewill puch them around where they want them, and lay accross them onoccasion when it's really hot. If they're laying against it, mostlikely it feels good and it's not too cold.

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

This info is very good now that I have it. I willno longer take my bunny outside until around 6 or 7 when the air hascooled down and the sun is starting to set. She's in the basement so itnever gets overly hot or cold down there. It just stays normal Hercage isn't in the sunlight that I can remember. Maybe she's in the sunwhen it first comes up for like an hour but it doesn't stay on her allday. Thanks for all the help with Megan everyone

 

[Carolyn]

Very Wise decision, Michelle, about not letting Megan out on thehot/sunny days. They can get heatstroke within minutes and you can losethem. I think your choice to steer clear of letting her out during thesun beaming down and the hot temperatures will be much appreciated byher. You don't want her to take up that spot by the tulips before hertime.

* * * * * * * * *

M&SMom,

It must look so cute to see them laying across those bottles. You'll have to get a picture of that.

See how appreciative they are?! I know a cold glass of water or a coldwashcloth feels good on my forehead on a hot day. Couldn't imaginehaving all that fur and humans are made to withstand the heat and sun.Unfortunately, rabbits are not as you know; so if I think I'm hot, Ican times it by two and that may be getting close to how they feel.

-Carolyn

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

Yeah, that was pretty dumb of me. I should'vetaken her back inside when she started lying down low in the grass andtrying to get in the shade. She got so tired I had to carry her all theway home. Which is when I immediately contacted you guys. We were outthere for a good half an hour, even I was sweating. I hate myself forwhat I did to my poor bun, next time I know not to take her out whenits hot like that. I'll risk gettin bitten by pesky skeeters

 

[Carolyn]

80 degrees fahrenheit or above is dangerous for a rabbit.


* * * *

SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF DANGER OF HEAT STROKE:

1) Rabbit is laying stretched out

2) Panting or heavy breathing

3) Sometimes there's foaming at the mouth

4) Muzzle is wet

* * * * * * *

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

1) Get the rabbit to a cool area.

2) You have to work on bringing its temperature down slowly. Putting itin a cold bath or directly applying ice to it's ears is not recommendedor good for the rabbit. That could lead into other problems of stressand shock to its system and you could lose the rabbit that way.

3) Put a cold washcloth on the rabbit's ears. You could wrap ice cubesin a washcloth and apply to the inside and outside of the ears. Theblood from the rest of the body will circulate into the rabbit's systemonce cooled.

4) You can dip your rabbit in a Lukewarm bath if it is almost lifeless.Dip up to the ears. Never immerse the rabbit completely in the water.

5) Keep him hydrated, even if you have to put some water in a syringeto keep the fluids in his system up. The rabbit may have to get anintravenous tube as Pamnock had posted above.

6) Put a fan on medium or low speed on the rabbit.

7) Try to keep calm so that the rabbit doesn't get stressed.

8) Put an old milk carton or soda bottle in the cage so that the rabbitcan lean up against it. As M&SMom said earlier, she likes to dothis on hot days to give her rabbits relief if they need it. A verywise decision.

* * * *

Additions to this list are most welcome.

-Carolyn

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

80?? It was only like 65 when I had her out.....maybe she really hates heat.

 

[Carolyn]

It could've been the sun exposure, Michelle.

If you hadn't had the experience, it wouldn't've prompted the post.All's well that end's well and Megan's fine. Now you know that she'svery suseptible to heat and you'll not subject her to it again.

-Carolyn

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

Yeah it must've just been the sun, there was abreeze and it was only like 65, I think the stress from the sun and thebikers and dogs probably got to her.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Remember MBLM, you and Megan just came out of along, cold Canadian winter! 65 is warm after that, I'm not sure howcold it was there or how long it's been warm. Here we are still gettingsnow every week and then it warms up to the 70's and then back to snow!

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

it's been warm for quite a few weeks now, just raining off and on. What about snow...can rabbits do okay in the snow??

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

My bunnies live outside, they have insulted boxesfor the winter and are frequently let out to play in the snow. Theylove the snow as long as they are dry before they go back in their cage.

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

Ah okay....well...I think I'm just gonna keepMegan inside. She doesn't seem to do well with weather! Although shedoesn't mind getting wet...

 

[Carolyn]

M&Smom wrote:

Remember MBLM, you and Megan just came out of a long, coldCanadian winter! 65 is warm after that, I'm not sure how cold it wasthere or how long it's been warm. Here we are still getting snow everyweek and then it warms up to the 70's and then back to snow!

* * * * * *

Good Point, M&SMom, also good explanation about the snow and proper protection from the weather.



-Carolyn

 

[StickyBird]

Ah theheat. A word to the wise: If anyone tells you of a city namedRedding in California, and tries to get you to move there...don't. The temperatures here can reach about 110 in the latesummertime. It's miserable for humans, and even moremiserable for animals. The trees and plant life have alladapted to holding their water and food during these summer months, andit makes me wish that I could do the same...

Luckily, Umbra has survived onesummer here already (I got him last June) so I know how to deal withit. My house has a very old swamp cooler that does nothing todown the heat when it gets to a certain temperature, and I don't likeusing it for two reasons: one, it makes it very humid, which isdefinitely not good for rabbits; and two, it's rather old and I believea bit moldy, and I don't want anybody getting sick from it.So my family and I have gotten used to the two air conditioners in ourhouse (those small, window ones). One is in the room acrossfrom mine, so the cool air can blow into my room from adistance. I like that. =)

When the hot days get my room upto 80-89 degrees, I put frozen watterbottles in Umbra's cage, putice-cold water in his watterbottle and change it when it gets warm,restrict his playtime to a minimum, and if he feels hot on his ears, Iwet them down every few hours. On the really hot days wheremy room gets up to 90 degrees (yikes!!) I move Umbra into a coolerplace. It stresses him a little, but when the other choice isheat stroke, I take stress. I also have a fan on half of hiscage for the hottest part of the day.

Oy... that's a lot! ButI guess extreme heat calls for extreme measures.

--Melissa and Umbra

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

Well I think Megan will be okay because 1. Her cage is in the basement and 2. We have Central Air.

And when I say the basement, I dont mean cold damp cement basementswith spiders lmao. I mean our basement as in the bottom floor where theliving room, 2nd bathroom, my brothers room, laundry room and rec roomis! With plush carpets and...pink...everything...lol. So it's notcold or creepy for her! Just...a lot of pink. Which we are going topaint over. Dont know why the previous owners painted everythingpink...oi!

 

[Carolyn]

You certainly have it all under control, Stickybird.

Thanks for the added thoughts! They're most welcome.

-Carolyn