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REHYDRATION THERAPY
Dehydration is a secondary symptom, but it is usually what kills
and kills rapidly. It can take 8-72 hours.
In the first stage the animal quits eating and drinking, and
starts to dehydrate. They may get up when the tank is disturbed
and check things out, but may not quite be their active chipper
self. It may not be apparent. The cause of them stopping to eat
and drink can be just about anything, start of upper respiratory
or a minor stroke or breaking a paw or coming out the worst in
a fight that barely ruffled fur.
Second stage, the animal will look and rouse but not leave the
nest. They check you out, go back to bed. Doesn't look unusual.
If you pick up animal at this time you would notice they are feeling
a little lighter, and perhaps cooler.
Third stage, animal is found not responding or if they do move,
wobbly at best. Walk sort of drunkenly. Stomach is sunken. They
are very light. They are cold to the touch. Sometimes they may
seem all the way gone, and just a certain amount of suppleness
and flexibility to the limbs means they're still alive (you can't
tell they are breathing [!] )
Causes can be many, the therapy should be started immediately
and kept up until the animal fully responds and recovers. If caught
in stage one, supervision and a few rounds with the evil eyedropper
will do. If stage two, eyedropper and animal should recover if
you keep at it. Stage three, you have less than an even chance
but I have brought back animals that seemed DEAD and they made
a full recovery.
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