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At last stage you are in one hour checking. This can be a family
affair where you need help to do some of the feeding or checking
while you get some sleep. I've gotten animals to where I thought
they were fine, fell asleep for an hour and a half, and woke up
to find them dead. You must keep checking them for 3-4 hours after
they seem fine.
*If an animal is in the state listed as the first or worst and
they suddenly pee on you, this is NOT a good sign. Not much, a
drop or two. Flex a paw a few minutes later to see if it's still
supple or not.
Last stage rehydration therapy, when the animal is nearly gone,
can take many hours, and you may very well lose the animal anyway.
It is so discouraging to lose an animal then, but. Do not give
up hope. Many animals have been saved by this as well.
If in doubt, treat for dehydration, even if you think it's a
stroke or something else. I wish you much luck and may this help
you. I hope someday too to add some pictures, even if I have to
make a plush stuffed gerbil to stand in.
Do not feel bad if you find your animal in stage three dehydration.
It can sneak up and honestly, you can miss the symptoms in the
first two stages. Just do what you can to help them.
An animal can be taken to the vet, and other than subcutaneous
(under the skin injections) rehydration, and putting into an incubator
to warm them up, you can give similar treatment at home. For a
gerbil sub-cue is not easy and hurts as the animal is so small.
Keep a small bottle of the cheapest white/light cornsyrup you
can get on hand along with some glass eyedroppers (check the baby/small
children's ear care area in drug store or the like) just in case.
If you find your animal passed on, and it is in nose out, sprawled
on stomach position (almost like it slid out on it's stomach and
chin/throat area) the odds are that it died of dehydration. And
that doesn't mean the waterbottle failed. The water bottle can
be full and working fine and hanging there.
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