Dehydration: Giving Sub-q Fluids:

The proper dose of fluids is 50ml/kg

1 kg = 2.20 lbs (2 1/5 lbs)

Is Normosol r the same as lactated Ringer's?

Normal saline (0.9 percent NaCl) is not considered maintenance fluid because it is so rich in sodium. ... Lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) is better tolerated as a maintenance solution than Normosol-R, Plasma-Lyte 148 or normal saline because it is buffered and contains less sodium.

Determining a patient's degree of dehydration: The clinical signs of dehydration and their corresponding body dehydration percentages are presented below. *** In some cases such as existing CHF, its important to use extreme caution when administering fluid therapy.

1) No detectable clinical signs.

2) 5%-6% dehydrated: Subtle loss of skin elasticity, sticky mucous membranes.

3) 6%-8% dehydrated: Definite delay in return of skin to normal position (skin turgor), slight increase in capillary refill time, and eyes may be slightly sunken into orbits.

4) 10%-12% dehydrated: Extremely dry mucous membranes, complete loss of skin turgor, eyes sunken into orbits, dull eyes, possible signs of shock (tachycardia, cool extremities, and rapid and weak pulses), and possible alteration in consciousness.

5) 12%-15% dehydrated: Definite signs of shock; death is imminent if not corrected.

Certain circumstances make it difficult to determine how dehydrated a patient is. For example, emaciated animals that have metabolized the fat from around their eyes and in their skin will have sunken eyes and decreased skin turgor caused by the loss of fat and elastin in the subcutaneous area. Also, dogs that profusely pant will have dry mucous membranes, making it more difficult to assess hydration status. A patient that has fluid leaking into spaces within the body cavity (third spacing) will have a rapid change in fluid from the intravascular compartments before the interstitial loss is seen.4Therefore, when dealing with cases like these, one must evaluate the full patient and not rely only on a few parameters to gauge hydration status.

Body weight in kg x percent dehydration (as a decimal) = the fluid deficit in ml

So if the baby weighs 35 grams, and you estimate that the baby is 12% dehydrated, you would calculate the following way; 0.035 kg x .12 = 0.0042. The correct dose to give a baby with this severity of dehydration would be .42 ml.

Weight Chart: If the weight of your possum is not on this chart, Google "grams to kg, or ounces to kg, or lbs to kg" conversion sites that will do the math for you.

30 grams = 0.03 kg
35 grams = 0.035 kg
40 grams = 0.04 kg
45 grams = 0.045 kg
50 grams = 0.05 kg
55 grams =0.055 kg
60 grams = 0.06 kg
65 grams = 0.065 kg
70 grams = 0.07 kg
75 grams = 0.075 kg
80 grams = 0.08 kg
85 grams = 0.085 kg
90 grams = 0.09 kg
95 grams = 0.095 kg
100 grams = 0.1 kg
105 grams = 0.105 kg
110 grams = 0.11 kg
115 grams = 0.115 kg
120 grams = 0.12 kg
125 grams = 0.125 kg
130 grams = 0.13 kg
135 grams = 0.135 kg
140 grams = 0.14 kg
145 grams = 0.145 kg
150 grams = 0.15 kg
155 grams = 0.155 kg
160 grams = 0.16 kg
165 grams = 0.165 kg
170 grams = 0.17 kg
175 grams = 0.175 kg
180 grams = 0.18 kg
185 grams = 0.185 kg
190 grams = 0.19 kg
195 grams = 0.195 kg
200 grams = 0.2 kg

Ringtail:

Ringtail is a condition characterized by dry skin and annular constrictions that sometimes result in loss of portions of the tail. Low relative humidity is thought to be a principal cause. Look how increasing the humidity for this baby worked wonders!

Images courtesy of: @lakedra's Chance Wildlife Rescue and Education

Babies tail is getting better and better!

Day #19

How to make a humid habitat to treat ringtail:

Its SO important to keep babies with ringtail warm AND humid, and most heating pads have an automatic shut off, which is safer for human use, but it is NOT what you want for babies.

I use a low wattage heating pad made for outdoor dog kennels. It is very low watt and is just warm enough to keep babies nice and warm….and it does not shut off unless you unplug it.

Now here is how to set up your DIY habitat:

Materials you will need:

Medium/Large sized Rubbermaid or Sterilite bin; you want a large enough space to place a potty tray, food and water dishes far enough away from where the baby sleeps.
Fleece blankets
Hand towel
Pouch for baby to sleep in (you can also use a fleece blanket)
Low wattage heating pad (that will not shut itself off).

Place the heating pad on a solid surface under one end of the bin. Balance it out by placing something under the other end (like a book) so that the bin sits level.

Line the bin with a blanket (not too thick, you want the heat to be able to come thru!)
Now lay a dish towel that’s been saturated with warm water over the blanket on the same side as the heating pad.
Place your babies in a pouch-like sack on top of the wet towel.
Cover the pouch with a fleece blanket (it will hold in the heat and moisture).
Put the ventilated lid on your bin and cover 3/4 of it with a blanket to retain the heat and humidity.
Change bedding daily to prevent it from getting musty

What happens now is the warmth from the heating pad will keep everything nice and warm, and the wet towel will make the bin nice and humid. You baby should always feel warm to the touch and slightly damp.

Here is an image of what your bin should look like. Cut out the center and replace it with wire hardware cloth. The lid will help to retain heat and moisture and prevent the baby from escaping. I use bins that have clamp on lids for extra security.

Here is a image of a bin, with the center of the lid cut out with hardware cloth in the center. This will allow for ventilation and also help keep in the warmth and humidity.

Notice how the lids clamps on at each end. This is the best type to use as babies can push their way up thru the lids that just sort of click in place.

Here are some links to the type of heating pads that you can use. Make sure you get one large enough…..I have seen some that are very small. You want good coverage as the babies grow and need to be in a larger space but still need heat to help keep them warm. These heating pads are very low wattage and provide continuous heat.

This heating pad is very similar to what I use and it comes in different sizes:

https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-products-lectro-soft-outdoor/dp/54439?utm_source=partnerize&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=1011l93523&utm_content=0&clickref=1101lj6FoxBn&utm_term=1101lj6FoxBn

Here is another:

https://www.amazon.com/Heating-Voltage-Electric-Resistant-Waterproof/dp/B07H274XPG?th=1

Skin Care:

Rub coconut oil on your babies tail, a couple times every day.

Hydration:

Make sure your baby is well hydrated at all times!