High surface area – impact on hypothermia

Gerbils have a large body surface area (relative to body volume). As a result, gerbils are vulnerable to profound hypothermia under conditions of sedation and anesthesia. Sedation and anesthesia induce hypothermia due to drug effects on the hypothalamus and a rapid drop in core body temperature. If surgery is being performed, additional heat is lost by convection from an open incision during surgery.

Gerbils should have a source of warmth throughout a procedure that lowers their body temperature (e.g., anesthesia, surgery) and afterwards until they recover the ability to thermoregulate themselves.