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Post by pepandmax on Jul 25, 2007 6:04:48 GMT -8
It is very common for owners to suddenly notice that their gerbil has an orangish, bald patch in the middle of the belly. No worries--every gerbil has this patch! It's a scent gland. Gerbils use their scent glands to mark their territory. Close-up of a healthy scent gland: (Fox got several sunflower seeds after his photo shoot, since he definitely didn't want to be photographed! A healthy scent gland is smooth, with no bumps or strange growths. The color is a uniform orange-tinted beige. You should not see any discharge from a normal scent gland. Some gerbils, especially older males, will get growths on their scent glands. Sometimes the growth is benign and will not bother the animal, but many times it is cancerous. In an otherwise healthy animal, a vet can usually remove the cancer easily, before it spreads. If you notice anything strange about your gerbil's scent gland, you should consult a vet to determine the best course of action. Ashgerbil has provided a picture of a scent gland tumor. Thanks, Issy! In this case, it looks like small pink lumps, almost like a rash. In other cases, it will look like a pimple or wart. RW has a great picture of this type of growth. Thanks, RW!If you have illustrative pictures that you would like to share, please PM pepandmax (of course, you'll get a photo credit ).
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