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Post by alabeano on Mar 9, 2015 12:38:55 GMT -8
Hi everyone,
I have a very poorly gerbil and need some advice. Thursday late evening I noticed my gerbil alabeano was breathing heavily. The following morning he was no better so took him into the vet upon opening. He has been diagnosed with Pnemonia.
He has had injections for the past 3 days and now the vet says they won't give him anymore. I have been given a course of oral antibiotics for 1 week.
I am so concerned that no thread seems to mention a gerbil getting better and what the signs are. He seems no better to me and have just noticed he has a pink discharge coming from his eyes.
I don't know what to do for the best, do I carry on hoping he will recover and watching this terrible suffering or am I kidding myself and infact being cruel to keep the dream of him getting better alive.
He is an albeano gerbil and he is two years old.
Please please can some who has seen first hand what I'm going through advise me on any signs of improvement or anything I can do for him to aid his recovery.
I won't give up on him and will do what ever it takes to save him from being euthanasia.
Thankyou in advance.
Vince.
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Post by sinthiav on Mar 9, 2015 14:11:45 GMT -8
I don't know much about pneumonia in gerbils, but I do know that red is the normal color for gerbil mucus.
In general, he has a system saturated with antibiotics. Make sure you keep to the schedule and administer all doses for the oral so no bacteria survive. If it is bacterial pneumonia antibiotics will work. Try to get him to eat and make it easy to drink. Antibiotics usually should be taken with food so they don't upset the stomach.
Does anyone know a good diet for a sick gerbil?
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Post by Shooting Star on Mar 9, 2015 17:07:16 GMT -8
Gerbils are rarely diagnosed with something more specific than "respiratory infection". Pneumonia is a type of RI, and in gerbils is treated the same as any other RI.
With such aggressive antibiotics, may want to offer some probiotics as well. Look for a plain-flavored yogurt with live Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures. Activia, Yoplait Original, and Stonybrook are the brands I know off the top of my head.
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Post by sinthiav on Mar 9, 2015 18:01:26 GMT -8
Yogurt is a good idea. Three shots is very aggressive, right? So I wonder if they grew a culture. Wow what amazing care for small pets!
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Post by alabeano on Mar 10, 2015 9:47:56 GMT -8
Hi,
Thankyou for the yoghurt advice, I'm off to get some now.
PLEASE PLEASE can anyone who's gerbil made it through a rerespiratory infection give me any hints or tips on helping them get better.
I am really desperate for any advice no matter how little.
Alabeano is still really ill and I need to help him. I lowered the water bottle to his nose this afternoon and he did have a good drink from it and then a little food. I can only assume this is a good thing right?
Thanks again,
Vince.
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Post by alabeano on Mar 10, 2015 10:07:58 GMT -8
In response to sinthiav: the vet gave my little man two injections each day for Fri, Sat and Sunday so 6 shots in total. i know one was baytril but I'm unsure of the second one.
I rang the vet again yesterday to book him in for another but the vet refused and said he would get a rash! I was insensed by this as surely getting a rash is the lesser of two evils. I have to listen to the vet I suppose as I am not qualified to quote. I have managed to get the oral baytril and anti inflammatory into him though, at least I think so anyway. I will continue the full course as recommended.
I have read so many wives tales about how to make them better but need a tried technique that will help him. I can't stand to see him like this.
His cage mate (waffle) is just making my heart melt as he has been keeping Al warm and has even been chewing food and passing it to him. I had no idea they did this for a sick friend ( it is just so sweet).
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Post by Shooting Star on Mar 10, 2015 14:40:22 GMT -8
There's no magic cure. It's difficult to treat infections in gerbils because they hide symptoms until disease processes are fairly advanced, so you usually only get the chance for one round of antibiotics. Most of the time, a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics (like baytril or sulfa) will do the trick. But if the infection happens to be caused by a bacterium that's not covered by that first antibiotic, or a virus (there are no antiviral meds for gerbils), the gerbil will often die before you're able to try a different antibiotic.
So you really just have to stick with that first antibiotic and cross your fingers.
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pnemonia
Mar 10, 2015 14:45:37 GMT -8
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Post by alabeano on Mar 10, 2015 14:45:37 GMT -8
There's no magic cure. It's difficult to treat infections in gerbils because they hide symptoms until disease processes are fairly advanced, so you usually only get the chance for one round of antibiotics. Most of the time, a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics (like baytril or sulfa) will do the trick. But if the infection happens to be caused by a bacterium that's not covered by that first antibiotic, or a virus (there are no antiviral meds for gerbils), the gerbil will often die before you're able to try a different antibiotic. So you really just have to stick with that first antibiotic and cross your fingers. |
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pnemonia
Mar 10, 2015 14:56:03 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by alabeano on Mar 10, 2015 14:56:03 GMT -8
Thankyou for your honesty,
I think deep down I knew I only had one shot at al getting better but I supposed I just didn't want to believe that.
He does seem a little more perky than yesterday but still looking very poorly. I can hear him squeeking lightly with every breath yet his eyes look much brighter.
His breathing has slightly improved but not very much, tomorrow is the last day of anti biotics then we're out so I guess it is sink or swim time. I will be so upset if he doesn't make it. Please can,you advise me if I'm being cruel to keep him going like this or are those little improvements enough to give us hope?
Vince.
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Post by sinthiav on Mar 11, 2015 5:07:12 GMT -8
I get a rash from antibiotics that can kill me!
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pnemonia
Mar 11, 2015 5:41:35 GMT -8
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Post by alabeano on Mar 11, 2015 5:41:35 GMT -8
Today is a very sad day for me Al is getting worse not better. He can hardly move today and breathing very slowly and laboured. I can hear wheezing and clicking when he's breathing. He is booked into the vet for 5:30 I think for the last time.
Thankyou to everyone for support and advice.
Vince,
Over and out.
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Post by vexorg on Mar 11, 2015 10:56:26 GMT -8
You can never tell, we've had 50/50 success when they get ill. Depends on how strong the gerbil is. We've only been given oral medicine for them, none ever got an injections.
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pnemonia
Mar 11, 2015 11:13:08 GMT -8
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Post by alabeano on Mar 11, 2015 11:13:08 GMT -8
we have just got home from the vet.
They said his condition is not really improving. Was given a choice to put him to sleep or throw everything at him.
I of course opted for The later we have now got, metacam, septrtrin, baytril, bislovon and supreme recovery plus.
He has just taken a dose of all of tje above and now has a towel over his cage and with a bowl of steamy vic vapour rub. Vet was very strict and said if he is no better by sat she will have to put him to sleep.
She did say their was a slim chance but it's a chance so had to try.
Will post an update tomorrow on his condition.
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Post by sinthiav on Mar 11, 2015 11:14:00 GMT -8
You've been very kind to the least of God's creatures. :thumbup:
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pnemonia
Mar 11, 2015 23:04:08 GMT -8
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Post by alabeano on Mar 11, 2015 23:04:08 GMT -8
sadly al died this morning,
He died in my hands A few moments ago.
I will never understand how he even got I'll as his cage mate is fine. He was so young too at only about two and a half years old. My last gerbils both died at 4 and a half years old within a week of one another. Thankyou again to all the well wishers and advice.
I am waiting for approval to join and will look to help anyone else in any way I can.
RIP al we miss you and will never forget you.
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