tilting gerbil

[doomgerbiluk]

Hi
Last w/end I got an awful shock to find Drunk, my male form my original breedign pair, looking very ill, seemingly having lost a lot of weight and unable to stand up, with a distinct lean to the right.
Of fto the vets Monday, a week of baytril, a change of cage to one with a more accessable water bottle and look at him now!!
I did try to take some pictures of his 'lean' but they don't do it justice. Still, as you can see he's looking very healthy now...with a good appetite for yoghurt drops








I hope that by posting this I can help anyone with a similar problem understand what is happening and not panic too much.

This link explains what was/is wrong a lot better than I can
www.gerbils.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gerbils/ailments.htm#Infections

[queenofthenile]

Sorry to hear about your gerbil, doom. Thank you very much for sharing that information.

[gerbilicious]

I hope Drunk makes a full recovery.

Gerbils eat yogurt drops, too? My guinea pig was given yogurt drops as a treat, but I haven't thought about them for my gerbils.

[RyanF]

He is so cute! Hope he gets all the way better!

[doomgerbiluk]

heheh
yes most gerbils love yoghurt drops
I buy the rotastak or the wilkinson ones
no he won't fully recover
read the NGS link and you'll see why
The infection will hopefully be cleard BUT the cysts remain.

oh and queen of the Nile..as I said I really hope anyone reading this will be prepared should this ever happen to one of their gerbils. If you read the link its a problem of gerbil species but it is quite scary to find a previously healthy animal in that state.
hopefully should any of the regs here ever find that they will remember Drunk and be reassured. It is also helpful to print off the NGS sheet and take it with you tho the vet, My vets were very happy to be presented with that information and felt it furthered their knowledge as gerbils are an occasional species they see, not an every day patient.

[sweetie]

Thanks for sharing your experience and the outcome. That is a definite benefit for all the members.!!

I hope that Drunk gets up to speed or to the highest speed he can after this!!

[Jenni]

I have a gerbil who went through the same experience. He's blind (he was born without eyes - kind of gross, but he's a real sweetie), had a tumour on his scent gland (I got it removed - he's recovered great), and then later had a stroke, which left him with a head tilt like your gerbil. My gerbil is living la vida loco as ever before.
I'm glad you went to the vet. Baytril helps alot to help get your gerbil back to healthy living.

[paws]

Hope he gets better soon! Mine hate drops! (off topics, but.......)