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Post by chloe on Apr 15, 2005 13:43:46 GMT -8
Hi, I'm new here, and newish to Gerbils. I did have two girls when I was younger but am afraid I didn't take nearly enough interest in them.  Now though, I have rescued my 8yr old nephew's two unwanted (god knows why, they're gorgeous!) boys, who were in a cage but I've put them in a tank. They're called Sandy and Jerry, my nephew reckons he had them for about 2 years. Sandy is a piggie, will eat most things from my hand. Jerry is a little cautious, but friendly enough. Last night he was climbing all over me, bless him! Today though, he doesn't seem right. He hasn't come out to play, and when he has come out of bed he's been wobbly. I did wonder if it was just because the flooring isn't flat or whatever, but he seems to lean to the left, wobble and lose his ballance quite a bit.. And when he managed to climb up the slope to a flat surface, he walked round in circles... He wasn't like this before. Is it an ear infection or a stroke or something? I don't want him to be poorly!  Is there anything I can give him myself that might help? Thank you for any help! Chloe xx |
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Apr 15, 2005 13:59:58 GMT -8
Gerbils can get polyps in their ears. The polyps do no harm but prevent natural drainage and the ear can get infected. Waht you are describing is the result of an infection. Your gerbil needs URGENT vetinary treatment with antibiotics (baytril usually) to clear the infection. The head tilt will remain permanently but will not affect your gerbils life as he will adapt. The circling is down to balance and will stop when the infection is treated. www.gerbils.co.uk .look under gerbil health and you'll see a pic of a jird with the same complaint This is Drunk who had the same problem, since then hes fathered 3 litters and is a fine figure of a gerbil with a permanent head tilt    |
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Post by chloe on Apr 15, 2005 14:32:21 GMT -8
Hi, thank you for your reply. Is there anything I can do right now? it's half 11pm, I'm ill myself, mum's got a bad hip and can barely move, and god knows if there are any vets around... and tomorrow is saturday... When my rats have had infections, they've had echinacea.... not an instant cure but it's helped..... I'm taking shots in the dark here, I really want to help him |
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Post by gerbilsrgreat on Apr 15, 2005 21:39:22 GMT -8
Don't know if there is anything you can do right now.
I work at PetsMart and I know that if they get an ear infecton they can go down pretty quick, so get him to the vet as soon as you can, doomgerbiluk is right, they'll probably give you baytril.
-Jeremiah
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Post by chloe on Apr 15, 2005 23:45:30 GMT -8
Will/should it be an injection, or by mouth?
thank you
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Apr 16, 2005 2:44:42 GMT -8
Hmmm, I see I haven't translated this ailment into English on my website!  Treatment: A Cholesteatoma (polyp that can causeinner ear infection) cannot be treated. But an infection caused by a Cholesteatoma can be treated by your veterinarian with antibiotics. Keep in mind that the infection is likely to return, because the polyp will not disappear. A regular treatment is necessarily. After the treatment, the gerbil often remains to hold its head to one side, but it will get used to this and the gerbil will live on normally! Not much you can do right now, it need antibiotics! I think that doomgerbiluk is indeed right! |
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Post by chloe on Apr 16, 2005 2:47:43 GMT -8
Right, mum took him and they're back now. Apparently he bit the vet twice  but she said as she couldn't look into his ear or examine him properly, it could either be a stroke, ear infection, or tumour. We've got baytril, what a surprise! it says to put 0.5ML into 100ML water every day... Is that right? shall i make it 0.25ml into 50ml? and put anything else in to make it taste nicer? and what if Jerry doesn't make it up the slope to the water? Any more advice welcome! |
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Apr 16, 2005 4:06:07 GMT -8
I would give him it direct, a drop a day. for 7 days. I have discovered to my cost that dosing throught the water bottle is often ineffective. And thanks Peter Sounds liek you've seen it yourself. It's very distressing when you first see it but gerbils are very adaptable fellows and Drunk isn't bothered at all...he just looks more like his name now  Little tip......print of advice and information (the NGS stuff is good as many vets will be ready to listen to advice from 'experts') and take it with you. A good vet will accept that those wirkign with gerbils day in, day out will know more about the symptoms of common ailments of particular species than themselves. |
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Post by chloe on Apr 16, 2005 4:53:26 GMT -8
Shall I put a drop of ribena in the syringe too? He's a wriggly little thing who will bite if he's not happy, and I can't see him being happy with yucky baytril shoved in his mouth!
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Post by chloe on Apr 16, 2005 5:43:19 GMT -8
Uh that was impossible.... He just wouldn't have it. I've put some ribena in the bottle with baytril and really hope he drinks it... fingers crossed.
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Apr 16, 2005 7:43:09 GMT -8
And thanks Peter Sounds liek you've seen it yourself. It's very distressing when you first see it but gerbils are very adaptable fellows and Drunk isn't bothered at all...he just looks more like his name now I've seen it at my previous school! Our rodent care teacher bred gerbils herself! She had many of them. She had a special building for her rodents. But luckily I've never seen this in my own gerbils! My first two gerbil came also from there! And for information about this.... there is alot of info available in books, websites, etc. It is not that uncommon sadly enough! Indeed a good tip! Many vets do not know much about exotic pets, like small rodents! Sadly not all of the will admit! |
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Apr 16, 2005 7:45:06 GMT -8
From www.gerbils.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gerbils/ailments.htm#Infections:  This is a Sundervall's Jird (Meriones crassus) that is suffering from the chronic phase of the illness. When this picture was taken the jird was almost unable to stand and was having difficulty feeding herself. Following treatment she still holds her head oddly but is as active and healthy as the rest of her family. Click on the picture to see a larger version. Again this is more common in older gerbils, and is recognisable when the gerbil has a head tilt. This is caused principally by a cyst in the ear known as a cholesteatoma. These cysts are common in gerbils and are untreatable. However, my experience is that the chronic condition caused by these cysts, where the gerbil loses balance and often circles whilst holding its head at a very unusual angle, is treatable. Presumably this chronic condition is caused by an infection that is secondary to the cholesteatoma. The best treatment is an anti-inflammatory injection administered by your Vet, and treatment with antibiotics such as Baytril. In the majority of cases a reduced head tilt remains even though the chronic phase of the condition has passed, but your gerbil will adapt to this and will enjoy life as much as he ever did. Be aware that this problem can reoccur. If the chronic phase of this condition is not treated then the gerbil will often become totally incapable of caring for itself, it will collapse and quickly die. |
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Post by chloe on Apr 16, 2005 9:06:15 GMT -8
I had seen that before, I've looked at everything I could find! But thank you. Are you sure it is the ear infection and not a tumor or stroke? Personally I don't think it's a stroke because don't they lose the use of half or just part of their bodys? Jerry has been running around playing quite a lot of today, and it's only the head tilt that makes him wonkey I think.. I'd be falling over and walking in circles if my head was tilted like that! The more he played, the better he seemed to be getting at walking straight. I haven't seen him drink yet though.. Maybe I just missed it, but if he's not drinking at all, that's bad... worse than just not having baytril, right? |
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Apr 16, 2005 13:23:49 GMT -8
yes its an ear infection I've seen it myself in one of my boys (as shown) and a friend has an elderly degu with the same problem. I've heard of it in other animals too. The balance is due to the balance organs in the ear being disrupted. Having suffered from such an infection myself which left me unable to stand up for some hours I can tell you it's one time when having four legs must be an adavantage!!! Strokes cause paralysis and weakness rather than circling and balance loss. Peter my previous vet was always glad to read what Eddie and Julian had to say on these things, my present vet is equally asgood and is also an ex-gerbil breeder . You are quite right that many vets have little experience of animals such as gerbils and sadly not all are prepared to consider outside advice. the best vet is one you can build a relationship of trust with. Do remember while you may take such advice with you it is also important to listen to the vet and discuss options. |
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Post by chloe on Apr 16, 2005 23:50:51 GMT -8
Thank you! So definitely not a tumor? I didn't think it was a stroke, my last surviving girl from my old pair had a stroke and it wasn't like this, much much worse I don't think he's weak! He's been doing normal things, and chewing on really hard wood too! I don't think I could have chewed proper solid food (let alone wood, but I'm not a gerbil ) when I had an ear infection, it hurt! Do you think the vet should have done something else/more? Apparently she couldn't diagnose him properly because he was far too wriggly and bitey.. But maybe a more experienced vet would at least rule out a stroke? I don't know. But yes, if he has to go back to the vet, I shall print out that page. It says they should have an injection.. Would that be possible with an animal so tiny and wriggly and bitey? I'll have another go at syringing his baytril today... wish me luck! |
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but she said as she couldn't look into his ear or examine him properly, it could either be a stroke, ear infection, or tumour. We've got baytril, what a surprise! it says to put 0.5ML into 100ML water every day...