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Post by meganb52 on Dec 29, 2005 15:02:37 GMT -8
scent gland tumors themselves are usually benign (slow growing and 'quiet') tumors. The reason they could kill a gerbil usually has to do with overcrowding abdominal organs, causing them to not work properly.
-Megan
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Dec 29, 2005 16:04:18 GMT -8
They could probably even use tissue glue if they had it since the incision would be so small. Yup, that's what the vet who removed my boy's tumor used. She said they'd found that rodents didn't bother their incisions as much with surgical glue as with stitches. RW |
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Post by AndreaS15 on Dec 29, 2005 16:14:15 GMT -8
Yup, that's what the vet who removed my boy's tumor used. She said they'd found that rodents didn't bother their incisions as much with surgical glue as with stitches. RW That's all we used also with all our Rat surgeries. I tried glueing Maibus side back when she was attacked, it worked actually really well, but was very diffucult with a squirmy baby, I would not suggest anyone try it at home, but have their Vet do it. |
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Post by kimsgerbils on Dec 29, 2005 17:13:37 GMT -8
My female with the scent gland tumor keeps having off and on respiratory issues that antibiotics can't help. Her abdomen is also distended and firm, it feels as if she were pregnant, but in fact she can't be. Any ideas?
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Post by AndreaS15 on Dec 29, 2005 18:19:36 GMT -8
 That's no good, poor thing. Sounds like the Tumor is alot bigger then what it shows on the outside. She could have other problems as well, is she very old? What are her signs when she has respiratory issues? Alot of animal when ill (and people) develop fuild in their lungs, it usualy comes with other illnesses and there isn't to much you can do. Sometimes they can drain it, i doubt it with gerbils, they are just so small. And draining isn't a cure, the fluid always comes back. |
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Post by kimsgerbils on Dec 29, 2005 18:33:18 GMT -8
www.zippyvideos.com/2334081621988336/trixieill/*kimsgerbilsA video of her during illness... currently she's active and running around. Her mother died about a week ago from a similar illness but her cagemate and her mother's cagemate showed no symptoms of it. Possibly genetic.. internal issues?
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Post by kimsgerbils on Jan 2, 2006 0:47:24 GMT -8
Ok, I think Trixie is afflicted by cystic ovaries... Her symptoms are classic for it, according to a few lab reports... Over 2, female, distended abdomen....
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Post by meganb52 on Jan 2, 2006 9:31:09 GMT -8
Yeah, that looks like one unhappy and painful gerbil to me. Cystic ovaries can be genetic and very painful. I wouldn't be able to tell really unless I was able to feel her belly, and there probably aren't many veterinarians who would do a gerbil ovariectomy... I would just watch her and if you think she's in a lot of pain and it isn't going away, it may be time to put her to sleep. That's my unofficial opinion, having only seen the one video mind you ...
-Megan
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Jan 2, 2006 10:11:15 GMT -8
Another possibility is some sort of internal tumor unrelated to the scent gland tumor. I've lost two older girls to abdominal tumors, one on the liver and the other on the spleen. They both had bloated abdomens and suffered some sporadic respiratory distress.
The first girl went downhill very quickly. It was only about two weeks from the time I first noticed her abdomen swelling until the vet trip where she was put to sleep. Her ultrasound showed a large tumor on her liver with a lot of necrotic tissue. The other girl, the one with the tumor on her spleen, didn't deteriorate so quickly. Her abdomen swelled practically overnight (later, when the vet did an ultrasound, it showed the tumor had ruptured, filling her abdomen with fluid), but she continued to eat and drink and behave semi-normally, although she slept for longer and longer periods of time on the heating pad under one corner of her tank.
The swelling in their abdomens was different--the girl's with the liver tumor was firm and the other's was soft and squishy. Something I noticed they had in common was that they both licked the glass of their tanks quite a bit, even though they were both still drinking from their water bottles and the bottles were definitely working properly.
You've said there are no vets local to you who will treat gerbils, but if Trixie gets below what you feel is an acceptable quality of life, would any of them at least put her to sleep so she doesn't have to suffer?
RW
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Post by kimsgerbils on Jan 2, 2006 18:27:55 GMT -8
Yes, I could find a vet to have her PTS if needed... Right now she's not deteriorating and is very active still and not sleeping too much more than most gerbils her age. She doesn't seem to be in much, if any, pain. I know rodents are very good at hiding pain, but usually I can tell, and if she does get bad enough, I will have her euthanized. She's had a swollen abdomen for a week now...
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Post by kimsgerbils on Jan 9, 2006 16:06:17 GMT -8
Well, still active with a swollen abdomen. Only thing is, I was gently feeling her abdomen and felt a lump on her liver... She seems to not be in pain and is still running in the wheel, her weight it good, she is drinking more than usual and licking the glass, but otherwise ok... If she does decline, I won't hesitate to have her humanely PTS.
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Post by kimsgerbils on Jan 9, 2006 16:07:43 GMT -8
 This is Trixie, only a few days ago... You can see her abdomen is distended, but she's still moving around fine and not lethargic or suffering from the prior resp. illness.. |
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That's no good, poor thing.