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Post by kimmie on Feb 22, 2006 19:19:11 GMT -8
Hello,
My gerbil has stopped chewing and his teeth has grown way too long. The bottom teeth are up to the roof of his mouth and causing indents. I'm afraid it will soon pierce his palete. He doesn't seem sick, but he's now thin since he's having a hard time using his teeth to eat. I can't bear to watch him waste away with pain. I can't afford a vet. I tried filing them down, but no success. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Post by ashgerbil on Feb 23, 2006 9:16:40 GMT -8
well, you really need to get him to a vet i'm afraid  it can be very dangerous to cut the teeth yourself  for now, you can feed your gerbil things such as a bit of fruit juice, grape, apple sauce, crushed biscuits, crushed sunflower seeds, a bit of wholemeal bread soaked in milk etc and see if he will eat anything like that i'm really sorry that i can't give anymore advice  has anyone else got any other ideas??? |
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Post by lizzy on Feb 23, 2006 9:21:31 GMT -8
If you try cutting/filing his teeth yourself you could cause serious damage especially if you are not sure what you are doing. I am sorry but I really have no other advice other than what ashgerbil said - he needs to see a vet asap otherwise he could starve to death. A simple consultation and teeth trimming should not be too expensive.
How come they got too long in the first place? Ideally gerbils need plenty of chewing material such as cardboard and wood tubes etc, and just eating their food helps them keep their teeth down. Just something to remember for the future.
Good luck.
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Post by pepandmax on Feb 23, 2006 14:34:51 GMT -8
Please take him to the vet. It is indeed very cruel to allow a gerbil to starve to death amidst the pain of the lower incisors growing into the upper jaw. If they are already causing indents, it's gone on for far too long needs to be fixed now.
Because you know exactly what the problem is, there shouldn't be a need for a consultation. It should be a very quick appointment.
I don't know what your financial situation is, or how old you are, but some vets will work out a special rate, or will help you with a payment plan if you can't pay upfront. Then you can pay a few dollars/ euros every few weeks or months.
Until then, as Andrea said, feed him soft foods in small bites. When one of my elder boys had dental problems, I took his usual lab block, ground it into a powder with a mortar and pestal, and reconstituted it with some water to make a pasty gruel. Also, be aware that the teeth may make it difficult for food to get into the mouth--your gerbil won't be able to "bite into" anything. In that case, pile the paste/ gruel up into a little mound, so s/he can bite off the top.
Hope this helps. But please do go to a vet.
P.S. Lizzy, dental problems don't always stem from a lack of chewing opportunities, although I've read that's the most common cause. I've concluded that my gerbil's dental issues came from a little fall he had. Well, actually he did a voluntary swan dive off the sofa and landed on our hardwood floor. What a screw-ball!
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Post by kimmie on Feb 24, 2006 5:57:57 GMT -8
I figured the vet would be the only way to fix this problem. Thanks for your concerns though. My gerbil is 2 and a half yrs old, and he has also had a tumor of some sort at the base of his tail for awhile now. At one point it got very big and was bloody, but it has now closed up and gotten smaller. It could be cancer, which could explain why I noticed that two of his teeth had broken off at one point and is no longer knawing or active. Now his teeth have all grown back but it's just too long. The office visit alone to the vet is going to cost $80 and since gerbils teeth grow quickly, I would need to go back for trimmings. I just can't spend that kind of money for a gerbil especially since he has other health issues. I'm just surprised this gerbil, Sam, is the one with all the health problems. He was the largest and strongest one of all at one point. Thanks again.
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Post by pepandmax on Feb 24, 2006 19:56:07 GMT -8
You might not necessarily need to go back for trimmings.
My (nearly 2.5 yr old) gerbil had a similar experience--one of his teeth broke, and the others grew in too long, Once the bottom teeth were trimmed to the correct length and the missing tooth finished growing in, everything went back to normal.
Now he's just as cheeky as ever ;D Little brat!
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has anyone else got any other ideas???
