Post by flora7suzy4ever on May 13, 2019 7:12:16 GMT -8
So about two weeks ago, I had to make an emergency vet visit. Thankfully my first and hopefully my last! It seems my elderly gerbil, Flora, had not been as diligent with keeping her teeth trim and me with checking them! Anyways, late on Tuesday night, I had her out on the floor and she was just fine playing and running around. I put her back into the cage and was getting ready for bed when I noticed she was just laying, stretched out on her rock. This isn't too uncommon, because the rock is cool and pleasant to lie on in the summer, but this was not the case. I scooped her up and instantly I could tell something was very wrong. I've had enough experience that I can tell just by the way a gerbils body feels that they are dehydrated. I checked her water bottle and it was fine. I couldn't see why she was acting like this. I tried to get her to eat and she seemed interested, weakly pawing at the food, but couldn't eat any. It was then I realized and quickly pulled back her lips to see her teeth. Her bottom teeth were much to long and were hurting her mouth. She was squeaking and very lethargic. However, it was too late to go to a vets office so I grabbed an oral syringe and made myself a bed on the floor beside her cage. I stayed up with her for hours and hours, feeding her water with a tiny bit of sugar through the syringe and some bread I had moistened with water. She was so still, I had her just lying on my pillow while I watched every breath, praying it wouldn't be her last. At around 4 in the morning, she managed to eat some bread and was more hydrated. I finally let myself go to bed. The next morning, she was doing better but still not able to eat. I called a few vets offices and found one that could do it for me. I syringe fed her a few times in the morning and then we left for the vets. The receptionist seemed rather surprised when I informed her she was 3 and 1/2 years old XD. I would have rather been able to be with her when they clipped her teeth but they just took her into the back room, said it would be quick and left me to wait for more then an hour... The vet and I talked for a bit after, and she had filed her top teeth and clipped her bottom ones, taking off at least a millimeter, and also injected fluids under the skin. They were extremely reasonable and this altogether only cost me $25. Then we left for home and the entire car ride back she kept grinding and clicking her teeth, presumably because it felt so different. She didn't eat much that day but the next day she was back to normal. Today she's doing awesome and I made sure she had even more sticks then before and plenty of chew toys, and am checking them regularly. XD Sorry I wrote a book, but I hope it helps someone and make sure you all check your gerbils teeth!
