What to do, sent gland tumor

[Pim]

Hello everyone!

I am not too worried about this but I want to know the best steps to take from here. My gerbil clover is about three years old and has recently formed a sent gland tumor. It is the size of a quarter of a pea at the moment. Otherwise he is completely fine. just as active as normal, eats well, drinks well, and doesn't seem to be in any pain. His poop and pee are fine as well. He lives alone as stated before. I don't think surgery is really an option for me as the vets near me are not reliable and have limited experience with exotics gerbils especially. So I don't feel comfortable with going into surgery with them. Any help is welcomed. Thanks!

[Markpd]

Would vets operate on a Gerbil that age anyway?

[Pim]

Not sure. I wouldn't think so since it's a high risk anyway.

[catnut]

i would leave it for now and wait until it bothers him, some say not to put on anything while others' say to try Manuka honey once it bleeds (some may pick it and make it worse if it's wet), i like to try and see how the pet reacts. Some have surgery on older gerbils but it depends on the vet. A vet can give antibiotics/or metacam when it bothers him to help him be more comfortable.:)I've had a gerbil with one and it took months to get bad and didn't bother him until it affected his breathing and then i had to pts, but we had more time together than i thought. take care, Tammy

[Thea]

My girl Storme has had one for over a year, but it's never bothered her I don't think. She doesn't pick at it and her breathing is fine. Is that normal? The same happened to Mango, my boy who lived to 3, he had one from nearly the beginning. Storme's isn't even really the size of quater of a pea, but it's been the same size for ages. If it's not bothering her, is it fine to not get an operation but consider it in future? Mango's never bothered him either, and storme's isn't very big, and the vets nearby me all charge loads!!

[Pim]

Yep I don't think it will really effect him and since he is so old already I don't think it would do him any good to get it removed. defiantly won't do anything unless it bothers him.

[betty]

Yeah, sometimes they can stay small and smooth for over a year until something changes - but not always of course (some come up really fast).

Saying that though (with one of my own moments of regret), I had a lovely gerbil just over three get the blip and thought I would wait and it didn't seem to do anything at all. It was only when he was just over 4 that it took off, fast, and by then we (me and my vet) didn't think he'd survive the op so had him PTS.

That was a really sad day.

At the time it felt right of course, otherwise I wouldn't have done it - but later I got to dwell on it.

Not only did I think I should have tried the op anyway for him as he was going to die my way anyway right (?) - I then got to wondering how long he could have lived if I HAD done it when I first saw it? He then defo wouldn't have died of a SGT - and I would have got to keep him longer?

I was lucky though and had a trusted vet for surgeries - which I think makes all the difference with these little ones.