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Post by sirius on Sept 25, 2006 2:14:55 GMT -8
-Diarrhea-
where does it come from? Comes from unsuitable or 'spoiled' food, or owner gives too much or too strong fresh food to gerbil who hasn't got any before. Also if your gerbil has got any antibiots, it can destroy some bacteries that live in bowel and so affects that diarrhea. Giving fresh food should start by little at time,so that gerbils bowel get's used to it. Good mild fresh foods to start are eg. carrot and cucumber (notice that cucumber is a diuretic,so not too much too long)
How does it look like Gerbil who has a diarrhea has a dirty butt and it's browny/yellowish and may be wet. Gerbils poops are also soft, slimy and may be greeny. (Do not mix diarrhea to gerbils "maydaypoop" what untreated gerbil can do when kept in hand) Long lasting diarrhea can cause "liquidlack" so it's good to check gerbils condition everyday.
So usually it goes away without any medicines or so.
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Sept 25, 2006 3:49:24 GMT -8
Actually it's very rare in gerbils and must ALWAYS be taken seriously. If there is an obvious cause that should be eliminated, otherwise see a vet. The diseases that often cause this in gerbils are Tyzzers, E-coli and Salmonella, all of which are potentially very serious problems. For more details read up at www.gerbils.co.uk and www.gerbilshowsuk.orgNever ignore this or assume it will go away. Always use strict hygeine between cages and if possible remove the affected colonies to a room 2 doors away from other animals including cats and dogs.
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Post by sirius on Sept 26, 2006 0:20:42 GMT -8
Okey, I see that whatever I say it is always wrong and you guys need to show that You know these better. in Finland diarrhea is not THAT bad, no need to go to vet and it goes away in notime.
About tyzzer: It's caused by a bacteria called Bacillus piliformis, what expands by bloodstream/circulation. Diseases' "germinatetime" is 10 days, when usually all those who are sick will die. Mortality is biggest in 3-7 weeks old gerbils and those who had just given birth. Indication is thay they don't want to eat and are apathetic, some animals may have diarrhea.
Those who had died have noticed damages in bowel, hearmuscle and liver. Diagnosis can made by exam the died animal.
Salmonella: Usually comes to young gerbils, and death is 95% says a research of "Olson GA et al. 1977. Salmonellosis in gerbil colony. J Am Vet Med Assoc 171:970" Indications are diarrhea, fuzzy fur, losing wieght and liquidflack. Soem gerbils died without any seeing indications. You can suspect salmonella if You have salmonella, or animal foods have been in touched by wild mice or rats. Also birds can spread salmonella in their poo. Salmonella is so called zoonoos so it can 'attach' from gerbil to human and from human to gerbil. Treatment If you doubt that your gerbil has a salmonella, take it to vet. There's no sure treatment to salmonella because that bacteria is really modifying and so ordinary antibiotics may not work.
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Post by sirius on Sept 26, 2006 0:21:55 GMT -8
So diarrhea in itself is not a horrible disease where gerbils die. If you can doubt that it's something else (like tyzzer or salmonella) take the gerbil to vet.
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Post by Shooting Star on Sept 26, 2006 7:02:56 GMT -8
Actually, diarrhea in itself is not a disease at all. It's a symptom. So you've both made the same point: if there is reason to believe that there is a serious disease causing the diarrhea, vet attention is needed. "If there is an obvious cause that should be eliminated, otherwise see a vet." Obvious causes being: "Comes from unsuitable or 'spoiled' food, or owner gives too much or too strong fresh food to gerbil who hasn't got any before. Also if your gerbil has got any antibiots, it can destroy some bacteries that live in bowel and so affects that diarrhea." It's entirely possible that in Finland "serious" diarrhea is as rare as "non-serious" diarrhea is in England/the US. Both points needed to be made, however, since the people who might take advice from the thread could be in either area.
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caz
Member
Posts: 6,237
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Post by caz on Sept 26, 2006 8:11:42 GMT -8
OK, I'm going to 'jump in now' If ANY animal of mine ever has diarrhoea, this says to me - not good news! and I'd do my utmost to find the source of the problem and treat the animal as best I could including taking professional advice In my own opionion, no animal has diarrhoea for no reason! Caroline
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Post by sirius on Sept 26, 2006 8:32:37 GMT -8
I didn't say that that comes from no-where I did said some reason where that can come from and how to treat it. (to caz) (and as I said, if my animals have had it,they are healed like need to)
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caz
Member
Posts: 6,237
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Post by caz on Sept 26, 2006 10:03:06 GMT -8
I didn't say that that comes from no-where I did said some reason where that can come from and how to treat it. (to caz) I didn't say you didn't Sirius!!! I was just expressing my OWN personal opinion on what 'I' would do should 'I' come across any animal of mine having this problem I'd think straight away that this is not right and would require professional help if I couldn't work out the reason for myself in the first place. Caroline
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Post by doomgerbiluk on Sept 26, 2006 10:42:42 GMT -8
Let me tell you a tale. Actually 2! There is a breeder, more than that a man who knows absolutely loads about gerbils, who was breeding almost every colour, who had lines going back many years. He took on some unwanted gerbils. These gerbils gave his stock e-coli. He spent hundreds of pounds on vet bills and worse lost most of his stock, the antibiotics reduced the fertility of what was left. Yet despite warnings diarrhea had been ignored in a number of peoples stock which led to the infection.
The same year some of my pups died from diarrhea. I lost a number of animals, spent a fortune on tests and antibiotics and was unable to rehome any animals, even those that had been allocated to people, for fear of passing this condition on.
I know that in some areas it is considered normal to lose a percentage of your pups this way. To me endemic diseases that cause loss of pups are unnacceptable. I fight their corner for every pup born.
If you ignore this it doesnt go away, your stock may become resistant but that only means the problem is passed on when you show your animals or rehome your pups.
That is why I believe diarrhea to be an important symptom and why I felt sirius that your original post needed adding to, because to me it implied that diarrhea is not serious at all.
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Post by sirius on Sept 26, 2006 14:30:08 GMT -8
Yeah, you refer now that e-coli to diarrhea. E-coli as a sicness and diarrhea as a part of it. Again i was talking only about diarrhea, not e-coli or all others. And I meaned that if you know that your gerbil has a diarrhea it'll go by without any serious vet medicines or so on. Your post gave me a thought that you think i don't take my gerbil's illnesses seriously. Here in finland it's not usual gerbils to sick in e-coli,tyzzer or so. I would take gerbils to vet ofcourse if i see something unusual. But here diarrhea is just a diarrhea, not anything serious.
I hope this thing is now talked through, all facts,treatments and so on about e-coli, diarrhea, tyzzer and salmonella has been told.
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