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Post by catnut on Jun 14, 2024 13:14:28 GMT -8
My Sierra is just over 2 1/2 years old and noticed she is a bit rounder and heavier in the last month and am concerned about an ovarian cyst. I've read the descriptions but most don't fit for her. She is eating well, i've cut her down on treats even though i give her healthy ones and not often, runs on her wheel (not often, she's never been a big wheeler) and runs around and digs as normal. She isn't drinking any more than normal, sleeping more but she is over 2 and that could be age. She is on a seed diet (Hagen) and i've noticed some of my gerbils getting a bit heavier after the age 2 due to less activity. She is a smaller gerbil and is a bit rounder but i wouldn't say pear shape and round all on the sides, her belly area looks normal. Anyone had a gerbil with these cysts and will she be okay and be around for months if she does have one or two?
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Post by tanzanyte on Jun 14, 2024 14:28:00 GMT -8
My Bubbles had what I believe was an ovarian cyst. It seemed obvious when she stood on her hind legs as her shape wasn't right and she'd put on weight quite fast, but all in one area. In the end she had a tumour in her ear as well. She actually surprised me and lasted longer than I was expecting, whether that was the pain meds I don't know. I will say that she went downhill quite quickly at the end. It was the aural tumour that caused the most grief and her sister kept trying to groom it which caused a great deal of distress and I finally had to separate them and make the call. Hopefully it's just an overweight issue, as her continuing as normal is a good sign, however if not I do hope that you get longer with Sierra. I will see if I can find a picture of Bubbles tomorrow and check her weight as I still have it recorded somewhere. I've edited to add the photo here so that you can see the little pudge she had going at the end. The shape change happened very fast as did the weight gain. She weighed just over 90g at the end from around 75-80ish, although I can't find the paperwork atm to tell you for definite what weight and how fast it went on. I've been trying to look at photo's and ascertain how much time she did have from when we started noticing issues but she was a shy/timid gerbil and we didn't get her out as much or for as long as we didn't want to stress her out. I know I moved her and her sister to my stepdaughters as I was worried about her and with the meds I wanted a more closer eye kept on her whilst we were on holiday. That would have been summer. She died at the beginning of October. ![](https://i.imgur.com/JvuZ2Cs.jpg)
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Post by catnut on Jun 15, 2024 13:10:54 GMT -8
Thanks for the information about Bubbles and her photo- I have read it can be slow to affect them which means if she has one, I will have her around for longer than i worried. I'm still not sure as she seems very active at times, she was jumping to get out of her home today as i was taking too long, lol. I will check on her daily when i have her out and if i notice it's bothering her, get her to the vets for a check and meds. if i feel she needs them. I am also cutting her down on the fatty seeds as i am hoping that is why she is a bit heavier.
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Post by tanzanyte on Jun 15, 2024 15:59:23 GMT -8
They definitely slow with age and put weight on. All of my gerbils have done this. How old is Sierra now?
The pain meds only really came in for the aural tumour as that seemed to bother Bubbles more, rather than the internal tumour. The vet did mentioned scanning at the time but I know my stepdaughter had her rats scanned and they could barely see anything. Given that rats are double the size I decided it wasn't worth the risk of the anaesthetic if they weren't going to be able to work out what was going on, especially when there really isn't anything they can do for them.
Fingers crossed it's more of a sedentary lifestyle and too many treats rather than something sinister. It's a good sign if she's busy throughout the day and still wants to come out for playtime.
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Post by catnut on Jun 16, 2024 14:56:30 GMT -8
around 2 1/2 years, she was a rescue so it was a guess but she seems to be around that age due to how she is acting, sleeping more in the mornings, very active in the afternoons, then gets tired around 7pm or so. She is staying the same size but will watch if she looks more bloated. She's looking at me right now probably wondering why i'm not giving her treats as normal and less sunnies, i feel bad but i don't want to gaining too much as she's small.
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Post by tanzanyte on Jun 23, 2024 13:57:28 GMT -8
They have a way of making you feel very bad not giving them treats! I hope Sierra has been doing better lately and her weight has either plateaued or reduced.
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Post by betty on Jun 24, 2024 11:14:37 GMT -8
I always think that ovarian cysts appear like flattened saddle-bags from above. Where the fluid builds up it tends to start to stick out right above the waist and looks flattish and quite prominent - almost like they have swallowed a cube.
Other conditions including heart/fluid related issues tend to be rounder all over and are seen early on as a rounded tummy when they are reaching upwards -and it sits low down in the tummy at first.
Weight gain will be a bit more uneven when in excess, usually bulking up around the shoulders and nape of the neck, and in the armpits. Early on weight gain would appear more even, just a general biggering.
Sometimes it is more difficult to the see their shaping when they are in the substrate and leaping up and down - so best get a better feel for it/observation when out handling or moving about on an eye-level flat surface.
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Post by catnut on Jun 24, 2024 13:17:39 GMT -8
thank you, Betty, she seems to be staying the same, it is hard to tell but she is acting normal so am staying positive it is due to age and slowing down and eating well- she snacks on and off so cutting back the fattening seeds. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Post by betty on Jun 27, 2024 12:19:49 GMT -8
Maybe it is just all those snacks!
Mine love brocolli and bits of berries - much less fattening...
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Post by catnut on Jul 9, 2024 12:32:39 GMT -8
I think Sierra does have cysts as she seems to a small bit larger. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) She is acting the same and still very active even though it's very warm here, been in the basement and keeping her down here as it's too warm upstairs as we don't have air conditioning. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) I've been doing some research and seeing what can be done but haven't found much info., and a couple have had surgery and then their girl passed the next day. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) My vets here aren't too great or else i'd take her in, they can't do much except metacam or antibiotics, so will just go day by day and hope she can continue on , my b-day is on the 21st and hope she is still well then but if not, I won't let her struggle. I don't think she even notices it, it bothers me to see her rounding out but it's not too noticeable until i hold her. She is such a sweet girl, it's going to be hard to lose her but she is nearing 3 so knew i wouldn't have her that long and i got her at around 1. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) Does anyone know what could be done besides surgery and metacam or is that the only options besides PTS when too ill?
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Post by tanzanyte on Jul 9, 2024 14:11:02 GMT -8
I’m sorry to hear that it might be cysts rather than snacks, I was praying it would be the latter for you. I was told they really are too difficult to operate on and by that point age is usually against them. I know sgt’s are tricky but as they are external it is easier for exotic specialists to sort. Maybe things have moved on since a couple of years ago but we were just given metacam and pts options. Sorry to not be able to bring more positive news.
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Post by betty on Jul 10, 2024 4:51:50 GMT -8
Yes - you can have them drained if your vet is willing. It requires a scan first to locate the liquid pocket/s and then draining with the teeniest needle possible while under mild sedation (not like full general anaesthetic with dogs and cats). A scan can also disgnose whether the shape change is ovaries or other causes.
I recently had some fluid drained from my fat tail (not sure if ovary or uterus as the two seem to line up in the same places in these ususual critters) we got 7mls out if I remember correctly, in 3 syringes, with side-by-side scanning before each re-insert. I was present throughout as the vet nurse/tech watched her consciousness (?) level, tweaking as they went. She was barely under and came round in seconds afterwards.
The fluid hasn't reappeared yet for her (several months now) but I know in some instances (usually when diagnosed as actual ovarian cysts) they can refill over time again.
There is research/treatment in guinea pigs who also get O cysts and they often recommend a hormone implant to prevent it. So far this isn't conclusive in fat tailed gerbils, and haven't heard of any recent research into mongolian gerbils either, sadly.
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Post by catnut on Jul 10, 2024 12:38:26 GMT -8
I was thinking about if draining was possible but not sure if my vets near me would do that and if they would think it's a good idea due to the risk/ their skill and it would just come back in time. I'm not sure this is what is happening but as she is doing fine despite it but will see how she is over the next week or so, she is busy chewing a tube right now and was very active last night that i couldn't even hold her as we were downstairs due to the heat wave.
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Post by betty on Jul 11, 2024 11:15:45 GMT -8
Glad that she seems to be acting fine in the heat. The thing is - if it IS ovarian cysts is that they are pressing into the organs the same distance in as you can see them out, so they take up a huge amount of space, often pushing organs out of place of up towards the lungs - which as you can imagine makes breathing very difficult - especially in the heat. Therefore any drainage - and regular drainage can only improve the situation.
Alternatively, if it is heart-related, then although the draining won't work in the same way, the extra heat could make it very hard to stay cool in the hot weather. Adding a permanent sand/dust bath might help - especially if you can use chilled sand, Sand removes oils from the coat and can help in thermoregulation I believe.
If it is related to other organs, then staying cool will all round help, but there are less tests for this. A scan (in the right hands) can help identify any soft tissue/organ issues, so whether cysts, heart or errant organ, it should be able to be seen. They can take stills of the scan - like with a baby - so if they aren't sure how to interpret the scan themselves (as they might not know what the inside of a gerbil looks like) they can send a few stills digitally to any exotic vet in the world for a second opinion.
Hopefully the heatwave will pass - for all your sakes.
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Post by catnut on Jul 11, 2024 12:44:23 GMT -8
she seems to be fine as i have her downstairs, can't see her breathing harder but will watch for that, she isn't overly round, she is a small gerbil so it probably looks worse as she is shorter and not a long gerbil. I wish i had a better vet with knowledge, i just wouldn't want to take her there and they say they can't do it at all or think it would hurt her if they did do it and i pay a lot and she isn't here any longer. I will take it day by day, call the vet if i notice any change and hope she continues on as she is.
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