|
|
Common Gerbil Diseases & Illnesses<
External
External Parasites
Symptoms: Persistent scratching and/or scabs on the skin.
Causes: Mites may be transferred to your cage from unsanitary conditions on the outside.
Treatment: Get an antiparasitic treatment from a Vet and following the instructions closely. Change the bedding more often and clean the entire housing thoroughly.
Broken Tooth/Overgrown Teeth
Symptoms: Gerbil closes mouth improperly and/or can't eat. Your gerbil may also stop chewing on things as much as it used to and/or will express pain when chewing.
Causes: Chewed on too hard of material or doesn't have access to chewing material.
Treatment: A broken or even lost tooth is very difficult or ever fatal to a gerbil. A gerbils tooth grows all its life and without being worn down it will grown too long and the gerbil will be unable to eat or drink. If worse comes to worse have a vet clip the teeth every time then get too long. The tooth will grown back. Overgrown teeth can be trimmed back to normal length by your vet as well.
Nose Problems
Symptoms: Red or bleeding nose and/ or bald spot above the nose area.
Causes: Allergy to a type of bedding, and chewing on the bars of a wire cage.
Treatment: If it is proven that you gerbil is allergic to a certain type of bedding switch to another type immediately! Keep switching till the allergy has cleared up. Make sure to wash EVERYTHING in the cage including the cage every time you switch bedding types. The only way to solve a bald nose problem is to move the gerbil and it's cage mate(s) in either an aquarium or a plastic habitat where it can no longer chew on the bars.
Weightloss
Symptoms: Gerbil becomes abnormally thin.
Causes: Not eating it's food ,and worms.
Treatment: If you gerbil is not eating it's food that there is probably either something wrong with it or your gerbil does not like it. Switch brands immediately! If worms are the cause please see above!
Heatstroke and Hypothermia
Symptoms: The gerbil is extremely hot or extremely cold.
Causes: Cage is in a bad location.
Treatment: Move the cage to a better location. If heatstroke is the case that place a fan nearby the cage. Also offer cold water and maybe apply a cold towel to it. If you gerbil doesn't improve a trip to the Vet is recommended. If Hypothermia is the case warmth (NOT HEAT) must be applied. Also the warmth of a light bulb in one corner of the cage to provide added warmth is recommend. Please do not give your gerbil a luke-warm bath because it will only get the chills as it dries off. If that does not help you can try and hold the gerbil wrapped in a towel close to your body and pet it softly to encourage circulation. Also if you gerbil does not recover Vet advice is needed.
Skin Problems
Symptoms: Skin be caused irritated and inflamed
Causes: Habitual gnawing at the cage bars may cause infections and inflammations of the eyes, ears, and mouth. A fungal problem may also be the case.
Treatment: Remove animal from the wire cage if gnawing is the problem. If it is a fungal problem the seek Vet help. Your Vet will prescribe the necessary anti-fungal treatment. The cage and all utensils must be thoroughly cleansed! The fungal problem may be ringworm.
Note: If you suspect a fungal condition do not handle the gerbil without gloves because you might infect yourself.
Broken Limb/Tail
Symptoms: Limping or favoring a cetain limb, biting or scratching, or a noticable bend or compound fracture; chunk of tail is missing.
Causes: Can be caused by a number of reasons.
Treatment: Breaks usually heal straight on their own within a couple of weeks. If an infection or coumpound fracure is evident then take the gerbil to the vet immediately; If only the skin of the tail is missing try to put neisporn on it intil it heals, if entire end is missing and bone is revealed take to the vet to have properly amputated.
Ear Problems
Symptoms: Head tilt, loss of balance, or bleeding.
Causes: Inner ear infection (cholesteatoma) or scratched while grooming.
Treatment: Inner ear infections need to be consulted by a vet because untreated is fatal. Bleeding due to scratches while cleaning just need a little neisporn.
Internal
Respiratory Infections
Symptoms: Dull coat, labored breathing, listlessness often associated with clicking noises
Causes: Young pups can develop respiratory infections from pine bedding.
Treatment: Antibiotics in the brinking water.
Tyzzer's Disease
Symptoms: Lethargy that is quickly followed by wasting away. Diarrhea.
Causes: This is a serious bacterial disease, which is infectious among gerbils.
Treatment: Only a Vet can diagnose this disease. The best way to prevent this infection is by being meticulous in matters of foods and bedding. Keep house mice away from your gerbils!
Worms (Internal parasites)
Symptoms: Weight loss, infertility.
Causes: Worm eggs maybe brought in with low-quality feeds. Select only the best of fresh foods.
Treatment: A Vet can diagnose an treat internal parasites upon examination of a stool sample.
Cold Symptoms
Symptoms: Sneezing, sniffles, coughing.
Causes: Drafts, moisture, and, more rarely heatstroke. Lake of sanitation, dust, and poor bedding often lead to allergic reactions. Breathing impairment may indicate pneumonia.
Treatment: Reevaluate the location of the cage. If it is too cold add the heat of a light bulb in one corner of the cage. If to hot place a oscillating fan by the cage.
Diarrhea
Symptoms: Soft stool, soiled hindquarters, and loss of appetite.
Causes: Sometimes diarrhea is no more that a sign of temporary indigestion. At times however it may be a sign of a serious infection.
Treatment: Separate sick gerbil from its healthy cage mates, and remove all fresh greens. Offer only dry pellets and dry whole grain bread for it to eat. Thin black tea or an electrolyte solution from you Vet will help to maintain a fluid balance. If the animal refuses fluids, that Vet help is necessary.
Seizures
Symptoms: The gerbil suddenly appears rigid, loses coordination, or lies motionless or trembling on the cage floor.
Causes: Some gerbils strains are genetically pre-diagnosed for epileptic seizures by their pedigree. Stress and fear may also be a cause.
Treatment: Check diet for appropriate mineral content. Magnesium is essential. The habitat should incorporate a rich variety of play equipment. Avoid all known stress!
Strokes
Symptoms: Sudden evidence of one-sided paralysis (hemiplegia). This condition occurs more frequently in aged gerbils.
Causes: unknown
Treatment: Some gerbils do not recover from a stroke, while others recover health and mobitity quickly. Make sure gerbil is keep in a warm , comfortable, clean nest area. Food and water should be placed very close by or in. Seek advice from a Vet.
Tumors
Symptoms: Weightloss, knobby areas can be seen or felt.
Causes: unknown
Treatment: Older gerbils may develop small tumors in ventral scent gland. They should be removed y a Vet or the animal should be put to sleep to spare it a slow, painful death.
Wetail
Symptoms: Diarrhea.
Causes: Bacterial disease.
Treatment: Wet Tail (proliferative ileitis) is a disease of hamsters caused by an organism similar to Lawsonia intracellularis (this is the cause of a similar disease in swine). It basically causes diarrhea in hamsters. It is often confused with diarrhea of other causes. In general, these diseases respond to antibiotics so wet-tail medicine is useful, whatever the aetiology. I am not aware of gerbils being infected by L. intracellularis etc. but the medicine can be effective in cases where gerbils get an infection.
Email: babykates927@hotmail.com
