Worried sick about my gerbil.

[Chilli]

Poor girl. If able, I hope she improves.. and I hope she's happy.
Good thoughts headed your way for your little gerbil girl!

[lv4dogs]

Some possible illnesses that come to mind are a stroke, inner ear infection, tumor (most likely in the brain).
Over the years this has happened to a few of my rats, hamsters & gerbils and it was always one of those problems.

Is she able to move that side of her body? If she can't or if it is limited it is most likely a stroke or tumor (probably brain tumor).

I hope you can find a vet. Good luck with her, she's in my thoughts.

[Sevaede]

Thank you everyone for your good thoughts and support!

I have not been able to pinpoint one vet in town who can/will even look at her for one reason or another. Nobody is even willing to give me advice or help my figure out what it may be.

I am thinking either stroke or inner ear infection. She does nibble on food and wriggle her right side so I think I will wait it another day and then try calling some other vets. I'll try calling PetsMart too (to see what they think.).

She doesn't seem to be bothered by it, at all, actually. I can't help but laugh every time I look at the gerbil habitat from over the top and she peeks out and I see one eye (left) looking up at me like "gimme some food, woman!".

[Logan]

I doubt Petsmart is going to be of any help. You rarely find well informed small animal people there, even though they do try to be helpful and friendly, most of the time. Have you done a search for small animal veterinarians in your surrounding area? We don't have one here, either, but luckily, I did find one vet who doesn't advertise being an avian vet, who will treat my birds, and he did help one of our hamsters along to the rainbow bridge one time, too.

Best of luck. Hope your little gerbil will improve. It does sound like a stroke, though.

Logan

[Vermontcat]

Wenisrubber, I hope that your gerbil is able to recover.
I have been following your thread because my gerbil Chocolate had a stroke last Friday and I did a lot of research on it last weekend.
I made sure that she was eating and drinking and was as comfortable as possible. My gerbil was also wobbly and became blind due to her stroke.
Unfortunately she passed away this morning, she was just about 3 years old which is old for a gerbil.
I hope that your gerbil didn't have as severe a stroke as mine did and that she can recover. How old is your gerbil? Hopefully if she is young, she can recover.
Sending get well wishes your way.

[Sevaede]

Wenisrubber, I hope that your gerbil is able to recover.
I have been following your thread because my gerbil Chocolate had a stroke last Friday and I did a lot of research on it last weekend.
I made sure that she was eating and drinking and was as comfortable as possible. My gerbil was also wobbly and became blind due to her stroke.
Unfortunately she passed away this morning, she was just about 3 years old which is old for a gerbil.
I hope that your gerbil didn't have as severe a stroke as mine did and that she can recover. How old is your gerbil? Hopefully if she is young, she can recover.
Sending get well wishes your way.

Aww! R.I.P. Chocolate!

Rota sounds about the same (eating, drinking, sleeping, wobbly, lesser vision). I will be calling around to the emergency vets for advice!

I've had Rota(and Bijou) for about four months. They have since increased in size so I can imagine they are pretty young.

Thank you much!

[Dorothy39]

I'm hoping that Rota can be treated---and rehabilitated.


Keep your chin up---Rota is eating, drinking and keeping an eye on you too!!!

Gerbils are so sweet!!!!! You are doing all you can , I'm sure!!!

I hope Rota pulls through...

[Sevaede]

I doubt Petsmart is going to be of any help. You rarely find well informed small animal people there, even though they do try to be helpful and friendly, most of the time. Have you done a search for small animal veterinarians in your surrounding area? We don't have one here, either, but luckily, I did find one vet who doesn't advertise being an avian vet, who will treat my birds, and he did help one of our hamsters along to the rainbow bridge one time, too.

Best of luck. Hope your little gerbil will improve. It does sound like a stroke, though.

Logan

Yep. We have 56 vet places here. Four of them *say* they dabble in small animals (like gerbils, mice, etc) one of those being my regular vet. However, I guess she does not as the techs and people who know her sometimes use avain and small animal interchangeably (where it applies). I have called others and they told me to call Dr Brookings (my reg vet). So, I am pretty confused. I am going to start calling the other places!

She looks the same as she has. She nibbles on food and drinks and (I think) chews on her chew sticks and mineral/salt chew.