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Gerbil:  Most frequent diseases.   Vet Dr. Tigre gives information and advice.

Of the many diseases gerbils and mice may have, only the       most important ones will de desribed hereafter. One will have       to find out oneself when the animal has to be brought to the       vet's practice.       The best prevention against disease is cleanliness and       hygiene in the cage. Also the equipment has to be kept in       good condition. Since gerbils and mice have an extremely       weak immune system against infections, this       recommendation is of utmost significance. Moreover, a       balanced and healthy feeding is the best basis for healthy       animals. Most of the diseases do not represent any danger for the human being. Caution must be exercised with transmissible fungal infections. Hereafter a table showing a summary of the most frequently occuring gerbil and mouse diseases.

Disease	Causes	Symptoms	Visit veterinarian?
Parasites of the skin	Lice, biting lice, mites	Agitated behaviour, itching, hair loss, inflammations, weakness, lack of appetite	Special agents from the zoo specialist shop or from the vet, avoid contact with wild mice, as they might transmit diseases
Diseases of the airway	Infections, draught, keeping animals in a bad way and not appropriate to their species	Sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge, weariness, shaggy pelage, fever, respiratory noises	Go to see the vet, keep the animal in best possible conditions
Diarrhoea	Infections, intestinal parasites, disorder in the intestinal flora	Watery to bloody diarrhoea, weariness, shaggy pelage, cases of death	Go to see the vet, best possible feeding, cleanliness, avoid contact with wild mice
Fungal infection, transmissible to the human being	Fungus	Circular to oval hairless spots, inflammations	Go to see the vet
Injuries	Bites	Injuries of the skin	Minor injuries are healing spontaneously, for more serious cases go to see the vet, stock appropriate to the size of the cage
Tumours	Diverse kinds of cancer	Protruding neoplasia of larger size, weariness, emaciation	Go to see the vet
Meningitis (LCM)	Meningococcus or viral infection	Vomiting, sudden temperature, coordination disorder	Go to see the vet

Self-Medication

In case of parasites which can be treated with special drugs from the zoo specialist shop, or in case of minor injuries or diarrhoes, the animal can be taken care of by oneself. It is also possible to administer medecine to a white mouse with the help of a syringe, to keep a gerbil warm under the infrared lamp as well as to control the incisor teeth of a rat at home. In case of strange appearances, however, it is necesssary to go to see the vet at once, before it is too late!

Emergency situations

Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to discern an emergency situation as such in the case of such small animals. The few reserves the litte body has are quickly consumed. Continued observation of one's pet, however, helps to gain experience in judging when immediate action is necessary. One can, of course, talk of an emergency if an animal gets caught in a door or has been poisoned.

When to consult the veterinarian?

A person who every day gives attention to his rodents will discern quickly when an animal changes his habits, for instance all of a sudden does not climb anymore, does not eat or looks tired all the time. As it has been said before, it often is very difficult to judge the aspect of a disease correctly, and the disease progresses very quickly. The few reserves the little body has are quickly consumed. That is why the rodent has to be brought to the vet's practice as soon as signs of a disease can be detected.