# Help! Gerbil tumor



## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

Right, so last night my bf picked up one of my gerbils and his stomach was red and bloody. He was in a bitey mood so we left it until this morning to check him over again and he definitely has a tumor.

From what i've read, it's his scent gland and it needs removing and testing to see if it's cancerous? 

Can anybody tell me how much i'm expected to pay...it's come very unexpectedly and I don't qualify for his treatment at the RSPCA or PDSA because i'm not on any kind of benefits (which is what i've read on their websites?) Obviously i'll pay whatever it takes but the receptionist couldn't even give me a vague idea...it's already costing me £23 to take him in for a consultation for them to tell me he's got a tumor in his scent gland that needs removing...WHICH I KNOW ALREADY.

He's around 2 and a half years old. Will they carry out the procedure as I know he's getting old but he's obviously distressed...and one of his eyes won't open either?

I'm very worried...he's never been one for being handled but i still adore him as much as his brother. 

I'm in work and don't have internet at home so haven't had a chance to search through previous threads...any help or links would be so so appreciated.


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

I've booked him in for a consultation at a vets nearby who say they have small animal specialists.

With his age, will he be okay with having such a procedure? I want to do everything I can for him. I can't just leave it and see how it goes because it's obviously affecting him...he's tried scratching and chewing the thing off!

Has anybody else gone through this and what was the outcome? What should I expect?


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

To me, a gerbil of that age isn't really old. I kept and bred gerbils for years and I never had one die before the age of 4 

I'm sure it'll be fine. Vets know what they are doing plus one of mine had a tumour removed with no problems after 


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

Marcia said:


> To me, a gerbil of that age isn't really old. I kept and bred gerbils for years and I never had one die before the age of 4
> 
> I'm sure it'll be fine. Vets know what they are doing plus one of mine had a tumour removed with no problems after
> 
> ...


So i've got some hope then!  I honestly don't know what to expect as i've never had a pet of my own fall ill before. I always get worried when he decides to let me pick him up and handle him for longer than a few seconds as he HATES being handled but he let me have a proper look at him this morning. That and he's just been sat in the corner of the cage not really doing anything....usually he's doing backflips and chewing everything! 

Can you remember how much it cost? I need to nip to the bank before I take him to the vet to transfer money from my savings account (good job i have one!) I don't know whether to expect about £50 or £150 :| 

I'm really hoping my two live for another few years, I haven't been this attached to a pet of mine since my first hamster (as an adult) about 5 years ago...I was devastated when she died.


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## PresqueVu (Jul 27, 2008)

At 2.5 definately worth the op if he's in otherwise good health. The first one I had done was 3.5 and it gave him another year of life - cost a silly amount that I try to forget, but it was worth it.

The second one was £80, I don't know whether it was an easier operation, or whether they overcharged the first time or not...!

I'm in an area where vets are pretty damn expensive though so hopefully won't be too much for you. Fingers crossed it all goes well!


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

PresqueVu said:


> At 2.5 definately worth the op if he's in otherwise good health. The first one I had done was 3.5 and it gave him another year of life - cost a silly amount that I try to forget, but it was worth it.
> 
> The second one was £80, I don't know whether it was an easier operation, or whether they overcharged the first time or not...!
> 
> I'm in an area where vets are pretty damn expensive though so hopefully won't be too much for you. Fingers crossed it all goes well!


Aye, i've recently moved to Wilmslow (Cheshire) so I haven't got high hopes and none of the vets would give me quotes over the phone...although like when you go to the dentist and need some work doing, they don't add the £17 check-up on top of treatment...do they do that at vets? it'd make it much easier if it was £80 full stop and not £80 plus the £23 consultation.

It's difficult because I REALLY can't afford that unless they'll let me split it over 2-3 months (i've had a lot to pay for this month) and I saw something on the website "in order to keep our costs down for you, you have to pay everything upfront" =/ I dunno.

Is surgery the ONLY option or are there others to treat it? He just needs to stop scratching and chewing it! I'm sure i'll find out when I take him tonight but I want to be prepared for every possibility, I can tell his health has deteriorated over night


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## Draco (Nov 23, 2005)

I had one with a sent gland tumor desided not to operate. and he was 3yrs 4 months when he was PTS.

In this house 2 and half is old as I only had 3 out of 15 gerbils live longer than this, though mine have all been pet shop gerbils.


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

Draco said:


> I had one with a sent gland tumor desided not to operate. and he was 3yrs 4 months when he was PTS.
> 
> In this house 2 and half is old as I only had 3 out of 15 gerbils live longer than this, though mine have all been pet shop gerbils.


Yeah, mine were from Pets at Home...not really had much luck with pet shop animals and these two have lived the longest of all!


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

If I remember, it cost me about £40 to have it removed but that's a few years ago when I lived in Lincolnshire


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## Draco (Nov 23, 2005)

ChelseaK said:


> Yeah, mine were from Pets at Home...not really had much luck with pet shop animals and these two have lived the longest of all!


I'd never buy any animal at Pets At Home. I just wouldn't trust were they came from. 

Mine have mostly come from independant small pet shops. My next pair will hopfuly be from a breeder I have found close by.


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

Draco said:


> I'd never buy any animal at Pets At Home. I just wouldn't trust were they came from.
> 
> Mine have mostly come from independant small pet shops. My next pair will hopfuly be from a breeder I have found close by.


I very much intend to do so in the future.

So I took him to the vet last night and he's been put on some antibiotics for 2 weeks (in his water) but i'm not comfortable with my other gerbil taking the antibiotics too when there's nothing wrong with him. Will this affect him in any way? The vet said it wouldn't but he also said that it's probably not worth the risk of surgery and he might have to be put to sleep....the complete opposite of the "simple common procedure" i've read so much about. 

Mav is definitely more perky this morning but he's still biting and scratching the lump...is there anything I can do to stop this? Has anyone ever actually put some sort of bandage around their gerbil before? It's never going to heal if he doesn't stop nibbling! 

Also, I got quoted £70-£80 which i think is a bit much but i'm still willing to pay it to make sure the little mite gets better.


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## Draco (Nov 23, 2005)

I never been given AB's in water before and dout it will be much good as gerbils drink so little. Maybe worth asking your vet for some to give by hand. my old girl is currently on AB's for a month as she got a re occoring absess.

I dout a banage would last very long.

It may help is you give them plenty to do and chew.

keep us updated.


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## trogdorable (Feb 4, 2011)

as has been said above, ask for antibiotics to give manually yourself rather in the water. i hate misuse of antibiotics and giving an animal that doesnt need it is a no no for me, and there is no way of knowing how much ab the wee ones getting through drinking.


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

Most vets I know of would have given you a syringe to give antibiotics with. I'm a bit surprised they've said to put it in its water. But as above, manually giving the antibiotics is much better 


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## PresqueVu (Jul 27, 2008)

Is it baytril? administering that in water doesn't tend to work, the taste is so strong your gerbil is likely to just stop drinking. In fact since gerbils don't drink much I don't think they'd manage enough to be worthwhile. It is best to give manually, you could try injecting into a blueberry or similar - that's worked here before with gerbils. 

Personally I'd say you need to get an opinion from a different vet, they aren't sounding very rodent-savy TBH


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## johnre14 (Aug 30, 2012)

I would agree with what's been said already about the antibiotic. It's almost certainly baytril, and should really be given direct if its going to be given at all, especially in a gerbil. However, if it were me, I wold either operate or PTS. The antibiotic will prevent/treat any potential secondary infection, however these tumours are often painful and painful. If it was going to go on any medication, it should be pain relief. 

I have had some success with topical steroid creams to reduce the inflammation associated with the tumours, but as I said, surgery really is the option that's in the gerbils best interests, and unfortunately the other option is PTS. 

Hope that's helpful, good luck to you and your gerbil!


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

Jeez, now i'm even more concerned about him after reading what's been said. 

Yes, it's Baytril...they gave me a syringe but that was just to measure out 4ml to put into a litre of water & they just said keep it in the fridge and put enough water in their bottle to last a day,

I'll admit though, after the few days that he's been on it, the mass that I could see on Thursday has shrunk dramatically and he's definitely perked up a little. I caught Goose cleaning Mav's stomach though...he looks after him! 

BUT

Both of them are obsessed with those little yoghurt drops...I gave him one before and he took it...but took a long time to eat it...and he's looking like he's lost some weight =/ 

Does Baytril HAVE to be diluted or can I put it in treat of some kind? 

I rang around and specifically asked before I booked an appointment at the vet as to whether they had vets who were very experienced in treating small animals like gerbils and the receptionist said they were...not happy about that as the guy I saw quite obviously wasn't and came across as if I shouldn't have even bothered to bring Mav in.


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

Baytril, even though a widely used antibiotic in small animals, tastes foul. I would always suggest mixing it with something nice and sweet, even something as simple as diluted black current squash.


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## Jamiioo (May 8, 2010)

Now this thread is making me feel bad as one of my hogs needed baytril before a while ago, and when i was syringing her it she kept screwing up her little face! Now i know why!

Poor thing xD


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## ChelseaK (Jun 12, 2011)

any idea what else I can mix it with? and in what sort of quantities? 

he's stopped taking yoghurt and chocolate drops from me now =/ his growth is smaller and doesn't look as bad but i think that's because Goose keeps cleaning it for him.


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## RhianB87 (Oct 25, 2009)

When my old hamster had baytril I mixed it in with natural yogurt and she would eat that, not sure if that would work with gerbil but worth a go.


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## trogdorable (Feb 4, 2011)

FallenAngel said:


> When my old hamster had baytril I mixed it in with natural yogurt and she would eat that, not sure if that would work with gerbil but worth a go.


i wouldnt mix anti biotics with dairy. my vet explained this to me.
however it is a very good idea to offer a pro biotic yogurt AFTER the course has finished to provide the gut with good bacteria that would have been destroyed.


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