Gerbil Becomes Periodically Ill and Dizzy

Question
I'm not sure if you'll be able to help, but I've done research online and no site has really listed the symptoms which my gerbil is showing.

He's only about a year old, and recently he's become incredibly sick which has lasted for as little as 8 hours and as long as 3 days. He's very dizzy and falls over when he tries to stand on his back legs, but he still eats ravenously and attempts to run on his wheel. When he first began getting sick, we hadn't changed his bedding or food recently (but since then we've purchased a different brand of food).

After some time, he will suddenly become better again and act completely normal without any signs of his previous illness.

I noticed that he had a little bit of discoloring around his nose, but I'm not sure if that designates the bleeding and bacterial infection which the websites I checked said it did. Could it be a recurring inner ear problem?

My parents refuse to bring him to the vet due to money issues, so I'm hoping there's some sort of homing or diet change which could help him out.

Thank you very much.

Answer
Dr. Yearout - 425-334-8171 - responded:
The reddish nasal discharge may be blood, or just the discharge the body makes when getting rid of excess Vit A products. To know that answer would need to see him.  Yes indeed, these are paroxysms (intermittent spells) of vertigo. Just as in people these episodes can come and go.  Many causes, such as head trauma, OR acquired dizziness in the wheel during exercise, middle ear inflammation/ infection, dietary imbalances- especially Vitamin/ mineral, parasites in the brain, and metabolic/ hormone disturbances.  He really ought to see a trained rodent veterinarian. Perhaps he should also be treated with homeopathy, which would require a  phone consult or in person visit too.
Get for him some good Missing Link brand Avian supplement powder, and add to his food, not the water. Also I need to know what he is fed now, and what the bedding is made from.  Does he get any vegetable material, or is the food just all seeds?

If yiou want to answer these questions I can email him again.
Dr. Christina Chambreau