Tippy Cocobean

Question
Hi my 5-6 year old gerbil doesn'ty look too well.  He wabbles when he walks and keeps his head and body kind of cock-eyed there seems to be some sort of patch under his ear that looks irritated and looks as if it has been bleeding slightly.  His cage mate who he has lived with since birth died about 6 months ago. My gerbil means so much to me and I just want him to get better.  I know he is old..

Answer
Hi Alina

Thanks for your question.

Your gerbil is doing very well - I don't think any of mine live to be that old.

Unfortunately all his symptoms you describe sound like old age and in many ways it is difficult to know if any treatment would be effective.

The head tilt could indicate an ear infection which might be helped with antibiotics.  The irritation to his skin could be mites and he has been scratching.  An antiparasite medication might work, but in his condition you would need to read the label carefully on this.

The important thing is that he isn't suffering.  If you haven't already done so I would suggest that you make his cage as easy as possible for him to get around - remove any platforms etc. and make sure he has food and water close by so he doesn't have to search for them.  

I would be tempted to see if antibiotics would help with the head tilt, but your vet may feel that this isn't worth trying.  You can buy a cream from pet shops called Teatree cream which is safe for animals and is a natural antiseptic - you might want to try putting this on any irritated skin to see if this helps at all.

From the way you describe him I think that perhaps he is coming to the end of his life. However, quality of life is the key issue here and providing he has that then there is no reason why he shouldn't go onto live for a while longer.  Do you have a vet that you know who could check him out?  If you do consult a vet it is worth phoning a few to see if any have small animal specialists, and double check their consultation fee - most will charge a reduced fee for a small animal, but it is best to check this before going.

Is he still eating normally?  If not, you could try him with baby food as some like this and it is easy to digest.

I hope you get on OK.

Regards
Sheila