Bet you never heard of this problem.
Got a young brother and sister from a petstore I know almost three weeks ago, Wendy and Wendell.
Within a week, Wendy started showing signs of paralysis in one of her hind legs, resulting in her gnawing on her side and sleeping that way too.
Soon after, Wendell started showing similar signs, but then quickly both legs became paralyzed, and he looked like a gerbil paraplegic. I had a gerbil with no hind legs once and she got around; I just made sure he stayed hydrated and had food within reach.
A day later I noticed a small "ridge" thing on her back: maybe about 5 mm's long, 3 high, and very thin and hard. (?). It was directly over her spine, if that is relevant.
I found Wendell dead last night, and when I was about to call the one gerbil vet I know whom I trust (far away) about Wendy. . . I noticed a fur patch was lying on the bedding with that "ridge" thing in it; the patch was about the size of a U.S. nickel coin, maybe a bit bigger.
I then found Wendy and that area of her back was now furless and raw, and some rawness extended to the upper tail. (?). I applied bacitracin ointment. MOST ODDLY, she was now frisky and both her legs worked fine!
With my last look at her she looked and acted great, and the wound was cleerly healing.
I saw no other symptoms of any kind.
I asked elsewhere if this was an inbreeding issue, and without more knowledge of the parents and sibling we couldn't be sure.
Has anyone experienced anything such as this??
Wendell is gone, and Wendy is healing. And I have no idea why any of this happened.
- - - - -
That vet, quite distant from me, was very kind when a hamster last August had Cushings Disease; she was very helpful, and did it free of charge. The first vet I went to was so bad I repoprted him to the state for a formal investigation, which proceded, and no doubnt resulted in a formal warning (better than nothing). Any vet can claim to treat ANY animal - which is a joke. I know more than most vets I met regarding small rodents.
So, I was not going to press my luck when there was no need to see her: Wendy right at this moment is happily gnawing away on some new boxes I gave her.
I examined Wendy's raw spot and it just looks raw, less so now. Some raw areas are up the tail a little. When I first saw that big patch of fur on the bedding I thought she had been scalped!
The connection with the legs I have no idea about. Wendell never showed any rawness or back "ridges" as she did.
I could post a photo of her rear back area. but, again, the flash makes it look horridly red, and by now it is clearly healing over. When I applied the ointment she did not even react in discomfort.
I have never heard of anything like this even after reading thousands and thousands of gerbil-related posts.
So, there we are. I don't think any of this is contagious as the two fellows Wendell was in with are showing no similar symptoms. But I will NOT introduce Wendy to a friend until after I figure this out or until I reach a point where I consider it safe. Right now she is happily gnawing behind me.
Anyone with any ideas about this, please pass along your comments.
BTW, They were separated almost at once when I got them home being of different genders.
Got a young brother and sister from a petstore I know almost three weeks ago, Wendy and Wendell.
Within a week, Wendy started showing signs of paralysis in one of her hind legs, resulting in her gnawing on her side and sleeping that way too.
Soon after, Wendell started showing similar signs, but then quickly both legs became paralyzed, and he looked like a gerbil paraplegic. I had a gerbil with no hind legs once and she got around; I just made sure he stayed hydrated and had food within reach.
A day later I noticed a small "ridge" thing on her back: maybe about 5 mm's long, 3 high, and very thin and hard. (?). It was directly over her spine, if that is relevant.
I found Wendell dead last night, and when I was about to call the one gerbil vet I know whom I trust (far away) about Wendy. . . I noticed a fur patch was lying on the bedding with that "ridge" thing in it; the patch was about the size of a U.S. nickel coin, maybe a bit bigger.
I then found Wendy and that area of her back was now furless and raw, and some rawness extended to the upper tail. (?). I applied bacitracin ointment. MOST ODDLY, she was now frisky and both her legs worked fine!
With my last look at her she looked and acted great, and the wound was cleerly healing.
I saw no other symptoms of any kind.
I asked elsewhere if this was an inbreeding issue, and without more knowledge of the parents and sibling we couldn't be sure.
Has anyone experienced anything such as this??
Wendell is gone, and Wendy is healing. And I have no idea why any of this happened.
- - - - -
That vet, quite distant from me, was very kind when a hamster last August had Cushings Disease; she was very helpful, and did it free of charge. The first vet I went to was so bad I repoprted him to the state for a formal investigation, which proceded, and no doubnt resulted in a formal warning (better than nothing). Any vet can claim to treat ANY animal - which is a joke. I know more than most vets I met regarding small rodents.
I examined Wendy's raw spot and it just looks raw, less so now. Some raw areas are up the tail a little. When I first saw that big patch of fur on the bedding I thought she had been scalped!
The connection with the legs I have no idea about. Wendell never showed any rawness or back "ridges" as she did.
I could post a photo of her rear back area. but, again, the flash makes it look horridly red, and by now it is clearly healing over. When I applied the ointment she did not even react in discomfort.
I have never heard of anything like this even after reading thousands and thousands of gerbil-related posts.
So, there we are. I don't think any of this is contagious as the two fellows Wendell was in with are showing no similar symptoms. But I will NOT introduce Wendy to a friend until after I figure this out or until I reach a point where I consider it safe. Right now she is happily gnawing behind me.
Anyone with any ideas about this, please pass along your comments.
BTW, They were separated almost at once when I got them home being of different genders.