My gerbil has Tyzzer's disease. How can I treat my sick gerbil?

Hello! Yes, there is absolutely safe medicine for treating mites in gerbils. You will need to have a vet examine them and they can prescribe and guide you through the treatment course. It generally involves 2-3 doses of anti-parasitic medication administered every two weeks. The medication often comes in both topical and injectable form. As far as the environment, cleaning everything in the enclosure with hot (steaming hot!) soapy water and air drying it once per week during the entire treatment course should keep your gerbils from getting re-infected from their environment. I hope this has been helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I am sorry to hear that. If you feel that your gerbil is extremely ill, you should seek veterinary attention, either to try and make it well again or to help end its suffering. I of course understand this is never an easy decision but sometimes it is the kindest thing we can offer. If you would like to post a more detailed question regarding your gerbil, myself or someone else would be happy to try and help. Hope this makes sense.

Hello, Many small rodents already naturally carry the bacteria that causes upper respiratory infections, but the bacteria can overgrow when they have another illness that is suppressing their immune system, are under some stress (such as a move), or in unclean conditions with poor diet. It sounds like in your case, it's more likely to be one of the first two reasons. You can read a little more about it here: https://www.petcoach.co/article/mycoplasma-infections-in-mice-and-rats/ I would recommend having Ophelia seen by a vet to start some antibiotics. We generally use a combination of two antibiotics to tackle this difficult bug- most commonly, a combination of enrofloxacin and doxycycline. These can be compounded into a flavored liquid for easier medicating. I hope this helps! Thanks for using PetCoach!

If he will allow, check his teeth for overgrowth or misalignment. Also, look for obvious signs of infection or injury. This may include redness, swelling, bleeding, bruising or discharge. If you see anything suspicious, he will need to be seen by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. If his teeth are fine, clean his cage and sanitize bowls, water bottle, toys and hides. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Maintain a stable temperature and keep him as stress free as possible. If his symptoms persist, a veterinary exam will be needed.

You can feed your gerbil 1/2-1 ml of food at a time. You can do this every 2-3 hours. Don't syringe the food in too quickly because the he may not be able to swallow it quickly. Just place little amounts on the tongue for him to swallow on his own. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Ideally, you should have her physically examined by your veterinarian. An exam and may diagnostics, such as a fine needle aspirate, may determine what the mass is and if it is dangerous. For now, keep the cage clean, dry and warm and keep Mitzi as stress free as possible.

Hi there! While diarrhea in new gerbils is not entirely unusual (as stress and food changes can cause soft stool), I am concerned about the combination of continued diarrhea and the green coloration. Unless you have been feeding Peach a large amount of green-colored food, green coloration usually indicates a large amount of bile released in the intestines, and this can indicate a disease process. A common diarrheal disease of Gerbils is called Tyzzer's disease, and it can cause fatal dehydration if not treated. I'm glad to hear that Peach is still eating, drinking, and acting normal, but if the diarrhea continues or if his attitude changes, I strongly suggest taking him to the vet as he may require antibiotic treatment and fluid replacement therapy. This condition may also be contagious, so keep a close eye on the other gerbils for similar symptoms. Hopefully, the diarrhea will abate on its own, but if it doesn't after a day or so, please consider contacting a veterinarian. Best of luck to you and your new friend, Peach!