The gerbil is a rodent. Its incisors are orange in colour. Only the incisors grow continuously. It has a lacrimal gland (Harder gland) behind the eye that produces a reddish-brown pigment when under stress or during illness. Gerbils are of desert origin and therefore produce very little urine.
Common Illnesses
Epilepsy
Approximately 20 to 40% of gerbils develop some form of epilepsy around the age of 2 months. Fortunately, over time the frequency of seizures seems to decrease. This problem is linked to certain lines of gerbils. Seizures last a few minutes and leave no after-effects.
There is no treatment. The selection of breeding stock is the only possible prevention.
Tail Scalping
Several small rodent mammals, including the gerbil, have the ability to escape if they're caught by their tail. If you grab a gerbil by the tail, its skin will remain in your hands to allow it to flee.
In this situation, amputating the tail is the only option.
If your pet requires medical care that cannot be performed in your hospital, we will transfer its file to our specialized team working the Centre Vétérinaire Laval.