# Older gerbil



## Claire17 (Oct 27, 2014)

Hi all, 

It's been a while since I was last here, I hope you're all well.

I'd be grateful for your opinion on Frankie the gerbil. Frankie got into a fight with her sister at the beginning of September, and the 2 of them have been living separately since then.

The last few months, Frankie has been sleeping most of the time. She's a respectable age I think, 3 years and 3 months, so I expect her to sleep a lot more now. However since last night she's making a lot of squeaking/chirping noises.

She's always been fairly quiet (unless her sister trod on her!) so this is unusual. She can walk and appears fine when she does. She isn't eating or drinking much though.

I'm wondering if the time may come that I may need to make a decision for her. I don't want her to suffer or be miserable. I've picked her up and can't see anything obviously wrong with her, but the noises are concerning me as they're quite loud.

I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Thanks,

Claire


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Hello, nice to 'see' you again 

Squeaking can mean stress. From your description it sounds like she might be in pain  

My boy Tomsk stopped eating and drinking so much and would just quietly squeak, unfortunately he had a tumour, not saying your girl has that, but it is similar. I'm sorry.


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## Claire17 (Oct 27, 2014)

Hey there, 

Thank you for your reply. In the back of my mind I was thinking possibly a tumour... I've booked her an appointment at the vet for later tonight so we'll see.... Ho hum.

Hope all is well with you x


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## Claire17 (Oct 27, 2014)

Hi again,

Just to update you. Frankie had her appointment at the vet.

There's nothing immediately obvious. No lumps or bumps, they did an ultrasound and nothing wrong with her ovaries, kidneys or bladder. The only thing is she's lost weight since she was last weighed in June; down from 106g to 90.

The vet suggested it's a possible infection or maybe even constipation, although she's not ruling out a tumour she perhaps couldn't see.

So we've got some antibiotics, anti inflammatories, some medicine to get her bowels moving and some special paste full of nutrients. Hopefully this will do the trick!

She's come home and she's gone straight to sleep. She's exhausted!


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Claire17 said:


> Hi again,
> 
> Just to update you. Frankie had her appointment at the vet.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the update.

I hope the antibiotics, etc etc get to work and Frankie feels better soon.


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

@Claire17 How is Frankie?


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## Claire17 (Oct 27, 2014)

Hi,

Thank you for asking, she's feeling much better now and back to normal which is a relief! 
Unfortunately I had to have her sister Sadie PTS last Sunday so I'm sad about that. She was a good age though I think.


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

That's great news about Frankie 

I am sorry to hear about Sadie  RIP little girl. 
3 years 3 months is a really good age.


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