Elderly gerbils frequently experience strokes. For this reason, you need to have tips on the recovery of your gerbil after a stroke.
Gerbils can become paralyzed from strokes, making even simple functions like eating challenging.
The most important things to do if your little buddy has a stroke are to ensure they’re comfortable eating, give them materials to remain warm, and let them stay in a stress-free habitat.
You should also watch out for the symptoms of gerbil stroke so you can help them before things get out of hand.
How to Help Your Gerbil Recover After Stroke
1. Give Them a Stress-Free Environment to Heal
A stress-free habitat will help fasten the healing of your gerbil. When there are a lot of stress triggers present, gerbils are prone to be startled and disturbed.
Move your gerbil’s cage to a calm, low-traffic area after a stroke to help lessen loud noises that could shock them.
To allow the gerbil to sleep in a peaceful, dark space, consider keeping the environment dark or covering one portion of the tank with a towel.
This will reduce the amount of light getting into the room.
2. Take Your Pet to the Veterinarian
You should have your gerbil see the veterinarian to be examined if they get a stroke. While most gerbils recover entirely or almost completely from a stroke, it is still a good idea to take them to the vet to ensure everything is alright.
Visiting the veterinarian with your gerbil can help ensure that there are no associated issues and that it receives the proper nutrients while recovering.
3. Feed Your Pet Gerbil Properly
It could be challenging for your gerbil to eat. Finding food, taking it up, and chewing food may be difficult for it. Your pet can get better over time. However, it must eat, or else it will be starved. For this, soft meals are the ideal option. You can decide between options like:
- Oatmeal
- Vegetables that have been cooked and modified, such as mashed carrots or peas
- Applesauce
- Soft fruits, such as bananas
Providing your gerbil with a diet entirely composed of soft foods is challenging. But at least it will give your pet the energy to continue fighting.
Make careful to give your gerbil foods that contain magnesium. Gerbil’s brain health depends on magnesium. It can also aid in preventing strokes and seizures in gerbils. It may help in the recovery process after a stroke.
4. Put Additional Nesting Materials Inside Their Cage
Giving your additional gerbil material so they may build a cozy nest in the cage is yet another technique you can use.
The hiding spot helps provide them with somewhere to go so they may feel safe and secure from potential stressors or predators. Therefore, consider giving them a wood nesting box.
5. Keep the Gerbil Cage Warm
Adding a heating pad for your pet to sit on under its cage is another thing you may do. This benefits your pet in two ways by keeping it warm inside its burrow:
- Because it doesn’t need to produce as much body heat, your gerbil won’t need as much food.
- Your gerbil will feel more at ease.
Maintaining your gerbil’s comfort during this time has several benefits. If the pet’s condition deteriorates, you will continue caring for it until it passes away. This is referred to as palliative care, which aims to make the pet comfortable before they pass away.
This benefits the pet owner and your gerbil. The gerbil is more at ease, and its owner is satisfied that they tried their best.
Will My Gerbil Recover Completely From a Stroke?
Your pet may eventually regain all of its impaired functions. It might finally be able to utilize its limbs again, for instance. This is a progressive process rather than an abrupt one.
Additionally, your pet will feel happier. It will get more energized. It will need to resume its previous habits of moving around and engaging with other gerbils. It should also start eating on its own without needing help from you.
Stroke Treatment in Gerbils
Because there is no known treatment for strokes in gerbils, the disease differs from other illnesses. Your pet’s stroke has left permanent harm that cannot be repaired by hand.
However, you’ve not lost it all. Gerbils can recover from strokes, although there isn’t anything you can do to speed up the recovery process.
Final Word
It’s essential to have tips on recovering your gerbil after a stroke. Gerbils are often healthy, strong tiny creatures that never get sick often, although they occasionally experience different illnesses.
Your veterinarian can successfully treat the majority of diseases if detected early. Over two or three weeks, some gerbils will naturally recover from a stroke, while others will not.
