g. m. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
>Samantha - Broken hind legs, usually manage to heal straight, on their
>own, provided the skin is not broken. Here are past messages regarding
>broken legs from the GML archive--
>http://www.mail-archive.com/cgi-bin/htsearch?method=and&format=short&config=gerbils_listserv_rice_edu&restrict=&exclude=&words=broken+leg
>
>Gary.
>http://home.talkcity.com/StudioDr/go5/
I agree. Vets do unnecessary things like splinting and amputation that
just increase the risk of problems. Every one of more than twenty breaks
I have seen over the years has set straight on its own in just over a
week. One gerbil that managed (how?!!!) to break three legs at the same
time. She mended fine.
As Deb says, if there is bone protruding through the skin, or any
swelling or sign of infection, you must see a vet urgently. Also if the
gerbil is not feeding and drinking normally after one day.
If there are any of these complications the vet will either splint,
which is pointless as the gerbil will remove it, or if there are
problems with infection etc , the vet will correctly amputate the leg.
Gerbils with three legs manage fine.
I am not trying to double guess the vets here, but I have probably seen
more gerbils with broken legs than the average vet, and people I know
who have had vets operate have only made things worse. Unless the health
of the gerbil is at risk, which is not normally the case with a broken
leg, I recommend leaving the gerbil to get on with healing itself.
If you have gerbils that regularly get broken legs, you can try
increasing the calcium in the diet by offering calcium enriched dog
biscuits, or offering small pieces of cuttlebone.
--
Julian
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
National Gerbil Society
http://www.gerbils.co.uk/
