Accepted Answer

Hello,

Loss of hair around the nose is a symptom of several possible problems. One of the most common is nasal dermatitis. It usually begins around the nose, but eventually spreads over the face and results in crusty sores. If it goes untreated for too long, surgery may be the only solution. Gerbils are prone to this because they have a gland that secretes a substance that is sometimes irritating to the skin. Here are two links where you can read more about this:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=18&cat=1799&articleid=2463

http://www.michiganhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=vetcare_gerbils

Bacterial infections usually accompany this disorder. The best treatment is to take your gerbil to a vet for a prescription antibiotic. Second best is to apply plain Neosporin (a very THIN coat) to the affected areas twice a day. If this is caught early treatment can help. Once the condition has gained a foothold, it can be difficult to treat. It eventually spreads all the way up the face, to the ears/neck, and then the body. That's why the best course of action is to see a vet. These links will take you to directories of vets who treat small rodents:

http://www.rmca.org/Vets/index.php?action=list

http://www.ratfanclub.org/vetref.html


There are some other possible causes of hair loss around the nose. Sometimes gerbils develop an allergy to their bedding, even if it is a high- quality one. If you don’t already use a paper-based bedding, you should switch to one such as CareFresh. Too much burrowing can wear off the hair. Mites or other parasites, bacterial infections, and fungal infections are yet other possibilities.

If you have more questions about this, just let me know by clicking on REPLY. I hope you'll be able to get the condition under control.

Anna

Expert:	Anna
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	7/12/2009

Pet Expert/Biologist

40 yrs.: herps, pocket pets, rabbits, poultry, dogs, horses. Biology degree. Volunteer vet assistant