Mousey genital swelling

Question
Hello,

i have a mouse not even a year old...i believe he was the runt of his litter as he is very small. Yesterday as i was changing his food and water i noticed that the area where his genitals are (below his tail, NOT his anus)is swollen and pink...i have done some research online but still have not come to any kind of real answer...as far as i can tell it may be an abscess, though i did come across an article about semen blockage and how this area may become swollen due to it. i guess i would just like some guidance as i don't have a mouse vet readily available to me...He seems to be carrying on as usual, i.e. he is still eating, moving about his cage, and cleaning himself as normal. he does not seem lethargic, his poop is normal though i did notice that his pee is more yellow then usual...Please help me find some kind of answer so i know where to go from here...i am unsure how to help him at this point and i don't want to see him get really sick and suffer :(

Answer
Dear Sophia,

This is a pretty complicated situation and I have no medical training. My expertise is in behavior. When you say you don't have a mouse vet readily available-- does that mean you have one available but it is inconvenient or difficult? This mouse needs a vet. Mice are seen by "exotics" and "pocket pets" vets.

Try one of these two resources to find a good vet:

http://www.aemv.org/vetlist.cfm

https://sites.google.com/site/theratwhisperersusratvetlist/

If you absolutely cannot get this poor mouse to the vet, write back and I will talk to some people I know who are pretty well-versed in rat health, which in most cases is exactly the same. But this option is not anywhere nearly as good as going to a vet, and we don't know if the mouse has something going on that could be fatal if untreated; or untreatable without a vet.

If you do write back, please send photos so we are much more likely to have insight.

Best of luck.

Squeaks,

Natasha