Mouse injured himself?

Question
This morning while I was feeding our mice I noticed one of them was acting sluggish. He's moving very slowly and with a limp. Ive examined his feet and they look fine so I'm thinking he may have hurt his back while running on the wheel.
Also his eyes seem to be half opened and while he sniffs around for food and even went and sit on top of it he seemed unable to find it.
Any ideas what the problem may be? Should we take him to a vet or wait to see if he gets better?
Thanks for the help.

Answer
Hi Akira,

It does not have to be a back injury, necessarily - just like in people, it is possible to sprain or pull a muscle or injure a joint anywhere along the limb he is favoring.  Depending on the severity of the injury, how much internal swelling he experiences, and how it heals, he may get better on his own, but it does sound like he is in pain.  A mouse that is hurting will move slower and pay less attention to food and water (he may be able to find it, but not feel well enough to actually eat).

It would definitely be beneficial to visit a vet who works with mice if you can.  It sounds like he is in significant pain, and they will be able to help by identifying how serious it is and offering pain management until it can heal.

Best of luck, and hope he feels better soon!
-Tam