mouse has red spots on her

Question
QUESTION: my mouse dubby is approx 5 months old. all of a sudden she has got red spots on her body and also near her eyes and mouth. she keeps scratching. i havent changed her diet or anything else. the other mouse i own is fyn.. i dont know wat to do.. how should i help dubby. should i keep cola(the oder 1 away)

ANSWER: Hi Riddzi,

Are the spots raised bumps?  Scabs, perhaps?  Are they bleeding at all?  Itching and spots can be indicative of a number of different problems, and the only way to be sure is to bring Dubby to a vet who works with mice.  If we look for clues, however, we can guess at what might be the cause.

If the spots are NOT scabs, but are raised or defined from each other, and are not bleeding, it may be the result of allergies, a reaction to something in the environment, irritation from overgrooming, pests, or even a fungal infection called ringworm.  If this is the case, please write me back and we'll explore further what we can do to help.

If the spots ARE scabs - irritated, red, and possibly bleeding when scratched, this could be a result of something called mites.  It could also be from fighting (do the two mice scuffle much?), overgrooming, or intense allergies.  If the scabs are concentrated around her face, ears, neck, and shoulders, I would begin with a mite treatment.  This inexpensive medication can be obtained from a vet, a pet shop, or even ordered online.  Please write me back if you think these might be the cause, so that I can explain in better detail how to treat for mites.

You don't need to separate the two of them unless you see fighting, but it is important that if you treat for mites that you treat both of them, as many parasites can be passed back between them, but chances are that Cola already has whatever is irritating Dubby's skin.

Again, if you can't bring her by a vet, please do write me a followup with a few more of the above details and we'll see how we can better help Dubby.

-Tam

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: from what i gather from ur advice.. i think the spots are scabs.. i cant take dubby to a vet. please tell me wat to do?

Answer
Hi Riddzi,

Are the scabs mostly around the face, ears, neck, and shoulders?  If so, I'd recommend starting with a mite treatment.  I recommend something called 8-in-1 mite spray, which can be found either at your local pet shop or online.  It should be very affordable.

Here is a link with some terrific information on how to use the spray:  http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2012/3/scratching.htm  It's important to remember to clean the entire cage each time you treat them, and to treat all mice in the cage at the same time, even if they are not showing scabs.

If you have any questions, please let me know!
-Tam