mouse poorly

Question
hello

my pet mice is 3 months old and has has just started to scratch he has scratched his fur off and he now making a strange noise and will not stop scratching.

i have spoken tothe pet shop were i brought him and they advised me to clean him with warm water and cotton wool.

This has made no difference and now his eyes are looking swollen.

please help

concerned mouse owner.

Answer
Hi Michelle,

Unfortunately, baths don't do much good for mice, and can give them chills very quickly if they are not dried off completely.  The most important thing is to figure out what is causing him to be so itchy.  A few things can cause scratching, but only a vet who works with mice can tell you what the problem is without making him wait for process of elimination.  A vet can do something called a skin scrape, which is a harmless and quick procedure, allowing him or her to look at the skin under a microscope and see what is bothering him.  This is the fastest way to treat the problem.  Things that can cause scratching include mites, lice, bugs or parasites (including fungus like ringworm), an irritant near his cage, allergies, or even neurological problems.

If you cannot get to a vet, the easiest place to start would be with mites, which are very common - in fact they are present for even healthy mice!  However, some mice can get overwhelmed with mites (which can come in on bedding or toys completely by accident - you can help prevent this by freezing new bedding for 24 hours before using it), causing them to scratch a lot around the shoulders, neck, ear, and face.  This can leave open wounds, scabs, and get pretty nasty looking!

Fortunately, treating for mites is inexpensive and doable at home.  8-in-1 makes a Mite spray available in a rodent or bird form - the bird form is gentler, but is the same formula and just as effective at killing mites, so I usually start with this.  You can order it online if your local pet shop does not carry it.  Be sure to shake the bottle very well and follow all instructions, including treating again in 7-10 days to get any mites that were eggs at the time of the first treatment.  To use it, remove the mouse from the cage and, using gloves, apply it to the entire coat EXCEPT the eyes and face.  You do not need to get the spray on the itchy areas for it to work - the important thing is to get the actual body.  I find it's easiest to spray some into a glove and then pet the mouse all over.  Try to do this as quickly and gently as possible, as it is not very comfortable for your little pet!  Be sure to let the mouse dry completely before putting it back in the cage.  Additionally, it is VERY important to also treat any other mice in the cage, dispose of the bedding and replace it with fresh bedding, same with the food, and completely clean with warm water and soap the entire cage top to bottom, including all toys and cage furniture, disposing of any absorbent or wooden toys that could harbor more mites.  It is extremely important that you do this both times you treat your pet, as otherwise the mites will just hop right back onto him and infect him all over again.

You should start to see the skin healing up and maybe even fur growing back by the end of the first week.  If it gets worse or is not responding even after two treatments, and if you cannot see a vet, please write me back and we will explore other possibilities.

For any open wounds or scabs, you can clean them with betadine, an iodine solution you can find at your local pharmacy, diluted with warm water to the color of tea.  Just use a cotton swab to gently dab a small amount of the betadine solution onto any injuries, let it sit for a second, and then dab it away with a clean swab.  It's safe, so don't worry if you can't get all of the solution back off of the scabs.  This disinfects the area, and then you can protect it from further debris or infection getting into it by dabbing on a very small amount of triple antibiotic ointment.  You can do this once or twice a day to keep his scratches clean and free from infection.

I don't know what the noise he is making is, so I will need more details before I can help you with that.  What does it sound like?  Is he squeaking when he scratches, or having trouble breathing?  Is it a wheeze, or a click, or a sneeze?  If you can tell me what it sounds like I can tell you what to try next.

As far as his eyes, I also need more details on that.  Do you mean the skin around his eyes is swelling?  Has he been scratching near his eyes?  Are the actual eyes bulging?  Again, if you can get me some details there I can give you some better advice to help.

Best of luck, and let me know if there is anything else I can do or clarify,
-Tam