Medicating a mouse

Question
Hi Natasha,

An update on Luna's URI, and just a little knowledge, please?

I called my vet about her.  We both agreed it would be too stressful, based on how she was doing, to cart her in.  We discussed it a lot, and we wound up deciding to give her liquid Clavamox.  The dose is 0.1 cc per 1 ounce of body weight.  So...the only tiny scale I have is not as accurate as I'd prefer (I need to get a digital) but she was around 30-35 grams, which comes out to about 0.12 cc's.  Well...it's getting it in her that's proving to be difficult.  I researched online, and found several methods.  The glove method, which I honestly haven't tried because I don't see it working.  Scruffing - I'm so not comfortable with that, and she wouldn't let me anyway.  Saw one where you can put them carefully yet securely in a washcloth so you can hang on to them...head out, obviously...but I tried that, and that was a no go.  Saw one to mix in a little bit of yogurt - she wouldn't eat it.  The only way I could get it in her was to smear it on her.  She was not a happy camper.  I just don't know what else to try.  Do you know of any other method I can try?  She's easy to handle but hard to control if that makes sense.

She does seem to be feeling better, but if she gets too excited, she starts with the bad sounds again.  So her playtime is limited, until she gets well.

Doc said it was ok to medicate all three if needed - all three the same as far as methods.  Moo is so so with handling...she's fine until you try to hold her in your hand.  Nimue...psssht, no way.  I've only just gotten to where she'll get on my hand or anything at all. So...help?  Nimue sounds a tiny bit like she would benefit.  Also...with the Clavamox...I don't continue the tetracycline, do I?  I have read where they don't mix, and I have read where they do.  

My only other question would be if you have any advice for taming Nimue?  I've gone very, very slowly, just putting my hand in the tank...letting her go about her own pace...she's getting better, but it's taking a lot longer than her sisters.

Answer
Dear Frankie,

I don't have an easy time medicating my mice either sometimes. I have tried using yogurt myself, and the mice wouldn't eat it for me. Even when you do get a mouse scruffed, it is hard to get the mouth to open. A calmer mouse you can often hold still upright in one hand with the other pulling the paws away and holding the head so another person can administer the medication.  But an active mouse may just move too fast for even two people to control her. This is why I offer the trick of wiping it on her.

One idea might be to put a drop onto a buttered, salted piece of popcorn. Mice love buttered salted popcorn, and maybe the salt would disguise the taste. Another thing to try is to mix it with pure butter. Many mice love to lick pure butter. I don't know if you got a medicine with a pleasant flavor or not. She may be more likely to eat it if she is left alone with it in the cage. Of course the others must be kept out until she is done, and then they need their shifts too.

It's better to ask the vet about the tetracycline. Besides having no idea whether they mix, I also don't know if it is OK to have started and then stop. The obvious advantage is that you put the tet in the water, so they were getting it inside. But with how sick she was, that is a very inaccurate way to do it.


As for Nimue, maybe these steps will help. They are for mice at any level of tameness:


Here are the baby steps I would take, always waiting for each step to work, possibly over a matter of days. You can do a session twice or thrice in a day, at least three hours apart.

1. Put your hand in the cage but don't touch her. The other mice can stay in the cage-- she may learn from watching them interact with you-- unless they are in the way.  Keep it there, near her.

2. Put a treat (you probably have to take the others out for this) near her, very slowly, and take your hand out. She is learning that your hand is a good thing.

3. Keep your hand in, keeping the treat between her and your hand. This step is complete when she eats the treat with your hand still there.

4. Put the treat next to your hand... same criteria for success.

5. Put the treat on your fingertips.

6. Continue to put the treat farther on your hand so she has to touch you, then put her front paws on you, etc.

7. When she first puts all four paws on your hand because the treat is on your hand, don't move your hand. Success is she eats on your hand.

8. With all four paws on your hand, slightly move your hand upward and then back down. This step is complete when she stays on the hand.

9.  Move her up out of the cage and back in.

10. At the same time, teach her to stay calm in a closed hand or in two cupped hands. Do this slowly of course.

11.  Cup her slightly, and take her out of the cage. She is over a bed. Don't keep her out long. When she is out you may need to do a full cup.

12. Keep her out for longer;

13. Open the hand and let her sit there (gently holding the base of the tail). You can also do some of the above that I wrote about jumpers.

14. Let go of the base of the tail.

15. Now start getting used to your smell by being in your clothing; kiss her and keep her near your face.

16. You have a tame mouse!

In general, to pick up a mouse that doesn't climb onto your hand-- and when my mice live in a tank I don't bother to teach them to-- just make sure you NEVER chase it around with your hands. If you can't cup your hands around her in the cage, then give her a toilet paper roll to get into (all mouse cages must have toilet paper rolls in them!) and gently usher her in. Then put your hands over the ends and pick it up. Depending on the mouse, its size, and the size of your fingers, you can either reach into the roll and, with your fingers under its belly, and pull it out; or gently tip the roll vertically and wait for it to come out (some mice come out the top; others the bottom); or put it on a safe surface and wait for it to exit the roll. When you are cleaning the cage and need to take out a mouse who doesn't like to be handled yet, just put the toilet paper roll with the mouse in it into the temporary cage.


Best of luck to al of the mice... let me know how you gat along medicating Luna and how both mice do.

squeaks,

Natasha