Lunas URI -- breathing is terrible

Question
Hi Natasha,

Coming back for more about my little girl, Luna.  The water bottle in the tank with her and her sisters has the tetracycline in it.  I have it covered, with a bit of fleece I fashioned to protect the whole thing from light.

Yesterday, she sounded good, but last night, she sounded like a lawn mower.  I gave her some more tet directly, I hope that was alright to do.  Not as much as the initial dose, but same strength.  All today she's sounded fine.  Until I got off work and checked on her.  She sounds awful again.

My vet won't be in until tomorrow, and the other vets there don't see or prescribe for mice.

Is there anything else I can do for her?  My heart is breaking for her.  Her breathing sounds awful.  Nothing else would help her?

How do I find out the humidity of her room?

Answer
Hi Frankie,

It sounds likes she is very, very sick. Make sure to keep her very warm, and try to get calories in her: flavored yogurt, cheese, whatever she will take from you. Chocolate is actually good for rodents with URIs, and she may love it.

If she is just noisy, keeping her warm for the 12 or so hours you have till she sees the vet, is enough.

If, however, she starts to gasp, open her mouth, or click, she needs immediate help. The thing that can open up the airways on a sick mouse (or human) is a steam bath.  This is stressful, but it may be the best hope. I have known a bunch of mice to be saved like this. I also know one who died; she was almost gone and the extra stress was too much.

Close the bathroom door and shower door or shower curtain, and put the water on hot. Wait until the shower is full of steam. You are going to hold her so she can breathe in the steam. She will feel like it is getting worse-- you will find it is hard to breathe too. So she will struggle. You have to hold her gently but tightly and for gosh sakes don't let her get wet, burn her, or drop her. 5 minutes. The two of you are going to hate this. I recommend you stand in the shower with her next to your face or close to your body, so she feels a little bit less scared.

Then be super, super sure she doesn't get cold. Dry her thoroughly and keep her cupped in your warm hand, pocket, robe, shirt, something that keeps her completely warm until you very gently bring her back to her warm cage.

I hope you won't have to do this, because it is very stressful for both the mouse and you. But if she is truly having trouble breathing it may be necessary.

I don't know how to measure the humidity of the room, but you can raise it by pouring boiling water onto a washcloth in a shallow pan like a pie plate, near the cage. I suggest the washcloth so it isn't as sloppy, but you still want to half fill the pan.