Mice sick from a RI, what to give them & how much?

Question
QUESTION: I have several wild mice that have become unwelcomed guests in my house. I do not want to kill them. So I have trapped them in live catches and then put them in Tidy Cat litter plastic bins with holes drilled into the top so they can breathe. I put Carefresh Ultra white bedding in the bins for them. The mice seem to have developed a respiratory infection, or that's what I think from everything I have read regarding the way they are sounding. I think they developed the RI from the bins not being changed soon enough. We will have to start changing them sooner obviously. Anyway, I read that you can treat mice/rats with several kinds of antibiotics. But what I could not find any info. on was how much to give them for a respiratory infection. I have some Bactrim DS, and I read that was one of the antibiotics that you can give the mice/rats for the RI. On the bottle of the Bactrim DS it says 800/160 TABS. I don't know if that means mg. or what. But I need to know how much of a tablet do I give a mouse? I also have Tetracycline 250 mg. capsules, Prednisone 10 mg. tablets, and Ibuprophine. These were other suggestions of meds. to give a mouse/rat for the RI. But again, I have no idea of how much to give. I hope you can help me out please. I would appreciate it very much!
Thanks, Lynda

ANSWER: Dear Lynda,

It is possible that the mice are allergic to the Carefresh. That's pretty common. Definitely give them aspen shavings right away.

If they are still sneezing in two days, or get worse, then it is time for an antibiotic. Ibuprofen is a pain medication, and prednisone is a steroid.  Bactrim is an antibiotic but I have never heard of using it for mice.

Tetracycline works well for mice. You will both try to get it inside the mice and put it in their water.

Take one capsule and mix it with a drop or two of water until you have a mustardy paste. With a pet mouse you would try to dose orally; but with a wild one just see if you can a drop of this inside it somehow-- mix some in some soy yogurt, or even smear some on the side of the mouse.

Put another capsule's worth in a large water bottle (10-12 oz), or half that in a small water bottle (4-6 oz), and that should be the only source of water for about 10 days. Shake it up well. Change it every other day. Cover the bottle with tin foil so no light can get in. Tetracycline reacts with light.

Best of luck.

squeaks,

Natasha

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

QUESTION: Natasha, thanks for the reply. As for the Ibuprofin and the Prednisone, I read that because these are an anti-inflammatory they can also be very helpful to reduce inflammation in the lungs. It went on to say that the Ibuprofen has been helpful in several cases, as well as the Prednisone. But again, I could not find how much to give. I know that when I had pneumonia and also asthmatic bronchitis, I was put on Ibuprofen and also Prednisone. So I'm sure it would help the mice, but I have no idea how much to give them.

As for the Tetracycline that you recommend, I'm not clear on how much you want me to give a mouse. You said to take one capsule and mix with a drop or two of water. So, do I give a mouse the whole capsule? I am planning on whatever amount that the mouse needs of the medicine, to put it in a mixture of yogurt that they seem to enjoy. Also, you said to take another capsule and mix it into their water. First off, I don't have a water bottle, just using a prescription bottle top as a water dish. So it would not hold 10-12 oz of water. Secondly, will they want to drink any water with the bitter taste from the medicine in it?  My plan was to find out what medicine and what dosage the mice needed, and then to put it in yogurt or peanut butter, etc. Would that be OK? Or, do I need to put it in their water only. Just couldn't imagine them drinking it. But you are the expert, NOT me! So, please let me know. Thanks again!

Answer
Dear Lynda,

Actually, it just occurred to me, the prednisone would be helpful if it were an allergy. But even if it is an allergy, we don't want to mask the symptoms, we want to eliminate the allergen.

While we are on the topic of other agents, one of the best things to give to a rodent who is suffering from any respiratory infection is, believe it or not, chocolate! Of course it also just relieves the symptoms. We want to knock out the actual bug causing the problem.

I didn't realize my instructions are unclear about the amount, but you point it out to me and you are right. I only mean to mix up the Tet and water to make a paste, from which you give the rodent just a dab, maybe the size of 1/4-1/2 a pea. You made the whole mix just because it was easier to do so. So you can figure out how much to put in the yogurt. The starting dose is far, far higher than what they get in the water afterwards; it's often a good idea to star an antibiotic with a jolt.

For the water, mix 3/4 capsule in a cup of filtered water and save it in a bottle in the fridge with tin foil around it. Use that every time you give them water for ten days.

Best of luck; let me know how it goes, whether they eat the yogurt mix or don't like the taste, what makes them better, etc if you don't mind!

squeaks,

Natasha
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