Mouse with cat bite

Question
Hi - My cat brought in a mouse the other night and I think he may have bitten through the skin.  The mouse has survived through two nights and two days.  Should we give him antibiotics?  I have amoxil for another of my cats; could I use a tiny dosage of this?  He seems tired during the day and seems not to be moving very well today.

Thanks

Answer
Dear Carol,

I don't have a lot of hope for the mouse. It would be impossible for me to tell you how much cat antibiotics to give to a mouse. However, there is an antibiotic you can get over the counter that works for mice.

The easiest antibiotic for you to get over the counter is Tetracycline, which is sold for fish, often called Fish Cycline.  It either comes in powder, tablet, or capsule form.  If it is a tablet, you will need to crush it into fine powder, which you can do with the back of one spoon against the front of another.  If it is a capsule you will empty the powder out of the capsule.  One capsule is the same as 1/4 flat teaspoon.

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
<:3  )--~