Mouse

Question
Hi i have rescued 5 mice from someone feeding them to a snake at first they lived together but then all the ladies had babies on of the mums i think got mights and keeps itching her ears i shampood her with special mite shampoo at this point she had a lump under her ear after this it popped but is now heald i also brought mite drops and put them on her but now appears to have another lump what should i do ? Also one of the male mice has something coming out of his bum it looks really sore and i keep finding blood on his bedding tissue i gave him a wash with the mite shampoo and put mite drops on him to but it doesnt look like its getting better im worried it might be fly strike?  There is a new Johnsons Veterinary wound powder should i try this ? Sorry for such a long message x

Answer
Hi Danielle,

First, it's important if you haven't already to separate any males from the females.  Each male needs his own cage.  Once the babies reach about 4-5 weeks old, they should be separated, too, but can usually stay together if they grew up with each other (but will need to be separated if they begin to fight!).  You can determine sexes using this information:  http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/sexing.cfm

It's not a good idea to give medication (whether shampoo, powder, or otherwise) to moms that are currently nursing, as many medicines can be passed on to the pups via nursing and can be toxic.  The best way to know how to handle ill momma mice is to take them and the whole cage to a vet that works with pocket pets.

Are you positive that mites are the culprit?  Other things can cause itchiness, including allergies, stress, neurological problems, fungi, parasites, and a host of other things.  Mites typically present as scabby, reddened, irritated areas around the ears, face, shoulders, and chest areas.  It's not common for only one mouse to show symptoms (in fact, this would make me wonder if it's an allergy or other cause after all), but it can happen if she has some problem that would make her more susceptible.  To treat for mites you will have to shake the mite solution very well (and make sure it says for mice or birds!) and treat every mouse in the cage, and again in another 7-10 days to get the eggs.  Be very careful to keep it out of their eyes, using gloved fingers to apply the spray to the ear area (not the face).  You will also have to change the cage, throw out any absorbent toys (like wooden playthings), and wash the cage and everything else in it very thoroughly each time you treat.  Two treatments should do the trick - if you see no improvement after the first, it's time to see the vet and find out if it's mites or something else.  Freezing new bedding for at least 24 hours does a pretty good job of controlling incoming mites, too, to prevent future reoccurrences.

The lump beneath the ear isn't a result of the mites, but is actually a result of the scratching.  Open wounds are perfect openings for infections, and when it stays in one place it's called an abscess and looks like a bump that eventually bursts.  The danger is that these abscesses can sometimes burst inward and spread deadly infection throughout the body.  She needs the abscess, and any other areas with broken skin, kept very clean - you can gently dab any areas with broken skin or scabbing with a cotton swab or tissue dipped in warm water and betadine (an iodine solution you can find at most pharmacies, just drip a few drops in a cup of warm water until it reaches the color of tea).  You can also apply a small amount of triple antibiotic ointment to these areas.  It won't help any skin that isn't broken, but it might help keep infection down in areas that are until you can fix the cause of the itching.  I highly recommend taking at least her to a vet to have the abscess addressed - it should be very easy for any vet familiar with mice to drain the abscess and get her on safe medication.

I can't say much about the male with the anal issue without more details.  Is the something coming out of his bum waste?  Can you describe it?  Is it being passed like stool, or is it a tissue or a sore?  Does he have any other injuries - if you blow on his fur do you spot any spaces where it's missing?  Does he have any redness on  his tail?  It's not uncommon for males around other breeding males or aggressive females to get nipped in the genital area, and this can cause problems for their anal regions too.  If he's passing something oddly, though, like discolored or runny waste, he could have an illness.  I would separate him from all other mice immediately if he isn't already and consider bringing him to the vet as well.  Please feel free to write me back with some more details and I can do my best to figure out the cause.  I have never heard of fly strike in mice, because of their size; in fact, I've only ever heard of it in rabbits.  This doesn't mean it's impossible, but I would absolutely look to other causes first.  If you notice a fly problem in the cage it would be a good idea to take measures to reduce the fly population - clean the bedding every 3-4 days (this will help you keep a close eye on any bleeding, as well), move the cage to a different area, and place fly traps around the cage (out of reach of the mouse!).  Flies should be removed one way or another, as they can cause problems for the skin of the itchy mouse and can spread parasites/diseases.

The only powder I found under the name of Johnson's Veterinary wound powder was for dogs and cats - I would not use this on mice for two reasons.  First, I cannot find the ingredients, and it would be very easy to expose mice to something that isn't toxic to dogs and cats, but is to them (or is too high of a dosage).  Second, as a powder, it would be difficult to keep the substance out of mousie eyes, nose, and lungs, so unless instructed by a vet, I wouldn't trust it to be safe.

Whoo, that was a really long answer!!  I hope I helped, though.

-Tam