Do mice sweat?

Question
I've done some research and so far everyone says that mice do not sweat but they have sweat glands on their feet. Do they not sweat from those sweat glands? Do they sweat at all?

Answer
Dear Danielle,  

Well, that is an interesting question.   My expertise is only in mouse behavior, so you have to *promise* not to rate me low for knowledge if I research for you!! <:3  )--~

I did a bit of Googling and found that mouse foot sweat glands are different than human sweat glands in that there is only one instead of two layers of cells and for some crazy reason that means that although they do sweat, it isn't to cool down (see sources). I was under the impression that the glands on the feet produced more of an oily substance, which they use to mark their trail, but when I tried to find a source on Google I could not corroborate this. I found sources which say that mice mark by smudging the oil and dirt from their fur onto walls and I suppose floors. They also mark with their urine, especially the boys. I have always wondered why this trail marking is never mentioned in studies of mice and rats in mazes-- of COURSE they can run it faster, they are following a marked trail.

I can tell you that mice do get quite wet when in an enclosed area in the heat, but I can't remember why, unless it is just from their respiration.

I can also tell you that one important way, if not the only way, that mice and rats cool down is through their tails, which are almost naked. Because of this, manx mice (tailless) get overheated easily. I know this for sure, and since I can't find that on Google either, maybe I'm just not good at Googling.

I guess I did answer your question, I'm just a little frustrated at not being able to answer my own!    If I manage to find other sources I will revise this question and you will get a notice.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3782855
"normal mice perspire on the volar and plantar surfaces of their paws."

http://www.stanford.edu/class/psych121/humangenome-CF.htm
"Mice do not use sweat glands for thermoregulation"

http://ajpcell.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/289/2/C333.pdf
"ECCRINE SWEAT GLANDS ARE COILED tubular glands situated on the
digits and footpads of the paws of rodents. In contrast,
human eccrine sweat glands are found both in the histologically
thick skin of the palmar and plantar surfaces and in the
thin skin that covers most of the rest of the body (for review,
see Ref. 19). The palmar and plantar eccrine glands are thought
to provide enhanced tactile sensitivity rather than serving the
thermoregulatory role ascribed to eccrine glands of the thin skin in humans. The epithelium of the human duct is
reabsorptive and contains two layers of cells, while ion and
water transport are minimal across the single layer of rodent
ducts. Sweat produced under basal conditions is hypotonic in
humans and hypertonic in rodents."


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3782855
"normal mice perspire on the volar and plantar surfaces of their paws."

http://www.stanford.edu/class/psych121/humangenome-CF.htm
"Mice do not use sweat glands for thermoregulation"