skin comfort for itchy, balding mice

Question
Hello Natasha,
My mice are scratching their fur off and it's leaving red bald patches.  I am working with my vet who doesn't work with mice, but sensed the need for quick action (the exotic animal vet wasn't in today).  We are spraying the mice with a solution of water and ivermectin once a week for a month.  I will also check with the mouse vet on Monday -- she had put them on a oral antibiotic as a precaution the other day due to constipation - so they are getting treatment inside and out.      

Here's my question: in the mean time -- the mice look very unhappy.  Is there something I can do to ease their pain while the possible mite infestation is being taken care of?  

I won't be able to be in contact with the mouse vet until Monday and I wish there was something I could do until then -- like baking soda and water etc.   The mice look really sad. There are not open lesions or open sores as of now -- just a red sunburned bald headed look.

Thank you so much,
Mary Beth

Answer
Dear Mary Beth,

I had a terrible problem like this once.  I hope your mouse vet agrees with the ivermectin treatment; in any case she will know what to do. It may not even be mites; she will be able to do a skin test to find out.  

To keep my balding mouse a little more comfortable I rubbed her skin every other day with Vitamin E oil, which you can get just from cutting open a gel caplet of the oral vitamin.  Because they aren't washing themselves like grown mice would be, I would suggest diluting it with a lighter oil such as a decent salad oil, so you can get just a little on (the Vitamin E is very thick and thus hard to get just a thin layer on). You don't want it to be sticky.  Then I would massage her for 15-30 minutes.  Actually it was my experience with this little mouse ("Ultra" was her name) that got me to this site for the first time.  

Gosh, your little tykes are having a tough time!  Good luck to the little things.

squeaks,

Natasha