mouse illness

Question
my  mouse seems sick. her heart is constantly beating really fast and you can see it. and she looks sick like shes having trouble. do you know whats wrong? what should i do?

Answer
First off let me inform you that a mouse hear rate is between 500-600 beats per minute @ rest;It is so quick that it sounds like the heart is humming . So what you want to look for to determine if she is sick is the following signs:
   * rapid respiration
   * respiration very slow, shallow, and labored
   * rapid weight loss
   * ruffled fur (rough hair coat)
   * hunched posture
   * hypothermia or hyperthermia ( COLD OR HOT)
   * LUMPS you can feel
   * not eating
   * diarrhea or constipation

Any of these signs means she is ill and you need to do these things till you can go to a vet:
-Give fluids to make sure they don't dehydrate
*you can do this with a small syringe and anything with electrolytes like Gatorade or pedialight
-Separate her from the rest of the mice to prevent spreading the illness
-Keep her dry and warm
-Try to get her to eat baby food to sustain her strength.

Pet Rodents can go from perfectly fine in one hour and sick and dying in another. Being their bodies are so small the only thing to do is take them to a vet ASAP. The link below is a health check list for you vet visit. Hope you find this helpful and let me know how she does.

http://fancymice.info/healthevalform.htm