sick mouse

Question
Hi,
It looks like my mouse has conjuctivitis in one eye! It's red and half closed and gooey. I tried washing it out with very diluted warm salty water, but it didn't help. Is there any other way of helping her?If it gets really bad will it kill her?
Thank-you

Answer
Hi Rebecca!

I need to ask you a few more questions to understand it a bit better.  Is this something new that just happened?  Did anything change such as her bedding, new toys or a different type of food?  Has she had this before?  How long has it been going on? Do you know for sure if she has conjunctivitis?  How long have you had her?

It definitely seems like you have done your research which is very good.  Unfortunately, eye problems are common and mice do quite well without their vision.  I do not know anything else to try besides the salt water to remove the mucus that is coming out of her eye.  I know a vet can be very expensive but I would strongly suggest it.  She could have hurt her eye, allergies (hence the questions about change) or she could have an underlying problem such as a respiratory infection.

If it's a puncture wound or something that is hereditary, the problems with her eye should not kill her.  She should be able to live normally.  If it's a respiratory infection, it needs treated because that can kill her.  Other signs of a respiratory infection would include sneezing, discharge from her nose and things like this.  You may notice other symptoms or you may not.  Since mice are prey animals they usually hide their illness.  If she is taken to a vet and they find out she has a respiratory infection, they will give you antibiotics and that would take care of the eye problem as well as the infection.

If it is something as a wound to the eye, a vet can prescribe an antibiotic ointment that usually works very well.  The vet will stain the eye and then look at it through an Ophthalmoscope and they will be able to see if any trauma has happened to the eye.

You are doing what you should at home.  There really isn't too much else you can do at home with an eye problem besides seeing a vet.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to e-mail me back.  I hope your mouse is okay!