Pet Mice Health Care

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Bald Spot, Scaliness, Itch

Bald spots. scaliness and itching usually indicate ringworm.It is best treated with ringworm ointment or withuiseofulvin at the rate of 2 milligrams per 100 grams body-weight.

Congenital Absence of Tail

This condition is noticed at birth and is a hereditary prob-Nothing can be done to change it. However, it will not affect the mouse.

Death

Sudden death in mice is often preceded by an acute enter-itis with diarrhoea. Separate ill animals and commence antibiotic therapy (Tetracyclines 2-5 milligrams per mldrinking water) in all survivors.

Depression

Depression in mice is often accompanied by hunched-upposture, roughened coat, conjunctivitis, loss of appetite,lethargy, death or stunting in surviving mice. Young miceare more commonly affected.

There are non-specific signs of septicaemia, and anylatent disease can develop if the animal is stressed. Theusual causes are Salmonella, mouse hepatitis virus.neovirus and heavy parasitism.

Treat with antibiotics such as Chloromycetin (at the rateof 2 milligrams per 100 grams body-weight) andhyperchlorinate the drinking water (10 p.p.m.)

Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea when accompanied by dark eyes and crustaround the nose is usually caused by bacteria or viruses.Bacterial diarrhoea can be treated with Gentamycin injec-tion 2 milligrams per 100 grams body-weight daily forseven days. The cage should be cleaned twice daily.

Another treatment is with a bland medication such asKaomagma used at a rate of 0.5 millilitre three times daily,but this is not generally as effective. Chronic diarrhoea is usually caused by coccidia or intes-tinal parasites. Coccidiosus (a protozoan disease) is diag-nosed by examining the droppings under a microscope.Treatment is by adding sulphur drugs to the drinking water

Worms can be eradicated by dosing with Thiabendazole, 5milligrams per 100 grams body-weight once weekly forthree weeks.

Head Tilt

Head tilt is usually caused by middle ear infection. The besttreatment is Gentamycin at the rate of 2 milligrams per 100 grams body-weight.

Nose

Pneumonitis causes sneezing, a runny nose, pawing at thenose, and a loss of hair on the chin. The mouse has a fasterrespiratory rate. Hair is unkempt, back is arched, and there generalised depression. Treat with Chloromycetin orally,millierams per 100 grams body-weight twice daily for fivedays or Clavulox. Keep the cage clean.

Prolapsed Rectum

Usually mice are three weeks or older. It is caused by para-sites. Dose with Ivermectin, at the rate of 50-100milligrams per kilogram body-weight, in the drinkingwater. Use medication seven days on, seven days off, sevendays on.

Ringworm

This fungal skin condition is characterized by loss of hair.It is highly contagious and affected mice should be eitherdestroyed or separated for treatment. The treatment in-volves oral administration of griseofulvin (2 milligrams per100 grams body-weight) for 42 days and the application ofringworm ointment to all affected areas of the skin.

In addition all bedding should be destroyed and the mouse-house washed with an anti-fungal solution.

Salivary Gland Enlargement

The most obvious sign is swelling of the neck area. Themost common cause is a virus and the treatment is cortisone and antibiotics to prevent secondary infection.

Scratching

Scratching around the head and ears usually results inabrasions, sores, scabs and bald spots. For a definite diac-nosis the vet will need to do a skin scraping to detectmost common cause which is microscopic mites. These.canbe treated by hanging a Dichlorvos pest strip in the cacieor powdering the mice daily with pyrethrum flea powder.Ivermectin or Ectodex dips at low concentration.

Septicaemia

This presents non-specific signs, but may include de-pression, hunched-up posture, roughened coat, conjunct-vitis, loss of appetite, lethargy, death, and stunting insurviving animals. It can occur in any age group but theyoung are more commonly affected. The most commoncause is salmonella bacteria. Treatment includes hyper-chlorination of drinking water (10 p.p.m.) and Tetra-cyclines (2-5 milligrams per ml of water).

Skin disorders

Scaly patches on the skin, or grey warty lesions on the tail.ears or nose are caused by mange from mites. Administera benzylbenzoate lotion or dip the mouse completely in aMalathion solution diluted as per directions. Repeatweekly for three occasions. Hang a Dichlorvos pest strip onthe cage for three days on, three days off, three days on.Ivermectin or Ectodex dips at low concentration.

Hairless areas with an associated dermatitis can betreated by washing with a medicated shampoo to removesurface debris and then apply either an antibiotic skincream three times daily, or a gentian violet, mer-curochrome dye twice daily until symptoms resolve.Affected mice are best quarantined to prevent disease fromspreading.

In some cases, it is best to eradicate individual affectedmice because of the expense of diagnosis and the difficultyof effectively treating the complaint.

Sloughing

Sloughing of a dead tail or dead digits, sometimes ac-companied by small pustules, indicates a pox virus. In largecolonies a vaccine can be made. Otherwise, place the miceon antibiotics (chloramphenicol at the rate of 2 milligramsper 100 grams body-weight)

Sneezing

Sneezing, chattering, laboured breathing, nasal discharge,pawing at the nose, bleeding from the nose, an unkemptcoat, arching of the back, generalised depression and con-junctivitis can all be part of the one disease syndrome. Itis important to seek veterinary advice and treat withlong term antibiotics. The preferred antibiotics beingTetracycline 2-5 milligrams to each ml of water or a Sulphamethazine 0.02% solution. Gentamycin orChloromycetin.

Sores

Sores around ears and scabs and wounds randomly pos-itioned on the last two-thirds of the tail are usually causedby fighting. Prevent these by separating the males. Sorescan be treated with an antibiotic skin cream.

Tail disorders

A red or swollen tail usually indicates gangrene caused byinsufficient humidity. The treatment is to amputate the tailabove the constriction and increase humidity in the cage to 50 per cent. The humidity can be raised by placing shallowbowls of water or wet absorbent paper in the mouse cage.

Teeth disorders

Overgrowth of incisor teeth is caused by insufficient rough-age. Trim the teeth to allow for normal wear and addroughage to the diet. Add a wood block to the cage forchewing.

Wounds

Wounds If a cage is too small for the number of occupants, fightingand injuries may occur. Male mice caged together may attack each other savagely, especially if there is inadequatebedding to supply a refuge for the weaker animals. Over-crowding in the cage must be reduced, and fighting can beprevented by separating the male mice. Where minor cutsand scratches occur apply mercurochrome or triple dye tothe affected areas. Sores and wounds can be treated withan antibiotic skin cream. Veterinary attention may benecessary if the wound is of a more serious nature.

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