My mouse is sick! Please, help!

Hello all,

I have a small dark brown mouse and lately she hasn't been looking too well. She looks like she has lost some fur on her head and shoulders and her eyes look filmy. She hasn't been nearly as active and she is breathing rather quickly. I'm worried something is very wrong with her and I don't know what to do. If anyone has any suggestions, please help! I don't want something bad to happen to my little Xena..

Thanks in advance!

Xena0624

Hey there! Don't worry, we can surely point you in a good direction...I need some more info though.
How old is Xena?
When was she last treated for mites/parasites?
Does her breathing make any sounds, chattering/congested?
Is she alone, how long has she been alone?

If you can get back to me with these answers it would help me and the others narrow down what might be happening.

I'm not sure of her exact age, I got her from Petco in March 2012. She is alone because I was unable to get another mouse and I was told it would be fine. She makes chattering sounds some but I think that's normal. It just seems like she is breathing harder than normal. I have never treated her for mites, but I don't think she would have them because she doesn't have any sores or scratches on her skin. She just grooms a lot more now. I was researching some possibilities and I think I'm going to try changing her bedding to something else other than pine wood shavings. Maybe she has an allergy to pine? I'm not sure of what else to do.

Mice can be allergic to the oils in pine. Many mouse keepers use aspen which is non-allergenic and naturally absorbent and deodorant. You can also use the paper-based bedding, CareFresh.

If she makes any sounds at all while she is breathing she probably has an upper respiratory infection (a cold) and needs antibiotics. Colds are dangerous for mice. The antibiotics will be in liquid form. You give your mouse one drop in the morning and one drop at night for 7-10 days.

You can take Xena to a vet and get a prescription, or you can buy the antibiotics online. Baytril is the brand name and Enrofloxyn is the generic. You can Google Jedd's Bird Supply and telephone them to order it; you cannot order it over the internet.

Here is a link with videos of two different ways to administer oral medication to a mouse: http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/medication.cfm.

Good luck!

Mrs. Beach is correct, any sounds made while breathing are not normal at all, and in most cases required medication to treat.

I am afraid that you were told incorrectly about her being fine alone, female mice need at least one other female friend and benefit from two. They can suffer from depression without other females around.

Most mice have trouble using pine, and most people use aspen wood or paper bedding instead. Pine contains wood "phenols" that irritate the respiratory systems of most mice.

Thank you both very much for your help! I got her some new bedding and I will try and see what I can do as far as medicine goes. I very much appreciate the help! Once she gets a little better I may get her a friend so she won't be lonely.

Thanks again!

Good, Xena0624! I hope Xena the mouse starts feeling better soon!

I hope so too. Thank you for listening and caring for little Xena!