#1---"large wound under the left ear. It is very red the fur is gone and also part of the ear itself is missing a big chunk. I have also noticed she has red spots all over her tail. What is wrong with her and how do I help her heal?"
If your Fancy White mouse is in a cage with other mice, then you should suspect that cagemates may be responsible for her ear wound. Otherwise, there are many causes of skin disease in pet mice. Numerous infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites may be involved. Common causes of skin lesions are mange, ringworm, bacterial dermatitis, cervical lymphadenitis, pododermatitis, lice infestation, nasal dermatitis, and skin cancer. Demodectic mange in older pet mice usually signifies an underlying internal disorder.
A veterinarian should be consulted when pet mouse exhibits signs of skin disease. The doctor will need to conduct diagnostic tests. Appropriate treatment is then based on the results of these tests. Treatment for Staphylococcus spp bacterial dermatitis caused by bite wounds leading to primary skin infections is usually Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim-sulfadiazine, or enrofloxacin. (Avoid antibiotics with predominantly gram-positive spectrum.)
Allergies are also a suspected cause of skin disease of pet mice. In these cases, it is wise to replace the bedding being used with plain white, unscented paper toweling. If her skin looks very dry and you can also see symptoms on her feet and the tail then she has an allergy. First aid is changing her diet and grease the dry areas of her skin. Vaseline, baby oil, mineral oil, or other unscented basic skin oil suitable for allergic people will do well. Neosporin ointment is good. Neosporin ointment contains 3 different effective antibiotics that will help to heal her skin. You can buy it over-the-counter at a pharmacy.
Sometimes a pet mouse will scratch obsessively around one ear, her face, her nose, her neck, and her chest. If you've ruled out mites, parasites, skin diseases, diabetes, and allergies to bedding then the problem might be a food allergy. Occasionally, mice can spontaneously become allergic to their food even if they have eaten it quite happily in the past.Some mice simply do not tolerate wheat. Other corn/grain are usually tolerated, but some mice become intolerant of other corn/grains as well. Allergy towards wheat may be inherited. If you feed your mouse a pre-packaged mix, this apparently can be much too rich and can cause skin irritations in certain mice. This protein-rich diet can make the mouse get 'hot-spots', which make the skin sore and itchy, explaining why breeders often call food allergies 'overheating'.
You can switch her to a special diet that will help. Stay away from grains, seeds, bread and wheat, which are all things that animals can react to. You can feed her a diet of plain boiled BROWN rice, with lots of yummy fruits and vegetables. You can give her vitamins and supplements, especially Evening Primrose Oil that is supposed to be very good for skin. It comes in liquid form. Put one drop on her food per day. If you use too much the mouse can develop diarrhea. If that should happen, reduce the Evening Primrose Oil. It takes about 4-6 weeks to see any improvement, but it is one of the most effective natural remedies available for skin complaints.
If this diet works, you can slowly, one by one, introduce old foods back in again, and try to work out the trigger for your mouse's ear scratching. Be patient with the diet; it takes at least three weeks for the old food to be completely eliminated from their little systems. Improvements can be slow. Your mouse might like cooked brown rice and her itching and scratching her ear will improve.
Pet mice may be infested with a variety of external parasites. Mites, nearly microscopic, spider-like organisms, live on the skin surface and feed primarily on skin debris. They are transmitted by direct contact between infested and uninfested rodents. Signs of infestation range from mild scratching to severe scratching, with hair loss and ulceration of the skin.
A veterinarian should be consulted if mite infestation is suspected. Microscopic examination of a scraping of the skin is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment may include an injectable drug (ivermectin) that has proven very effective in treating mange in a wide range of animals. On the other hand, since your mouse is sensitive, it would be better to try to treat her skin parasite problem (mites, lice, or whatever) with Buhach powder.
http://www.buhach.com/ We have used this product for many years on all of our animals to prevent and get rid of mites, lice, ants, and whatever else. Just sprinkle a tiny bit of the powder onto your mouse's body (avoid her eyes and nose). Then use your fingers to very gently comb it through her fur. Also, sprinkle some of the Buhach powder around the outside of her cage to prevent the entry of parasites. Buhach powder is the safest product to use for eliminating parasites from animals. It's made from Chrysanthemum flowers. It won't hurt your mouse but it will kill all invertebrates including mites and lice.
Lice may also parasitize the haircoats of pet mice. They are flattened, wingless insects that suck tissue fluids and blood from the skin of the host. Lice are larger than mites and can usually be seen without a magnifying lens. Lice are most often transmitted by direct contact with infested bedding and between infested and un-infested individuals. The lice of mice are found most often on the neck and body. They suck blood and can, therefore, cause anemia (sometimes death) and transmit bloodborne diseases to rodents. Louse infestations may also cause scratching, hair loss, and skin wounds. A veterinarian should be consulted if louse infestation is suspected.
Allergy towards nickel can also be inherited. Symptom is rash. Usually it is seen first on the feet, tail and nose. If your mouse is allergic towards nickel, you should remove everything metal from the mouse's abode. If the mouse is living in a cage, it should be moved to a plastic terrarium (glass tanks usually have metal screen tops). Note that a mouse that has nickel allergy, cannot have a water drinking bottle - you have to provide it with a water bowl (that is, if you do not manage to find a thoroughly plastic or glass water bottle).
A mouse can get fungus from other mice or through damaged skin, if it hasn't been treated. Discharge-releasing, scaly fungus is usually seen on and around the ears, in the neck and on the front feet. If you suspect a fungus infection, you should act quickly. Contact your vet immediately. Fungus infections can also be very hard to get rid of and the treatment takes a long time. Furthermore, they are painful for the mouse. Scratching reaction caused by itching may cause the ears to become torn. **Dermatophytosis in mice is potentially zoonotic.(Trichophyton mentagrophytes) Dx: Fungal culture or biopsy. Whole body treatment: 2% lime-sulfur or 1% chlorhexidine, topical application. Local lesions: use topical creams (Tresaderm or Conofite) Systemic treatment: Give griseofulvin 25 mg/kg PO until fungal culture is negative. (Use only if needed; do not use in a pregnant mouse). Treatment may take several months.
You should always treat severed skin immediately because the possibility of getting an infection or fungus is at its greatest. Use Betadyne to clean the area and then apply Neosporin ointment to the affected area.
#2---"This mouse is also very skiddish no one can hold her or get near her. She seems to be afraid all the time."
This mouse is more sensitive possibly because she is an albino mouse. She may be more submissive and easily dominated; therefore, she is frightened of being injured by a more aggressive cage mate or a rough handler. Take your time with this mouse. Let her gradually learn over time that you won't hurt. Be very gentle with her. If she is an albino (white with red eyes) then her skin is extremely sensitive. Just touching her can cause her sensitive skin to hurt. Too bright of lighting can cause her skin to become red, irritated, and very painful for her. Keep the lights dim over her cage. I wouldn't place her in a cage with more aggressive mice. I'd place her with younger female white mice so that she can have companionship yet so she won't be over-powered and dominated by a male or more aggressive female mice. Usually mice housed alone are more likely to be aggressive with a handler than those housed in groups. Cage territoriality (possessiveness) may be exhibited by some pet mice. Some pet mice, normally docile in nature, attack the fingers or hands of a handler opening and entering its enclosure. This aggressive behavior is not noted when attempts to pick up these mice are made outside of their enclosures.
Edited by morekare on February 25 2006 at 5:38pm__________________
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