COMMON PROBLEMS IN MICE
A mouse's lifespan is only 2-3 years so aging changes and natural fatal conditions
such as tumors are fairly common. Here we cover the more common conditions you
should recognize so that you know when to take your pet to a veterinary surgeon.
Many people think it is not worth taking a mouse to their veterinarian but those
with mice as pets or show animals can become very attached to them.
Ringworm
The skin fungus ringworm is common in mice. This should not be confused with
barbering which happens when mice gnaw each other's fur and cause bald, often
symmetrical patches. Notice that in a group of rodents there will be one, the
dominant animal in the group, which is not barbered. Your veterinary surgeon
will diagnose ringworm either by using an ultraviolet light, under which the
ringworm lesions on the skin fluoresce or by taking a small amount of hair and
examining it under the microscope. Such an examination will also show if there
are any fur mites causing the skin problem. Ringworm can be treated with medication
(griseofulvin) by mouth: mites can be treated with an injection of a drug Ivermectin.
Mammary tumors
Cancer of the mammary glands is very common in mice. It is almost always malignant
and so the prognosis is very poor. Nevertheless tumors can be removed surgically
and, in an animal with a short lifespan such as the mouse even a couple of months,
of extra life is significant.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is common in mice and can be caused by a wide range of infectious
organisms. These range from bacteria, through single-celled organisms like coccidia
to parasites such as tapeworms. Among the bacteria are two of particular importance:
Salmonella and Bacillus piliformis . Salmonella is a zoonosis, i.e. it
can be passed from animals to man so any diarrhea should be investigated with
a fecal culture to ensure Salmonella is not the cause. An animal with Salmonella
may have to be put down but other bacteria can be treated with a drop of an
antibiotic (such as neomycin) by mouth. Bacillus piliformis causes Tyzzer's
disease which often results in generalized illness and death. Antibiotic treatment
may be effective but it is important to have a quarantine period for new animals
coming into a collection.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is common in mice and occurs often in larger colonies rather than
in animals kept individually or in small groups. Animals with breathing difficulties,
a hunched up posture and loss of general condition may have respiratory problems,
caused by viruses, the organism mycoplasma or by bacteria.
This is only a very small survey of the problems you may see in pet mice.
Many diseases are related to poor husbandry, showing the importance of keeping
your pet in the best possible conditions.
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