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 #1981296


Jimmythetiger
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 Respiratory Infections... great.

So I now have 4 mice that I suspect have respiratory infections. It started with one male sneezing, so I separated him from the rest and sure enough, 3 other mice are now sneezing. >.> So I don’t really want to pay a huge vet bill for mice, but I read online that you can buy this antibiotics for fish called ’tetracycline’ so I’m gonna get some of that and put it in their water and hope everything works out.

On a lighter note, My mommy mouse, Delilah, had a litter of 10 last week, and 5 have been harvested for snake food, and the other 5 I’m letting her raise.

And I got my first corn yesterday!

I just thought I’d share my frustration, and I guess I’m wondering if anyone else has had this sort of problem before?
04/06/09  08:19pm

 #1982095


Greatballzofire
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   Message To: Jimmythetiger   In reference to Message Id: 1981296


 Respiratory Infections... great.

When I first got mice last summer from a big pet store chain, some of them developed a respiratory infection, so I isolated them from the others and eventually euthanized them. Also I quit buying any mice from that source, as their vendor was not very good. I’m not having any disease now. When I clean the cages or do anything else in the mouse barn I try very hard to be as sanitary as possible and not spread anything by cross contamination, even though all my stock looks very healthy now.
04/07/09  10:14pm

 #1982397


Jimmythetiger
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   Message To: Greatballzofire   In reference to Message Id: 1982095


 Respiratory Infections... great.

I’m not gonna euthanize em, I need those guys. What’s really annoying is the fact that when mice can’t smell, they don’t mate. This sucks because two of them are my only males, and I need more babies! lol. I only have 4 pinkies to work with at the moment.
04/08/09  02:52pm

 #1982403


EvilTrailMix
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   Message To: Jimmythetiger   In reference to Message Id: 1982397


 Respiratory Infections... great.

Yes, but if they’re sick and don’t respond to the meds it would be more humane to euthanize them than to let them suffer. Or maybe you could find someone nearby who had snakes large enough to eat them? I’ve never heard about them not mating if they can’t smell...

Making sure their cage(s) are clean and not using cedar or pine bedding or other strong smelling wood shaving could help. And keeping them warm. That’s about all you can do, that I know of.



04/08/09  03:02pm

 #1982424


Greatballzofire
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   Message To: EvilTrailMix   In reference to Message Id: 1982403


 Respiratory Infections... great.

Link
About proper dosage:

She probably has a respiratory infection.

You can take them to a vet to have her diagnosed for sure (take both), and the vet has all the most modern medicines and possibly an easy way to dose them. This is always the best option.

However, I know that mice are often low budget pets, and I do have a method that I use to treat mice for respiratory infections. This works most of the time, but remember, the vet always knows best.

In the following post I describe how to use the over the counter antibiotic Tetracycline, which you will find in the FISH section of the pet store. In this post the person found tablets instead of capsules, but you will probably find capsules. The dosage for the water bottle is thus 1 emptied capsule for a large water bottle or 1/2 emptied capsule for a small one. Please read the instructions carefully. You don’t need to give the second mouse the dose by hand, but she will drink the water.
You are right to change the bedding, since it might well be an allergy. Wait a day before you decide there is no change, before deciding to medicate her.

The best thing would be to bring her to a vet, who will be able to diagnose her and also who has the best and easiest forms of antibiotics at his or her disposal. A common antibiotic to give is Baytril, though there are also newer kinds now.

If a vet visit isn’t in the cards for her, then you can use this home remedy: Completely crush the Tetracycline tablets into fine powder with the back of a spoon. 1/4 flat teaspoon measure is the same as 1 capsule, so you will want to put that amount in her large water bottle, or half that in her small water bottle, and that should be her only source of water. Treat the other mouse’s water too.

Now mix a small amount (again, about 1/4 tsp) with about 2 drops of water to form a liquid paste about like thick tomato sauce. You have plenty to play with, so if the mixture is too watery, try again.

Pick her up by the scruff of the neck and, holding her gently but firmly, gently place a small amount into her now open mouth. Be careful of her nose! Wipe a bit more onto her whiskers and chin. She will ingest that when she washes herself.

If you can help these mice recover until they are no longer needed, then get fresh stock from a different place, that would be good.
It make sense that they wont mate if they can’t smell, as their sense of smell is how they navigate their world. If they cannot detect the pheromes nothing will happen romance wise.
04/08/09  03:35pm

 #1982461


Jimmythetiger
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   Message To: Greatballzofire   In reference to Message Id: 1982424


 Respiratory Infections... great.

Yeah, that was what I based my treatment on. And it’s true, they’re not mating.

They don’t seem to be suffering, and nothing is wrong other than the sneezing. It’s possible that they just have colds, and in that case, antibotics will still work. They are warm, and have carefresh ultra bedding.

If their health keeps declining, I have a friend whose snake eats adult mice and will gladly eat my sickly ones. Lol.
04/08/09  04:54pm


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