New Mouse - sick?

by newchance360 Fri 21 Oct 2016, 2:52 pm

Ok, need some help.
Last night I went to Petsmart to get some more wheels and toys. They had this beautiful roan/merle looking girl. She is an adult. I couldn't stand thinking of her staying at Petsmart for heaven knows how long.
She was fine when the clerk took her out, but she only took her out a short while. Previous to that she was buried in her bedding and not with the other young mouse.
I had already rescued a feeder hopper from a reptile store and she was in the car.
So anyways to the point Smile

When I brought her in she was in a new critter keeper with Kaytee bedding, there was a wood stick in there too. I always put new ones in the mud room until I have quarantine ready to go.
When I went back in to get her and the hopper I noticed she was sneezing rapidly. I hadn't noticed before and had soft music on to soothe in the car. So I don't know if she was sneezing in the car.
I immediately grabbed her and put her in quarantine in a 10 gallon new tank with some Carefresh natural bedding. I decided to see how she would do overnight thinking it was perhaps the bedding they sent her home on. She had plenty of food and water and a nest.
This morning I am dismayed to find that she is wheezing and gasping for breath.
So I got one of my other new 10 gallon aquariums, sterilized it and let it breathe.
Then I lined it with plain white computer paper. I put some paper towel in after shaking it out so she would have some soft nesting material.
I also gave her some sterilized flannel to nest with and keep her warm. The temp is 70 in the quarantine room.
Gave her some water and food in glass bowls that had just been through the dishwasher.
I lined the rim of the tank with Mentholatum. Then I took her out and put her in a pouch close to my heart so I could be sure she was warm enough and also calm her as she didn't have a tank buddy.
She is still gasping at times and sneezing.
I have tried everything I can think of.
Do I return her to be sure my other kids don't get this?
Do I keep trying?

I had 4 mice already that were rescued feeders. Now of course I have a cute little rescued feeder hopper.
I really don't want my girls to catch anything. They are strong and healthy! I'm going to take a very hot shower before I handle the hopper again! I'm also lysol-ing everything.

Please help!
I can't decide what to do and would feel horrid returning her, but I will do it in a heartbeat to protect my girls and the new hopper (name to be determined).

Any advice is so greatly appreciated!
Thank you!

by AnonONIagent Fri 21 Oct 2016, 4:23 pm

Take her to the vet. It sounds like a respiratory infection. The vet will likely prescribe baytril or a similar antibiotic, make sure to get enough for all of your mice. Do it soon, if she is gasping for air that's a sign she may not have much time left.

by CinnamonPearl Fri 21 Oct 2016, 4:39 pm

Take that mouse to a vet. It sounds like a really bad URI, though when mice get really sick, the gasping could be a lot of things. But the sneezing makes it sound like a URI or maybe even a pneumonia. Only a vet can help you with that. I would remove the mentholatum- it won't do anything- but otherwise you're doing everything right. Put her in maximum quarantine to ensure that nothing is passed on to your other girls. Wash your hands as soon as you finish handling her! Keep her warm with a heat pad if you can and give her some cheerios soaked in KMR. Make sure she can reach her water bottle easily. But in the end, if she doesn't see a vet, she will not get any better.

by CallaLily Fri 21 Oct 2016, 4:44 pm

I agree. Take her to the vet. They will prescribe antibiotics which is the only safe and effective treatment for a respiratory infection.

I also strongly recommend NOT putting Mentholatum near your mice. It contains menthol which I'm pretty sure is derived from mint which is a mouse deterrent. It's also generally recommended to avoid any strongly frangranced product around mice. Many can be very irritating to them and do more harm than good.

by MesaMouse Sat 22 Oct 2016, 1:10 pm

Many PetSmarts have a Banfield veterinary clinic on site so they should be able to check her out in-house at no cost. Even if the store from which you acquired her doesn't have a clinic, another location nearby may.

by newchance360 Sat 22 Oct 2016, 1:42 pm

So vet doesn't know if it is pre-existing condition (obviously). But stated it could be allergy.
Again the first time I saw the sneezing was when I first put her in the mud room. then things went from bad to the worst.
I haven't experienced anything this dramatic before.
Can they catch something from a 15 minute car ride?
Could it happen that fast?
I have a heating pad on one side of the tank outside the glass.
She will not nest. I've tried a bunch of variations (different sterilized nesting houses). She has sterilized flannel and plain white paper, shredded, balled up, laying flat. But won't best. I'm afraid to try other bedding material at this point.
I'm just beside myself that she could be allergic to my car, home, etc.
She was panicky being alone too. She is so sweet, I'm able to keep her in a pouch next to my heart and she loves it, no zipper and open top. She nestles right in and doesn't go anywhere. She'll come out to say hi once and awhile but then goes back in.
She is on thin ice but I so hope she will pull through.
Hopefully antibiotics will kick in and I'll see some improvement soon. Again the only time she will nest is in the pouch close to my heart.
Don't worry I shower, use chlorhexidine and clothes are washed in extra hot setting washer with a bit of bleach.
Anyways, I've decided to name her Hope! It seems fitting.
Thank you all so much for your responses!
D

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