My mouse is bleeding and squeaking. Is this a medical emergency?

If Coconut is producing a new type of sound he might be uncomfortable or painful somewhere. He might also be stressed (i.e. changes within his cage, change of position within the house,..) If he is inappetent os start showing other symptoms (diarrhea, reduced level of energy, vocalization getting more intense) I recommend to have him checked by the vet to make sure everything is fine heath wise. Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.

The main stay of treatment is to keep the wound clean and dry. Make sure the bedding is cleaned regularly. With rodents, I recommend a dust free bedding called Carefresh. Rodents are very sensitive to dust in the environment. Also make sure that you are feeding a balanced diet approved for rodents and supplementing with healthy fruits and vegetables. Especially the leafy greens. Most healthy animals will be able to heal wounds on their own. Watch it every day for redness, swelling or discharge. If your mouse begins to lick at it too much, you may need to create a small cone to keep her from doing that. This is not generally a problem however. If it gets infected, there are veterinarians who treat rodents and this will generally resolve with antibiotics. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for reaching out. Scratching to the point of bleeding and wounds, is likely fur mites, which are difficult to see with the naked eye. A veterinary visit is recommended to take a skin scraping and examine under the microscope. If positive, both mice need to be treated. Good luck.

Keep him separated, warm and as stress free as possible. Minor wounds can be cleaned with Betadine or chlorhexidine. A triple antibiotic ointment can be applied once or twice daily. Make sure he continues to eat and drink. Keep his cage clean. If he does not heal, loses his appetite or becomes lethargic then have him examined by your veterinarian. Contact the local humane society for information regarding low cost or no cost clinics and charities to help defray costs. Friends or family members can also be asked to help out if necessary.

Thanks for your question about Bouncy. You are right, sometimes respiratory problems can cause them to squeak a lot, but there are other things that can do this as well. With a decrease in appetite and his hiding behaviors that suggests that he doesn’t feel well. These, paired with his age, would make me concerned that something serious is going on. I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian for evaluation. They can prescribe medications if it is a respiratory problem, or they can make other recommendations if it isn’t. Please don’t give him any human medications, as many medications can be harmful to mice.

Are you sure she is self mutilating? Mice can sometimes do it to other mice in the cage. It is called "barbering". It is basically overgrooming. If she is self mutilating, potential causes could be stress, infection, malnutrition or overcrowding. Since she has open wounds and other injuries, she should see a veterinarian. Antibiotics may be indicated. You may want to consider separating them until the underlying cause is diagnosed and she recovers.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bleeding can be from trauma or an internal cause such as a ruptured vessel or severe parasitic infection. It is a little difficult to determine the exact cause without a photo, but if there is a small amount of blood, some form but gentle pressure on the area will likely stop the bleeding. You should gently trim Puky’s nails to avoid further trauma. If the bleeding does not stop, I recommend having him seen by a vet as soon as possible. I hope all is well!