My mouse has wounds under her ears and won't stop scratching. Help!

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.

Hello! I'm sorry to hear that Mickey is having some skin problems. Skin issues are not all that uncommon in mice, the location you mention (the ears) is common for irritated skin. The eye problem probably did stem from him scratching at his ears - sometimes they accidentally scratch the sensitive tissue around the eyelids and cause irritation unwittingly. The best thing you can do for Mickey is to trim his toenails - many skin and eye issues in mice are self-inflicted, and having short nails keeps them from being able to cause further damage. A small human nail clipper works well for this purpose, but if you are uncomfortable with restraining your mouse safely, a vet's office can do it for you. They may also be able to suggest an ointment for the irritated ear tissue. Additionally, they can check for parasites that might be causing him to scratch - this is unlikely, but worth ruling out. In the meantime, to protect the eye, a plain artificial tears ointment that you can get from the drugstore can be helpful. Be sure it's made for the eyes, and that it doesn't have anything in it except for mineral oil and white petrolatum. Good luck, and I hope that little Mickey gets well soon!

Hi there! Fur mites are relatively common in mice, especially if they are from a pet store. There are other conditions that can cause hair loss and skin lesions, but many times the most damage done is self-inflicted. I strongly suggest trimming little Rosy's rear toenails if you can, especially if the skin lesion is at a location that she can scratch at (like the back of her neck, or between the shoulder blades). A tiny scissor or a human fingernail trimmer is good for this. In albino mice, you should be able to see the small, pink vein in the nail - avoid cutting past this. If you do accidentally nick a toenail, don't worry - a small bit of corn starch should stop this up. In a pinch, scratching a bleeding nail on a bar of soap can help, too. Usually, simply putting pressure on it for a minute or so is enough to stop the bleeding, too. Once her nails are trimmed, I suggest cleaning up any skin lesions with a mild soap and water solution, then placing a protective ointment (like the antibiotic ointment you have) on the lesion before applying the mite spray. Most rodent mites live in the fur, so protecting the skin lesions shouldn't decrease the effectiveness of the mite treatment. Do avoid the eyes, nose, and mouth, and follow the directions on the box or bottle carefully. If the toenail trim and mite treatment doesn't help, it might be time to visit the vet to check for ringworm. This is unlikely, but possible, especially if the skin lesions have a crusty or flaky center. Be sure to practice good handwashing after handling Rosy as ringworm is contagious to humans. Good luck, and I do hope that Rosy recovers quickly!

Thank for reaching out about Daisy. Self inducted (scratching the head) can be caused by mites, bacterial dermatitis, fungal skin infections, ear infections, auto-immune diseases, just to name a few. Antibiotics are usually included in the treatment plan, as secondary bacterial infections from scratching are common. But is another of above mentioned causes, that has to be treated also. A skin scrape and examination under the microscope, might help with answers. As for getting the oral medication in, can you mix it with something palpatable that can be then ingested (bread, apple sauce)? Good luck.

Monitor for redness, bleeding or excessive scratching. Clean and sanitize the cage and cage furniture. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. If the bald patch increases in size or if she develops any of the above symptoms, have her examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating pocket pets to diagnose illness or injury. If she has cagemates, monitor for barbering (over grooming by other mice).

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The condition you are describing sounds a lot like ulcerative dermatitis, a condition that is very common in mice, though the cause is unknown. The condition is characterized by very itchy wounds that form crusts, but unfortunately the cause is unknown. It may be caused by stress or an autoimmune disorder, but these are merely theories. Fortunately, the wounds often heal on their own - you can trim the hind nails carefully and apply SSD (silver sulfadiazene) ointment to the area twice a day. If the wounds become severe or very deep, you may need to seek veterinary care for pain medication.

First of all, Maizy looks more like a rat in the picture, unless she is an extremely large mouse. the lesions looks like a wound at the moment, but if it started as a lump it could be an abscess or a tumor. you will have to take her to an exotic vet specialist to get this checked and treated, if it is an infection she will need a course of antibiotics in order to heal properly.