Why is my mouse breathing heavily, losing weight, and acting tired?

Poor peanut. IT is not common for a mouse to over heat unless they are left outside. I would recommend taking him to a vet because he might have an underlying issue which caused this episode. Mice can get heart disease, bacterial ,viral and fungal disease which can cause them to have increased breathing rates. Hope peanut feels better

Hi, sorry to hear about your mouse. It is possible he has a respiratory illness that is common in rats. This needs to be treated with an antibiotic. i recommend taking him to an exotic vet or a vet than can provide such a small dose of antibiotics. You can make sure he is warm because something they get cold and try o keep his nasal passages open. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal or respiratory diseases (infection/inflammations) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A check up is needed if the signs last for more than 24hours. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thank you for your question, and I am sorry to hear about Gus Gus. I would ensure that the bedding is clean and dry, and that the temperatures in your house are not too cold. A general rule of thumb that I use is around 70-75F for mice. Please ensure there are no drafts as well. I would also recommend checking to make sure he is eating normally (this can be hard in mice as sometimes they will cache food in different areas) and producing urine and feces. If you have done all of these things and Gus Gus still isn't behaving normally, I would recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian. There are a number of clinics in your area that have clinicians who are comfortable in seeing exotic companion animals, such as mice like Gus Gus. They will perform a thorough physical exam and will make recommendations based on their findings. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I hope Gus Gus feels better soon!

Thanks for reaching out about Rey and including photos. By the pictures, the back appears arched and would be concerns about scoliosis and pain. A veterinary visit is recommended, ASAP since not eating. Try offering food and water via a syringe, might be easier to swallow. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Cheddar and including photos. These cases are difficult to treat but require systemic antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and topical treatments. Unfortunately, the prognosis on these is not good but worth a try. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

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.