My mouse is limping and has red, bent joints. Is he in pain?

Hello, and thanks for your question. Poor little Lilith! This is something that needs to be addressed by a vet immediately. Lilith could have an abscess, or an injury that she's worsening by licking/chewing if it's causing her discomfort. This is not something you will be able to treat with home remedies from your description, so she should be seen as soon as possible to minimize her suffering.

If you can, I would suggest you take Tofu to a veterinarian for an exam and possible x-ray. If the leg/foot is broken they may be able to splint it to help it heal. Vets have medications they can dispense for the pain and swelling. There are no over the counter medications I can recommend you give him. I am not sure any are safe to give and even if they were, it would be impossible to get a correct dosage for a mouse that small. The only recommendation I have other than taking him to the vet is to try and soak the affected leg in an epsom salt solution (~5 minutes 2-3 times a day). Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear that Marvin is having some health troubles. The lip and the leg issue are probably unrelated, but depending on the age of your mouse, several things may be going on. If he's a young dude, I strongly suggest checking the length of his teeth, as overgrown teeth can poke into the lip and cause swelling and abscesses. The lump could still be an abscess even if he's older, and especially if he lives with other mice that may have bitten him. It is also possible that the lump is a cancerous tumor. While the location is uncommon, older mice can develop cancers anywhere. The best thing for him is to visit a vet to determine the cause. They will likely palpate the mass, and may take a small sample of cells from within the mass using a very small needle. These cells may then be examined under the microscope, which may help determine what is causing the mass (bacteria, cancer, etc). Treatment will depend on the cause - he may need antibiotics, or the vet may recommend removal of the mass. Limping in mice is usually caused by injury. Take a look at his foot pad to check for redness or lesions, especially if he's housed on a grate or wire mesh as these can cause pododermatitis (a skin infection of the foot). This should also be evaluated by the vet to determine the cause and to get him some pain medication, if needed. Good luck, and I sure do hope that Marvin the mouse recovers!

You should leave him for 30-60 minutes and do not interfere with him. If it was only a minor injury, it should get better within about 1hr. If after that time Timber is still limping or looking in pain, you will have to take him to your local vets to find out what has happened to his leg.

I am sorry to hear that Hammy is painful. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian. I am worried that he may have injured it. Possibly a fracture or an infection. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

I would expect him to be better after 4 days of taking the Melonex. That being said, some animals respond to medications differently so I suggest you give him a few more days on the Melonex before you say it is not helping.

Thanks for reaching out about Pop. Has she been stretching out her legs constantly? Can she move them? It sounds like she might be having back problems. A veterinary visit is recommended to help on the diagnosis. Provide comfort for now, as in soft bedding, food and water within reach. Good luck.