My mouse is scratching, losing fur, and has wounds. What should I do?

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!

I am sorry to hear about your concern for Gypsy! We can see mites of the skin in mice which can cause the symptoms you are describing. I would recommend bringing Gypsy in to the vet for an examination of her skin, and they can prescribe medication to treat this issue if needed.

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!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see that Hades has some hair loss, redness, and scratches on his neck and shoulders. This can be caused by fur mites, a skin infection, or a condition known as ulcerative dermatitis. A vet will be able to take a small sample of fur or skin to determine the cause. In the meantime, I recommend trimming Hade's hind nails to prevent him from scratching and causing trauma and applying SSD (silver sulfadiazene) ointment once daily. I hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Panda and including photos. Auto-immune diseases can cause pruritis (itchiness) and therefore the lesions. A skin biopsy is recommended for a diagnosis. The possibility of corticosteroids and antibiotics should be considered. Good luck.

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.

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.