My mouse has skin bumps, hair loss, and sneezes. Is it serious or contagious?

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!

I am sorry to hear about your mouse! If you aren't already using a bedding made of recycled paper, such as Carefresh bedding, that is unscented, I would recommend switching to this type. Other beddings can sometimes cause irritation to the nasal passages. If you have any air fresheners or scented candles in the room where your mouse lives, I would remove these as well. If the mouse continues to sneeze, has a green or yellow discharge from the nose or eyes, seems lethargic, or has decreased appetite, or a puffed up appearance to the fur then a visit to a veterinarian is recommended. You can try putting a humidifier in the same room as your mouse or bringing the mouse's cage into a bathroom while you run a steamy shower for 10 minutes to give a steam treatment to help keep the respiratory passages moist.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sneezing can be a sign of a respiratory infection. A handful of different components can lead to respiratory infections in mice, whether viruses or bacteria. Mycoplasmal infections, for example, often occur in mice. When mice have respiratory infections, they often display cold-like clues, including problems breathing normally and runny noses. If your mouse is breathing in a manner that seems inordinately loud, a respiratory infection could be responsible. Other typical symptoms of respiratory infections in mice are weight loss, reduced desire to eat, exhaustion, barely moving around and messy looking fur. The bedding in Popcorn's enclosure could be the reason for her persistent sneezing as well. Ask your veterinarian for types of bedding that are less dusty and cause less irritation to the nostrils. If the sneezing is the result of any illness, your veterinarian can provide treatment options. Remember, mice, like other pets, require regular vet checkups regardless of the presence of signs of illness. Take your mice to the vet a minimum of once annually. If she sneezes or seems sick, go to the vet immediately, even if she just had her yearly appointment. I hope this is helpful!

This looks extremely painful and could be due to trauma, infection (fungal, bacterial or parasites) or even metabolic disease. Your veterinarian will be able to perform tests to properly diagnose Alexander and prescribe appropriate treatment.

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.

Change the bedding. If you are using pine or cedar, it can cause irritation or allergies. Use aspen shavings or recycled paper pellets. If he has an open wound, he should see a veterinarian. Infection is a concern and Zeus may need antibiotics.

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.