My new Petco mouse is sneezing. How do I get vet fees waived?

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!

Sneezing is a sign of an upper respiratory infection i rats, the vast majority of rats carry the disease and many of them will develop symptoms at some point in their life. i would recommend calling the Petco store you bought her from, they should be taking care of the treatment and the treatment cost as well, she will need a course of antibiotics in order to get better.

Poor Oreo! Make sure you don’t have a cedar substrate - some Guinean pigs are allergic to this. My favorite substrate is carefresh. It look like cotton. Since he is coughing as well, I do worry about an upper respiratory infection. You will need to call the specific petco location that you are interested in going to as the prices may vary and you will need to be sure to make an appointment with a vet who is comfortable seeing guinea pigs. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon!

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. It looks like Lydia has picked up an upper respiratory infection. Most of these are viruses, & we can treat these with antibiotics & antivirals, if necessary. It is always best to have these looked at pretty quickly so things do not get any worse. Not all Petco's have veterinary centers. Most Petcos only host monthly vaccination clinics where no antibiotics are available. It is best to give your local veterinarian a call to have Lydia examined. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for reaching out about Gerat. The most likely cause is mycoplasma, which is a bacteria problem. Antibiotics can often improve clinical signs, but often is not curable, so this could be an on-again/off-again problem. A veterinary visit is required to prescribe to appropriate antibiotics. The website for the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV.org) might help you find a vet. Stress is often associated so review diet and husbandry and correct problems. Good luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry for your losses. I do need a little more information to give you a better idea about what is going on - were there any signs prior to death? Some mice carry bacteria and viruses that do not necessarily make them sick, but can be transmitted to other mice and be harmful. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you have!