Mites?

by CucumberMouse Mon 18 Dec 2017, 7:40 pm

I'm pretty sure that I'll be treating my mouse for mites in the very near future, and I'm honestly kind of scared to do so. This is my first time owning a mouse, or rodent of any kind, and also the first real possible health risk I've run into with my mouse Undecided

, I'm probably just being paranoid but it scares me to think if anything happening to my little guy. I just have a lot of questions so I guess I'll just list them...

-What does having mites look like in a mouse in the earlier stages? (pictures would be appreciated if possible)
- How can you tell what your mouse has contracted mites from?
-Is there any other sure way to tell if your mouse has mites aside from getting a vet to look at them and take a sample
-How much (about) would it cost to have a vet take a look at your mouse to see if they have mites?
-How risky is it to treat mice for mites? Are they very likely to die?
-Is there any other treatment aside from the Ivermectin treatment for getting rid of mites?
-Where could I get the pour on cattle ivermectin suggested in this link, I'd like to have the option to get it in store because I find that ordering online often delays he delivery, and sometimes the item ordered never arrives, in my experience...
(Link: https://www.petmousefanciers.com/t17-itching-hair-loss-and-parasites )
-Do you need to weight the animal to treat them, and if so, how many drops of diluted ivermectin will need to be used for how much a mouse weighs ( ratio of diluted ivvermectin to weight)
-What kinds and sizes of syringes should I use?
-If the ivermectin is applied between the shoulder blades and rubbed down the back of the mouse, does it matter that none of the ivermectin gets to the head of the mouse? (I've noticed that most of the missing bits of fur on my mouse have appeared on my mouse's face/head)
-I have a very large cage, so if I'm treating the mouse and the cage needs to be cleaned once a week before each treatment, should I move my mouse to a smaller temporary cage while he's being treated (to save money, time, and work), or would it be better if I leave them in the same cage to reduce stress?
-If the wood items can be treated, what about toys made from other materials, like bamboo, pumice, rattan, and seagrass?
-If mites are host specific and not species specific, does that mean they can jump onto my other pets? I have cats, so what would I need to do to make sure they don't get the mites?
-What are some toys you would suggest for keeping your mice busy, incase if this is just a boredom thing?
-How high is the risk factor of this, on a scale of one to ten (this just helps me to kind of understand what I'm dealing with, because right now I'm assuming its a 9 or 10, and it's scaring me a bit...)
-Is possible that the mites came in on a wooden toy I bought?
-Should I take my mouse to the vet? We're on a bit of a tight budget right now, and my mouse only has 2 or 3 very small missing patches of fur (maybe a 1-2 square millimeters each)

Thanks for all your help in advance, sorry for asking so many questions. I'll see if I can get some photos later. Thanks again Smile

by Peachy Mon 18 Dec 2017, 8:36 pm

The ivermectin treatment is very safe if you follow the instructions, and they're very simple, difficult-to-mess-up instructions. Smile

An overdosed mouse would appear uncoordinated. A small drop is 0.01-0.05 ml, and it doesn't change based on weight. You use one small drop on your mouse's shouder blades, it's absorbed through the skin, and it circulates through the whole mouse to kill parasites all over their body. You can call up a vet and as them for a syringe that suits your needs and they should have one for you... mine cost a quarter. It's seriously not hard to mess it up. If you do it correctly, the benefits far outweigh the risks... so much so that it's even said to be safe for babies!! (Waiting until they're full grown is still best, but if it's necessary it's necessary.) The owner of the previous forum shared this treatment after plenty of her own research and consultation with her vet.

A healthy mouse is less likely to show any signs of mites than a mouse who's been fighting them for a while or who has other health things going on, such as age. In early infestations you can expect greasy/scruffy fur, scratching, thinning hair, etc. It'd be difficult to pinpoint where mites came from, which is why it's recommended to quarantine items that you bring in. It can be bedding, hay, toys, food, other mice... The best safety precaution is to always freeze or bae (or treat) everything before using (or introducing) it.

My vet charges $20-30, but I've also been charged $60 (and that was by a far less qualified vet Rolling Eyes

). You'd have to call around and as to be sure.
I've found the ivermectin at farm stores, but I've always ordered it online.

A smaller cage wouldn't hurt anything. Treating the mice is a large part of treating their environment, but if you don't typically do full weekly cleans, I would recommend doing them while treating.

Host specific means that the parasite will prefer and thrive best on mice. It may find its way to your cat, but it's unlikely it will stay there. Regular topical treatments will be a good preventative in any case.

I'll get bac to you on the rest. My eyboard is being a butt! lol

by CucumberMouse Thu 21 Dec 2017, 5:59 pm

Ok thank you Smile

Would it be ok if I put the non-wooden toys that would be damaged if sprayed with water/ivermectin in the freezer for a few days? I think doing that kills the mites in bedding so would it work to do that with the toys as well?

by Peachy Thu 21 Dec 2017, 8:28 pm

That's ok, too. There's some different thoughts about the temperature and time needed to actually kill mites and take care of any eggs, but treating your mice concurrently should help ensure that any that get through are taken care of as well.

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