Need help with diarrhea

by Teramis Sun 26 Feb 2017, 3:08 pm

I already saw this thread discussing diarrhea (http://www.petmousefanciers.com/t1022-what-can-i-feed-to-fight-diarrhea), but I'm hoping there might be more info/suggestions someone can offer on this topic?
My Mattie has been having cycles of too-soft poo alternating with regular poo for about a month now. I thought she might just be reacting to eating lettuce. But she hasn't had any lately and now, suddenly, her poo is very liquid and yellowish looking. She is also sleeping outside the nest in a pouch, so I gather she doesn't feel well and is taking her sickness away from the others. Sad

I'm about to give her yogurt, and oatmeal (separately). I also have some rice. Any other suggestions for foods that will stop up diarrhea? I can't take her to the vet until the 1st, and I know diarrhea can potentially kill a little merson (mouse-person) if it is bad enough to dehydrate them. I'm afraid with this liquid-poo thing going on, she is in danger of that. I'm going to give her gatorade to drink, too. But meanwhile...

Any more suggestions for treating this?

I am also on the fence about giving her baytril. Yes as an antibiotic it can cause diarrhea if they take it for a longer period of time, but if she perhaps has some kind of intestinal bug causing this, it might help. ??

Comments appreciated. Now I'm off to doctor her with what I have on hand but will check back as soon as I can. Thanks!

by scaredymouse Sun 26 Feb 2017, 3:49 pm

Hi Teramis! I hope you are well.

Sounds like you pretty much have a handle on what to do for her... I don't have any magic remedies, I'm afraid. When I find myself with a mouse with diarrhea (which is the worst!), I head for the yogurt and oatmeal. And if dehydration is a concern, I offer unflavored pedialyte and/or high water content foods like cucumber or melon. Definitely stay away from the lettuce... it is often the culprit. And if she improves, keep offering a pinch of oatmeal everyday for a week or two. I've got a new little pet shop fella who has been getting oatmeal for a week now but every time I stop, his poop softens up.

by Teramis Sun 26 Feb 2017, 4:33 pm

Hi, scaredy! Thanks for the idea about continuing the oatmeal over time. I hadn't really thought of that.

I'm about to put Mattie in a 'hospital' cage, separated out from the others with just paper towels on the floor, so I can monitor the poo situation easily. Hopefully this will turn around quickly.

Back on the old forum I saw once a recipe for home-made pedialyte (water, sugar, salt, pinch of baking soda) but I don't remember the proportions. I'd like to make some of that because she doesn't seem to care for the citrus tang of the Gatorade I have. Do you (or anyone else) happen to know what the proper mixture is for an electrolyte-balancing drink like that?

by CallaLily Sun 26 Feb 2017, 4:47 pm

I don't think I've ever heard of an antibiotic being prescribed for diarrhea. Confused

Or are you saying your mouse is already taking baytril for something else? Scaredy covered the rest. Though I give my mice small bits of lettuce from a "spring mix" fairly often and have never had an issue. But it is worth avoiding if you think it's the problem. Too many new fresh foods too quickly can be the cause too.

The recipe is here: http://www.petmousefanciers.com/t25-health-packet

This Pedialyte recipe will work if you don’t have Pedialyte or Gatorade available:

1 tsp salt (teaspoon)
3 Tbsp sugar (tablespoon)
1 quart warm water
Mix all ingredients in warm water. Feed to mouse with syringe. Store in refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

How to reheat: Fill a coffee mug with hot water. Fill the syringe with Pedialyte and place it in the mug for a couple of minutes. Squirt a drop on the inside of your wrist to make sure the liquid isn’t too hot. It should feel barely warm on your skin.

by scaredymouse Sun 26 Feb 2017, 4:58 pm

Yep, sometimes antibiotics are used to treat diarrhea. I've never needed it for mice but diarrhea/wet tail in hamsters is most definitely treated with antibiotics. Lucy would have died if it wasn't for Baytril.

by CallaLily Sun 26 Feb 2017, 4:59 pm

scaredymouse wrote:Yep, sometimes antibiotics are used to treat diarrhea. I've never needed it for mice but diarrhea/wet tail in hamsters is most definitely treated with antibiotics. Lucy would have died if it wasn't for Baytril.

Oh that's good to know! Thank you.

by Teramis Sun 26 Feb 2017, 5:12 pm

Thank you so much for that recipe, CallaLily! That is exactly what I was remembering, but couldn't remember. Am making a note of that in my mouse-medication file right now, and bookmarking that too.

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