Itchy Ears?

by despereaux Fri 27 May 2016, 12:38 am

So for maybe a week or two now I've noticed that one of my girls seems to be itching her ears quite a bit. At first I didn't think much of it. I thought maybe she just happened to itch while I was watching or that I was making a big deal out of nothing. But today both ears are very red and a little bloody, so she really is itching as much as I worried she was. My first thought was ear mites but none of the other mice she lives with are itching that I've noticed nor do they have red/bloody ears. Any thoughts or experience with this? Either way, I'm calling the vet tomorrow and hopefully they can get her in ASAP. Crying or Very sad

by CinnamonPearl Fri 27 May 2016, 6:01 am

Have you treated for mites? If not, do it with ivermectin. Even if only one mouse is showing symptoms, it could still be happening. It might also be OCD, but usually that's triggered by something else.

by MouseLover Fri 27 May 2016, 6:50 am

I agree, I'd treat them all with ivermectin - you can usually buy it at pet stores and don't need to go to the vets for it. Hopefully that should help.

If not, she could possibly have an allergy? What bedding/litter do you use in their tank? Are there any peanuts in their food mix?

by CallaLily Fri 27 May 2016, 9:23 am

Here's the link about treating with ivermectin if you need it: https://petmousefanciers.forumotion.com/t1-lice-mite-ivermectin-treatment-info.

by despereaux Fri 27 May 2016, 9:43 am

I haven't treated for mites, but now that I think about it she doesn't have any black crud in her ears that I can see anyway. Not that that necessary means anything but she's been scratching long enough that I would expect to see something. But no crud means there wouldn't be much to take a sample of at the vets anyway if I did take her. :/

They're on paper based bedding, some kind of Carefresh off brand so I don't think it's the bedding either. They do have peanuts in their food (Brown's Tropical Carnival for Hams/Gerbils) and striped sunflower seeds, both of which I know are not great. I was picking them out for awhile but then got a bit lazy with it. I was casually thinking about switching to Vitakraft for parakeets so this is probably a sign I should make the switch. Honestly, the itching did start about the same time as I got lazy with picking out peanuts so that's probably my most likely culprit.

So I think I'll try switching foods along with treating for mites just in case. Any tips or advice for mites treatment beyond the link info? Thanks all!

by CinnamonPearl Fri 27 May 2016, 12:33 pm

I think just picking out the sunflower seeds and peanuts would be easier and kinder on their stomachs. It could also be the problem, allergies, though mites are more likely if you've never treated. Also, maybe keep the scratcher distracted with lots of new toys. You don't want the scratching to become habitual.

by MouseLover Fri 27 May 2016, 12:37 pm

That sounds like a good plan, hopefully that will sort it out Smile

If you want to switch foods, just make sure to do it gradually over a period of time, so they have time to get used to it (thus avoiding stomach upsets).

I think that link tells you all you need to know about the mite treatment really. Good luck!

by Brynne Sat 28 May 2016, 4:20 pm

Dear mods:

I clicked on the ivermectin link. There is no mention that Durvet is currently the commonly available brand most of us American members buy. The smallest bottle (250 ml) can be ordered from Amazon. com for about $20.

by CallaLily Sat 28 May 2016, 4:46 pm

Brynne wrote:Dear mods:

I clicked on the ivermectin link. There is no mention that Durvet is currently the commonly available brand most of us American members buy. The smallest bottle (250 ml) can be ordered from Amazon. com for about $20.

It has this down at the bottom of the first post:

Please note that Iver-on is no longer sold, so a something like IVOMEC can be used. An Ivermectin cattle-pour on is what you need. Be sure to dilute it with water. Then drop a little drop of the solution on the mouse's shoulders and smear it down their back. Be sure to follow all the instructions above!

I believe this is the one I ordered. The brand is Durvet, as you mention Brynne, though the description on the page does say Ivomec - but the box doesn't. Is Durvet a genetic brand? A quick search looks like Ivomec is available to purchase, just more expensive than Durvet.

by Peachy Sat 28 May 2016, 6:36 pm

Whee, I just updated the whole thing to get rid of all the Iver-On references. lol

by Artistwolf Sat 28 May 2016, 6:57 pm

Heh, sorry, I think I uploaded most of that. I should have changed it a little. Embarassed

by Brynne Sun 29 May 2016, 10:31 pm

Huh, I assumed they were two different brands. From reading that page, I can't tell which name is the generic and which is the brand.

CallaLily, Abeona and Artistwolf: You are all amazing!!!!

by despereaux Tue 31 May 2016, 4:16 pm

So update on Clover: A couple days ago I noticed she has a little bald spot on her side right above her hip and a couple other places around her neck/shoulders are looking a little patchy as well. This would point more towards an allergy of some type, right? Still no other signs of anything with her sisters.

by Brynne Tue 31 May 2016, 5:21 pm

The hip is an unusual area for hair loss. Does it look shaved? That could be barbering, either from another mouse or herself.

Neck/shoulder hair loss is a classic symptom of scratching from parasites.

by despereaux Tue 31 May 2016, 6:05 pm

Well the bald spot isn't truly at her hip, it's more on her side between the hip and shoulder. That's definitely the worst spot though. It doesn't look shaved, it's more like there was never any hair there to begin with. The spots by her shoulders aren't nearly as bad, just the tiniest bit thin or maybe I'm just looking too hard for hair loss? It's a little hard to explain, I'll try to get some pictures of her tonight when she's out and about. I don't think any of the other mice are doing this to her though, it seems self inflicted.

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