Box shock or something more? Does this need a vet? [Updated]

by River Mon 25 Dec 2017, 8:52 pm

Garcia has been sneezing. First thought was, of course, box shock -- but she had been clicking on occasion. Now it seems, I think, that the clicking has stopped. However, she now has an eye covered in red mucus! I'm sure she hasn't been here enough to have a filthy nest, and on top of the sneezing.. I'm not so sure box shock is our culprit here. Another mouse in the store looked like it might have had some eye mucus too, but it wasn't enough for me to get a good look.

What should I do?

I can take her in within the week if she needs it. We've really fallen in love with her silly self in these past few days, so we would hate to risk waiting.

by River Mon 25 Dec 2017, 8:55 pm

Something a little more fun: today in taming, this girl ran up my shirt. I had to ease her out, but I was totally panicking. I'm so ticklish. After this ordeal she actually seems to like me more, shockingly. She spent a lot of the taming session sitting on my knees like she'd done nothing wrong. Heart

by CinnamonPearl Tue 26 Dec 2017, 5:39 am

Red mucus around the eye sounds like conjunctivitis, which is common in mice. A vet is needed to treat it.

by River Tue 26 Dec 2017, 1:46 pm

The mucus isn't there this morning. The eye looks a little wet around it, but it isn't red or shut. Should I still make an appointment?

by CinnamonPearl Tue 26 Dec 2017, 4:29 pm

Hmm. I'd say it's your call. At the very least, keep a close eye on it, and make flush it with some saline.

by River Tue 26 Dec 2017, 7:54 pm

I'll flush it and keep watching. I'll be cleaning cages tomorrow, too. I won't be seeing my vet ASAP, but she's still under a warranty so I'll have her see Petsmarts vet for good measure within the next week.

by CallaLily Wed 27 Dec 2017, 8:30 am

It's my understanding that seeing porphyrin (the red stuff you saw - a normal thing they produce but usually in smaller amounts that healthy mice keep clean) is a sign of stress and/or illness. I think a visit to the vet could be in order, especially if other mice at the place you got her from also were showing it. Even if it turns out to just be an eye infection it'll be good to get it treated promptly in my experience. Smile

by River Wed 27 Dec 2017, 12:30 pm

Good to know! I'll have the appointment made soon, I'll keep the thread updated when we see what it is. Thanks for the help!

by River Wed 27 Dec 2017, 9:26 pm

This is the nearly third day since I saw that muck in her eye and there's now no signs of it at all. She's cleaning herself thoroughly and noticeably often, the sneezing decreased, she's active, bright eyed...seems perfectly healthy! If I hadn't woken her up that morning I would never have noticed it at all.

My mom has taken a liking to little Garcia, so together we decided that if it was stress related, then a vet visit might stress her out more. Besides, if it isn't visible...what can a vet do? The sneezing is only every few minutes in the play pen and much less in the cage.

If she's still sneezing or exhibiting eye problems by the fourth, we'll take her in. However for now...its just a close eye, daily nest changes and more frequent cage cleans. We also changed the bedding from critter care to Kaytee. In light of these events I've got the household convinced to let her stay in quarantine longer.

She tried jumping out the tub and crawling up my arm to escape this taming session, so its safe to say she's got a lot of energy. Fingers crossed, but we'll see. If something happens after her warranty I have $120 left in my vet fund which should leave enough left over. Does this sound like a safe way to go, or would you take her in regardless on if shes showing signs of illness or not?

by CallaLily Thu 28 Dec 2017, 9:20 am

If it was just a one time event with no other symptoms I would probably just keep a close eye on her.

by River Thu 28 Dec 2017, 4:10 pm

Spoke too soon. She's got some red streaks surrounding her eye today, despite a cage clean yesterday. Not crusted over as it was before, though. Do you think a vet will be able to determine what it is even if the signs aren't always prominent or even present? I'm a little worried they won't do anything about it, especially since it would be the Petsmart vet seeing her at first.

A positive thing, though, she's been approaching my hand on her own more often. Considering she would run at the slightest movement a few days ago, I'm kinda impressed. If only she wasn't having health problems.

EDIT: And just like that, the red is gone again. Seems like it accumulates while she's asleep. She does clean a lot, more than Graham does, so I guess she cleans it up when she's awake. That said I also forgot to treat for mites until today, so that could play into it. I never did flush her eye, either -- she won't stay still for it.

What would you do? And what would a vet do?

by CallaLily Thu 28 Dec 2017, 6:39 pm

They could listen to her breathing, test for mites, prescribe eye drops/ointment if they think the eye is infected, discuss other possibilities that I'm sure I'm not thinking of. It's up to you of course. I know many people try to avoid the vet because of possible stress but so far I've never had a mouse totally freak out over a vet visit. Even when sick they've tolerated the visits well. I've never seen a pet store's vet before so I can't say for sure what to expect there.

by CinnamonPearl Thu 28 Dec 2017, 6:58 pm

I have always avoided pet store vets since Ive heard stories of them euthanizing people's animals without permission. Scary stuff. I only ever go to my own. I would go to a vet though. A vet would probably start by treating conjunctivitis or at least recommended a trratment of saline flushes. Thats what it sounds like to me, at least. If they try to do nothing, push for it. Be assertive! But either way, if this is now continuously coming back, she needs to see a vet.

by River Thu 28 Dec 2017, 7:50 pm

Thanks guys.

If it does turn out to be an infection, will the cage need disinfecting? How would I go about that, and how long will she need to be quarantined after seeing the vet?

by CinnamonPearl Thu 28 Dec 2017, 8:02 pm

Don't quarantine after seeing a vet. It's totally pointless and only will negatively impact the sick girl's health. If it's an infection, I don't believe anything needs disinfecting? I don't think conjunctivitis works that way. A normal cage cleaning with antibacterial soap could probably work the best.

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