My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

by Clementine Fri 30 Jul 2021, 5:07 pm

My mouse Sunflower keeps scratching below her ears. She has scratched some of her fur off and now has raw red stripes on her face/neck. She's bleeding and scabbing but won't stop scratching. Inside her ears also looks bloody. I just noticed this today, she was fine when took all the mice out to clean the cage earlier this morning. I did some research and she might have ear mites? I'm not sure what to do though. Some sources say you can just order ivermectin online and treat the mice yourself, others say you have to see a vet and have them prescribe medication. I don't know what I should do about this problem. Help!

My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw 20210710

My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw 20210711

by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Fri 30 Jul 2021, 7:39 pm

This looks like a job for a veterinarian. It's important to get a correct diagnosis and treatment plan.

Maybe my imagination is overreacting, but Sunflower looks uncomfortable to me. Sometimes during allergy season, maybe it's swelling in the throat and sinuses, but the way-insides of my ears itch so bad ... I just want to go after them with a fork! In your pictures, Sunflower looks just about the way I feel then.

by Clementine Fri 30 Jul 2021, 9:21 pm

Thank you for your help! My family is going out of town soon and I couldn't find an appointment before then. Do you think Sunflower will be okay if I don't take her to the vet for about a week?

by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Sun 01 Aug 2021, 12:42 pm

Sorry to leave you hanging. Between Friday evening and Sunday afternoon I often have no contact with a computer -- and such was the case this weekend.

You can only do what you can do! During that week of waiting, the wounds should be monitored and cleaned (usually a saline rinse does the trick), and then have some mouse-safe anti-bacterial applied. This site must have lots of discussion topics covering wound care, so I won't go further into details.

Also, try to keep Sunflower distracted to prevent unnecessary nervous scratching. Actual "IT ITCHES!!!" scratching is hard to control, and I'd love to give you a tip on something that would take away that kind of itch, but the only thing I know for sure would be safe for mice is oatmeal paste -- and good luck trying to keep an oatmeal paste plaster on a mouse!!

One thing about the eventual vet visit is to see if you can get Sunflower's claws checked, and trimmed if necessary:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160106215525.htm
If that link doesn't work (which it doesn't in my Explorer browser, but does in my Opera browser), then search toenail trim saves lab mice to be able to read the article.

by cerial Sun 01 Aug 2021, 5:38 pm

I seen that a while back and have been searching for a picture of the immobilizing devise used that drops the mouses paws through.
If anyone has seen or made one please post it up.

Something that I have found to keep the nails trimmed is having mesh items throughout the cage. They absolutely love climbing mesh office organizers, cups, and waste baskets. While climbing they rub the claws over the mesh and this helps dull them.
Of course this is not as good as giving them a pedicure. But it can help while giving them something new to climb on.
When cleaning mesh I find it is best to soak the item in soapy water while cleaning the rest of the tank, then blast water through the mesh, then wipe the mesh down with a rag, then blast them again, before wiping the mesh with a dry rag.

by Dee67 Tue 03 Aug 2021, 6:51 am

You can also put sandpaper on their perches to help keep nails trim. It sounds like mites and what @MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop said is good, but Ivermectin is cheap, you can get it easily and perhaps start treating her as well, before she ends up getting herself infected by digging and scratching.

by AngelaJ Sun 08 Aug 2021, 5:09 pm

please frefer to his website (and his facebook page) The ear scratching is a common fungal infection, immensely itchy and uncomfortable for mice, but easily treated with Domeboro solution (aluminium acetate). I have used it and it works wonders

http://forbiddenmousecity.com/Healthcare/healthcare.html

by Dee67 Sun 08 Aug 2021, 5:16 pm

@Clementine Ear scratching in mice can be from many things including mites, infection, or even OCD behavior from stress. This is why a vet visit is needed. Did you get Sunflower checked?

by AngelaJ Sun 08 Aug 2021, 5:37 pm

OCD comes after mites/infections etc. So many mice suffer with this fungal infection in pain because very few vets know much about mice and prescribe antibiotics for everything. If you check this guy's facebook page and search for Domeboro you will find many stories of it's success. Besides, it is just a drop of liquid in their ears, so giving this and antibiotics and a mite treatment will cover all bases as quickly as possible. I do, for the record, visit my vet regularly. My mice that don't take oral meds well I take to get an long-acting antibiotic injection. Mite treatments should be given on a regular basis as a preventative measure. This way OCD habits never get a chance to take hold.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/forbiddenmousecity/about There is a vast amount of health advice on his page, he has done mountains of research.

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My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw

Re: My mouse keeps scratching both sides of her head until bloody/raw