Mites!!

by MeecyMooses Mon 12 Sep 2016, 7:53 am

I am in desperate need of help. I have 4 female mice. They have a species specific burrowing mites. I have tried using Ivermectin, Frontline for cats, lime sulfur dip, and they are currently being treated with Revolution for puppies and kittens. Nothing is working to kill these mites. The mice are all separated in bins, they are on paper towels and everything is cleaned with bleach every other day. I have been struggling with this for months now! My poor babies are suffering. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

by River Mon 12 Sep 2016, 10:32 am

Have they seen a vet? In the case of such a persistent bout of mites, I would deem a vet trip worthy. Perhaps it isn't mites? I'm not sure what it could be, as such a widespread allergy seems unlikely, but there still might be an underlying cause.

by MouseLover Mon 12 Sep 2016, 10:37 am

Hi and welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear you're having such trouble with mites.

Have you read the information on mites here?: https://petmousefanciers.forumotion.com/t1-lice-mites-and-ivermectin

by MeecyMooses Mon 12 Sep 2016, 4:08 pm

They have gone to the vet. Multiple times actually. She took a sample and checked under a microscope

by Peachy Mon 12 Sep 2016, 4:18 pm

Ivermectin and Revolution were what my vet recommended for mites. Is your vet sure that they're still there? Sometimes mice develop a chronic scratching habit that continues even after parasites are gone.

Have you been able to make sure the bugs aren't coming in on anything that you bring into the house, like food?

I hope you can figure this out for your poor girls. Sad

by CallaLily Mon 12 Sep 2016, 5:22 pm

Yikes. I'm so sorry you're having trouble getting rid of them. From what I understand if Ivermectin doesn't get rid of them, Revolution usually does. How long since you started the Revolution? I really hope it works for you. Has your Vet been checking after each treatment or are you just still seeing scratching? Like Abeona, I'm wondering if maybe the mites are gone but now scratching has become a habit.

by River Mon 12 Sep 2016, 6:00 pm

I would agree with the idea of chronic scratching, but wouldn't it unusual for all the mice to have developed chronic scratching? I would've thought that if it were so, it wouldn't have been a problem within all the mice. Unless, of course, they're all related and/or of the same coloring. Since I've heard somewhere that both factors can play a role.

I hope this Revolution will help. Good luck to you and your mice.

by CinnamonPearl Tue 13 Sep 2016, 5:52 am

Along with recolution, put your girls back together. They really should not live separately, and keeping them apart will only hinder their healing. They need each other's support.

by CallaLily Tue 13 Sep 2016, 7:25 am

You're right, @River. It would seem weird if all would develop ocd behaviors, though being lonely and/or bored could add to the issue. I agree with @CinnamonPearl too.

@MeecyMooses, Sorry I'm not more help. I don't think I've come across anyone having issues getting rid of mites beyond trying Revolution. It usually works if the Ivermectin fails.

by MeecyMooses Wed 28 Sep 2016, 8:10 am

Hello everyone, sorry for the late response about my girls,

This is the update,

I brought them to a different vet, she said, given all the treatment they received for the mites, she highly doubts they still have them. She put three of them on antibiotics, to help with any possible infection that could be caused from scratching. The fourth, Pepper, seems to be in perfect health except for one tiny scab on her right ear.
But they still all seem to be showing different symptoms...

Casper, she is tan and white, she is all torn up and is constantly scratching away at her skin, I wouldn't doubt if it has become chronic scratching, the vet said we would have to try other options until we can rule out what it is. She gave me lidocaine, which is a cream that's supposed to numb her skin. I've been applying it once a day, but it seems to have been making her more irritated, needless to say I've stopped using it.

Sauron, she is all black, is displaying very different symptoms from Casper. Her ears are puffy and swollen, as well as scabbed, her eyes are swollen and her chin and all down her neck, chest and front arms is puffy and swollen. My poor baby must be in so much pain, I feel terrible. Her fur also seems to be thinning. She is constantly licking her neck, which seems to be causing her to have a bit of a hunch back. The vet said she could be showing symptoms of Vasculitis, which is a disease of inflammation of the blood vessels. The problem is, little is known about this disease and how to treat it. She said some mice were treated with an oral dose of Omega-3 fish oil (.02 ml).

Popcorn, is grey with a white star on her forehead, she has actually developed a respiratory problem, so she is just on antibiotics to fight it, and I've been syringe feeding her critical care to ensure she is eating and drinking. She doesn't appear to have any scabs on her.

Sauron and Casper were house mates, because Pepper couldn't get along with Sauron (she was beating her up), and Pepper and Popcorn (along with a third that has since passes away, RIP, Moo), were house mates. My vet said not to put them back in together because some are weaker than others and they might attack each other...Pepper always was the bully. She also said Popcorn might stress even more if she has to fight for her food and such.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I am doing everything in my power to help these tiny souls, but I still feel like an awful mouse mommy Sad

by maygins Wed 28 Sep 2016, 8:42 am

Oh my, I'm a new mouse owner so I wouldn't know much about this stuff. I'd like to say I'm sorry for this bout of happenings, and to say that you are not a bad mouse mommy! If you are trying your hardest to help them, that makes you a good mouse owner. Smile

I have four mice, and the only thing I'm having trouble with so far is sexing them, I believe they are all the same gender but I don't know which one. They smell ok, they sleep in a mouse ball, but sometimes the fight. Blood never is drawn, but I'm worried, because I am not allowed to keep mouse babies AT ALL. Anyway, have you tried multiple vets? Maybe this vet isn't a very qualified one for mice.

by Peachy Wed 28 Sep 2016, 11:15 am

Oh golly, I'm sorry to hear of the mess you've got going on. Are they all still eating and active (when they're not scratching)? Have you considered food allergies?

When my boy scratched himself up, putting anything on him just made him seem to be more irritated. Sad

Maybe you could try offering a coffee mug or plastic tube from the freezer that they can hide in. My itchy boy appreciated that.

I would also think about pairing them up again. If Casper is suffering from the OCD-like chronic scratching, a friend could really help her a lot.

I'm sure others will have more input for you. I hope your vet's plans work and you start seeing some improvement soon. Good vibes

by CinnamonPearl Wed 28 Sep 2016, 11:50 am

Absolutely put them back together if you haven't yet. Keeping these girls apart can only make things worse, I promise, and at the least it won't help at all. Solitary confinement is one of the worst things you can do for sick girls. They need each other's support.

by VoidThoughts Wed 28 Sep 2016, 12:51 pm

If you really don't want to move them all back together than at least make sure you let them play with each other for at least 15 minutes a day under your supervision. Keeping them all alone for months on end can cause them to develop serious social problems as well as cause depression which weakens their immune system, same as when a human suffers from depression.

by CallaLily Wed 28 Sep 2016, 1:00 pm

Poor babies. I agree, I would definitely pair them back up how you had them before. Having their buddy back may really go a long way with helping them. Bored and lonely mice tend to be more likely to develop the chronic scratching. As far as attacking the weak - it's possible but not very likely, especially with each pair having already formed a bond. So for sure keep an eye on them but in my opinion you're unlikely to have that problem and it's certainly worth it to at least try.

I agree with @abeona, I've seen a few mouse parents who've found all the creams and such can actually make things worse. So if that's what you're seeing, I think you made the right choice in cutting that out.

Also, what are you feeding them and what is the crude protein? I don't think that's something that's been asked yet with the problem having seemingly started with mites.

Btw, you're a great mouse parent! You've taken them to multiple vets trying to find them the help they need. You're doing awesome. I know it's rough when nothing seems to be helping but the point is you're working towards finding something that does! There are many mice out there that sadly don't get that. Don't beat yourself up.

One thing to keep in mind if this is OCD behavior is that it can be an ongoing project keeping them distracted from scratching. Some mice can be redirected with lots of switched up toys and play time and fully recover. Others may need ongoing attention or fall back into the habit at a later point. So definitely try providing them with fun new toys (can easily be cheaply made with cardboard and/or popsicle sticks), switching them out often, and giving them lots of attention. I really hope your little mice start to do better soon. Good luck!

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