Pinched Abdomen?

1604 Views 10 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Kage Davies, Mar 14, 2011

Kage Davies

Discussion Starter · Mar 14, 2011

When mice go super skinny around their backend. I've had mice long enough to know this is a very bad sign; normally I put anyone in this state out of their misery, if I find them in time. But until now I've only seen it happen in sick mice; in two weeks I've had an adult and a sub adult go like this out of nowhere.

The adult was kinda small and weedy, and from the petshop, so I could maybe write it off. But this subadult was bred here; largest in the litter, in good health/shiny coat. Clear breathing. Nothing. And sometime in the last... two days she's gone all skinny around the middle. She's lost fat around her tail too, which makes me think its actually longer term than I thought, but I'm only just seeing the worst.

So what causes it? More importantly, can I stop it or are mice who go like this really a lost cause?

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WillowDragon

· #2 · Mar 14, 2011

I have only ever managed to save one mouse that went like that, and i on,y tried bacause at the time he was my best buck.

I basically brought him in to my bedroom for a week, cleaned him bcause he was too ill to clean himself, and force fed him tiny amounts of a mixture of lactol, sugar and water by dripping it into his mouth with a pipette, the change was noticable after a day, but full recovery took a week. I only fed him the mixture for three days, after that he was feeding himself and drinking well again.

K xx

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Kage Davies

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 14, 2011

How did you feed him with the pipette? I've tried syringe feeding a couple of times but I'm too heavy handed.

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WillowDragon

· #4 · Mar 14, 2011

Literally held the pipette close to his mouth and gently squeezed so one drop came out... The first usually goes on thier fur, but when they go to clean thier mouths they generally get the taste for it and lick it off the pipette.

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Kage Davies

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 14, 2011

Alright. How much and how often? This one is actually the much beloved pet of a friend of mine. I bred her, and I'm mouse sitting for her while my friend is at a family funeral.

And guess what? I've just realised I can hear chattering. MY LILAC is chittering. I'M GOING TO KILL THAT NEKKID. *bangs head against wall* (the nekkid was a new acquisition this week.)

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WillowDragon

· #6 · Mar 14, 2011

Echinacea in all the water my dear!

And i fed him a tiny amount every hour he was awake... Dint disturd too much in the middle of the day or night, but mornings and evenings are fine.

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bethmccallister

· #7 · Mar 14, 2011

The only time one of mine lost weight rapidly was due to their teeth becoming overgrown. I'm aware that other illnesses can cause weight loss but thought I'd mention my experience just for good measure.

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Kage Davies

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 14, 2011

Yes, I sorted them all echinacea right away but I think this might be an anti biotics job. Don't want to risk it.

Stupid question. How did you hold him? I know, begininers stuff, but I actually aspirated a mouse doing this the other week >>. I swung her by her tail (gently!) and cleared her airways but I think the fluid sat on her lungs. She was skinny chicken too and she died within the week.

Never known that with the teeth o.o. I'll check them tomorrow, but they eat a lot of hard kibble and seeds.

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WillowDragon

· #9 · Mar 14, 2011

I held him upright, like if he was standing on two legs lol, i also held him wrapped in a towel, because they will struggle at first.

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Stina

· #10 · Mar 14, 2011

I've had a couple lose weight seemingly inexplicably....I lost a couple to whatever it was...but then I saw a couple other just starting to get skinny (and yes it happened quickly!) and started them on baytril....they recovered pretty quickly and one of them is now pregnant and about to give birth!

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Kage Davies

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 14, 2011

No, I lost her. Took her out this morning to feed her and she was gasping through her mouth, where yesterday she had no breathing troubles at all. I think something had shut down. She just died in my hands. I still don't know what it is though, and I'm worried about the others.

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