# Very swollen feet



## Snowmaus

I recently adopted 3 mice. One of them is badly crippled and has very limited mobility with her back legs, but the other two were fine. That is, until a day after I brought them home. One of the mice started acting very lethargic and when I pulled her out of the cage I noticed that her hind toe was very, very swollen. I looked at the bottom and there didn't look to be any sores or open wounds. I left her alone, thinking maybe it was a bite I just couldn't see.

The next day her entire foot was badly swollen. I removed her to a separate tank along with the crippled mouse for their own safety and hopefully recovery. There were no sores on her feet that I could see and she still used the leg to run on (however, she uses it almost like it's numb to her- not broken). I've tried to investigate it but I cant hold her still long enough to get a good enough look. I dont think that there are any fibers around her leg, but I cant tell for sure. The cage she was housed in before had cotton balls in it.

Additionally, I've brought another mouse home and her toes are starting to swell too. All of my other mice are fine and healthy, they dont have swollen feet and they dont have any problem with the bedding I'm using.

How can I check AND *remove* a string fiber from my mouse (if that's what it actually is!)? I cant even get her to sit still long enough for me to have a good look, let alone get it off, somehow. The adopted mouse is not very tame and is very skittish, while the other is very tame but doesn't let me look at her feet for very long.

Both mice were bullied to the point of scabs by one of my very vicious does, so could it possibly be stress related? Has anyone else had this problem, and what can I do? Give them some kind of anti-inflammatory medication?

*needs help*


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## geordiesmice

Could you possibly get someone to hold the mouse while you have a look if theres some kind of thread it could cut off the blood supply and the thread needs cutting off alot of these bedding mediums you get in the grass tunnels etc are really inadequate and dangerous and easily wrap around a mouses little foot.


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## AnnB

It would seem a strange coincidence that both mice had managed to get fibres round their feet at the same time but you'll definitely need to rule it out. If you have access to a digital camera you could take a photo of the feet (possibly through the base of a glass tank if the mice are a bit jumpy) then zoom in for a closer look. Alternatively you could use a magnifying glass.


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## Snowmaus

Thank you for your advice! I was able to look at their feet through a glass floor of a tank and could see no fibers attached. I changed the bedding (50 old/50 new) so if there was an allergy to the old bedding that will clear it up. It looked like there might have been a strange sore on Stark's foot, centered on his toe. Due to the reluctance to use that foot other issues are cropping up with him. For example, he's been dragging his back end around and the fur on his belly has thinned and the skin looks a little red. At this point I'm just trying to keep him as comfortable as I can with a softer bedding.


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## racingmouse

A mouse that drags it`s back legs around might have a back injury or nerve issue going on. He will need checking often and a one level cage. He may need wiping under his belly and where he urinates incase he gets urine scald by lying in his own urine. What bedding are you actually using? If you name the products people will be able to advise you on whether it`s safe or not and what to use as an alternative.

Make sure he can access water easily and food. Mice have very fast metabolisms and will fall ill quickly if they are dehydrated or hungry. You may need to adjust some things to make it easy for him to cope. Lowering the water bottle spout right down and having more than one water bottle is actually better. Keep cage accessories in the same place so as not to confuse him if he`s having mobility problems.

If his foot/feet are slollen, this may be why he`s not managing to walk correctly? Cleaning his feet gently with saline (one teaspoon salt to one pint boiled, cooled water) on a cotton ball with help clean any cuts, but the swelling could be an immune response also to something foreign. Obviously if he`s no better, see your vet.


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## Snowmaus

*Updating!*

One of the mice looked to be in too much pain and just kept getting skinnier and skinnier, so I took her to the vet to be put down.

The bedding I WAS using before everything went to hell was called "Soft-Sorbent". I honestly cant see why that would cause any damage to mice feet- but I went ahead and switched to Aspen bedding. It's not premium, I know, but it seems to be working just fine for everyone and they all really like to burrow in it.

Stark's foot is still swollen, but not as badly. She walks around on it just fine and is no longer dragging her back half! I think it was a response to the pain in her foot. In addition to her foot being swollen, she was also losing hair and skin- it was peeling off in great big scabs- but at the very least the skin underneath the 'pelt' that came off was unbroken. The vet had no idea what was wrong with her when I took her in. She spent a few days bald and naked and is now all velvety with new fur growth. She's eating fine, running around fine, and looks healthy- just not so pretty. (This is not a baby mouse. It's an adult.)

I think she's out of the danger zone now, but it took a lot of intensive care to bring her back. The only advice/medication my vet gave me was to give the mouse asprin for the swelling of the foot. THAT was a hassle and I only gave her two doses before the stress on us both won out. The swelling did not change when I gave her the asprin.

In any case- she seems to be on the mend. The saline solution is working wonders on her feet though- thank you Racingmouse. And thank you for your help and suggestions guys.

EDIT: Also, sorry for the gender confusions, if there was any. My fiance gave the does male names and we've taken to calling the girls 'he'. :roll:


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## racingmouse

Just wanted to say I was glad to hear she has improved snowmaus, that is good news. Sometimes the hands-off approach is best with mice as long as you know they are not in any serious pain. The bedding/substrate you were using may have been the problem, but since you have switched, this will tell you one way or the other. I know I had big problems when I started adding Carefresh to my girls cage and it started them sneezing and itching badly. Needless to say it was quickly binned and I only use paper based products now. Mice can be so prone to allergies that it`s not worth using many of the over the counter products on sale just because they say` safe`.

I can`t comment on the aspirin but I`m not sure aspirin has a high anti-inflammatory? It thins the blood apparently. Not something my vet has ever prescribed!

Keep up with the saline and hopefully she will bounce back to health. x


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