# Itchy, and a scab



## Bella (Aug 15, 2010)

One of my does was acting very itchy today. I haven't noticed it at all before this. I took her out and examined her and found a scab between her shoulder blades - perhaps 1mm in diameter. That was the general area she was scratching at (and still is). The rest of her coat is shiny and healthy looking and there is no sign of hair loss anywhere. All of the other mice look fine.

Do you think she just got an owie and its bothering her, or could it be bugs? If it is, how do I treat. CAN I treat right now? She is heavily pregnant and going to give birth any day now, if not tonight. Even if she is nursing, can I medicate?

I have heard of using Ivermectin, but I don't know dosages or exactly how. Orally?


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## GypsyTails (Jul 14, 2010)

I just had a similar "itchy situation" with one of my mice. He had a spot between his shoulder blades too and got very itchy, eventually losing a little hair around the scab. I took him to the Vet and she hypothesized an ouchie that had possibly gotten infected and subsequently itchy. We treated with antibiotics and he is doing much better now. No more itching.  If she has a scab, I'd suspect a little infection whether it was from an ouchie only, or a secondary issue due to mites.

Mites sometimes first rear their ugly little heads around the shoulder blade area too though. I use a topical Iver-on spray on new arrivals, thankfully I haven't had mites yet! I've used the spray on all ages of meeces as a precautionary measure. Others may have different opinions on that. I never liked oral ivermectin and some say it can be dangerous, though I have never known why. I just don't like it because I hate dosing wiggly critters!

The antibiotics from my Vet were a whopping (sarcastic) $7. And the tube of OTC antibiotic cream was even less. If you can, I'd take her in for a professional opinion since she is expecting, especially if she is very itchy or if the scab looks a little oozy. I have used antibiotic cream (Bacitracin or Polysporin or their generic equivalent) for little ouchies with no ill effects before though. Again, others may have different opinions. And putting them on a paper based bedding while the spot heals never hurts either.


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Alot of these Mites , Fleas come in with the Timothy hay.I know of a Farmer that bags it and sells it , he stores the hay in his barn where he then bags it.All sorts can crawl and hide in this stuff, mites hide in damp places in these barns .I would be very carefull buying hay and definately dont collect it yourself .I know it may not be connected with the itchy and scab, but hay can cause this .The hay is put into retail bags and sold to the pet trade I wouldnt give this Timothy hay house room. I have Agronomist qualifications too and studied different pests diseases, this stuff is stored a while as its harvested in the summer.Use a different nesting material there are lots on the market.You can get itch mite in hay which makes you itch too and go on our pets the mites live on other insects.


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## Bella (Aug 15, 2010)

I don't use hay...


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