# Mouse dragging tail?



## whiteiinocence (Jun 6, 2011)

Hey~ I recently bought two female fancy mice who were very healthy and active. One of the mice was fine the whole day until in the evening, when I saw her eating with her eyes shut and walking strangely. I came back a while later and she seemed perfectly fine again and active, but I noticed she was dragging her tail. She normally runs on the wheel with her tail up, but this time it just hung limply behind her. I checked the tail for an cuts, injuries, but couldn't seem to find anything out of the ordinary. Her friend steps on her tail sometimes and doesn't seem to be in pain.
She is eating and drinking normally, but her fur isn't as well-groomed as it used to be. What could be causing this?

Any insight would be much appreciated!


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## ccoryjohnn (Jul 2, 2010)

The same thing happened to one of my mice who has since passed. One day her tail just went limp. I was told it could be her nerves, a fracture.. Anything. But Pheckles didn't seem to be in pain or any discomfort. I just let it go and let her live her life.


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## whiteiinocence (Jun 6, 2011)

If you don't mind me asking, was it the tail that contributed to her death or simply old age? My mouse is very young and I would hate for something like this to end her life... Honey's fur looks messier than usual as well. Could this mean anything?
Thanks for sharing your experience. I've tried searching this problem on the internet but couldn't seem to find anything.


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## emiliabird (May 18, 2009)

Hello!

This happened to my old mouse constance. I think it is a nerve problem. After her tail went she started limping and her back legs became quite weak. She was always the more active one and it was almost like she had worn herself out. I took her to the vet a couple of times but there wasn't anything they could for her, but she lived to a long old age. I think between the limp starting and her death was about ten months so I don't think it contributed to her death and it was only once she really lost the use of her second back leg and couldn't get about at all that she had lost quality of life and drastically declined but until then she got on quite happily and didn't seem to be in any distress. I don't know if this is helpful or not. I found some information about back leg paralysis in rats through google which might be interesting to you.

Emily. xx
Emily


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