# Sleepy, Round, Possibly Constipated (!Young!) Doe



## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

So, the weekend I planned to finally put my buck with my doe  (Amber), Amber gets sick! I am SO worried! I wasn't there when she was at her low point. My dad said she was sleepy looking, cold and not active. I told him that mice are active at night, so that would explain the low activity level. But sleepy, and cold?! I am worried sick  need tips! I am obviously going to put off breeding her... just to clarify...

*edit* forgot to mention, she is just old enough to be bred. She is about 10 weeks old, so she couldn't be dying...  right? Another thing I noticed was that she is fatter, around the stomach area. But she is not pregnant. She hasn't been with a buck in her life...


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## bethmccallister (Mar 5, 2010)

Check the water bottle, check the teeth for over growth...put a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel in the cage for warmth or a reptile heat rock or heating pad under the cage (make sure it's not too hot and they can't get to it to chew it). Feed warm oatmeal or scrabbled eggs as soon as possible. Let us know how it goes...


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## bethmccallister (Mar 5, 2010)

Sorry, just remembered about the "fatter, around the stomach area" comment so it's not likely the teeth.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

I've had suddenly cold does before, with no breathing issues, who had been eating fine until they got cold. Warm her up. Anything you can do to warm her up will help. Since she'll be sluggish, you can handle her pretty easily, to check her for damage like wounds or fluids coming from any of her orifices. Try to get her to eat, using things that she likes. Warmth and energy will get her in a state where you can maybe figure out what's going on. Does she look like she's lost weight?


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## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

She`s ill, too young and should`nt be bred from. A mouse that looks ill and is cold to the touch is usually in a bad way. Even if she does pick up, I would risk breeding her. If she goes downhill again the babies will suffer if she dies. You need to have foster mums on hand for this normally as hand feeding very young mice is a lot of work.

Take her to a vet if she`s ill. A bloated abdomen is a bad sign in such a young animal.


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

Bad update. She's even bigger now. It's only been 12 hours, and she's grown fatter. She is still a little chilly, but not as bad as before. She is running on her flying saucer every two minutes. She is eating and drinking fine.

Another thing, last night I found that her wheel was pushing up against the side of her cage and wouldn't turn correctly. So I moved it, and Amber has been running day and night. Could not running cause all this?

Note, she looks healthy from the outside, except for her size. Sleek, shiny coat with bright eyes. Um... I don't know how to check her teeth, could someone explain?

Laigaie, she looks to have actually gained weight, rather than losing it.

*edit* racingmouse, I wasn't planning on breeding her from the moment I noticed she was sick. That's what I meant by "Put off".

Could she be constipated? Stina and I were talking about it, and it seems like a possibility. Any tips?

*edit2* She looks constipated. Inside her anus looks brown, as if it's all stuck. Is there any food that can loosen stools?


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## Kallan (Aug 16, 2009)

Lactulose may work if you can get some; failing that try milk?


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

I gave her 1/10 of a ml of milk. She loved it, I had to pull it away from her. :lol: Was that enough? I hope it helps.


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

We recently had a thread on constipation on ML... http://www.mouselovers.com/viewtopic.ph ... ion#p22847


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

So, could constipation kill her? I am only 12, I don't know much about mousie sickness. I've never had a sick mouse before  . Any less complicated help? Or am I better off going to the vet?


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## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

I would consult your vet to be sure incase they can do something or at least, diagnose what`s going on. Does she look as if she`s swallowed a golf ball? Very `round`? This type of bloating could be fluid retention/heart failure that type of thing. Ascites are usually seen in older animals so I doubt it`s that. Leukemia can cause these signs aswell, but she`s very young. Drugs like Frusemide (a diuretic) can sometimes be given but the people I know who used it reported that it was only a temporary respite and the mouse became bloated again.

Mice (like rats) are particulary prone to many illnesses, genetic and environmental I`m afraid, so mortality can hit them at any stage in their lives.


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

Well, the dark days are over!  She is no longer "fat", and she is running! I haven't seen stools yet, but we have hope! I still have a hot water bottle in there with her, though she is so active she probably doesn't need it. If she stays this good until morning, are we done? Back to normal?! :lol: I hope so. Thanks for the help!


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Intestinal obstruction is one of the most common causes of illness and death for mousies. It can happen without showing symptoms like bloating. When a mousie is found to have died without any warning it ranks right up there with breaking of the neck from a fall from a wheel, or a screen top, or some such other thing that mousies will do. The organs are so small and fragile that even a buildup of gas can cause a blowout.

When I see a mousie in a fix like that I give the a drop of red wine which relaxes them and voila! out it comes...usually a string of lumps....occasional one large bolus...and then I have a have a very happy mousie in my hands. It doesn't take much, and I have given two or three drops in cases where one didn't work, along with gentle lower belly massage to assist the gastrocolic process.

I hope she continues to show signs of good health.


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## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

Thanks! Update; She is active,  running on her flying saucer, staying thin. I am stilll looking for stools. Red wine, hmm?


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## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

That was a quick recovery from what sounded more serious? A cold body usually sounds circulatory or a mouse who is not able to control, it`s body temperature. Constipation would show by lack of dropping in the cage or a poo being stuck in the anal canal and not dropped for a period of time. Feeding a few bran flakes (breakfast cereal) is good at relaxing their bowels, but not something that needs to be fed all the time as bran can cause the bowel to produce runny poo.

Put some dry natural oats in their daily mix (if you don`t already) from a human grade oats bought in a store. Porridge oats are fine but not the dusty looking kind. Try and buy oats that are jumbo oats or larger. Linseed/flaxseed (found in healthfood stores) can also be sprinkled over food and helps the bowel.


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