# Respiratory illnesses



## tom95

I think it is a very big problem in breeding mice .
Every week I cull any mice (sometimes a few, sometimes 1...) because of sneezing or other respiratory illnesses.
I don't keep any sick mice in my breed, but it still happens, why ?
It makes me very bad, because how to breed mice if sooner or later they will be sick ?
It always happen to best mice and mice I like the most.
Sometimes I use echinacea, but it doesn't help, there isn't any vet who can help .
How to create your own lines even If i buy new mice from abroad, keep them separatly, enjoying their children and winning shows and suddenly one of them get sick after some time, I get rid of this one, but later there is another one sick etc.
Every day when I have to cull my lovely mice I am thinking is it worth to breed mice ?
I have also hamsters, guinea pigs - they don't have any health problems, so maybe It would be better and less problems to breed them ?
Although I prefer mice, but I have no idea how to breed them normally without large losses. 
I do for them what I can, I clean their cages twice a week, feeding good food every day, play and watching them twice a week, of course they have water in the bottles all the time ...
Is it sense to starts over new still, again ?
I have bred fancy mice for 3 years and I have no line which I could work on longer then 2 generations because of sneezing and other similar illnesses. 
I have about 100 mice and I admire breeders who have many more and all their mice are healthy and I don't know how are they doing this ?
I am loosing faith and hope that will be better :roll:

Please write here how it is in your studs, how often does it happen and maybe advice what should I do ?

Thanks, Tom


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## ian

I also cull mice every week due to respiritory disease. You'll never rid it from mouse populations its too prevelant, I think every breeder will have come across it at some point and the majority will like you and I be coming across it regularly. It does always seem to be the most promising specimens which begin rattling although I think thats bad luck more than anything.

Personally I've accepted that a portion of my mice will sneeze, if a mouse is a very good type and markings (as I breed marked varieties) then I have to think is worth the risk keeping them? If it is an average mouse to begin with then I remove it from breeding, if the mouse begins to look ill and lose condition then also I would remove it from breeding.

Remember that many pregnant does develop respiritory problems, I've been told this is because of pressure on the lungs caused by the belly full of babies often they stop sneezing as soon as they give birth so there is no need to cull these. 
Others temporarily develop symptoms when under stress such as be transported or something as commonplace as being moved to a new tank or being introduced to a new mate or group, these often get better but not always. So not all mice showing the same symptoms may be infected or infectious.

The other problem of course is that many respiritory infections can be passed so easily between mice that going to shows can be a big risk and I find nearly all of the mice I show do come home with breathing problems. Again its about weighing up the risk, is it worth showing if you may lose your best examples or alternatively is there much point breeding amazing mice if they are never going to be shown?


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## WillowDragon

Its something thats constantly around, I too would cull every week 1 or 2 sneezing/ticking animals (And I only had a smallish stud of just under 60)

However last week, I had to cull almost all of my mice due to it... I have no idea why it over ran me, it has never done before. I think maybe the tempreture went too low too quickly.

I now have 13 breeding animals left and 3 babies... hopefully that will be enough to get me back on track.

K xx


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## Seawatch Stud

Its an endless nightmare. It always seems to affect the best or most important mice in any collection. There is no cure. You just have to cull it out and keep breeding. In the end its a numbers game, you have to breed enough mice to withstand the losses and still have a fucntioning stud. Every single one of us hates going in to their shed and hearing that dreaded sound. I wish I had some words of comfort for you but I dont.


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## Wight Isle Stud

There can be a physical cause, such as irritation, and Disease. I have no answer either and nor did any of the greats, they all culled because of Snuffles as it was called, even in Temperature controlled mouserys in peoples houses. I think humans are probably far worse, who has not had a cold? There wouldnt be a human population left if we had all been culled (lol ). Is it a simple mouse cold?This problem has been around for well over a hundred years and I wonder if its time to get a vet to have a look inside a snufflers nose and tell us whats causing it, we could do with new knowledge in this area . There does seem to be evidence that Traditional pine bedding can be harmfull to respiratory systems in mice, but with no research this is far from conclusive.I know that as an Electrician when I am disturbing Plaster (especially the black stuff ) I will have a runny nose for a day or so, With this in mind, I have opted for one of the modern dust free Beddings. May make no difference whatsoever, we shall see.


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## Wight Isle Stud

Taking the new knowledge and vet idea a bit further, I have a friend who is a vet, large multiple practice in London with every bit of technology going,I will approach him with a view to having a modern look at this problem. It will be very expensive to investigate I wonder if as a Forum we can come together, all contribute and get answers ?


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## SarahY

I'd be up for that, Gary. I've lost many a lovely mouse to to the dreaded Snuffles.

Sarah xxx


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## SarahC

Although I would be willing to contribute I won't have any optimism.Even in the sterile conditions of labs they get it and they have tried c sections on pregnant mice followed by hand rearing to prevent passing infection from mother to baby but still it prevails.


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## Seawatch Stud

SarahC said:


> Although I would be willing to contribute I won't have any optimism.Even in the sterile conditions of labs they get it and they have tried c sections on pregnant mice followed by hand rearing to prevent passing infection from mother to baby but still it prevails.


I dont think they would be able to cure it even if they could determine its cause. They cant cure colds in people can they?.


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## Wight Isle Stud

I agree totally with every comment, what I want to do is make sure the knowledge we have is the absoloute latest, for instance, there are many causes of snuffles, lots of them being enviroment caused, even if we are excellent stockpersons ammonia can still build up inside a cage and be a causative factor, a fan in the shed will give lots of airchanges in the cage per day (we wanna prevent loss of expensive heat) by moving it around the shed, and using aquarium tecnology, I am looking at ways of removing it from the air. I think there are many causative factors and if we can remove a few of them it would reduce the amount of culling. there will be some answers there. I will give the subject a serious tickle and see what I can achieve .


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## Wight Isle Stud

I do know probably in the late seventies my best stud buck went down with it,I just couldnt cull it. What I did do was kick it out the shed and it lived in its box inside an empty rabbit hutch. Witin a week it was fine, and I recall with lots of bedding it survived some very low temperatures. I still would not allow it back in my shed but took it does to service. Even the does did not go back in the shed, their box came into my bedroom till they showed signs of prgnancy and then were allowed back in the shed, There are answers there .


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## Seawatch Stud

I have kept bucks with it too, and continued using them for stud. I have had some live with it for ages. Some strains are worse than others in my opinion, and just because the outward symtoms are the same does not mean its always the same complaint.


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## ian

I've had several sneezing mice produce healthy youngsters which have continued to breed and not have a higher than expected cases of snuffles in following generations. On the other hand I've had a few mice which have produced sneezing babies and I've had to cull entire lines as I just couldnt shake it, every resulting offspring was affected with symptoms although symptoms emerged at different stages of the development in different individuals either in the nest, around 4-6 weeks or 10-12 weeks.

I'm sure there are endless bacteria and virus which cause respiritory distress in mice, the effects of these leave damage which leave an ongoing rattle. In my own very limited experience (having bred a small stud for only 3 years) I've seen individual mice showing signs of developed immuntiy, noncontagious sufferers and infectious carriers. This could probably be due to the different types of infection.


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## Roland

Hi folks,

there is no need to have respiratory infections runnung around in a mousery. 
Two different classes of microorganism are responsible for respiratory infections: Viruses and bacteria. 
First of all you need to know what your mice are suffering from. The symptoms do not tell you what they have, although mycoplasm infections have a typical sound of snattering instead of sneezing. Anyway, the only chance to find out what they have is to bring 3 ill mice to a veterinarian station. They will take blood for serology to test for antibodies against all known causes of respiratory infections in Mus musculus, will cull the ice and open the bodies for examination. The vets can tell you what kind of microorganism is the reason for your problems.
When you know the reason, you can start to cure your stud. Yes, cure your stud, not your mice! If they have a bacterial infection antibacterial treatment of ALL (!) mice for 10 days wil eradicate them. It is difficult and expensive and therefor you should cull as much as possible before you start. Just keep the best and healthiest for the therapy. If you have a viral infection, antibiotics will never help, not even a little bit. The best and only chance is to stop distribution of viruses within your stud. Mice develope immunity against most viruses which cause respiratory disease. 
What you have to do is to stop breeding them for two or three month. This is boring, but the only way. Cull any ill mouse, but do not breed the others! Have a break. The remaining adults will develope immunity and will be healthy. They carry the virus, but when you start breeding them after the break of three months, they will transfer enough antibodies to the babies to prevent them from the acute infection. The babies will grow up healthy and after two generations the virus will be eradicated.

Summary: get a good diagnosis first by serological testing, treat bacterial infections with the matching antibiotic for at least 10 days, and treat all mice, not only the mice which have symptoms ! Do not breed for three months.
It is expensive and no fun at all, but you will have a healthy stud after that. 
Very important: Do not allow any mouse to enter you stud without a quarantain of at least three weeks, better 4 weeks. Quarantain means you keep them in a separated room and desinfect your hands before after feeding them and after you have touched something connected to the new mice. Do not think that mice from studs which have BIS are ok, there is no exception allowed from quarantain!

Best regards, Roland
Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red


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## ian

Thanks for that Roland, it's very useful and suggests that several lines of my mice have now developed immunity to a viral strain of respiritory disease.

How many seperate virual strains could be involved throughout the fancy?


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## tom95

So it isn't only my problem ... That's horrible it happens all over the world :roll:. It is interesting that a few years ago in Poland it really almost didn't happen, imo it was the best time for fancy mice in Poland - the level of mice and the shows was higher and one best Polish breeder ever I think made great job as our judge and president. Respiratory illnesses during last 2 years made large losses in Polish mice. I hope It will change soon and It will be like before years, because for me now it's very difficult to breed and improve my lines . 
For example after last show I lost my two BISes  
On the summer one of my fawn bucks which I chose for start fawns line started to sneezing, but he didn't loose weigh or anything, he was just breathing loudly. But I have kept him since today - after about 2 months, he stopped he looks great, has no symptoms of illness and I think I will use him soon, because he has great colour as for fawns.
The worst is when mice in a few days - sometimes hours loosing condition there we can nothing do.

Thank you all for the comments !!
Interesting thread I think, that's good to read your experiences and advices. 
Maybe we should pray for healthy mice :lol:

Now I have many varieties, because for today it is not possible to choose for example 3 and have less - I haven't even 20 mice per variety. I have different litters and maximum 10 mice per variety.
I hope one day I will have a lot of healthy mice in all varieties I have now and then I will have to choose only about 3, maybe it will be difficult to choose but then I will know where I am going to and have my own lines and I will can improve them every generation, it isn't possible if I have only a few mice per variety as well as it is with many more. I keep almost all does from my litters and 2 bucks at least, I am happy I have more beautiful mice and doing better with variety and then suddenly horrible disease atacks...


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## tom95

Roland, thanks  I can always find out some usefull informations from you ! 
Maybe I will try this, I only have to ask my vet is it possible and how much will it cost. I live in the small city, so I know a few vets but I don't know will they want to make these tests for me.
I hope there will be no situation and I won't have to do this. Although I belive it will slow down.


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## Wight Isle Stud

Thanks to Roland for this, I think it may be a definative answer.


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## bethmccallister

Sounds like mice may develop respiratory allergies and that it can be hereditary. We need an allergy test for mice.


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## Megzilla

I used to have a problem with it, and then I changed my bedding from wood flakes to Flax bedding, and you wouldn't believe the difference it makes! The following evening, I didn't hear a single sneeze! 
Now, when it crops up, I cull the mouse/mice straight away. (Unless it's vital to breeding, then I put it in a hospital tank inside away fromt he others)

Gary, I would love to help out


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## Roland

bethmccallister said:


> Sounds like mice may develop respiratory allergies and that it can be hereditary. We need an allergy test for mice.


That is a very good point indeed! Indeed there are many environmental factors which cause symptoms, but without a bacterial or viral cause. I use wooden boxes in my cages. Sometimes the undersides get a little bit wet and if there is some food a little bit of mould grows under the boxes. Some mice start to have allergic sneezles, which stops very soon when the mould is cleaned off. 
Nowadays I put the boxes on a thin layer of bedding, the airflow prevents condensation of humidity and mould.

Regards, Roland


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## thickgiraffe

having studied animal welfare at university i may have another view on this. its a little know thing that mice and rats can actually pick up the common cold from humans as a zoonosis (a illness that can travel between species) however getting rid of it is different as mice do not have the same treatments as we would for ours. however as Roland has said you first need o know if it is viral or bacterial and bacterial you could treat with something like Baytril for example given the correct does and time scale. personally i go for old fashioned human remedies that are herbal based and reduce the dosage. they can help given the correct dose.


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## moustress

Dampness is very bad for meeces, and some of mine keep me busy changing their bedding several times a week by piling up bedding under the water spout. The dampness all by itself is not good but mold and mildew can be fatal.


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## thickgiraffe

i'm with moustress on this one. if theres one thing that will finish off your best mouses respiratory system its damp and all the fungal spores and other things that come with it.


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## tom95

I've just send 9 sick mice to the wet for examination, who's intrigued in this problem, she's willing to help.
She works in laboratory, institute of epidemiology, so I'll know results in a few days.
I'm full of hope that's first step to the end of awful sickesses like this.


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## Roland

tom95 said:


> I've just send 9 sick mice to the wet for examination, who's intrigued in this problem, she's willing to help.
> She works in laboratory, institute of epidemiology, so I'll know results in a few days.
> I'm full of hope that's first step to the end of awful sickesses like this.


Great, that you have the chance to test them. Will she do serological tests for antibodies too?

Keep us informed please.

Good luck and best regards, Roland

Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red


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## moustress

All small furry owners ought to be aware of the sensitivity to airborne pathogens and poisons.'Sick house syndrome', where you have materials that have been damp, gotten moldy, and dried can still cause problems after they dry as the spores circulate in the air unless you have exceptionally good ventilation and /or air purification.

Animals who succumb to diseases caused by mold and mildew are easy to spot and eliminate. It's the ones who become immune by surviving than can be the source, a vector, for spreading disease. These things are never completely eliminated in the environment and opportunistic infections can occur. The best way to avoid this kind of illness is to be very careful to be sure you don't have condensation on interior surfaces, whether they be under the eaves of your home or on interior walls of unheated sheds, basements, unvented bathrooms, kitchens, and so forth.

These things are health hazards for us humans as well.


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## tom95

Roland said:


> tom95 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've just send 9 sick mice to the wet for examination, who's intrigued in this problem, she's willing to help.
> She works in laboratory, institute of epidemiology, so I'll know results in a few days.
> I'm full of hope that's first step to the end of awful sickesses like this.
> 
> 
> 
> Great, that you have the chance to test them. Will she do serological tests for antibodies too?
> 
> Keep us informed please.
> 
> Good luck and best regards, Roland
> 
> Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red
Click to expand...

She said she'll examination them until she'll get the answer why were they sick


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## miss.understood

My male siamese is now like this. I had to cull the female a few weeks back as she stopped eating etc. 
Is culling them the best way?
or would they live ok providing you dont breed from them?

I always feel guilty for culling.


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## Roland

miss.understood said:


> My male siamese is now like this. I had to cull the female a few weeks back as she stopped eating etc.
> Is culling them the best way?
> or would they live ok providing you dont breed from them?
> 
> I always feel guilty for culling.


There is no general answer, but here are my 2cents:
If you have a big stud and a great BACTERIAL infection running arround, it is the best way to treat those, who have a chance, and to cull those, who are very ill and will doistribute the infection further on without a good chance to be healed.
If you have some pets only, you could visit a vet and try to cure them with his help.

Regards, Roland


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## miss.understood

I decided to cull my male siamese, he was getting no better, and i didn't want any of my other mice to end up with the same thing.

Thankfully all my remaining mice (approx 75!) are in fantastic health  (62 of them are babies!)

These respiratory problems seem very common, and it's such a shame. My mice are free from damp and i only use the best for bedding etc to eliminate dust etc, but still the odd respiratory infection pops up.  xx


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## moustress

Could it be that some of your meeces have allergies to the bedding or something in the food? Also, I find clusters of illness occurring when there's a sharp change in the weather, like in the spring or the fall.


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## miss.understood

I doubt it would be the bedding, as some of my mice i have had for a year, on the same bedding and they've always been kept on the same stuff, and then only very suddenly gone down hill with no warnings or hints of respiratory trouble.


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## geordiesmice

I have only kept Mice for Five years never had an ill mouse or one die of illness. I had one die of old age he was 3 and half .The Mice get plenty of ventilation, no posh ventilation systems here open windows when nescessary smell fresh air you cant beat it.,no overcrowding this I think can cause respiratory ilness mice cramed in one tank it breeds respiratory organisims.A good dry bedding changed weekly no damp if any water spills change it.We all have our favourite bedding but I would definately avoid sawdust.It has worked for me .And let your mice out too play, excersise wheels too to keep them fit.Healthy stock to start with.I have had no problems, I only have 40 mice.Also important fluctuation of the room temperature not too hot or cold.


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## Kage Davies

Every single mouse I have EVER owned has had the sniffles at some point in its life. Half of them have died from it. It drives me around the bend.

I've tried everything. They are properly ventilated, I changed the bedding to paper based catlitter (Bio Catolet, I can't get the stuff everyone recommends). I changed to specifically animal safe disinfecting products. They have a home mix food, no dust. I keep the window open in summer, and open for short times when its cold. There's no mould that I know of here; they live in my bedroom where its will insulated. I don't use any kind of spray deodorants or air fresheners. The list goes on.

Now I base my decision on culling on the reaction of the mouse itself. If they get hunched, chatter constantly and sit in a corner looking miserable, then I cull. If they just get the snishuus (sneezes XD) and only chatter on and off, I wait and see if they improve. I always treat with Baytril (unless they go downhill fast) and watch for improvement. Baytril itself can kill them, since it strips all of their stomach bacteria etc. XD.

Many live for a long time with the occasional sneeze, or lungscarring that causes chittering for life. I have my own tiny mouse stethoscope for listening for crackling in their lungs XD.


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## Wight Isle Stud

Ever had a runny nose in the winter ? we all have. Acheive a constant temperature in your mousery and winter does not exist. Move effected mice to a really warm place and it will clear up. Really bad snuffles more than a cold like a severe Bronchitis you need to cull/isolate- Baytril- cull.


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## tom95

Hello all !

My vet after many examinations found that my mice were sick because of MHV - mouse hepatitis virus.
Now I am looking it up on the internet to find some informations about that disease.


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## tom95

http://www.criver.com/SiteCollectionDoc ... _Virus.pdf

There is something about that...


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## Kallan

MHV causes immunosuppression, so they mice will be more prone to picking up everything else.

I would estimate that most mice carry Mycoplasma (unless they come from Specific Pathogen Free stock, usually derived by caesarian section), and for most mice it doesn't cause any problems - until they get slightly ill or stressed and the Myco takes a jump and causes clinical signs.


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## Roland

tom95 said:


> http://www.criver.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/rm_ld_r_Mouse_Hepatitis_Virus.pdf
> 
> There is something about that...


Hi Tom,

here is another one: http://www.vu-wien.ac.at/i123/SPEZVIR/MHV.html

As said before (scroll back), there is a chance to get control over MHV without starting from scratch.
Btw, with new stock you will never know what they carry without symptoms, before you did serological test.

Best regards, Roland
Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red
The place where science meets fun!


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## tom95

Well, now in my breeding room I have 7 boxes with young mice and a few adult buck which all are healthy, I am still watching them and I won't breed them by a least 2-3 months.
In the other room I have 3 boxes with mice which looks healthy but can by virus carriers, I am waiting for babies from them, I hope to get some babies and after one month remove mothers and watch babies health.
This is a bit weird, last months I have paired all mice I had which looked healthy to leave only babies and remove parents to develop my mice's immune system and get rid of virus gradually. A few of litters were ok and the babies are healthy for now, but 2 litters from 2 sisters birthing in the same box were sneezing, I thought babies won't sneezing if their matters don't, anyway I removed babies and mothers.

As I wrote I keep healthy mice with best immune system in my room, but if I will find there any mice sneezing in the next days I will remove all of them because that will be nonsense to still keep them.
I hope that they and babies from the second room will be ok and develop their immune system well and I will get rid of virus fast.
What's more, just don't breeding and watching them by a few next months.

During this time I will import some mice from the show in Holland 03.04, they will be kept in my shed so won't have contact with my mice.
I will take mice from Henry van Raaij, who has in my opinion beautiful and very healthy mice and from Nadine Conrad from Germany who also hasn't any problems with mice. It should ok if mice will be good health after transport and acclimatization.

I hope everything gonna be alright with my stud, because this is my last attempt, I won't breed mice anymore if they will be still getting sick, I think that's no pleasure in breeding sick mice with many problems...

Fingers crossed !


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## geordiesmice

tom95 have you thought about the bedding they are on or the feed you are giving them , maybe they have an alergict reaction to the bedding?.


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## racingmouse

According to a book I have `National Research Council - Companions guide to infectious diseases of rats and mice`, MHV is an RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus. It is highly contageous and a form of coronaviridae virus. Evidence suggests that the virus runs it`s course within 2-3 weeks and there is no carrier state.

Clinical: In immunocompromised mice, MHV is usually subclinical. Infant mice of naive breeding populations can show diarrhea and high mortality with the more virulent strain enterotropic MHV. Mouse strains differ in susceptibility to MHV. Macrophages, interferon and natural killer cells may also have important roles.

If I were breeding mice who were found to have the virus, I would definately stop until I knew the virus had been eradicated.

Control: Strict adherence to barrier protocol, regular health surveillance and testing from mice are necessary to prevent MHV. As evidence suggest, the virus rund it`s course within 2-3 weeks, so another approach is to isolate individual breeding pairs from MHV - infected populations in seperate devices and to select seronegative progeny as breeders.

It does`nt state which (if any) drug therapies should be applied, but I would always ask your vet about this anyway, especially in the case of pet mice.


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## Roland

tom95 said:


> I hope that they and babies from the second room will be ok and develop their immune system well and I will get rid of virus fast.
> What's more, just don't breeding and watching them by a few next months.
> ...
> I will take mice from Henry van Raaij, who has in my opinion beautiful and very healthy mice ...
> 
> Fingers crossed !


Hi Tom,

yes, fingers crossed! The adults should develope a very good immunity BEFORE you breed anything again. No pinkies around in your house for 12 weeks! If you still keep babies, it will be a ping-pong-effect. MHV goes arround your house by aerosols.

I met Henry last week and many of my mice carry "his" ;-) genes since years. He is a very nice guy and a great breeder and got some young Tricolours from me too. This will speed up the availability of good Tris in Europe.

Good luck, Tom!

Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red
The place where science meets fun!


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## Kallan

Urgh, if it's a coronavirus it's a pain to get rid of, disinfect everything you can thoroughly.


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## tom95

Yes, Henry is a great breeder and nice guy 

I have visited him many times, he always has beautiful and healthy stud . I think if my mice came only from him without Polish and other lines then I woudn't have these problems now... Mice from him always came to me great condition after 14 hours trip !
It is amazing for me that he cross some his mice with wild male once for 2 years and his mice are still show, great looking mice !
He's my mice's idol anyway 

I will also have a few tricolours with predecessors from your breed, Roland !
I hope I will be pleased with them, I am picking them up in Houten 
Could you take 1 rec. red buck for me to Houten, please ?

I hope I will get rid of virus, for today mice are healthy it can change fast of course, but let's say it can't ! 
I will be happy if I save my dominant reds, hairless, tans and a few stud bucks which I have in those 7 boxes.

Ok Roland, I will remove these does from second room which are going to have babies from my house I will bring their babies back to my house when they will be 2 months old and healthy

I have desinfected all cages of my healthy mice during cleaning out and all the stuff.


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## moustress

In some ways, I'm blessed not having any other breeders or shows near me. When I get sick mousies, I treat them, in a room separate from the rest (my hubby doesn't mind having a few meeces in his work are at the other end of the house). I've never had the occasion to have something as insidious as one of the RNA viruses. *shudder* The only good thing about the accident three months ago is that the weaker ones probably died off; doesn't mean I'd be careless though. I always quarantine any acquisitions.


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## racingmouse

Yes, it`s definately as stated in this book:

Agent: Single-stranded RNA virus, family Coronaviridae, genus Coronavirus. 
Animals Affected: Mice


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## Roland

tom95 said:


> I will also have a few tricolours with predecessors from your breed, Roland !
> I hope I will be pleased with them, I am picking them up in Houten
> Could you take 1 rec. red buck for me to Houten, please ?


Hi Tom,

I am not going to Houten this year.
For many months I distributed female tricolours only, because 1. I wanted to ensure a broad genetic genepool for the European Tricolours and 2. I did not want people to multiply my work by Copy&Paste (inbreeding).
So be aware of the fact, that those tricolours have Chilloutarea Mousery predecessors, but they are no Chilloutarea Mice. I have seen a lot of tiny and pale mice in the meantime, which do not deserve the name "Tricolour" anymore. Have a very close look, especially if mice from Luxembourg are offered ;-) But perhaps you are lucky.

Best regards
Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red
The place where science meets fun! 







[/URL


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## tom95

That's why I used the words "predecessors from your breed"... 
Roland, I know they won't be perfect, the most important for me is their health and splashed gene to start work on them .
I will want to improve them by using Henry's lines  
Anyway it will be some kind of small project, not for shows, but just for pleasure to have tricolours 
PM's sent to you Roland !

Ok sorry, that's the end of our off topic


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## moustress

Even the pale tricolors can produce dark ones if bred to a suitable mate. My first tricolor was beige and white, bred to boldly marked beige to black tri buck. I only got one with dark markings in my first litter, but bred bro to sis and got a whole litter of them.


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