# Male in Poor Condition



## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

I was gone during the weekend, and when I came back all mice were fine. No illness, perky, youngsters growing well, my dang yellow buck showing his brindle heritage finally, et cetera.

One isolated male, kept alone for the past month, has suddenly taken a bad turn, a day after my return. His breathing is very labored, though he still moves around well, and he has begun chattering - instead of the friendly chattering of before, for example, when I entered the room, now it's labored, frequent, almost constant. Every few seconds he lets out a low pitched squeak and seems very distressed. He is not hand tame, so I cannot pick him up. I knew something was wrong as soon as I entered the room because instead of that usual friendly chatter it was a distressed loud squeak.

Since I usually don't get replies this late at night, for now I'm just going to give him fresh water, fresh food, and a heating pad. I don't have work tomorrow, so I'll be up for a while watching him.


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## TwitchingWhiskers (Feb 2, 2013)

Quarantine him! ASAP!

It sounds exactly like an upper respiratory infection; these are highly contagious and AIRBORN, so it is extremely important to quarantine as soon as possible. Also, be sure to quarantine him in a completely different airspace; if he shares an airspace with healthy animals, they won't be healthy for long. Mycoplasma infections have a long incubation period and his symptoms could have shown up any time, it was just rotten luck. I have experience with this, and it can be a nightmare if is gets into the majority of your stock. Once the symptoms are as severe as you have stated, they is little hope that he will make it with any treatment; so I advise culling of this mouse and any that may show suchlike symptoms. The 'friendly chattering' that he did before could have been the early symptoms, how often did he display this behavior before? Does his coat look shabby, hunched back or gunky eyes?

I'm wishing you the best of luck, and I'm very sorry that you didn't catch the symptoms any earlier.


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

I spent the night feeding him and making sure he kept hydrated. He didn't come out of his warm bed. He's still shivering today and breathing heavily, but there's no chattering and his distressed squeaking has died down. He's still moving around fine. He seems to be sneezing? Is it possible it's a cold or something?

His chattering before was only in greeting or when I was feeding him treats. When he was going about his own business he never did.
His coat still seems normal.
No hunch.
Eyes are a little red, but I'm blaming that on every time he sneezes or squeaks he grooms his nose hard.

Edit: He had enough energy when I came home and saw him to run very briefly on his wheel.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

It is possible for him to have caught a cold which can develop rapidly into upper respiratory infection.

Whilst you were away did the person looking after him have any symptoms of a possible cold, mice can catch colds from humans as it is an airborne thing.

keeping him at a constant temp and quiet and providing extra vitamins can help him get over a cold but if it is a n RI then anti biotics should help his breathing,

Another possibility is an allergic reaction to possible perfume etc that the person looking after him whilst you were away may have been wearing.


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