# The sneezies and snuffles



## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

How do you get rid of it?
I've had mice in the past with the sniffles, and 2 bucks and one female with it now, but how can you make it budge? ):


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

If it's a chronic thing that's been going on awhileI'd change to a different bedding and try an elimination diet, in which you start with one food, and then if that doesn't cause a problem add one more, and so on. Usually one would start with cooked rice as the first food, as rice is the grain that is least likely to bring on allergic symptoms. There's at least one good discussion of this in the Forum somewhere. I suggest using the search function.

I use Benadryl, or the generic diphenhydramine for meeces that have chronic problems that don't go away. I buy the syrup for children, and put it in the water, about 1 Tbsp per four ounces. It's a pretty harmless drug, so I don't agonize over the exact dosage.


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

Does the benadryl work really well for the mice? I've wondered, but I've never tried it.


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

fantastic, thank you! I will certainly give it a try 
Months ago, i've changed the usual wood shavnigs to the flax horse bedding, and it's improved the sniffles, but it's still there, and i've just checked the mice again and i think another cage of females is getting affected.
How long to you find it takes the benadryl to clear up things?
Thank you so much!


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

What if it's a disease that's causing the snuffles, would benadryl work for that?


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

Does benadryl help when you have a cold? It might help up to a point, but it's only treating the symptoms, not the cause. At least that's my take on it! :lol:


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

honestly i wouldn't know ifit works or not on people, i tend not to take medication unless it's killing pain, preventing migranes, heart medication or antiboitics haha


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

but fair enough..anything i can use as a cure?


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Meeces with respiratory problems. whether they are from an infectious illness or some sort of allergy often never completely recover, and many breeders would just euthanize the mousie. I know antibiotics can be effective in the case of actual infection, but if it's a chronic problem from allergies or symptoms remaining after an illness is treated, the syrup does help.


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## Mymouse (Jul 2, 2010)

is it contagious?


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

I don't know what is wrong with meg's mouse. Benadryl is only good to treat symptoms. If it has something contagious I couldn't say as I'm not a vet, and I haven't seen the poor dear. I'm only sharing information about what I have done with my meeces.

One of the problems with treating illness in mousie is that if seeing a vet, it may be- 1)too late for antibiotics to do any good or 2) the vet won't know what to do or- 3) the stress of transport and a strange environment stresses the mouse out and makes it more ill than it was when you left home with it. It's easy to just say, If the mousie is sick you should see the vet. It would be nice if we all knew a vet with experience with rodents who would make house calls.


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## jujubee18 (May 21, 2010)

Maybe we should all go to school and learn specifically for small animal health...lol
I don't have the brains for it...
I don't think it is usually contagious...I had one mouse that seemed to always have a respiratory infection. He was always sneezing and squeaking, and even if I medicated him the symptoms wouldn't go away. I didn't even have anything that would cause allergies in the tank, but he always had them...
None of the other boys ever got sick though which is why I don't think it is contagious, but maybe mine was different.


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

The problem with mice is that they are prey animals. They get hunted by... let's face it, just about everything. When predators hunt, it's the weakest and sickest that are the easiest prey. So prey animals have learned to hide their illnesses, and by the time there are visible symptoms, a lot of times it's too late. Birds are the same way. By the time the owner brings the bird into the vet's the bird is only showing symtoms because they're pretty much already at death's door.

This is in response to moustress, not about sniffles and sneezes. I had a doe that I could never tell if she was sneezing or squeaking who lived a nice long life, and a buck who's been sneezing for a while who does just fine otherwise.


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

I've found it is :/
Which antiboitics can be used? I know it sounds mean, but I really don't want to go to the vets, they're stupidly expensive over here, and even charge around 30-40 pounds to put a mouse down.. I've asked my friends and they said that the vets in their areas have put their sick small mammals down for free or for a very small price.


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