# Toes falling off, infected feet in two of my males.. help!



## Lizzle (Apr 7, 2010)

These two bucks are related but have never had contact with each other. One is the father of the other. Within the past two days, both of them have developed an infected right foot (very swollen, unable to weight bear), while on their other feet, they are both now missing a couple toes each. The toes appeared to have blackened and just fallen off extremely quickly.

I know that infection takes 3 - 5 days to set in, so this must have begun a few days ago. These two mice live on opposite sides of the room, so there hasn't been any contaminated air circulating around or something. I have another buck who just suddenly developed what looks like a bite from another mouse on one of his ears, but he has been housed alone.. it's as if something is literally eating the flesh right off.

My gut tells me it's some kind of fungus that may have come from the ground when the construction workers were here at my house expanding my basement and I kept my windows open (crazy, I know, but that's all I can think of).. do any of you know anything about what could be causing this and if it can be cured with something over the counter? I don't want to have to put any mice down but it looks like I will put down the two males I mentioned in the beginning of this thread because they are in obvious pain. Please help me save the rest! Is there any kind of fungicide I could buy..? :|


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

This my be a very nasty disease, infectious ectromelia springs to mind- I have dragged that name up from the past- researching now for you, mouse pox springs to mind as well-the answer is in Tony cooks Book, I dont have access to mine tonight, can anybody help ?- FIrst thing to do is treat with an antiseptic, agricultural merchants are good for spray on stuff for animals, From memory in tony's book this is very infectious.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

I'd try irrigating the affected parts with lukewarm salt water. Beyond that I don't have a clue. What do you use for bedding?

If the toes are already falling off it sounds like the infection is pretty advanced...hate to say but you may have to pts the affected individuals and do a LOT of serious decontamination of all your mousie equipment and tanks. I'd quarantine the sick ones and be sure to wash your own hands and maybe use disinfectant on them before handling meeces that are not appearing to be affected as of yet. I have had things like this get started on a mousie or two, but never seen toes fall off. That sounds really dire.


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## Lizzle (Apr 7, 2010)

It's only a couple toes on each mouse, and these (now stubs) have healed over and seem completely fine. It's the right back foot on each boy that appears to be the only affected area on each one. Other than this, they are still bright eyed and active, though I do realize that they can still be suffering elsewhere in the body and not show it yet..

I'm honestly terrified right now.. I'm reading some things on what you've suggested, Wight Isle, and it says there's no cure and that I will have to euthanize all of my mice.. how could this even HAPPEN? These are my indoor mice!


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Your mice may be indoor, but that doesn't mean that they aren't exposed to the outdoors. Your hands, clothing, open windows, and, of course, wild mice could all be spreading disease. That they've healed some of their toe-stubs is really good news. I used NuStock, a sulfur-based ointment, on my mice with infected tail wounds with very good results. It makes them not want to lick or chew at the wounds, and helps the healing process.


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## thekylie (Mar 6, 2010)

There could also be wild mice or rats getting in and biting toes. I've heard of that happening before. If the intruder didn't make a clean bite and just did a lot of damage, the toe/foot could still swell, blacken, and fall off. The ear thing probably negates my idea though. Any way you can consult a vet?


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

are there any little spots of blood outside the cages your using ?? The mice will genrally give a good account of them selves if you have a wild visitor- don't discount one of your own getting out and returning to its cage each time.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

What variety of mouse are they?


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## Lizzle (Apr 7, 2010)

Last night I was up at about 5am because I couldn't sleep, and I had all of my room lights on. All of a sudden, two of my shirts fall off their hangers in my closet..

..and suddenly a young deer mouse and I are face to face, it holding on for dear life on one of my nice shirts. :| It was bizarre. Not long after, I found very small droppings on the tops of two of my cages.. I know that I have a very small hole to allow for a heating pipe to travel down the back of this closet, but we've never had deer mice in our house before as far as I'm aware. I am 100% positive it came through the basement, which is wide open on one side because of the construction here. However, I don't know when this mouse got in or if there are more of them (I'm kind of assuming there are, at least somewhere in the house).

Rhas, the ones that are definitely affected are black and white broken satins and both male. I have inspected every single other mouse I have and I can't find any more evidence of this type of thing on any of them. I disinfected all the cages and everything. Can the variety of mouse somehow affect the immune response?

Edit: I thought deer mice avoided areas of house mice because they dislike the smell/pheromones or something. Forgot to mention that. I don't understand why one would come all the way up to my room if there are no open food containers or anything and even walk along the tops of my mouse cages and poo.. the basement, I could understand, because that's where all the cat food is in bags.

And Wight, I see no evidence of blood or anything that might indicate a struggle. :|


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

Do they have a wheel? What kind of water bottle holder do they have? do they have any hides or toys?


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Satin meeces sometimes have weak immune systems, especially if they are pet store stock that has been inbred.

If you saw teo deer mice chances are good there are a dozen or so more. You could get a live trap and see what happens. This is the time of year for mice to move inside as temps drop. We trapped a couple of very young wild mice a few days ago in the room whaere the meeces are housed.


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## jadeguppy (Jun 4, 2011)

I'd suggest using the foam spray they put around air conditioner pipes and sealing off the passage at the basement side and then putting a live trap against the opening in your closet. This way they have one way out (hopefully), but aren't trapped int he wall to die and smell. Once you are sure they are all out of the wall, seal the closet hole as well.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

I'd never heard anything about deer mice avoiding house mice due to pheromones, and have also had trouble with deer mice in my garage (which is connected to my mouse room), so I'd be surprised if there's water to that theory. I'm definitely a fan of live traps. I've always used peanut butter, but moustress said she had good luck with dog kibble. Cat food should work, too, since you have that.


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