# I Need Some Help with Cookie...



## Tikmio (Oct 9, 2011)

Right after I culled Shizu, Cookie (also has OCD scratching problem) became the mouse with the worst respiratory infection. I put her on baytril (2.5%, 1/2 ml in 75 ml of water in the bottle for 10 days) for the URI, and at day 5 she started coming back and the places she was scratching herself started to heal. But about 2 days after the baytril treatment she got like 110% worse. She began to scratch again and she began scratching her entire neck/shoulder area until it was hair loss and scabs, and she went back to clicking. So I began baytril again, and her condition is the same and now it is the last day of baytril and I need to know what to do. I really don't want to cull Cookie, and she's almost a year. Should I put her on baytril again? Or would that be bad? Please help.

Thanks!


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

If she's gone back to clicking I'd say she has an advanced respiratory infection that won't get better by itself, and is resistant to medication. With things like myco, the respiratory tract and the lungs can be very abscessed. This is incredibly painful. Also, imagine what it's like when you get an itch from something. The mouse is being driven to shred itself by this!  If you are experienced at culling, it may be the best option for the mouse. Sorry if this seems down on your hoped for outcome.


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## Tikmio (Oct 9, 2011)

I got pics. Oh my poor baby. I just can't cull her, I hope I can do something to save her because I don't want her in pain, but I also don't want her gone 
This picture shows the horrible ripple affect from her sucking in air from the URI








This one shows the neck scabs. It used to be hairless but the fur grew back and left the scabs. I'm guessing this is from the OCD








Close up of the neck








She still looks like Cookie. But she looks sad  








See the patch under the ear?









Just to let you know she is quarantined away from everyone else because of her extremely horrible conditions.


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

I can see how attached you are to this mouse, and how much you hope for a good outcome, and I feel so much for you. However, I can't add anything to what I said before. Maybe someone else has a more positive suggestion? If it was my mouse, and I loved it like you love this little one, I'd put her welfare before my own feelings and end her suffering. I won't say anything more because it's your decision, and it's a personal one.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

i had a scratcher in the past and he just got worse and worse as time went on, any changes would make worse for a a few days so prehaps comming off the meds is enough of a change to make your girl esclate. Eventualy i had to cull him as he was hurting him self so much and even made himself blind. It comes down to quality of life no quantiy.

With the clicking is it just clicking while she is breathing or is she sneezing as well? ive had a few rattlers its been suggested that its caused by scaring from a RI (but ive allways thought it some sort of ressive genetic problem in my mice). So if its just clicking it could be her RI has cleared up but has left scaring which is causing the clicking. Is she showing any signs of sturggling to breath? If she is struggling its prob likley its causing her some degreee of pain.


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## Tikmio (Oct 9, 2011)

Well, she looks very frail and she has a hunched back. Her breathing does look somewhat difficult. Non of my mice, sick or healthy sneeze. Only clicking, and rattling sort of sounds.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

Sounds like she is not confatbul then. Sorry to suggest it but it might be time to let her go. Do you have a vet who can take a look at her?


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