# Sendai Virus



## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

It was suggested to me yesterday by an experienced breeder, that it is very possible that it was the Sendai Virus that has wiped out most of my breeding stock.
At first I thought it wasn't possible, as at the time I also had both rats and guinea pigs in the same area as my mice and in my basic knowledge of this virus I knew it to be cross species in these rodents, and neither the rats or pigs showed any signs of that illness what so ever, and still don't.

However, I have been doing some (limited) research into this virus, and from what I have found it seems there are five main strains of this virus, and rats and guinea's seem to only be truely suseptable to SV5 (And there is even some studies to say that guinea's aren't suseptable to that either, what they get is a human bourne parainfluenza that is simerlar to SV5)

It also said in what I read, that any animal that survives an epidemic, is immune but a carrier, and can pass the immunity onto thier offspring through milk, but once the babies are weaned, they become suspetable to it aswell.
I had been toying with the idea of getting a litter from each of my surviving females, growing them to weaning and then culling the parents, and now from what i've read it seems like the best option for me!

I have a litter that were pinkies during the main phase of my mice being sick, and they will be 4 weeks next week. I will be taking them out of my shed then and quarantining them to see if they develop the sickness.

Does anyone have anymore information on this virus? Or is anything I have stated here wrong at all? Anymore advice that people can give would be very much appreciated!!

Thanks
Willow xx


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

Willow, This is a bad time for you, when I went through it in the late eighties I remember all the horors that went with it, I felt helpless as I watched animals die especially as all the vets potions didnt work to well. What I did was to break the stud up,I had boxes of mice around friends houses, different rooms in the house, I did cull hard early on but that really didnt seem a good idea as it could easily of got down to the last mouse, so what was the point, breaking down the stud meant that there could be no more cross infection and as there was no common carrier to cross infect them, i.e me as other people were looking after the mice for me. This worked a dream and The stud was rescued. I had a particulary nasty strain of e coli hit my mice and very rapid intervention saved them. I only brought back to the shed stock that had shown no signs at all of infection. Some had continued to develop problems when placed with others people, these would of continued to infect healthy mice if they had been near them.Prior to bringing them all back My shed was sprayed /drenched almost with bleach about three times and re painted.


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

I think you can spread it to mice if you have been in contact with animals that have it so if you tend to a quarantined animal even in a new air supplied area you can carry it to a healthy mouse


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

Thats why it says "at friends houses"........"no common carrier to cross infect them ."


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## Roland (Aug 17, 2009)

WillowDragon said:


> Does anyone have anymore information on this virus? Or is anything I have stated here wrong at all? Anymore advice that people can give would be very much appreciated!!
> Thanks
> Willow xx


Hi Willow,

Your plans should work. Adults without symptoms transfer antibodies to the babies, which are protected for 4-6 weeks. The weeanlings should be separated from any carrier (do not keep them in the same room, since the disease spreads through the air.
Btw, this method is the only available for all kind of VIRAL diseases of the mouse. So it does not matter if it is Sendai or not.

Here is more information:
http://ratguide.com/health/viruses/sendai_virus_sv.php

Good luck, Roland
Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red


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## ian (Oct 3, 2008)

Yes, sorry didnt think of it at the time when you were telling me about it yesterday but your experience did seem a lot more aggressive than my own experiences of respiritory disease so Sendai could be the cause. Good Luck with salvaging the rest of your stud.


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

When I re-intoduced my mice to my shed, it was sprayed with a very strong bleach solution, all dried out and sprayed a further three times, every single surface was painted.
However this was the best information available at the time, It would be wise of me to seek new knowledge.
What I woul like to know is (Roland )
1. How long can the Bacteria live without being near a mouse ?
2. Virus-as above
3. Are there better chemicals to use nowadays for this purpose? 
I am aware that the Ecoli I had can live for years dormant in the soil, etc.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

[quote="I'll be back."[ 
I am aware that the Ecoli I had can live for years dormant in the soil, etc.[/quote]

E coli occurs naturally every where the same as most of these things,its in our gut to help us digest our food.It's only when it gets into the wrong places that it's a problem and even then it's only the young,the old and the run down that die.Perhaps it's worth considering if stock consists of to many of the above,excluding the very young.


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## Roland (Aug 17, 2009)

I'll be back. said:


> When I re-intoduced my mice to my shed, it was sprayed with a very strong bleach solution, all dried out and sprayed a further three times, every single surface was painted.
> However this was the best information available at the time, It would be wise of me to seek new knowledge.
> What I woul like to know is (Roland )
> 1. How long can the Bacteria live without being near a mouse ?
> ...


E.coli is a natural intestinal bacterium of our gut flora.We all, without any exception, have many E. coli in our intestinal tract, but these strains do not harm us, and do not harm the mice. There are other strains aof E. coli, which are virulent and harm humans and perhaps mice even more. Fotunately the gram-negative E. coli do not breed into resistant spores, like gram-positive Bacillus orStreptocossus would do. 
Cl-Bleaching or typical commercials on the basis of alkohol desinfectants work very well on Escherichia coli. 
I think it is a problem to get rid of infected mice which show no symptoms. What does the very best desinfection help, if you reintroduce a mouse, which seems to be healthy, but in reality is a carrier without symptoms?

Your questions:
1.) E. Coli or even the terrible Mycoplasma do not survive dry conditions for mor than a months. To be sure, clean and desinfect cages and equipmnet with alcohol or comercial desinfectants.
2.) It depends, but similar situation.
3.) Cl is heavy stuff and works well. Easier to use is alkoholic desinfectant.

My conclusion: Time and patients is the most important thing. A breeding stock continues to breed the microroganism, while adult mice (+ heavy culling of any mouse with first symptoms) induces immunity and eradication of the disease at the long run.

Regards, Roland


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## Roland (Aug 17, 2009)

Hi Willow, have the answers been helpfull for you?
Regards, Roland


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm sorry I haven't been back on this thread... I went up to my shed tonight to find that two of my remaining does have started ticking and snuffling again.
They were culled.

I'm starting to think it may be a more sensible idea to just cull the rest of my stud and start again next year.

I don't know, this is very upsetting to me, I was supposed to be getting a trio of brokens from Sam in a few weeks, but I don't know if I want to risk it honestly.

I'm just so angry and upset... i'm really wondering whether I would want to go through this again.

K xx


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

two weeks plenty time to get it all cleaned out and sprayed with bleach, ready for your new start, there are better things than bleach nowadays but not at 50p a bottle.Go to it !!!!


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

I agree with Gary, sweetie. Cull the remaining mice and clean everything and you'll be all ready for your brokens, which I can keep here for a while if you want xxxx

Sarah xxx


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## NuttySian (Sep 1, 2010)

Aw hun so sorry to hear this  I hope you can get sorted xx


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

It must feel devastating, I dread it happening to me. every little snuffle worries me.

Good news that you can get it cleaned out and have mice ready to come.

best foot forward and chin up I say, we are Brits and will overcome


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Absolutely!

Sarah xxx


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

They were *just* getting to the point where they were winning stuff!!! Small things, but still, actually getting 1sts in classes!!!

I have had a none stop migraine for the last two days to top it off too, so Willow os not in a great bloody place right now!!!

Don't worry, I will not leave this forum or this fancy, I have worked too damn hard to be beaten, and I have met too many great people and really bloody love this hobby.
I am truely lost at the moment though and am not too proud to admit it. I want to keep mice, but am honestly pertrified of it at the moment.

I am truely dreading tonight when I cull the rest of my stud, dreading it. Over a years hard work and fantastic stock, all for nothing.

Katie xx


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Inutterably sad. *hug*


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