# Echinacea for mice



## maisymouse (Feb 10, 2011)

Is it safe to give your mice Echinacea?


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

yes use alcohol free childrens drops. on drop on a piece of bread, repeat for 4 days then not again


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## maisymouse (Feb 10, 2011)

I might do this once in a while then to give them a boost, I use it myself! :lol:


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Don't use it for no reason... I use it if they get sniffles.


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## katytwinkle (Aug 28, 2010)

matt - you say "not again" not again as in NEVER? or not again for like 3 months or so? - does it really help with sniffles - im willing to give anything a go!


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Its always seemed to help my mice when they have got sniffy.


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

katytwinkle said:


> matt - you say "not again" not again as in NEVER? or not again for like 3 months or so? - does it really help with sniffles - im willing to give anything a go!


apparantly it loses its effectiveness if used repeatedly, think their bodies don't respond positively to it . I have not found any research or info to say how big a gap between uses. The way i have always used it is to give for 4 days repeated, if it hasn't helped by then, you need something better. most times it does provide relief. My experience of using it has been to keep breeding bucks going while they do their job. I usually remove any snifflers from my stud. Pet owners may want to investigate this herb further.


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## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

I`ve never personally used echinacea on myself or on my mice but I know some people who have done. Only a few though. Given that this is a Homeopathic medicine, it will have a placebo effect, or a `mind over matter` effect in humans as we know we are taking it to prevent colds and `believe` that it works. In mice, they don`t know they are taking it for anything, so it won`t have those same results in mice as it might do in humans.

It`s a bit of a guessing game as to the dosage aswell with mice and how often it should be given and then stopped. Quite frankly, I would`nt waste my money. The chances of it helping a mouse with current respiratory issues is debatable.


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

Most studies have found "no clinically significant effects" on humans. It's often claimed to help "common cold" symptons, but the few studies that support this are considered to be "unsound" by the majority of scientists. Placing your mouse in stagnant water in a treestump at midnight is likely to be as effective.


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

Seawatch Stud said:


> Placing your mouse in stagnant water in a treestump at midnight is likely to be as effective.


 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: that was going to be my next reccommendation


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Ive used it on cuts and bruises and it works.But continually using the same antibiotic too cure ailments eventually it will stop working.


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## racingmouse (Jan 12, 2011)

That`s because the dosage and the duration need to be correct geordie. Resistance to antibiotics usually happens when they are mis-used, or stopped and started at different durations, giving the bacteria/infection a chance to build again. Baytril for example needs to be (a) dosed correctly and (b) taken over a longer duration than a week in most cases. I personally don`t muck around with baytril and dose it three times a day for THREE weeks. That`s if symptoms improve within the first week. If they don`t, then you know the Baytril is`nt having an effect on the pathogen that`s present and sometimes a change of medication is needed. But Baytril usually does the trick.


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## webzdebs (Mar 29, 2010)

I have used it before with rats and can't say I noticed it helped much so stopped using it and going to the vets with sniffles that didn't clear up within a few days....


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

The vet told me it's a homeopathetic remedy....in other words it don't work.


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

I probably imagined it working on my mice then... =o/


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

Placebos work well......if you are a doofus.


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

I will freely admit to being a doofus... but in the nicest way, and you still like me right? LOL

Maybe my mice were all like "Okay, okay... i'll stop sneezing, just stop putting that awful stuff in my water!" ??


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

Pots n kettles Katie darlin'.x


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