# Mouse Is Scratching Need Help!!



## mangalothemango (Aug 6, 2015)

Ill add as much detail as possible!!! 

Okay so I have had my mouse, Jude, since November. I bought her from the pet store so I dont know how old she actually is. The scratching first started when I switched her food. She had been on Wild Harvest Rat and Mouse food since i got her and I switched her to Wild Harvest Hamster and Gerbil food thinking it was all the same ingredients. I noticed her having hot spots and constantly scratching. I immediately switched her back to her original food and took her to the vet. We had her tested for Mites and Fungus just in case, both came back negative. My vet gave her a small steroid injection to stop the itching which worked almost instantly. About a month ago I bought her a new treat and after a few days noticed the hot spots coming back. I took it away and threw it out and she seemed to get better. Recently I have been gone for 2 weeks. While away my mom informed me that Jude had a hot spot, bald and bloody, on her ear. I got back and was looking at her and noticed she had another one on her arm. Again I took her to the vet, we didn't test for mites or anything again because my vet didn't think that she would have them now if she didn't before. She got another steroid shot and now 2 days later here I am. I was looking at her closely last night because I noticed she was still scratching. Her only hot spots are her ear and arm, but both are open and bloody (the vet said there was no sign of infection). So I tried to put some Neosporin on the hot spots (as directed by my vet) which she was not happy about. She started to rub it off as soon as i set her down. As for bedding, when I first got her I bought her the CareFresh all natural paper bedding. I then switched her to Pine Shavings because the paper bedding was so expensive. She had the Pine Shavings for probably 7 months, after reading how bad Pine is for mice I put her back on the paper bedding because her health is worth the extra money. She has been back on the paper bedding for 3 days and already seems happier. With the pine she would not be in it at all if she had the itching. She still kind of keeps out of the bedding but not like before so I am hoping that is a good sign. I have not changed her food since and have not given her any new treats that she has not already had.

I am sorry for the long question I just need to know if anyone has had a similar problem and can offer advice. My vet doesn't want to keep doing steroid injections because it can cause serious damage if used too much. My other concern is she will get set in chronic itching and I wont be able to get her to stop. She is in a cage by herself (I just got 2 more mice but have not introduced them at all yet, also worried the new mice might try to gnaw at her bloody spots).


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