Why are my fancy mice getting scabs and irritated skin on their necks?

Thank you for using Boop by Petco! I can see that Hades has some hair loss, redness, and scratches on his neck and shoulders. This can be caused by fur mites, a skin infection, or a condition known as ulcerative dermatitis. A vet will be able to take a small sample of fur or skin to determine the cause. In the meantime, I recommend trimming Hade's hind nails to prevent him from scratching and causing trauma and applying SSD (silver sulfadiazene) ointment once daily. I hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out. Scratching to the point of bleeding and wounds, is likely fur mites, which are difficult to see with the naked eye. A veterinary visit is recommended to take a skin scraping and examine under the microscope. If positive, both mice need to be treated. Good luck.

Hi there! Fur mites are relatively common in mice, especially if they are from a pet store. There are other conditions that can cause hair loss and skin lesions, but many times the most damage done is self-inflicted. I strongly suggest trimming little Rosy's rear toenails if you can, especially if the skin lesion is at a location that she can scratch at (like the back of her neck, or between the shoulder blades). A tiny scissor or a human fingernail trimmer is good for this. In albino mice, you should be able to see the small, pink vein in the nail - avoid cutting past this. If you do accidentally nick a toenail, don't worry - a small bit of corn starch should stop this up. In a pinch, scratching a bleeding nail on a bar of soap can help, too. Usually, simply putting pressure on it for a minute or so is enough to stop the bleeding, too. Once her nails are trimmed, I suggest cleaning up any skin lesions with a mild soap and water solution, then placing a protective ointment (like the an

Hello! I'm sorry to hear that Mickey is having some skin problems. Skin issues are not all that uncommon in mice, the location you mention (the ears) is common for irritated skin. The eye problem probably did stem from him scratching at his ears - sometimes they accidentally scratch the sensitive tissue around the eyelids and cause irritation unwittingly. The best thing you can do for Mickey is to trim his toenails - many skin and eye issues in mice are self-inflicted, and having short nails keeps them from being able to cause further damage. A small human nail clipper works well for this purpose, but if you are uncomfortable with restraining your mouse safely, a vet's office can do it for you. They may also be able to suggest an ointment for the irritated ear tissue. Additionally, they can check for parasites that might be causing him to scratch - this is unlikely, but worth ruling out. In the meantime, to protect the eye, a plain artificial tears ointment that you can get from the d

Poor Hasbrown! I can see where he has some healing wounds on his rump, which is a common place that mice attack each other. The good news is that the wounds seem to be healing and there does not appear to be any sign of infection. You can gently trim his nails to prevent any further trauma and apply SSD (silver sulfadiazene) ointment to the area once a day.

Thank you for using Boop by Petco! It is a little difficult to see in the photo, but there is what appears to be a small area of scabbing and hairloss, both of which are patchy on the hip. This can be caused by a skin infection, certain cancers, fungal infections, or skin mites which are very common in hamsters. These mites live within the hair follicles rather than cage surfaces, so cleaning the cage will not get rid of any of the possible causes. Mochi should be seen by a vet who can perform some quick tests on this area of skin to determine the underlying cause and start her on the appropriate treatment. In the meantime, to keep her more comfortable, you can gently trim her nails to keep her from traumatizing herself as she scratches. I hope this helps!

Monitor for redness, bleeding or excessive scratching. Clean and sanitize the cage and cage furniture. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. If the bald patch increases in size or if she develops any of the above symptoms, have her examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating pocket pets to diagnose illness or injury. If she has cagemates, monitor for barbering (over grooming by other mice).

The main stay of treatment is to keep the wound clean and dry. Make sure the bedding is cleaned regularly. With rodents, I recommend a dust free bedding called Carefresh. Rodents are very sensitive to dust in the environment. Also make sure that you are feeding a balanced diet approved for rodents and supplementing with healthy fruits and vegetables. Especially the leafy greens. Most healthy animals will be able to heal wounds on their own. Watch it every day for redness, swelling or discharge. If your mouse begins to lick at it too much, you may need to create a small cone to keep her from doing that. This is not generally a problem however. If it gets infected, there are veterinarians who treat rodents and this will generally resolve with antibiotics. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank for reaching out about Daisy. Self inducted (scratching the head) can be caused by mites, bacterial dermatitis, fungal skin infections, ear infections, auto-immune diseases, just to name a few. Antibiotics are usually included in the treatment plan, as secondary bacterial infections from scratching are common. But is another of above mentioned causes, that has to be treated also. A skin scrape and examination under the microscope, might help with answers. As for getting the oral medication in, can you mix it with something palpatable that can be then ingested (bread, apple sauce)? Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Cheddar and including photos. These cases are difficult to treat but require systemic antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and topical treatments. Unfortunately, the prognosis on these is not good but worth a try. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.