Sickness From Injury?

[Aeries]

One of my breeders suffered a really bad bite on the haunch from another. Although she acted fine, I threw her in a clean container by herself, but some antibiotic ointment on it, and let her be. Although her behavior is still normal, she has a puffiness to her breath, with the odd sneeze/coughing thing and measures out 2 degrees hotter than the other rats (measured externally with a temp gun)

So, what should I do? Keep her isolated? Should I give her a bath at all? Clean her with something?

Thanks for the help!

[littleindiangirl]

Keep her warm, clean. Just like you can get sick from a infection, rats can too.

[Aeries]

For sure, I just didn't know if there were any specific methods used. She does seem better now though, I'll keep a careful eye on her till she heals up fully.

[RichsBallPythons]

Do keep her warm but let her have the option whether she wants to be warm of cool. Just like us when were feverish were either hot or cold.

if you can clean the bite with betadine and use a ointment on it and should heat up fast.

[kc261]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't myco frequently flare up with stress? So injury -> stress -> myco flare up -> puffiness to her breath, with the odd sneeze/coughing thing...

As long as the injury is minor and does not get badly infected, my guess would be she'll heal up ok. I've had a couple if mice get injured that have recovered just fine. One I soaked the injury and intended to apply neosporin but forgot and when I got back to it a little later it already looked SO much better I decided to leave it alone. The other I did nothing at all cuz it was on the face and I didn't see how I could do anything without ending up up drowning the mouse and/or getting medicine in its eyes and nose.

The higher temp is worrisome, if that is even a reliable method of taking a temperature. Good idea though! But, plenty of animals can recover just fine from a fever, and although I have no idea about rodents, I wouldn't write her off because of it.

EDIT: I decided I'd left out an important part of the story. I've had 2 mice get similar face injuries, both males, both almost immediately after putting together a new colony. I must have some genes that tell the girls that biting a guy in the face is the way to let him you know aren't in the mood... Anyway, the one healed up just fine. The other, the first time I saw the injury it looked minor, like the first one had. The next time I checked, his entire face was badly swollen, eyes swollen shut, his entire body language told me he was a very unhappy mouse. I decided to put that one out of his misery, so I don't know if he would have recovered or not.

[littleindiangirl]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't myco frequently flare up with stress? So injury -> stress -> myco flare up -> puffiness to her breath, with the odd sneeze/coughing thing...

It can flare up definitely.

[Aeries]

Thanks for the info guys. She seems back to normal except for a scab on her back. =)