Okay, so yesterday I was messing around with trying to figure out some stuff about mouse animal medicine – basically, how to give meds to my pet mouse, Squeaky. It’s harder than it looks, trust me!
First off, I noticed Squeaky wasn’t acting like himself. He was kinda lethargic, not running on his wheel as much, and his fur looked a bit ruffled. So, I did what any responsible pet owner would do – I started Googling. I quickly realized I couldn’t just give him any old human medicine. That’s a big no-no. Mice are tiny, and their bodies are super sensitive.
Step one: Figuring out what was wrong. I tried to see if he had any obvious injuries, but nothing seemed out of place. He was still eating and drinking a little, so that was a good sign, but something was definitely off. I figured it was best to just get him to the vet. So, I found a vet that deals with small animals near me, and made an appointment.
The vet gave Squeaky a once-over and diagnosed him with a mild respiratory infection. Apparently, it’s pretty common in mice, especially if their cage isn’t super clean or if the humidity is off. The vet prescribed a tiny amount of antibiotic. Here’s where the fun began.
Step two: Getting Squeaky to take his medicine. The vet gave me a tiny syringe with the liquid antibiotic. She suggested mixing it with something tasty to make it easier to administer. “Easy for you to say,” I thought. Squeaky is not a fan of syringes, or anything new really.
Here’s what I tried, and what worked (eventually):
- Attempt #1: Plain syringe. Disaster. Squeaky wriggled like crazy, and I ended up squirting most of the medicine on his fur. He hated me.
- Attempt #2: Mixed with peanut butter. A tiny, tiny bit of peanut butter. He loved the peanut butter, but the moment he tasted the medicine, he spat it out. More mess, more hatred.
- Attempt #3: Mixed with baby food (sweet potato flavor). This was the winner! He actually liked it. I mixed the antibiotic with a tiny dab of sweet potato baby food, put it on the tip of the syringe, and he licked it right off. I had to be quick to get the whole dose in, but it worked!
Step three: Consistency is key. I had to give Squeaky the medicine twice a day for a week. After the initial struggle, he got used to the sweet potato trick, and it became much easier. I made sure to be gentle and talk to him softly, even though he probably didn’t understand a word I was saying.
After a week, Squeaky was back to his old self – running on his wheel, exploring his cage, and generally being a happy little mouse. I was so relieved! It was definitely a learning experience. Now I know that getting a mouse to take medicine requires patience, creativity, and a good supply of sweet potato baby food.
Important takeaway: Never give your pet mouse (or any animal) medication without consulting a vet first. And be prepared to get creative with how you administer it! Good luck!
