Getting tested for rabies...

[MyBoyHarper]

I'm wondering if I should. Let me explain...

I have a rescue mouse that I've had since he was 6 weeks old, he's nownearly 2.5 years old. He used to be the SWEETEST mouse in theworld.He loved being held and he'dchutter whenscratchedbehind his ears.

About 8 months ago or so, I had him in a temp cage for about a weekwhen I cracked his tank. The temp cage was a wire one. One night, Iwoke up and found a wild mouse sitting on top of his cage eating someseeds. Within a couple days, we figured out that the wild mouse waspeeing in his cage (he would sit on top, pee, and it would leak throughthe bars). We also figured out from a few clues that the wild mouse MAYhave gotten into his cage at one point, though we never saw that toknow for sure. I put a rush on getting him into a new tank and did bythe next day.

Fast foward... about the end of July (say 5 months ago), he startedacting weird. He didn't want to be held as much, and was much moreskittish than usual. Come end of August, we move out here to our newplace and he just continued to get worse. Within the last two months,he's lost his mind. Completely. You can't get near his cage or hefreaks out and go insane. He slams himself against the glass shrieking,he jumps so high he almost escapes... it's insane. I can't even cleanhis tank or get near him.

Someone mentioned rabies, and now I'm scared. If I remember correctly(I have a LOT of rescues, I get them confused), I believe it was himthat actually bit me right before we moved, but after he started actingfunny. I'm worried he may have gotten rabies from the wild mouse, andthen passed it on to me.

I was doing some research, however, and it said mice, rats, hamsters,ect. rarely ever carry rabies and that there hasn't ever been a reportof a mouse or rat giving rabies to a human in the United States.Another article said that with mice and rats, their so tiny, the onsetof the disease would kill them quickly, within weeks.

Someone mentioned to me that I am over-worrying and that he may just have a brain tumor.

What do you guys think?

 

[MyBoyHarper]

I also wanted to mention that his attitude hasalso completely changed. He hides in his house all day long. He used tolove to hang out with me and run on his wheel. He hasn't touched hiswheel in months, and only comes out to grab food and run back in hishouse.

I'm going to call my vet, and the LSU Vet School Tuesday. I'mconsidering having him euthanized. I hate to, but he's not even livinglife anymore, and something's wrong. Before doing so, I want to ask thevet school how much it'll cost to have him tested for rabies if andwhen I get him put down.

 

[pamnock]

I think that it's unlikely that your mousecontracted rabies from the wild mouse. However, I wouldconsult your health department as well as a veterinarian forprofessional advice.

My son had to have rabies shots when he was little - not fun, but rabies is deadly

Pam

 

[edwinf8936]

I have 9 Deer mice from the wild and have 15domestic mice. All the domestice mice except one are veryscittish and hid. The one mommy is the only one that isfriendly.

At 2.5 years old the mouse is in his senior years, I think they onlylive about three years. It may be going blind,deafor many other things that would make its actions strange.

If it was rabbies it would be dead by now. Also rabbies to bespread to you would take the skin actually being broken at the bite soinfected saliva could get into your system. Animals withrabbies typically avoid water, theus the foaming of the mouth.

I had one wild mouse bite me when I was young and about a monthago. I kept the last one a couple weeks and watchedit. Since the bite did not break the skin I wasn't worriedabout it. I let it loose a couple of weeks ago.

There was a squirrel around a few years ago that me any my neighborsuspected of maybe having rabbies. It did not act like any ofthe other ones and was going after my neighbors dog. Hisbrother is a conservation officer and said it was possible it hadcontracted rabbies, something was wrong with it.so he endedup killing the squirrel.

If I remember right, there has only been three aninimal to human passing of rabbies in history.

ed

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Thanks guys for the replies. Pam, I will becontacting my vet first thing Tuesday. Before I put myself throughextremely expensive tests, I will just have the mouse euthanized andtested first. It'll be easier and cheaper. If he's negative, then noworries. If, God forbid, he's positive, then I'll get tested.

 

[naturestee]

Ed, there are quite a few more cases ofanimal-to-human rabies transmissions than three. Inthe US in 2004, there were 8 reported cases. There's lots ofinfo at the CDC website:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/

I don't think rabies is likely but it is a really good idea to have himtested. It's likely that his behavior changes are due to adifferent medical problem.

 

[pamnock]

edwinf8936 wrote:

If it was rabbies it would be dead by now. Also rabbies to bespread to you would take the skin actually being broken at the bite soinfected saliva could get into your system. Animals withrabbies typically avoid water, theus the foaming of the mouth.

The rabies incubation period can actually be up to severalyears. My son had to have rabies shots - not a pleasantexperience

It would be extremely rare for a mouse to transmit rabies to a human,but I think it is worth the piece of mind to have it checked out.

Ed, You may be thinking of the number of people who have survivedrabies- there have been numerous cases of transmissions - butonly about 6 people who have survived.





Pam

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Pam, I think I am going to go ahead and have himeuthanized tomorrow. I'm going to call my vet about it, and then callthe vet school about getting him tested. I feel SO horrible having mylittle man put to sleep and then tested on, but he is old and somethingis obviously wrong. I was talking to a friend of mine who is a vet techand she was saying it could be any number of problems. Dementia, braintumor, anurysm, or even an eyesight problem. But, as you and her bothsaid, why take the chance. Especially if he actually IS positive. ThenI will need to get treated, and before symptoms appear! :shock:

Thanks everyone, I'll reply tomorrow with an update on what's going on.

 

[binkies]

How are you doing? It is a hard thing to do putting an animal out of misery. And the worry on top of things.

 

[RunRabbitRun]

Hoping all is well with you.

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Well, I am more concerned than ever, but my friend (who owns the bunny rescue here) has been trying to make me feel better.

I called the vet school, they want $200 that I don't have to euthanizehim and test him. My vet wants $150 to do it, because they have to sendhim off to LSU to do it. Then my vet changed his mind and said he'drather not mess with an animal that is even suspected as being rabid.

Other people have told me, and sent me piles of different links, thatmice hardly ever carry rabies, and it's never been reported of a humangetting it from a mouse. That, coupled with the fact that my mouse isold, and I am not 100% positively absolutely sure that the wild mousebit my mouse, OR that MY mouse even bit me (I have several mice).

*Sigh*

I thought going on winter break after my semester was over would do mesome good. I looked foward to it. Since I started, my life has beennothing but stress! I am actually looking foward to the semesterstarting on the 16th. Then I'll be too busy to worry.

I worry too much. :crazinessRight?

 

[MyBoyHarper]

Okay, I am no longer concerned. Much. Afterdoing extensive searching, I feel better now. According to the CDC,Louisiana had only 9 cases of rabies in 2001, none were from rodents.And no human cases have been reported in nearly 20 years in Louisiana.Scroll halfway down for statistics for Louisiana:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/kidsrabies/Statistics/statesh-m.htm

THEN, according to the Department of Louisiana Health and Hospitals,mice here do not carry rabies, and if bitten by one, there is no needfor treatment. See here, under "I've been bitten by an animal...":

http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/faq.asp?ID=1&CID=1#Faq-1043

So, after reading this, I'm going to try to put the worry about of my mind.

 

[binkies]

That is good. I hope the poor little fella snaps out of his "funk"