Tooth problems of mice

1. Ailments
2. Disorders
3. Parasites
4. Tooth Problems
5. Skin Problems
6. Sendai Virus

Serious tooth problems are rather rare on mice, but you should look into the mouse's mouth every now and then. Tooth checking should be done especially to young mice. Tooth problems divide usually into two categories: overgrowth and malocclusion (wrong position of teeth). Overgrowth can be caused from for example lack of hard things to gnaw. Sometimes it occurs even though there are hard substances to chew. In this case the reason can be a hormonal disorder.

Offering hard food to gnaw easily cures overgrowth. Hard bread, hard -shelled seeds and dog biscuits are good examples. Also dried branches of apple tree are excellent materials to chew.

If the damage has already been done, that is the teeth are already so long that the mouse cannot shorten them self, the teeth must be cut. For this you can use strong cat nail cutters. However, be careful not to cut too much! If you feel even a bit uncertain, ask help before cutting. Overgrown teeth have clear symptoms, so there is seldom any doubt in the need of cutting the teeth. The mouse drools and cannot eat properly, which causes the mouse to loose weight considerably.

Malocclusions are more serious problems. They are usually inherited, so you should never use a mouse with malocclusion for breeding! You should check the teeth of you breeding mice carefully before breeding from them. Malocclusion is usually accompanied by over growth, but you can slow the process down with regular trimming of the teeth. However, if the malocclusion is so bad that it hinders the normal life of the mouse and its eating, it is kinder to let it out of its misery - to put the mouse to eternal sleep.

On to part five - Skin problems.

Text by: Carita Gunnar - Haisulit 5/96