Sendai Virus

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

Symptoms

Weight loss, rough coat, heavy breathing and matted eyes are all signs of a Sendai Virus infection. This is virus which is transmitted through respiratory tract, that is via air. Infection through direct contact is also possible.

The virus isn't common in the pet population, but it isn't unheard of. With pets, the only way you can usually get the virus to your mice is to get a mouse from somewhere where this virus was present. Most likely this kind of source is a feeder bin or pet shop mice of unknown origins. The infection can be lethal, but it is possible that adult and strong mice do not show signs at all. Nursing mice and weanlings do not survive an infection that well. If there is a secondary bacterial infection present, the result is a much more certainly lethal sickness. The bacterial infection in question may be relatively harmless in itself, but cause increased death rate when combined with Sendai.

What to do?

What you should do now, is to isolate the affected mice and their tank mates from your other mice. Preferably to another room. Always handle and feed your affected mice last, take a separate portion of food to keep with the mice who are ill or have been in contact with the mice who died. Don't take stuff back and forth from sick mice to the healthy. It is a good idea to use a mask when handling the sick mice, as according to my sources it is possible that we humans transmit an airborne disease from one animal to another in our nasal cavities for a certain length. (That is, you inhale the bacteria or virae into your nose when you are with sick mice spreading the disease when they breath and especially when they sneeze. Then, when you exhale near your healthy mice, they can get the disease.)

If you have rats, isolate them from your mice. Rats can get a Sendai Virus infection, too. The symptoms aren't as severe as with mice, but the infection does lower the rats' resistance to other illnesses. This means that other diseases may attack much more easily and with more severe results. Mycoplasma pulmonis combined with Sendai can be pretty fatal at worst. Furthermore, Mp is often present with other bacterial infections, like the CAR bacillus.

Is There a Cure?

There is no cure available for the Sendai Virus. Vaccine does exist, but I doubt it is available outside laboratories. You can ask your vet. However, you can treat the secondary bacterial infection with antibiotics. Sendai infection lowers the mouse's resistance to other diseases, so other illnesses may strike as well. If and when a mouse survives the infection it develops resistance towards the virus, lasting at least a year (which is in mice often long enough).

Where did it Come From?

Have you bought any new mice recently? If yes, where did they come from? If they came from a breeder, inform this person about the infection. If from a pet shop - the same thing. Make a big noise, if they won't listen to you. Pet shops are responsible for the animals they sell, even though they would like you to think otherwise.

How to Prevent Infections?

Always remember to isolate new pet mice from your other mice for at least two weeks, especially if you get a mouse from someone or some source you are not familiar with and do not know to be trustworthy. It is also good to keep other new pet rodents away from your mice, as rats, gerbils and hamsters (for example) can carry something your mice can't handle well (Sendai, Tyzzer's etc).

One note on beddings: The choice of beddings do not cause any illness as such, with the exception of allergies and possibly resulting asthma. However, with aromatic beddings the linings in the mouse's respiratory tracts may get thinner, enabling the bacteria and virae (sp?) to affect the mice more easily. If there are no bacteria or virae present, the mice will not fall sick to infectious diseases, no matter what beddings are used. This does not mean that it is OK to use cedar or pine - only that these alone do not cause diseases.