One of my mice has got an excessive thirst, and is drinking a bottle of water a day, as well as urinating a lot. Could it be diabetes and is there any treatment?
First of all check your mouse’s water bottle and bedding near to it to make sure that the water bottle is not leaking. If your mouse is drinking more than normal there are a few things that can cause this, such as chronic renal failure and diabetes. It is best to take your pet along to a vet's for a check up with a urine sample if all possible, though of course I can understand that this may be impossible! Diabetes or chronic renal failure can always be diagnosed by testing a tiny blood sample, so don't worry too much if you can't get one.
Chronic renal failure is quite common in older mice, and happens more often in those that are fed a refined, high protein diet. It may be that by the time the signs have developed, such as excessive drinking and urinating, any treatment won't be effective. However, your vet may advise feeding a lower protein diet, mixing in boiled rice to slow down the progression of the disease.
If your mouse does have diabetes, treatment with insulin is often impractical, so your vet may advise trying to control the diabetes through diet..For example, fruits and other food likely to contain high simple carbohydrate levels should be avoided, and increasing the fibre levels may help even out the glucose levels.
The increased drinking is accompanied by an increased urination, so there can be a loss of water-soluble vitamins. The increased urination can also sometimes cause scalding of the affected mouse's skin, so the bedding should be changed frequently and be of an absorbent type.
In addition, diet can affect the amount your mouse drinks. The amount drunk can be very variable, and a diet that contains a lot of dandelions will cause excessive drinking.
Previous Page
