Injured Field Mouse?

Question

My Brother and Sister-in-law found an injured field mouse outside their house. At first it looked barely alive - kind of just led their twitching but every so often would scurry around before returning to being led still twitching.

Next day (Today) it seems alot better, no more twitching but we've noticed that both of its back legs appear broken / dislocated / twisted

Question: Will the Vet beable to do anything - like realign its legs or something similar to what you can do with people with broken bones or would they put it down?

It doesnt appear to be in pain because it does move around a lot - although its not really running, kind of rolls without using its back legs - What should we do with it? Dont want to risk the vet just putting it down because its just a field mouse.

Answer 1

Well, you can keep it in a cage and feed it and let it carry on it's last days in captivity rolling around (possibly in pain), or take it to the vet who will almost certainly humanely destroy it, or put it on the bird table and feed any birds of prey or carrion eaters that may be around (at least then it won't have died for nothing)

Answer 2

It's a case of being cruel to be kind. At least if you take it to a vet and have it put down you will be helping it. You are forgetting that it is a wild animal and it will be stressed. You say it doesn't appear to be in pain, but wild animals are good at not showing pain as this shows weakness to preditors.

If it hadn't been found by your brother then it would have died or have been eaten by a fox or cat. Do the right thing and take it to the vet.

Answer 3

This exact same thing happened to a field mosue I once found, (I too asked a question).

If you were to take it to the vets, they would probably put it to sleep, as rehabilitation is unlikely with an injured mouse such as this.

It would be too big of a risk to re-align its spine or legs, considering its size and the costs involved.

What I did was this, I put it in a tank, with water, and cheesecloth soaked in soy-milk, as well as some wholegrain bread soaked with water. It died within 24 hours, however, most liekly from stress.

I'm afraid to say its chances in any forum are low. If you take it to the vets, they will put it down, or, if they did attempt any surgery (which they won't) it would probably die from the shock or the general anaesthetic. It will probably die soon if kept in captivity, yet release it and it will probably be easy-pickings for a predator.

Do what you think is easiest for you, I know that sounds harsh, but in low-chance situations, we must evaluate our means. If you have the time to nurse the mouse, until it goes, then you have done one kindess in a world where animals are too often treated with contempt.

There is little that can be done for the poor thing, just make it comfortable, disturb it as little as possible. Check on it every so often.

Thankyou for being so considerate.

Answer 4

If the vet feels it's in any pain or discomfort then the kindest thing to do is for it to be put to sleep.

Can you feasibly look after the mouse until it is better and then release it back into the wild, or keep it as a pet?

Answer 5

No, it's far too small to operate on or to be able to fix a broken bone. The kindest thing would be for you to take it to a vet and have it put to sleep. Sorry.

Answer 6

A vet would not put any animal down for no reason but from what you say that is the best answer it must be in agony

Answer 7

When it was injured it was in shock its body slowed down because it was waiting to die and shut down.Now he has woken from that state and is still in shock and in pain.You could get it to drag out for 2 weeks but he will die.He wont want to eat and wont want to be kept.I hand reared some baby field mice they were lovely and fed every hour.after their eyes were open they all bit.They dont want to be pets.

Answer 8

No, we had the same when we found a field mouse.
Kindest thing is to put it out of its misery
The vet will do it if you can't.... well ours did.

Answer 9

put it out of its misery flush it down the bog dude.
how would you like to roll round with broken legs
get a grip

Answer 10

No No No, you should not put the animal to death. Instead after the operation you should look after that animal just like taking care of a handicap person at home.