Etiology:   Mice (particularly males) may fight and can inflict severe wounds upon each other.  Breeding females may also fight.  DBA/2, BALB/c, SJL and C57BL/6 mice are often aggressive [2].

Incidence:  Common, especially among male mice.

Clinical signs:  Wounds are usually are located on the face, back, and genital areas.  If tail biting occurs, the tail may become gangrenous and slough.  The wounds may become infected and develop into abscesses.

Pathology:  Multifocal cutaneous excoriations are observed grossly.

Diagnosis: A characteristic pattern of open and healing wounds along dorsal surfaces of the trunk is diagnostic [3].

2.            Percy, D.H., Barthold, Stephen W., Pathology Of Laboratory Rodents and Rabbits. 3 ed2007, 2121 State Avenue, Ames, Iowa 50014, USA: Blackwell Publishing Professional.

3.            Fredericson, E. and E.A. Birnbaum, Competitive fighting between mice with different hereditary backgrounds. J Genet Psychol, 1954. 85(2): p. 271-80.