Sneezy Rat

[Ashley1991]

glad your rat is ok

Ash

 

[Floyds mum]

Yep vet rang to check up this morning, she also said to "water" it down abit cos it is too strong neat

 

[Floyds mum]

Well harvey is still sneezing albeit not as much but still sneezing.
The thing i cant understand why the vet told me to dilute the baytril because its too strong

 

[Ashley1991]

i have never heard of people diluting it maybe message vickie she seems to know her stuff more than most

Ash

 

[Floyds mum]

i have never heard of people diluting it maybe message vickie she seems to know her stuff more than most

Ash

Yeah have done lol

 

[Ryefish]

i think she would have meant to dilute it because it tastes aweful to them. mix it into some baby food, or put it in some Ribena

 

[Floyds mum]

Well she said to take him off the baytril, as he's hardly sneezing, and if he starts sneezing again then put him on it for 5 days then see what he's like off it and if he's still sneezing then take him back.
She said to dilute it with pineapple juice as it is too strong neat dunno either way he's off it for now.

He's running around his cage like a mental dufus lol my mum made him one of those rat carry bags, that hangs round our neck and they can travel in it, and he keeps running in it wriggling around then hopping out and flattening it then back in etc lol he keeps jumping to lol and all because i completely cleaned his cage out

 

[VickiandKev]

I personally would not advise taking your rat off the baytril so soon. Even if he is no longer sneezing, baytril is like any other AB and you must finish the course (which in rats should be 14 days minimum) to avoid antibiotic resistance problems. Antibiotic resistance is an enormous problem with pathogens causing respiratory illness in rats and, IME, the rats with the worst 'myco' problems later in life are those who have come from colonies where people medicate here and there and do not finish courses.
I'm quite angry with this vet for giving such patchy advice regarding this - and seemingly not considering the issue of antibiotic resistance.

It's more annoying because I know that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you're fighting for your animal. With one such case I spent nearly £300 and tried 4 or 5 different antibiotics (full courses) over a 4 month period before I managed to hit something that would work. In the meantime my little Logan was battling for his life and having to go into the vets for SubQ fluids just to get him through days.

I'm sorry to bombard here but I feel it's very important with any animal that an antibiotic course is completed, regardless of how well the animal responds to the medication. I just don't know what your vet is thinking.

 

[Floyds mum]

Ok thanx, so when would YOU advise me stopping the AB? When he's stopped sneezing or?

 

[Ryefish]

After a minimum of 10 days - thats what every baytril course should be. A lot of vets only give enough for 7 days, but once you get to know them they normally dont measure the amount and it can normally last atleast 10 days.

Im with Vicki on the concern about AB resistance. A vet advising you to take a med for 5 days, and then stop, and carry on another 5 days if they shown signs again is a little worrying. Any veterinarian and doctor should know that a full dose of ABs needs to be taken.


Myco is rare in rats in the UK, its more common over in canada and the states (i know this isnt the point, but im just stating that fact)

 

[VickiandKev]

Personally (and this is on the advice of a number of very good vets that I trust implicitly with my rats), I never administer a course shorter than 14 days.

It's much like when you go to the doctors and your doctor will always tell you to finish the course even if you feel better - so even if your boy seems much better, complete the 14 day course all the same to prevent antibiotic resistance.

I didn't mean to come across quite so forcefully but it's something that does really get to me because the arsenal of drugs to treat ailing ratties is small enough without antibiotic resistance reducing further.

I am very glad that your boy seems so much better though - that means he hasn't come to you with any enroflaxacin-resistant bugs! I bought home one kitten who was infected with a bug that was resistant to almost every available antibiotic and most combinations too - it was just a dreadful experience and all the more frustrating because I knew it was someone else's thoughtlessness regarding AB courses that had caused my baby to suffer so much before we finally cured.

 

[VickiandKev]

Myco is rare in rats in the UK, its more common over in canada and the states (i know this isnt the point, but im just stating that fact)

Mycoplasma bacterium are endemic (and usually subclinical) in the respiratory tract of rats. Only sterile lab strains are myco-free, even here in the UK.
Myco is a generic term over here often used within the fancy to cover chronic respiratory illness in rats where the cause is thought to be a number of complicating factors, with secondary opportunistic infection by, often normally non-pathogenic, bacteria (more often than not these infections include myco as an immunosuppressive complicating factor). Not an entirely scientific use of the word 'myco', but that in which it is most commonly understood.

 

[Floyds mum]

I gave him a dose this evening and ill carry on till end of next week as he's only missed 2 doses, i was given plenty of AB as she thought i might struggle so i have plenty.
He seems to be getting alot more active in the evenings now lol his cuteness factor has woken up
And ive only just realised how much ive missed that ratty smell over the last 14yrs

 

[VickiandKev]

We must see some photos of this little one's antics - surely he's ran off with your lip balm or something by now?

Earlier on today, I saw a plea from one of my friends for homes for rescue ratties she is housing ... and I was so tempted!
I have my three oldies *coughgreediescough* and shall have the get my cute kitten fixes from everyone else's ratties

 

[Floyds mum]

Haha nope he's not run off with anything he shouldnt have yet lol he has pooped in my dads shoes though lol