Need advice about my rat who is on anitbiotics...(rat EXPERTS only, please!)?

Question

At the moment, my rat, Sneezer, is on Baytril for a mild respiratory infection. The vet said keep her on it for ten days and that is all I must do, but I work in a pet store and have also done a lot of reading that says she should be on a pro-biotic supplement for five days after her treatment is over.

What should I give her and where do I get it?

Also, I have read that I can give her Echinacea in her water (using honey to disguise the taste) on a cycle--one week of Echinacea, three weeks off. And I've read giving her garlic cloves on a regular basis will also boost her immune system.

Would it be beneficial for me to do this?

(I'd appreciate it if only people who REALLY know their stuff answer these questions. Thanks!)

There's absolutely no reason to force feed her. She has a healthy appetite and is very active and friendly. Her only symptom is frequent sneezing. She is approximately 8-9 weeks old.

She's already on the Baytril--has been for six days---so I cannot take her off of it, obviously. I hope everyone who screams "Take your small pet to the vet" right off the bat reads this b/c it's becomming clear I really got some bum advice from the vet. He put her on Baytril without hesitating and I've never owned a rat before, so I suppose I didn't know any better. I guess the damage is done and there's nothing I can do because I took my vet's advice? What kind of crap is that?! Now I'm really freaking out! Is she going to have poor health forever? And it's my fault?! I feel terrible and horribly sick to my stomach and I can't stop crying. Someone please tell me I didn't ruin her little rat life!

Answer 1

Probiotics are a good idea, but definitely not garlic! Not good for any animals.

There are specially made rodent probiotics available - Protexin is one of the them, comes as a powder that goes in their drinking water. You can also get mucolytics (Bisolvon is one) as powder that will help keep sinuses clear. I don't know if these things are available from anywhere other than a vets.

Also be aware that once rats have respiratory infections they have them for life - meaning the symptoms may crop up from time to time, needing repeat medication. Probiotics may help prevent this, as will an appropriate diet and avoiding dusty bedding and anything made from pine or cedar (working in a pet store you may well know that)

Chalice

EDIT: Actually a ten day course may be suitable in some cases. Garlic does not have antibiotic effects as such in that it doesn't actually kill bacteria - and as I said, not ideal for rodents. From what you've said, I wouldn't conclude your vet knows nothing about rats!

Answer 2

First off, I hope Sneezer is older that 2 months of age/ full grown. Young animals cannot use Baytril as it causes bone and cartilage degeneration. I am confident that your vet. is aware of this and would not have prescribed it otherwise.

Gut flora /the bacteria which helps both rats and people digest food can be killed off by antibiotics. When they are prescribed for your rat, ask if you can give him yogurt while he's on them. If the gut flora gets wiped out by the antibiotic your rat could develop diarrhea which can quickly lead to dehydration. Dehydration is very serious for a rat.

Pedialyte, for human babies, is good for rats with diarrhea or dehydration. Once opened, however, a can/bottle of pedialyte only lasts 24 hours, so make ice cubes out of any you don't need immediately, and melt them as you need them.

An injection of lactated ringers solution can help immensely when a rat is dehydrated. Any rat with diarrhea should be taken to the vet as soon as possible.

FORCE FEEDING

When a rat is really sick he may not feel like eating, and can lose weight very quickly. This is not good. You should try to get some high calorie, nutritious food into him if at all possible. Nutri-cal, mashed avocado, some particular favorite of the rat in baby food form. Use a needleless syringe to try to force some food into his mouth (a larger syringe can be used to fill a smaller one). Usually a rat will swallow the food rather than spit it out once you've managed to get it into his mouth.

Echinacea is one of those "miracle drugs" not approved by the FDA and has not been found to be effective in boosting the immune system. The honey in the water may actually result in dehydration because of the sugar content. Garlic will not do anything except potentially lower cholesterol levels and make your home smell like an Italian restaurant! I would not waste your time with such additional treatments. Baytril is a very good broad spectrum antibiotic and should do the trick in 2 weeks. Make sure to give the full round of Baytril treatment, and do not stop it too soon. This will create a resistance to the antibiotic since the stronger/ surviving bacterium will flourish. If she will not eat, or if you see her losing weight, or if diarrhea develops, make sure you can force her to eat/ drink or get her some SQ fluids at your vet's office. Good Luck!!

Answer 3

If your rat has a respiratory infection then it has Mycoplasmosis
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Mycoplasmosis+is+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAmrLvrRZp8SXPzB.OHL0vAIazKIX%2FSIG%3D11inpqhon%2FEXP%3D1183065819%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAjxFo9BLape1bXCUKlhunhIazKIX%2FSIG%3D121q43agh%2FEXP%3D1183065819%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=Mycoplasmosis+is+rats

I'm sorry but Baytril alone is not going to get the Myco under control. Baytril needs to be combined with either Doxycycline or Amoxicillin to be affective. A 10 day course is also too short. It usually needs a 30 day course to do the job right. On a short course, the myco comes right back after the medication is stopped.
http://www.ratfanclub.org/resp.html

Drugs used to combat Myco
http://www.rmca.org/Articles/dchart.htm
http://ratguide.com/meds/respiratory_drugs/
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Drugs+for+Mycoplasmosis+in+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAmrLvrRZp8SXPzB.OHL0vAIazKIX%2FSIG%3D11ipoirlm%2FEXP%3D1183066511%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAjxFo9BLape1bXCUKlhunhIazKIX%2FSIG%3D121jf3ka9%2FEXP%3D1183066511%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=Drugs+for+Mycoplasmosis+in+rats

I think you have a vet who knows nothing about rats :(
http://www.ratfanclub.org/vetgood.html
http://www.ratfanclub.org/vetrefw.html
http://www.ratfanclub.org/vetref.html

Echinecea will be of some help to boost the immune system and combined with Golden Seal will be even more affective. Teeny bits of garlic butter will also help. Butter to keep up her calories and garlic for it's antibiotic affect.

The only probiotic she needs after, or during treatment, if her stools become really soft, is a little plain yogurt with active bacterial culture every few days. Some rat-keepers use
Benebac https://www.revivalanimal.com/product.asp?pn=43-190&name=BeneBac%20Pet%20Gel%20&%20Powder&action=quick_order&bhcd2=1182983619 for the same purpose

Join Holistarat http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistarat and learn about the things we are using to help keep our rats' bodies strong as they fight their diseases.

I'm answering your question because I REALLY know my ratty stuff. I've even had to teach my own vets the medical needs of rats. Many rat-keepers on the rat-only forums complain that they aren't getting the satisfaction from their vets because the vet doesn't know enough about rats, or their vets misdiagnosed their rat's ailment. There is more to discuss on this subject and the subject of Myco so feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail]

Edit:
Since the infection is MILD you need not go into full blown nursing for your rat. Just be aware that if it turns into pneumonia, then you will have to start the aggressive nursing care. Just keep in touch with me.
The safety of Baytril
http://www.baytril.com/13/Safety_and_Toxicology.htm
The bone studies and "stunting growth" problems found were with dogs, not with cats and not with rats. Baytril does not affect rats in the same way. For young rats 2 months old and younger, we weigh the pros and cons. Do you want a dead baby, or do you want a healthy adult rat that MIGHT be slightly smaller then the rest of it's cage mates?
Nothing wrong with garlic for rats in small doses. Again, something having to do with dogs, and now misplaced onto rats.
Edit because of your additional details
Homeopathic Phosphorus controls sneezing and other respiratory ailments for our rats. If the phosphorus works and the antibiotics don't, then it could be that she has allergies. A few rats have been known to have food and bedding allergies.
http://www.abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Phos/respiration
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=+homeopathic+phosphorous+sneezing&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAmrLvrRZp8SXPzB.OHL0vAIazKIX%2FSIG%3D11iv54ere%2FEXP%3D1183070188%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAjxFo9BLape1bXCUKlhunhIazKIX%2FSIG%3D121g5mio8%2FEXP%3D1183070188%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=+homeopathic+phosphorous+sneezing
Baytril is what we call the "Big Gun" for respiratory disease. If she becomes immune to the drug then there will be nothing to help her when the Myco comes back when she is older. Might want to start with Amoxicilline and see if that doesn't do the trick. You've caught it early, since it is all in her head still. Kudos to you for being an attentive rat-keeper.

BEEBA, YES, I KNOW I'M SHOUTING..............I'm telling you that you did not ruin your rat's life :) You are doing what you have to do to help your little girl, and what you are doing is the right thing for this situation. You are not harming her, you are helping her live that long, fulfilling life. Join my group Holistarat, talk to others and it will make you feel better. We've all been there, there are many experienced people, including a conventional vet who specializes in rats (but is open minded to holistics) and his vet tech. We can help you.

spazrats
"my life has gone to the rats"