Rats Sneezing/Dying-Vet Visit Results-Going Forward-NEED HELP

[aldebono]

Mine will fight over yogurt. It might stick on the spoon better and will give them some pro-biotics while on antibiotics.

[wolfy-hound]

I'll get yogurt too. If the rats won't eat that, I will. Thanks!!

The sickie is actually up walking around the bin, although you can hear him wheezing a bit. I checked all the bins again, still no one else seems to be ill.

[PitOnTheProwl]

I dont want to jack this thread or take it too far off topic but what temps are recommended for rats??

[JohnNJ]

Generally the range is 60-80 degrees. I have read here that colonies are kept outside of that range and do well.

Back on topic, a sudden or severe change in temp can cause stress which effects their immune systems.

[wolfy-hound]

Update, I've had another rat die, and several begin to show respitory signs.

Today I dosed several rats. I was told .1 ml of one drug and .5 ml of the other drug, and most of the breeder rack are approximately the same size. The vet never weighed the rat I took in, so I guess he's assuming the weight? For the bigger males I tried to give a bit more, and for smaller rats, I tried to give a bit less.

I went with the yogurt. Results for administering meds are...

Some rats would lick the meds right out of the syringe as if it were a water bottle nipple. Some enjoyed the yogurt(one male tried to eat everyone's yogurt) but some showed no interest in the yogurt or the meds straight, despite not being lethargic really. They simply didn't seem to care for it.

Those I ended up wrapping in a hand towel and giving the dose into their mouth. I think I'm wearing a bit of the meds, but they got at least most of the meds. Handling them to dose them stressed them I know, but only one seemed to go further into distress over it. Most simply dug in the bedding and gave me dirty looks.

The sicky one that went to the vet looks better than any of them. He's alert and energetic. In fact, he refused to be picked up, running about, so I gave him a tiny dish of yogurt with meds and he ate it with gusto. His fast recovery gives me some hope that the meds will improve the sick ones quickly.

Any advice on giving meds in yogurt without having a rat with an empty bin to itself would be appreciated. Right now, I'm putting in tiny dishes with the yogurt meds, watching to see who eats, and if two rats want to both eat it, I simply give them another 'helping' to share again. That way both rats end up with about a 'helping' each. Takes a while to get through all the rats this way, but I feel I'm dosing all the rats acting sick this way.

At this point, I'm expecting more deaths. I'll be watching to see how the bins do. If this is a typical infection as detailed by several people on this thread, I'll end up culling some animals and hoping that most make it. If all rats have the bacteria, I'll just make sure that I acquire younger healthy rats for breeders when I find them available, planning on these older ones not lasting tons longer. Again, since they were not in great shape when I got the colony(when I got the used racks) I originally figured that I'd be replacing them fairly soon. I just didn't expect them to start getting sick and dropping over dead after they got used to good food and clean bins!

[KLMuller]

I know its probably too late to really be helpful but I have used Duramycin 10 from tsc with success I use about half a teaspoon in an 8 oz. water bottle replace everyday for 14 days. I haven't treated many rats but the few that I have treated have responded well
Sorry your having troubles I hope It works out for you

~ Karl

[wolfy-hound]

Thanks, I might pick up some to try on some of the rats that really don't submit to taking their meds easily.

[JohnNJ]

My vet calculated the dosage based on weight. Maybe you can use it as a guide.

Baytril twice daily for 14 days.
128g rat - .03ml
276g rat - .06ml
466g rat - .10ml

Doxy compound 10mg/ml-twice daily for 14 days.
128g rat - .06ml
276g rat - .14ml
466g rat - .25ml

The Baytril was from the vet. The Doxy was specially made by a compounding pharmacist because it was lower than any premade dosage. The Doxy alone was $32.

Watch them carefully and isolate any that get worse after starting the meds.

Good luck.

[wolfy-hound]

Thanks! I appreciate it.

[JohnNJ]

I know its probably too late to really be helpful but I have used Duramycin 10 from tsc with success I use about half a teaspoon in an 8 oz. water bottle replace everyday for 14 days. I haven't treated many rats but the few that I have treated have responded well
Sorry your having troubles I hope It works out for you

~ Karl

Just curious. How did you come up with that dosage? You're talking about 8 teaspoons per gallon of water. I also read that it's light sensitive. One package at TSC will make a little less that 5 gallons. Changing the water daily on a good size colony will add up quickly.

Anyone compare recovery time with Tylan to Duramycin?