Baytril for life?

[Godmother]

Debbie Ducommun's Health Care Guide says that it is often a good idea to keep some ratties on Baytril for life if they have had a lot of problems with myco. For that reason I've kept my Corrie girls on Baytril. I haven't had any recent discussion with my vet about this, though.

What do your vets say? What has been your experience?

 

[Debbie]

We always start with Doxy first. We don't usually move to Baytril, unless the doxy isn't working or they relapse.

We do try a few rounds and a few combos before going with long term.

We have had many many ratties over the years end up on long term antibiotics. i.e. if they just keep relapsing when you take them off, but they stay doing well on it.....we just keep them on.

 

[lilspaz68]

I have a few chronics in my crew, mostly older rats. They would flare up as soon as I removed the baytril so baytril everyday it is. When you are doing maintenance baytril you can double a minimum dose and do it once a day. Because you are not fighting an active infection, you don't have to worry about the twice a day dosing so much.

 

[jorats]

I've had some rats on Baytril or Zithromax for over a year... Postmortems never showed any organ damage.
We would sometimes try to decrease it or stop it and it was evident that the rat really needed it.

 

[jennifervb]

Debbie Ducommun's Health Care Guide says that it is often a good idea to keep some ratties on Baytril for life if they have had a lot of problems with myco. For that reason I've kept my Corrie girls on Baytril. I haven't had any recent discussion with my vet about this, though.

What do your vets say? What has been your experience?

Roquefort is on Baytril and Vibramycin for life after suffering a myco relapse.

He is not too crazy about his meds right now, but is learning that taking his meds opens the door to a full teaspoon of my morning oatmeal....

 

[ryelle]

When a person takes a lot of meds over a long period of time they can become sort of immune to them, so they dont work as effective. Does this not apply in the case of Baytril or other meds to rats?

 

[Godmother]

I love the idea of being able to give the meds only once a day instead of twice. The morning stuff just kills me when I am trying desperately to get out the door on time for work.

 

[lilspaz68]

I love the idea of being able to give the meds only once a day instead of twice. The morning stuff just kills me when I am trying desperately to get out the door on time for work.

I think it depends on what they are on if you can do SID or BID. My vet told me this (she thought I knew) last year...said she couldn't imagine me medicating 10-15 rats twice a day.

So far its only baytril for the oral abs that are okay with SID.

 

[Godmother]

Yes, when I give any antibiotic other than Baytril it is not long term. But my three senior girls are on Baytril for life, and I will probably keep Charlene and Stella on it from now on (they are over two and have had a few bouts of URI). I once had a younger rat on Baytril and my vet at the time prescribed Baytril SID.

I can hardly imagine the luxury of doing meds up once a day after so long doing twice a day (3-4 times a day when I had rats on heart meds). It would be easier for my rat-sitter when we go away in May.

:shock: Lilspaz, 10-15 rats getting meds BID doesn't bear thinking about! The worst I've ever had was 8 BID, and that was brutal.

 

[lilspaz68]

:shock: Lilspaz, 10-15 rats getting meds BID doesn't bear thinking about! The worst I've ever had was 8 BID, and that was brutal.

Its not that bad, unless I am sick or my back is out...ratty care takes a bit of a hit then :roll:

But basically I have my Baytril SID's (Angel, Zoey, Mia, Sweetie, and Wispa), then my Doxy BID's (Pinn, Linny, Wilbur, Kittie, Asti and Bridget), plus Chenoa on her BID enalapril and SID lasix. And every 2nd day Wilbur and Linny get sub-q injections of gentocin and dex ("rescue shots").

But my crew all take their meds from the syringe through the bars and RUN for the cage side for their treat. :lol:

Only Zoe refuses that and she's easy to pull out and pop into her mouth.

If a rat develops a mild URI I often do BID with baytril for about 4 days then switch to SID until the end of the course. If its severe, then its baytril/doxy BID of course!

 

[jennifervb]

Help an idiot out of the dark.... what do BID and SID stand for????

Inquiring minds want to know... :laugh4: :bunnydance:

 

[lilspaz68]

BID - twice a day
SID - once a day
TID - 3 times a day
PO - orally

IM - intramuscular (injection)
SQ - subcutaneous (injection

 

[jennifervb]

BID - twice a day
SID - once a day
TID - 3 times a day
PO - orally

IM - intramuscular (injection)
SQ - subcutaneous (injection

Thanks Sweetie! :rose:

(PO? LOL.... the word "Po" is the German word for "butt" so it's hilarious reading that PO is the abbreviation for "orally" .... :sick2: :laugh4: :bunnydance: :giggle: )

 

[Godmother]

PO == per orum

I work with a bunch of nurses so I got used to these abbrevs, but they do look odd at first!

 

[SQ]

Had a nice break for a couple of weeks ... no one was on meds ...
Now have 6 on meds BID and climbing