Benedryl

Chevalrose · Mar 4, 2010

So a while back Tobi started having respiratory issues and my vet took a swab to see what it might be...and it turns out he's just got allergies. So for a few weeks we had him on Benedrly and he was getting better...then when we stopped it got worse and he ended up getting a mild URI. We continued Benedryl and added SMZ and Baytril (because Bayrtil wasn't really helping) and long story short, he's getting better. He's still got some doses of Baytril left and we're continuing the Benedryl.

My vet suggested that he might have to be on the benedryl long-term. I notice that if I forget to do the nightly doses that his breathing does get worse (he gets .3mL morning and night). I've never heard of a rat with allergies. Have any of you experienced this?

mamarat · Mar 4, 2010

I've had two girls and a boy with allergies. Eventually the Benadryl stopped working though but all 3 lived past 30 months with no meds. Good luck with your sweetie.

jorats · Mar 4, 2010

I've had a couple of rats being sneezy.
When your vet found the mild URI was it in his lungs or nasal?

Rattus · Mar 4, 2010

I'm thinking that is willard!!! He sounds nasaly ALOT and every now and then his breathing speeds up.. then it sets back to normal.. and his lungs always sound clear.. I think hes starting URI maybe but I think allergies are underlining it.. he has had nasal sounds and sneezes since he was born.. this is good to know!

Chevalrose · Mar 5, 2010

Jorats - He's not as much sneezey as he is whistlely. When the vet found the mild URI it was because his breathing wasn't getting better the second time around and because he was using more of his lower body to breathe, she suggested putting him on ABs. We didn't really label it as a URI, and the Baytril had to be combined with SMZ to finally get him getting better (though he wasn't getting any worse). As I recall she couldn't really hear his lungs all that great because he was so whistely (it wasn't perculat-ish though).

Rattus - That is how Tobi was. He'd get nasal/whistley. When they did the swab it also would have picked up Myco if that were the case, but it didn't, and it wasn't in his lungs. She started him off at .6mL twice a day for two weeks (which helped) but when we were done with that treatment, it just came back so she suggested that he'd have to be on .3mL twice a day long term. It seems to be helping minus the setback on the mild URI