How effective is echinacea? Grapefruit seed ecstract?

[flailinggypsy]

I was told yesterday that echinacea is great for treating mild respiratory infections/myco flair ups in rats, is this true?? Has anybody tried it, and did you find it to be effective at all? Does it help to treat the infection or is it more of a soothing thing to be used with traditional antibiotics? I've also been told the same thing about grapefruit seed extract, which I know is a great natural antibiotic for milder human infections but this is the first time I've tried it with my ratties? Anyone have experience with either?

I'm starting to wonder if Haze might have myco. I've had him since September and he's been perfectly healthy but a month or two ago he was a little crackly in the chest. Did a round of antibiotics and he seemed to be totally fine again. Now, yesterday, I noticed he was a bit crackly again. I had about one drop left of his antibiotics left, gave it to him and I have a vet appointment for Friday. After the drop of antibiotic, I went out for a few hours, came home and he was way less crackly but it's definitely still lingering obviously. I mixed up some grapefruit seed extract and some honey and gave him some, hopefully if anything, it'll at least keep him at bay til Friday. He seems healthy in every other way, eating, drinking, active. Antibiotics are important and have their place of course but I'm starting to feel concerned about it all. It seems like every single time, my vet prescribes baytril and doxy, and her heart is in the right place, she's a great vet, but I know far more about rats than she even does. It's frustrating. There have been quite a few times with rats in the past where I've brought them to the vet, they were put on a round of antibiotics, and nothing changed. Antibiotics only work if the infection is bacterial right, so what if its viral and the antibiotics are not necessary, and likely causing other problems for them and making them more resistant to them when they really do need them? I have such a difficult time seeing, say Haze was having myco flare ups, how constantly being on antibiotics is a good thing... would that not just weaken his immune system even more and also constantly be killing the friendly bacteria that he needs?? Are antibiotics the only traditional way of treating mycoplasma? If myco was the case for Haze, is it more likely he would have had flare ups from the start or is it something that can start up months later? He'll be a year around July. He never had any signs of any health problems until these last couple times.

I'm starting to wonder about possibly learning a more holistic approach to my boys health care, but I also don't want to take any risks with their health... but at the same time, I'm starting to feel that seeking traditional vet care for them is also possibly risking their health over all. I'm feeling pretty torn. I just want the best thing for them and I want to make sure they're healthy but I'm not sure what the best thing is for them is at this point.

 

[SQ]

I was told yesterday that echinacea is great for treating mild respiratory infections/myco flair ups in rats, is this true??

NO it is not true
Some use it and it may be effective if given as a preventive to boast the immune system.
There are a few different things people give to boast immune systems and to hopefully make their ratties healthier.
If rats have respiratory infections, they need antibiotics asap .... rats become ill and die fast

All rats are assumed to have myco.
When a rat has a myco flare-up, the rattie needs to be treated with antibiotics.
If the antibiotics are helping, the rat needs to stay on it for at least 6 weeks or the infection will not be over and the symptoms will immediately return. (Some say 4 weeks but I find 4 weeks is not long enough)
If the antibiotics do not start to help within 3 days or so, then a different antibiotic or combo of antibiotics needs to be tried.

Purchasing a copy of the Rat Health Care book for yourself and a copy for your vet might help.
It is a valuable resource, costs less the $10 and is similar to what is found in the vet literature. (Just ignore the page on home euthanasia as it is inhumane) The book can be ordered from the book section at http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum

 

[jorats]

I agree with SQ.
Nothing can treat myco, in fact not even meds. But what meds do is help with secondary infections such as pneumonia and alleviate other myco symptoms.
Echinacea as well as other supplement, may help boost the immune system making the rat stronger. But meds prescribed by your vet is really the only way to go if your rat is indeed struggling with a respiratory issue.