New young rat sneezing poryphrin- Mycoplasma?/Treatment?

[Binkles&Pinky]

Background: Hi, I have a hairless rat that I have had for 6 months. I live in a small sized town and haven't been able to find her a hairless play mate. I finally settled by getting a half hairless, half rex rat and she has pink eyes and skin. I just picked her up last week on Wednesday. She is young and small, probably the size of my palm (I have small hands). She has her own habitat upstairs away from my other rat. I can give her back to the breeder, but I'd like to cure her because the breeder I got her from didn't seem to be taking good care of her rats.

The issue is that she sneezes constantly and I have been watching out for poryphrin. She is sneezing poryphrin out of her nose. She seems to be sleeping everytime I check on her and today when she sneezed when I woke her up it sounded raspy. Does this mean she has mycoplasma?

I found online two medications used for the treatment of mycoplasma listed below. from this website http://ratguide.com/health/bacteria/myc ... smosis.php

Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 15 mg/kg BID PO (oral) for 10 to 30 days
or
Doxycycline 5 mg/kg BID PO (oral) for 10 to 30 days

From my research, so far it seems that if your rat is sneezing poryphrin then they probably have mycoplasma. Is this true? Does anyone know any information concerning her symtoms and treatment options that could help me?

Thank you,
Anna

 

[Dazzle87]

She is too young to have mycoplasma symptoms. All rats have mycoplasma, but it is a very gradual disease and symptoms don't start before 3 or 4 months. So she would have a secondary infection, and hopefully does not have a virus since she is in your house

For babies, amoxicillin, clavamox, and azithromycin are safe drugs. Baytril and doxycycline can be used but it is preferable to only use if others don't work or if the infection is too severe. Your vet will hopefully be able to figure out the best choice for her. Please bring her in right away, they can go downhill very quickly.

 

[jorats]

It is quite common for rats to go through what we call new home sneezes. But if you are concerned a vet visit might be the best thing for your little one.

 

[Dazzle87]

Very good point. I was thinking sounding raspy meant she needed treatment though.

 

[Binkles&Pinky]

Thanks for the info. I have found several amazing websites for rats that have been extremely informative. She needs to see the vet, she seems much more ill than yesterday. It is definitely not the new home sneezes-she is very lathargic and now she has worrisome breathing.

 

[Dazzle87]

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that I hope you can get her seen right away then. Let us know what happens.

 

[jorats]

please keep us posted.

 

[Binkles&Pinky]

Saw the vet today. She prescribed Baytril. Hope it works and we don't have to switch to anything else. Will be monitoring her.

Then we are keeping her separated from Binkles for four months to keep an eye on her health. At that point in time if she has stayed healthy Binkles and Pinky can finally meet and god help us, please make friends after all the time and investment lol!

She is a sweet fuzzzy rat. Hopefully it all works out in the end.

useful website for anyone who searches this posting
http://www.rmca.org/Articles/respir.htm

 

[jorats]

You might not need to wait that long. The little one might recover fast.
Keeping my fingers crossed for a fast recovery.

 

[Roo]

Aw, poor dear. Hope she feels better soon. Make sure she's on the stuff for at least 4 weeks. :hugs: