Oscar

Oscar will be 24 months old on May 17th, he is one of the three babies left from Momma. Three of the babes died young (14months, 16 months and 18 months ..and momma at aprox 26 months) ..Oscar has been loosing weight over the past two months he has gone from 690 grams, to 580 grams ..we did switch food from all extrusion to Halan mixed with Extrusion about two months ago. Oscar seems to be more clingy lately ..always wanting to be up, etc ..the past two months he has lost momma and hannah ..he takes deaths very hard! ..about a week ago I found him with gunky clear stuff on his eye, and again tonight! ..he also has a tiny clicking sound in his chest and nose ..which we noticed today. Should I start him on Baytril?

:sad3: :sad3: :sad3:

ETA: he has never been sick before!

 

[SQ]

I would try baytril + clavamox and then switch to baytril + doxy or baytril + zithro if it wasn't helping.

 

I only have baytril and Doxy here! I also have no vet until May 2

 

The baytril I have is 25 mg/ml and Oscar weighs 580 grams ..is 0.23 ml correct?

The doxy capsules I have are: 500 mg mixed with 50 ml of water! ..what would he need?

 

[Godmother]

Your Baytril is half the strength of what I usually have, so the dose seems in the mid range. I know that some vets dose at a higher level, up to twice what you suggested. If your vet has recommended that dose in the past, though, use that.

The doxy is 500 mg/50ml of water, which is 100mg in 10 ml. My vet doses at 20mg/lb, so your rat would need just over 2ml. (580/454 *2ml = 2.5 ml). I know that some people use lower doses, though.

 

I want to give him the higher end of Baytril ..what would you suggest? I was just trying to work it out myself (might I addI suck at math) ..we always dose at the higher end!

 

[SQ]

At 10 mg/454.4g he would get approx. 0.5 ml of baytril (strength 25 mg/ml) twice a day. This would be 12.5 mg of baytril twice a day.

doxy: 500 mg mixed with 50 ml of water = 10 mg/ml
dose is 2.5 mg to 5 mg/454.4 g twice a day .....
He would need 3.2 mg to 6.4 mg twice a day which would be 0.32 ml to 0.64 ml of doxy twice a day
Our vet doses at the high end so I would suggest 0.64 ml of doxy, twice a day at the strength you have given.

If the strength of your meds was stronger, the amount would be less.

(Based on information taken from the Rat Health Care book)

 

[lilspaz68]

Is your doxy premixed?

500 mg capsule mixed into 50 ml of water is only 10 mg/ml which is a low concentration. If you can mix that capsule into 25 ml's of water and then your doxy would be 20 mg/ml and his dose would be . 15 cc

 

No it's not pre mixed,I canmix it with 25ml instead. So 0.23 is fine for baytril?

 

[SQ]

That would be a very low dose for baytril.

If you mix the 500 mg doxy capsule with 25 ml of water. the strength would be 20 mg/ml.
At that strength, a dose of 5 mg/454.4 g or 5 mg/Ib would be 0.32 ml twice a day

 

[Godmother]

Trust SQ's math, not mine! It's better than mine even when she is zonked on painkillers.

 

Oscar is breathing very heavy! I just steamed him, with no relief .. :sad3: anic:

I just gave him 0.23 baytril at 25/mg/ml about 30 mins ago ..I don't have access to the doxy till tomorrow! ..what is the correct dosage forthe baytril??? if 0.23 is too low?..so give 0.5???

ETA: not gasping, but just laying down with his sides going in and out very fast!

ETA: got my mom to bring me the doxy ...its mixed with 25 ml water ..what do I give him ...0.15 or 0.32????

 

[lilspaz68]

I dosed him at 10 mg/kg for the baytril...the norm for most rat vets. You said he had a mild URI, there's nothing you can do but keep him hydrated, and fed, until you start the doxy then wait until the meds kick in.

 

Edited previous post ..I have the doxy ..0.15?or 0.32 mixed with 25ml water?

I don't know what he has ..I thought it was a mild resp infection ..all in first post!

 

[victoria]

When can you get him to a vet? It would be good to have someone listen to his lungs, palpitate him, etc.

Doxy should be closer to .15 cc's 2x daily.

 

Alright..he has had 0.23 baytril + 0.15 doxy ..now we wait ..how long do I try these doses before moving higher? and if I do need to go higher ..what dose do I give? (sorry for the million questions ..I want to have all info before the time comes so I'm not in a panic like this!..and im smothering with the flu ..so sorry if im all over the place :wallbang: ..I just want my baby boy to be okay :sad3:

I have no vet until May 2nd..both vets are on holidays!

 

[SQ]

0.16 ml of doxy would be the low end, 0.32 ml of the doxy would be the high end.
You can give either or in between. The same with the baytril ... low end 5 mg/454.4 g (ie close to 10 mg/kg) to 10 mg/454.5 g

I tend to give the high end of meds. Lilspaz68 gives a lower end dose. Either are fine.
Unfortunately it takes a few days for antibiotics to help, but good you started now.
If this came on fast, I would suggest baytril + clavamox if the baytril + doxy combo doesn't help.

Listen to the sound of his breathing, does his chest sound conjested?
If he has fluid in his lungs the vet may want to try lasix in order to get some of the fluid out.

For right now, sometimes steam helps, sometimes it makes it harder for them to breath.
If you have a bronchodialator ... puffer, you may want to try that to see if it wil help a bit.
A tiny piece of dark chocolate can help to keep his airway open until you get him to a vet.

Otherwise, all you can do is be with him, keep him comfortable as possible, keep him warm and hydrated.

sorry this is happening

 

[victoria]

Do you have Metacam? Adding some (.19 cc's of the 1.5 mg/ml) will reduce some of the inflammation. As for increasing doses... not sure there's a lot of flexibility in recommended antibiotic doses.

 

I just used the inhaler I have here ..it has helped ..he is now eating lab block dust mixed with water and olive oil ...his sides are still moving fast ..but not as fast as they were.

I'll keep the meds at 0.16 and 0.23 for now ..and see how it goes.

His chest dose not sound congested, just a clicking sound, not very loud.

His eye is leaking clear fluid again!

I have never gotten Clavamox before, but if this doxy don't help..I'll have to try and get it.

This is so scary

ETA:I have IBP..no metacam ..I also have pred!

 

I just took a video ..I could take him to the ER vet ..but it won't be someone experienced in rats ..but I can suggest things to them ...if its anything they can do?

Video (you can see how his sides are moving very fast)


[youtube:29r34svw]cnWCE-pqY4I[/youtube:29r34svw]