Medication usage chart for rat respiratory illnesses and other conditions

Medication Usage Chart for Rat Respiratory Illnesses and Other Conditions Medication Usage Chart for Rat Respiratory Illnesses and Other
Conditions
Mary Ann Isaksen and Daryl Mabley, D.V.M. (Revised by M. Isaksen, July 2000) From the July/August 2000 Rat & Mouse Gazette Bactericidal, broad-spectrum antibiotic. Good for respiratory infections. Can cause kidney damage, but it is not at all common, however, encourage the rat to drink plenty of liquids to be safe. Should be used for severeinfections, or after other possible drugs havefailed. Relatively expensive. Prescriptionneeded.
Bronchodilator. Relaxes and expands bronchial tubes, helping rats to breathe easier in casesof pneumonia. However, it should be used with caution as it sometimes has a stimulant effectwhich can cause an already stressed rat tohave a panic attack. Injectable and oral formsavailable. Inexpensive. Prescription needed.
Bactericidal, mild broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Good to prevent infection after surgery or mycoplasma directly, but in cases ofmulti-factorial infection, may kill off thesecondary infection allowing the immune systemto get the mycoplasma infection back in check.
Works well in combination with Gentocin.
Bubble Gum flavored most rats like it.
Inexpensive. Prescription needed.
Bactericidal, slightly more broad-spectrum antibiotic than amoxicillin. Good to prevent infection after surgery or injury, for urinary tract infections, or secondary infections.
Does not attack mycoplasma directly, but incases of multi-factorial infection, may killoff the secondary infection allowing theimmune system to get the mycoplasma infectionback in check. Works well in combination withGentocin. Especially good for treating skinand soft tissue infections such as abscesses.
Tasty and easy to give. Inexpensive.
Prescription needed.
Bacteriostatic, broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Good for respiratory infections. Has been shown to have excellent results on younger rats, but is less effective on chronic, older rats. Use in combination with Doxycycline for better results in these cases. (Caution: there have been two reported cases of stroke using this combination, although they have not beendefinitively connected to use of either drug.)Does attack mycoplasma specifically. Cherryflavored most rats love it. Expensive.
Prescription needed.
Medication Usage Chart for Rat Respiratory Illnesses and Other Conditions Bactericidal, broad-spectrum antibiotic. Great to prevent infection after surgery or injury, for urinary tract infections, or secondary mycoplasma directly, but in cases ofmulti-factorial infection, may kill off thesecondary infection allowing the immune systemto get the mycoplasma infection back in check.
Works well in combination with Gentocin.
Pineapple-Orange flavored most rats love it.
Relatively inexpensive. Prescription needed.
Bacteriostatic, broad-spectrum antibiotic that penetrates tissues other antibiotics cannot (e.g., central nervous system and eyes).
Effective against mycoplasma. Should not beused in combination with Tylan, Erythromycin, or Zithromax. Use with caution. Oral form may be obtained from a compounding pharmacy. Mixed to order in any flavor you request. Expensive.
May be helpful in some cases of Megacolon(bloat). Success has been achieved in a smallnumber of rats with this condition, however,there are still no known cases of it workingfor babies found to have megacolon.
Prescription needed. Note: Rumor has it thatthis drug will soon be discontinued in theUnited States.
Quick-acting anti-inflammatory corticosteroid which can be used as supportive therapy in inflammatory conditions such as pneumonia,inner-ear infections (wry neck/head-tilt), and injury. Use only for very short periods. Canbe expensive if purchased as single injectionsin veterinary clinics. Prescription needed.
Bacteriostatic, broad-spectrum antibiotic related to tetracycline, but better. Activeagainst mycoplasma. Great used in combination with Baytril or Zithromax. (Caution: therehave been two reported cases of stroke usingthis combination, although they have not beendefinitively connected to use of either drug.)No milk products with this drug. Drug companywill not guarantee drug stability beyond oneday after mixing. Horrible taste when mixedwith water, but there is some controversy overefficacy when mixed with VAL syrup.
Inexpensive. Prescription needed.
Bactericidal, broad-spectrum antibiotic once mycoplasma, but we’ve found that using the recommended dose, symptoms return very soon after ending treatment (although some rat owners report having excellent results).
Better results have been achieved using muchhigher doses (as shown). Use in combinationwith Doxycycline for best results. Injectableform tastes horrible and must be mixed withsomething to make it palatable. Can also benebulized. Relatively expensive. Prescriptionneeded.
Medication Usage Chart for Rat Respiratory Illnesses and Other Conditions Related to Tylosin, but common side effect is gastrointestinal upset so it’s probably best to use Tylosin for mycoplasma symptoms.
However, it can also be effective against Strep, Staph, and Corynebacterium infections.
Should not be used with Chloramphenicol or the Lincosamides. Injectable form is painful. Noprescription needed. Inexpensive. NOTE: PETSHOP BIRD ANTIBIOTICS ARE NOT VETERINARIANRECOMMENDED Bactericidal, broad-spectrum antibiotic. Great for treating severe respiratory disease and secondary bacterial infections. Best used in combination with Cefa-Drops, Clavamox, or Amoxicillin. Can cause kidney damage, but it is not at all common, however, encourage therat to drink plenty of liquids to be safe. Canalso cause problems with the inner earresulting in loss of coordination (alsorare).TOXICITY STUDIES: No toxic effects wereobserved in rats given gentamicin sulfate 9.09mg/lb once daily for 24 days.
A systemic parasiticide used to rid rats of mites and lice and most internal parasites (pinworms, roundworms, etc. not effective against tapeworms). The Ivermectin gets into the bloodstream and when the mite or lousebites the rat and drinks the blood, the bug dies. Injectable form can be used by injection or orally, however, Ivermectin is safer to use orally. Non-prescription, inexpensive.
Use horse wormer paste orally, the size of an uncooked grain of white rice once a week for three weeks. Non-prescription, inexpensive.
TOPICAL: application of selamectin can be less stressful for rats than injection. Followdirections on package. Prescription needed,somewhat expensive.
Anti-inflammatory corticosteroid which can be used as supportive therapy in inflammatoryconditions such as pneumonia, inner-earinfections (wry neck/head-tilt), injury andcases of pituitary tumors. Use only for shortperiods in most cases as it depresses theimmune system. However, it can be usedlong-term for chronic or advanced cases ofrespiratory disease (reduces inflammation oflungs making breathing easier). Available inpalatable pediatric oral solution. Can berelatively expensive. Prescription needed.
(antibiotic) active against many secondaryinfections, but not mycoplasma. Great forurinary tract infections. Tastes terrible, so is difficult to get rats to take. Prescription without Trimethoprim are bacteriostatic.
Medication Usage Chart for Rat Respiratory Illnesses and Other Conditions Bacteriostatic, broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Good for treating mild respiratory infections and to prevent infection after surgery orinjury. Active against mycoplasma. No milkproducts with this drug. Panmycin is When Terramycin is mixed in water bottle, be TETRACYCLINE CAPSULES 500mg of powder from sure to cover the bottle as the drug is light sensitive. You can keep the mixture in therefrigerator for 3 days, changing the water bottles on the cages daily. Place once ounce prescription needed. Can be found in feed/tackstores. Inexpensive, but treating in the wateris not desired. Remove moist foods from dietwhile treating with medication in the water toencourage drinking.
When tetracycline capsules are emptied intowater bottle, be sure to cover the bottle asthe drug is light sensitive. You can keep themixture in the refrigerator for 3 days,changing the water bottles on the cages daily.
Place once ounce per rat in the water bottledaily. Prescription/non-prescriptionavailable. Inexpensive, but treating in thewater is not desired. Remove moist foods fromdiet while treating with medication in thewater to encourage drinking.
Bacteriostatic antibiotic used for treating disease caused by mycoplasma pulmonis. An injectable form is available, but pain and swelling occur at the injection site. Remove moist foods from diet while Tylan is in the water to encourage drinking. You may also add sugar to decrease bitterness (change daily inthis case). Should not be used with Chloramphenicol or the Lincosamides. Not the drug of choice. Frequently has no effect onsymptoms. No prescription necessary.
Inexpensive, but treating in the water is notdesired.
IM = INTRAMUSCULARLY (IM - NOT RECOMMENDED) SQ = SUBCUTANEOUSLY (SQ - INJECTED UNDER THE SKIN) ♦ Bactericidal Antibiotics Kills the invading bacteria. Bactericidal antibiotics are the choice for severe, acute infections.
♦ Bacteriostatic Antibiotics Prevents invading bacteria from reproducing, allowing immune system to kill them.
♦ IMPORTANT NOTE The effects of many bactericidal antibiotics may be impaired when used in combination with bacteriostatic antibiotics. Please take thisinto account when choosing your drug combinations.

Source: http://www.rmca.org/Articles/ratdrugs.pdf