Vets Tomorrow : *update* Home from the vets

[lycanandselenesmom]

I just called and my girls have another vet appt. tomorrow. I called the store since the guarantee has expired and he said that the whole batch was sick. He said this is the firls time this has happend.
Then said I can exchange them if I wanted.  How horrible is that. I said no I love my girls, I'll just take them to the vets.

Any idea what vets give when Baytril and Doxy don't work?

[lilspaz68]

It all depends on what they are sick with.  What are your girls symptoms, how long have they been sick, and did you try baytril/doxy already?

[lycanandselenesmom]

I had them at the vets last week and they were diagnosed with a URI. Yes they have been on Doxy and Baytril almost a week. They did improve but now they are getting worse and there breating scares me. They are so congested and clogged.

[lilspaz68]

ouch...if they were on a high dose of baytril/doxy you should see some improvement after a week, so your vet will have to give you different meds or a different combo.  Baytril/doxy don't work on some of my certain shelter rats, they  had built up a resistance but big doses of baytril and zithromax worked well.    There is all sorts of drugs you can try for URI.

Have you steamed them when they are really congested?  Poor babies. 

[lycanandselenesmom]

Selene Doxy .02, Lycan .02
Selene Baytril .04, Lycan .03

I haven't steamed them yet. I will have my Step daughter do that tomorrow as I clean and disinfect there cage after the vets. She is excited to go with me to take them.

I am just upset that they have gotten worse.      

[DolciLady]

Ask your vet about the possibility of nebulising them to help make sure the medication gets as deep into their lungs as possible.  Sending good thoughts.

Robin

[Lise]

Selene Doxy .02, Lycan .02
Selene Baytril .04, Lycan .03

Do you know what your rats weigh?  And do you know if your Baytril and Doxy is 100mg/ml, 50 mg/ml or 25mg/ml?

I'm just curious myself to see if this is a low or high dosage that your vet prescribed, and that your rats are not responding to. 

[lilspaz68]

Are your rats babies?, those are interesting doses.

[lycanandselenesmom]

Selene Doxy .02, Lycan .02
Selene Baytril .04, Lycan .03

Do you know what your rats weigh?  And do you know if your Baytril and Doxy is 100mg/ml, 50 mg/ml or 25mg/ml?

I'm just curious myself to see if this is a low or high dosage that your vet prescribed, and that your rats are not responding to. 

Selene is 100 grams and Lycan is 85 grams.
The Doxy and Baytril is both 25mg.

[lycanandselenesmom]

Are your rats babies?, those are interesting doses.

yes they are babies Selene is just starting with her adult fur.

[lycanandselenesmom]

Ask your vet about the possibility of nebulising them to help make sure the medication gets as deep into their lungs as possible.  Sending good thoughts.

Robin

How do you nebulize a rat?   

[Lise]

If my math is correct... that is a high end dose.  I just did Selene and she is getting 10mg/kg Baytril, and 5mg/kg Doxycycline... which is the max dosage for both of those drugs.  So if thats not working I'd say yes its time to try something else....

Edit: It was prescribed for twice a day (every 12 hours) right?

[lilspaz68]

Huh...I could never do that type of conversion, all I am thinking is that with my 50 mg strength baytril that would only be .01 cc's of doxy and .015-.02 cc's of baytril, even for a 6 week old baby, it seems small to me.  I am probably wrong though since Lise did the  conversions...haha 

[lycanandselenesmom]

If my math is correct... that is a high end dose.  I just did Selene and she is getting 10mg/kg Baytril, and 5mg/kg Doxycycline... which is the max dosage for both of those drugs.  So if thats not working I'd say yes its time to try something else....

Edit: It was prescribed for twice a day (every 12 hours) right?

yes twice a day. Sometimes they take it fine and others I have to fight with them and eventually force it in them.
Selene's nose is all red just like Lycan's was. God will this ever end?

[Lise]

Huh...I could never do that type of conversion, all I am thinking is that with my 50 mg strength baytril that would only be .01 cc's of doxy and .015-.02 cc's of baytril, even for a 6 week old baby, it seems small to me.  I am probably wrong though since Lise did the  conversions...haha 

Shelagh, this is how I did the conversion. 

It is 25mg/1 mL

Baytril, Selene is getting .04mL.  (25)(0.04) = 1 mg dose that Selene is getting each time.
Selene weights 100 grams, but we want to find out the dose per kilogram.  100 grams = 0.1 kg
(1 mg/0.1kg)(1kg) = 10 mg/kg

Doxy, Selene is getting .02mL.  (25)(0.02) = 0.5 mg dose that Selene is getting each time.
Selene weights 100 grams, but we want to find out the dose per kilogram.  100 grams = 0.1 kg
(0.5 mg/0.1kg)(1kg) = 5 mg/kg

I just then compare that to the dosage recommendations on rat guide.  Which recommends 2.5mg/kg doxy regular illness, and 5mg/kg doxy in treatment of pneumonia!  And 5mg/kg to 10mg/kg baytril.

It is useful to know how to do this, even just for peace of mind that your vet or a receptionist didn't accidentally make a typo on the amount.  And you can kind of tell how aggressively your vet is treating by checking the dosages.  I like to do it.  I am a little weird though!

[lilspaz68]

Thanks Lise...I'm going to study that in the morning after my coffee when my mind is alert...haha.
I'd love to know because I looove my vet but sometimes the vet techs screw up a bit...LOL

[lycanandselenesmom]

Well Selene now weighs 121 gr and Lycan weighs 114 grams.
Doxy .02 for both.
Baytril .05 both
Meloxicam .08 both.

The vet said they have less bacteria from another culture but still aren't as better as she would like. The vet said it is great that they have gained weight. Lycan in less then a week went from 85 to 114. I think that is great. Selene was 100 and went to 121.  I guess I can really fatten my girls up. I have to call the vet Wednesday to let her know her things are going.

[Marybelle]

I merged these two topics for continuity.

Glad your girls seem to be doing better. 

[lycanandselenesmom]

I merged these two topics for continuity.

Glad your girls seem to be doing better. 

Confused me for a sec. Thanks

[lilspaz68]

Sounds like all is under control.  Keep us informed on how the girls do.

Its hard to stop babies from growing on you...hahaha