vets

[llllshaunllll]

you know i posted that thread about my rats being ill, i took them to the vets today and they said that there lungs are full up with crap thats why there panting all the time, hope they get better soon 

[lilspaz68]

So did they give you any meds for the "crap"?  Do they have URI or pneumonia?

[llllshaunllll]

i don't know what they have got but they gave me some meds, i have to give them 2 drops daily, 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. Hope they get well soon 

[Pamnangel]

What did they give you?

[llllshaunllll]

its called ''metacam oral sus'' 

[JR1030]

Metacam is not an antibiotic.  Are these exotic vets?  If they have junk in their lungs, that means they're sick, which means they need antibiotics.  I don't think they'll get better with just Metacam.

[munkeesmama]

As already stated metacam is NOT an antibiotic, it's a pain reliever. they need something like Doxy or Baytril to clear up anything they may have. I'd make a call to the vet, also if it's not an exotics vet i'd be finding one ASAP.

[Poppyseed]

A drop doesn't sound like a good method of measuring out the medicine. In fact it sounds like a good way to get incorrect doses O: I would stop giving them the medicine and get a new vet personally.

Good luck, try to get someone who specifically treats rats or does exotic animals. It's hard work but they are out there. You should make sure they tell you what they have next time. Also make sure you know the medication they give you. Rats are different than many animals in when they get sick, it usually doesn't just go away unfortunately.

[llllshaunllll]

if its not rite, then he shoud not be a vet 

[JR1030]

Unfortunately, there are quite a few vets who don't want to admit that they don't know about rats, so they try to fake it.  See if you can find a vet who has a lot of experience with rats, and if you can't, then call back the vet you've already seen, and tell him you want an antibiotic (you could start with Baytril), and you'll need it for at least a month, considering how sick they are.  If he's not sure about doses, I think he could look it up on ratguide (somebody help me here if I'm wrong).  Good luck!

[lycanandselenesmom]

When my 2 were sick they had Doxy and Baytril. I had to give it to them by mouth from a syringe. Your ratties should see someone soon as illness can steal them from us in a flash.

[lilspaz68]

a drop is approx. .025 to .05 cc's.  Metacam is recommended to give once daily.  The only thing this *might* do is reduce the inflammation of the lungs.  Without abs the "gunk" is gonna get worse til that rat is suffering with every breath.  You can print this and take it to that vet and be very insistent that you want at least baytril.

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/dchart.htm

Btw Baytril is Enrofloxacin.

[llllshaunllll]

thanks poeple but how do you poeple know all this vet stuff, im going to give this stuff a go for a while, just to see what happens, is it ok to put the med's onto  a bit of food then feed them? because if i don't put it on a bit of food, its an inposable job.

[embryodb]

People here know this vet stuff because they have been caring for rats for many years and have experienced a wide variety of medical ailments, with respiratory problems being one of the most common.  I would take the advice you've been given and get a second opinion, or go back to your vet and ask him for some antibiotics.  Pain relievers are used to ease the discomfort of a medical problem, but they generally don't *solve* the underlying issue.  It should be okay to mix the the medicine in with a little bit of food - but I would really seek some better medication ASAP.

[Poppyseed]

I read your last thread. If they are that bad, you need to get them on medication that will actually do the job ASAP. Like today or tomorrow, not a week from now. Metacam won't do the trick. Yeah, we aren't vets but many people have given you great advice as to what medication will work and know so because they've had countless number of rats and have done their research. Many have come across these problems many times.

But yeah, if you don't act quickly you could loose your rats. You may have some lung abscesses and scarring already from the sounds of it. I hope not, but best to get them on a combo like Baytril and Zithro for at least a month.

http://ratguide.com/meds/nsaids/meloxicam.php

that's about the drug your giveing them.

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/dchart.htm
that's the RMCA drug chart. I would advise printing it out and taking it back to the vets along with a print out of the info on metacam and ask them why they chose just to give you a pain reliever when they clearly need antibiotics as they have a respitory infection? I would also try to look for another vet.

I hope you can get on top of things soon (Like today or tomorrow, it is very urgent). I have a rat with lung abcesses and it's not something you want to deal with. They can't get better and it is VERY costly. Good luck.

[llllshaunllll]

ok will have a chat to my nan tomoz about this issue, the vet is working for the rspca, ''the main place'' its called somethink else in america, i think thats where you poeple are from, and my nan works for them, so i will talk about this with her tomoz cheers shaun.

[munkeesmama]

We know this stuff becaue we've had rats with it. Honestly, if your rats are not treated with antibiotics like NOW and you continue with a pain reliever they will DIE. Respiratory illnesses in rats can take them as quick as lightening. I had a rat we noticed was sick one night. The day before she was fine. She died about an hour after we saw her struggling to breathe. I hate to be harsh but unless you want this to be the fate of your rat PLEASE find another vet.

[lycanandselenesmom]

Putting the meds on food won't work. Tried it and ending up wasting medicine on food and still having to force it down my girls throats. It is a task for feeding rats medicine. I did it with my 2 girls when I got them, and I'm sure 95% of owners on this forum have done it as well.  Once you figure out the best way to give meds it really isn't that bad. It is also a good way to handle the rats and get them use to you.

My girls were on 3 meds for a month and even after the vet giving the ok to stop I lost one of my girls rather quickly.  Please take the rattie back to the vet. If something happens before you take him you will be upset.

[JR1030]

I do give my rats their meds in food.  I use smooshed banana, because it is their favorite thing.  Often you can get banana flavor added into their meds, and then mixing it with banana really helps.  Some meds you can't give with anything dairy or with a lot of calcium, so no yogurt.  And yes, a lot of "we people" are from the US.  Cheers!

[Happy-RAT]

Please don't think that the advice you've been given is to be mean.  This website was made so we can all learn from each other.  The advice give has been from people who have learned from experience.  You can save yourself a heart ache if you learn from their experience.  It's hard to believe that vets don't know everything...but I learned the hard way after my ferret died, unnecessarily(I found out later from a ferret friend.)  At least talk with a 2nd vet and give a print-out of your notes here.  A good vet wont be offended.  Sincerely, Anne

[Dethklok]

Just because someone is a human doctor doesnt mean they know everything about everything.  It's almost impossible to know every single part of the human body and specialize in it.  Vets are like general doctors, they arent specialists.  Doctors mis diagnose stuff all the time.  I had a sport med doctor tell me I had a pulled muscle in my back, and he gave me pain killers.  Well the pain kept getting worse till I had an MRI that revealed a bulged disc in my spine, and I had to go through months of physical therapy to correct it. 

If the medical boards passed that ass clown, then think how much more lax it must be in the animal medical field.  Find a specialist or ask the people here they know what they are talking about.

Metacam is an anti inflamatory, it will not remove things in the lungs, or things from anywhere.  It's for like joint and muscle aches I believe, look it up on google.  You need some sort of antibiotic, any kind they will give you, take it, suggest it to them.  If you want your rats to be around longer, do this.  GL man.

[lycanandselenesmom]

I do give my rats their meds in food.  I use smooshed banana, because it is their favorite thing.  Often you can get banana flavor added into their meds, and then mixing it with banana really helps.  Some meds you can't give with anything dairy or with a lot of calcium, so no yogurt.  And yes, a lot of "we people" are from the US.  Cheers!

Lucky you. My rats would take 2 licks of whatever I mixed the meds in and then run off. I wasted so much medicine.

[JR1030]

I do give my rats their meds in food.  I use smooshed banana, because it is their favorite thing.  Often you can get banana flavor added into their meds, and then mixing it with banana really helps.  Some meds you can't give with anything dairy or with a lot of calcium, so no yogurt.  And yes, a lot of "we people" are from the US.  Cheers!

Lucky you. My rats would take 2 licks of whatever I mixed the meds in and then run off. I wasted so much medicine.

That happened to me when I accidentally got unflavored Doxy.  Have you tasted that?  No matter what I mixed it with, or how much, or how many different things together, they took one whiff, and knew what it was, and wouldn't take it.    I wasted a lot of that.  I finally got my vet to order human grade flavored Doxy, and they finally would take that, though it was a lot more expensive.