Treating Rats with a Nebulizer by Debbie Ducommun

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jorats

Loving rats since 2002.
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
45,196
Location
Northeastern Ontario
*posting with permission*
You can find more info in her health care booklet available here:
http://ratfanclub.org/books.html

A nebulizer is a special medical air compressor which vaporizes medications into particles small enough to be inhaled into the lungs, delivering the medications directly to the site of respiratory problems. They are commonly prescribed for people with asthma. The nebulizer is a prescription item; you can’t buy a new one without a prescription from a physician or veterinarian, but you can find used ones to buy on ebay.
There are several companies selling nebulizers on the web, but I ended up buying one locally because I needed it right away. My vet was able to fax the store the prescription. When I called around to local medical supply stores, I found quotes ranging from $100 to $200, and decided to buy the least expensive one, a PulmoMate by DeVillbiss. It has a 3 year warranty. Six months ago, member Susan Nelsen in Madison, WI told me she bought a nebulizer for $70, so apparently the price can vary according to area.

The nebulizer comes in two parts, the air compressor, and a set of disposable plastic pieces that together are the actual nebulizer. The medication is placed inside the disposable nebulizer which is then attached to the air compressor by a narrow hose. The compressor forces air through the nebulizer. The nebulizer pieces are designed so humans can place part in their mouth and inhale. When I purchased my nebulizer, they gave me two plastic sets, and I found one was better suited for use with rats, so if you buy one, be sure to ask to see the nebulizer beforehand. One end must be blocked with plastic wrap.

I bought a 12" X 15" X 5 ½" plastic storage container, drilled 3 holes in one side for air flow, and cut a hole in the other just big enough to insert the tip of the nebulizer. The plastic nebulizer parts must be upright for it to work properly. (See drawing.) I found that the nebulizer puts out a very high volume of vapor so if you run it continuously lots of the vapor will be wasted. I have had good results turning it on for 15-30 seconds, then off for one minute, alternately. During the time it is off, there is still vapor in the box for the rats to inhale, and this method wastes less medication.

When putting medication in the nebuliser, it should be diluted with saline. My vet found some information on using a nebulizer on birds which suggests 10 mg of Baytril and 5 mg of gentamicin in 1 ml of saline, and as a general rule of thumb for other medications, a 1 to 10 solution. It recommended doing 15-30 min treatments every 6-8 hours, but I find that many rats become tired of being in the box after 10-15 minutes and try to chew their way out. Giving your rats treats while in the box can help.

Member Susan Nelsen told me she used a medication in her nebulizer called acetylcysteine (brand name Mycomist) which helps loosen mucus. She said she mixed 1 ml of the 10% solution, or .5 ml of the 20% solution with 10 ml of sterile water, and then did a 30 minute treatment. I have not used acetylcysteine but did consult a pharmacist about it. He said if you wanted to use it in combination with other medications, he would recommend doing a treatment with the acetylcysteine about an hour before a treatment with the other medications. This is so the mucus could have a chance to clear out of the lungs first.
 
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