violet976
Well-Known Member
My middle aged boy has been battling a suspected respiratory infection for the past few months. When we got him from the shelter previously, he sounded very piggy like but it cleared up within less than two days - so fast that we wondered if it was even the antibiotics that had worked.
He had then sounded fine for a few months until both him and Minca got very wet sneezes. While Minca has responded to ab's, he has just gotten worse and more piggy-like, though he behaves like normal at this point. So far he's tried 10mg/kg Baytril alone with no response. Then 10mg/kg Baytril + 5mg/kg doxy with no response. Then 10mg/kg Baytril + 30mg/kg Clavamox with no response.
On the advice of others, we attempted upping his Baytril to 20mg/kg while still keeping him on Clavamox, which I thought was the breakthrough. He was completely silent with his breathing, but it only lasted 2 days and he was right back again. I've also been nebulizing him with saline twice a day, cleaning his cage every other day and bed areas daily.
I've got an appointment for Tuesday but I'm looking for any advice on what I should be asking for, or what we should be doing to figure out the root of his issue. Someone suggested zithro, but to be honest many of my rats have had respiratory troubles and zithro has never seemed to help any of them. Someone also suggested trying childrens sudafed in case this is allergy related. I'm happy to try that but I will need to know before I go to my vet, as it's prescription only in Oregon.
I was planning to have him xrayed, as although most agree it sounds nasal at this point, it reminds me of the sounds Nibs had with her pulmonary abscesses. Should I have any other tests done or any specific medications I should be trying at this point?
Here is a video of what his noises sound like. It's older so he wasn't making them as much here, but he still makes the same noises now, just all day/night long...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scarletnotion/13631220193/
He had then sounded fine for a few months until both him and Minca got very wet sneezes. While Minca has responded to ab's, he has just gotten worse and more piggy-like, though he behaves like normal at this point. So far he's tried 10mg/kg Baytril alone with no response. Then 10mg/kg Baytril + 5mg/kg doxy with no response. Then 10mg/kg Baytril + 30mg/kg Clavamox with no response.
On the advice of others, we attempted upping his Baytril to 20mg/kg while still keeping him on Clavamox, which I thought was the breakthrough. He was completely silent with his breathing, but it only lasted 2 days and he was right back again. I've also been nebulizing him with saline twice a day, cleaning his cage every other day and bed areas daily.
I've got an appointment for Tuesday but I'm looking for any advice on what I should be asking for, or what we should be doing to figure out the root of his issue. Someone suggested zithro, but to be honest many of my rats have had respiratory troubles and zithro has never seemed to help any of them. Someone also suggested trying childrens sudafed in case this is allergy related. I'm happy to try that but I will need to know before I go to my vet, as it's prescription only in Oregon.
I was planning to have him xrayed, as although most agree it sounds nasal at this point, it reminds me of the sounds Nibs had with her pulmonary abscesses. Should I have any other tests done or any specific medications I should be trying at this point?
Here is a video of what his noises sound like. It's older so he wasn't making them as much here, but he still makes the same noises now, just all day/night long...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scarletnotion/13631220193/