Can someone explain...(added question)

[Riana]

... to me what the deal is with combining medication for the rats re: mycoplasma flare-ups? I'm completely confused about it.

Three of the four boys are sneezing, and have been since I moved back home at christmas. It seems to go in intervals, where some days is worse than others. I wasn't too concerned with it overall because they weren't showing any signs of it bothering them, but Guild has started making that whooping-like sound that Rose did, so they definitely have to go on meds.

Rose was on baytril for abut 2 1/2 weeks, and he seems to be perfectly fine. But a lot of people say that they have to use a combo of meds to treat. I just don't understand the reason to double up. I've heard it has something to do with secondary infections... how would one know when their rat has a secondary infection, and when it's necessary to add a second medication.

Clarification would be muchly appreciated! :3!

EDIT: I just picked up some baytril for the boys, so they'll be starting that tonight. I was just wondering, with baytril, is there a suggested length of time that's advised to give it that depends on the problem, or is it for whatever you use baytril for, it's a certain time? Right now they're getting 1/3rd of a 15mg baytril twice daily... I have enough for 6 days. I'll definitely need more.

 

[lilspaz68]

Say you have 2 meds like baytril and doxy. On their own they are only so effective but for some reason when you double them up they are extremely effective...its like a one-two punch to the infection.

If Rose recuperated on just baytril, thats wonderful, but sometimes you won't get a real improvement on just the one ab, and you need to do a combo.

 

[Riana]

ah, I see about doubling up for greater effectiveness, but when would you know if that's needed, rather than just one? What sort of symptoms would a rat exhibit that would make one know if a second med is needed?

Rose seems to be doing perfect... he doesn't sneeze at all, other than the occasional sneeze that all animals do. Should I be concerned about him since he wasn't on the medication for a while? Is it possible that he's still sick without showing any symptoms?

 

[lilspaz68]

You would double up if the single med isn't working...say the baytril for Rose made him a little better in 4 days but then it stopped doing anything (I call this plateauing). I would've added doxy or zithro at this point. Or if there was no improvement at all, I would double up. You should see an improvement on meds from 3-4 days, and it should continue steadily until the rat is better

Truthfully our rats are fighting off myco all the time. The rats with the better immune systems (or the myco is a mild strain) don't show any symptoms.

It sounds like your Rose is doing just fine

 

[Riana]

Ah, I see. So, the fact that Rose did get better on just the baytril is good? As I said, he's not exhibiting any symptoms like the others, so I think it's safe to say that he's fine.

Is baytril a good medication to try first, or is there another that maybe has a better success rate?

 

[lilspaz68]

I prefer to start on baytril alone, why give them more abs than they need until they really need it.

Oh I edited my post above your most recent as well, since I hit submit by mistake.

 

[SQ]

Wrote something, after I posted found that Shelagh had covered it.
So deleted it.