Doxycycline dosing for young rats with a URI

[DeliriousWolf]

Around a week ago now we picked up 2 female rats (approx. 10 weeks old) who began sneezing soon after being exposed to their new home. We originally thought these were new home sneezes but they have both progressively worsened, as shown by the videos attached.

Both are seemingly eating, drinking, and grooming just fine, although Blue, the smaller rat, seems pretty lethargic. Lumi, rat #2, seemed fine after a few days, but has begun sneezing wetly recently. We believe that Blues constant sneezing has passed the infection to Lumi.

We're most worried about Blue and would like to put her on doxycycline immediately, but have no experience in doing so. Here's, I believe, all the information needed:

Blue's weight: 102g
Blue's symptoms (further illustrated by attached videos): wet sneezing, occasional clicks that seem to come from her nose, almost constant sniffling, lethargy, possible piloerection of fur at times. I haven't noticed any excess porphyrin buildup, but the walls of their favourite hide are covered in porphyrin splatters.

We have 100mg capsules of doxy available. I know @lilspaz68 is particularly knowledgeable about dosing, so I hope she/he doesn't mind being tagged here.

Video1
Video2
Video3

I'll update with info regarding Lumi's weight as soon as I can get her on the scales.

 

[Rocket99]

Personally, i treat juveniles same as adults with Doxy. I just go by weight. But i wouldn't doible up with youngsters as i might with adults. As for babies, i have never had a rat so young with symptoms of a URI, that i was concerned with treating. Never have i seen sumptoms that were serious in a rat too young and small to treat. But im sure there in info on it. Btw, Myco is present at birth, passed on to newborns by the mother in pet rats (not in lab rats, who have had it eradicated in the sterile environment). So there is no reason to worry about an ill rat passing it on to a healthy one. Other URIs are a another story, but Myco, the rat killing URI, is in all pet rats their entire lives.

 

[lilspaz68]

I don't get tags on actual forums so I never saw this. If you are desperate just message me.

As for your babies they sound like they have nasal congestion but I would use amoxicillin or azithromycin for youngsters as they aren't desperately sick. Doxy is not a pediatric-friendly antibiotic, but if its ALL you have use it. With a 100 mg capsule you will want to mix it with 2 ml of water until the powder is dissolved (in a small bottle with a tight lid) then add 3 ml of sweet syrup. Once you have weights I can work out a dose for Lumi.

 

[DeliriousWolf]

Perfect, thank you! Lumi is 145g and Blue is 102g.

Glad to hear it's just some congestion. I imagine the risks are fairly low with using doxycycline with rats this young? I don't have access to any of the other antibiotics listed, so I'll most likely stick with the doxy.

 

[lilspaz68]

Should be fine just wanted to tell you the options.

Your doses would be 0.07 and 0.05 ml twice a day for 2-3 weeks.

 

[DeliriousWolf]

Lovely, thank you so much with your help!