Synulox & Loxicom Dosage Question

[Harway]

Hi there. I took my three girls (345g, 353g, 385g) to the vets earlier for a possible respiratory infection. Following a check over and a brief listen to their wee chests, the vet concluded there is likely a very mild respiratory infection. Accordingly, they were placed on Synulox/Loxicom (Clavamox/Meloxicam in Canada/US I believe). I am very concerned with the vet suggested dosages and seeking clarification.

The Loxicom/Meloxicam seems a little high but not absurd. The vet suggests 0.26ml per rat once per day. (1.5mg/ml). This, to my knowledge, would be more in line with post-op treatment, but I cannot imagine it would be harmful. Perhaps just a little overkill for a mild respiratory infection.

The Synulox/Clavamox is where I am particularly concerned. The vet suggests 0.7ml per rat twice per day. (50mg/ml when reconstituted in 15ml of water - 4:1 ratio of amoxicillin to clavulanic acid). The packaging recommends a dose of 0.75ml twice per day for a 3kg cat/dog, so for my 0.35kg girls this obviously seems absurd! I used the dosage calculator based on 0.35kg weight (alongside the 20mg/kg recommendation on the forum), and it recommends 0.14ml twice per day. I thought this was perhaps a typo by the vet so I rang up to clarify. However, I was assured that it is definitely 0.7ml twice per day due to their higher metabolisms.

Am I going crazy here? The dosage of Synulox/Clavamox just seems insanely high.

Thanks.

 

[lilspaz68]

They are both high (loxicom) and very high for Clavamox so your instincts are right.

For the meloxicam using it for inflammation in the lungs you don't need a post-op dose but a lower one.
The Clavamox you are right is based on 20 mg/kg twice a day. If this is being used for a myco respiratory flare-up though it may not work as Clavamox isn't effective on myco.

I'll give you more appropriate doses for each rat with metacam (once a day) first then Clav.(twice a day)
345 g. 0.14 ml Lox / 0.14 ml Clav
353 g. 0.14 ml Lox / 0.14 ml Clav
385 g . 0.15 ml Lox / 0.15 ml Clav

 

[Harway]

Apologies for the late response. I ended up reducing their dosage to 0.15ml in line with your suggestion, and then it completely slipped my mind to return back to thank you. All three rats have been sneeze free for three months now. Thank you kindly for the direction.

 

[lilspaz68]

Wonderful