TETRACYCLINE(Fish antibiotics) for rats

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J

Jennifer_77

Member
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
13
Location
new york
Hi,

I have owned rats for much of my life and have had to go to the vet on occasion for meds for URIs.

I currently have 5 girls, ranging from about 3 months to almost a year. I love them dearly and have always been willing to take take them to the vet when needed. Two have had issues with Myco and have been on meds on and off their whole lives.

My husband lost his job recently and we were forced to move to his parents home in NY. We have very little extra money at this time and as we have a young child to care for, we have none to spare. He is actively looking for a new job atm.

I noticed a few days ago that one of my older girls was having what I thought was a myco flairup and I put her on her left over meds. But now all my girls seem a bit off and sniffly and I am very worried.

Vets around here are super expensive ($70ish just for one rat per visit) and they will not prescribe meds for multiple rats unless they have seen them first.

I cannot afford to bring them to the vet...it is not possible. But I want to give them the best chance at getting better. I was looking for over the counter ideas and found this website, http://www.rmca.org/Articles/dchart.htm, which states that TETRACYCLINE, which I believe is a fish antibiotic can be added to the water. While I am sure this is not ideal, this is the only option I can see.

I was hoping someone could give me advice on the best way to use TETRACYCLINE. I would appreciated any help.

Please, no nasty answers. I am doing all I can for my girls.

Thanks,

jennifer
 
Also, any other ideas are appreciated. I need something I can get fast, preferably in the petstore, or if it is sold on amazon, I am an "amazon mom" member and can get free two day shipping. I also have a small scale from when my son was born that I am guessing I could use to weigh my girls if there is a better way to dose them then through there water bottle. I have syringes and would much prefer to know that they got all the meds they need. I just dont know how much that is.
 
Really a vet needs to diagnose the problem and prescribe the proper medication, you aren't even sure what is wrong with them and have tried some meds already that didn't work. The best chance they have is to see a vet.
 
KsK said:
Really a vet needs to diagnose the problem and prescribe the proper medication, you aren't even sure what is wrong with them and have tried some meds already that didn't work. The best chance they have is to see a vet.
Click to expand...

I didn't "try some meds that already didn't work." My myco girl who I put back on her previously prescribed meds is pretty much all better. She is on her 6th day of meds, no more sneezing, no more lung sounds and she is back to being super active.

But now my other girls are showing some symptoms....as I said, a vert is not an option, I do not have an extra $350 (just for the visit for my 5 rats...before tax or meds). I need to find an over the counter option before it gets out of hand.

I know URI/myco type symptoms...they have them. Please, with all due respect, I need help figuring out the best over the counter option, not advise to go to the vet. If I had that option, trust me, I would have done it already.
 
You wrote you moved back to his parents, it could be just the "new" home sneezes until they adjust to those smells. Good luck with your sweeties, wish I could be of more help.
 
mamarat said:
You wrote you moved back to his parents, it could be just the "new" home sneezes until they adjust to those smells. Good luck with your sweeties, wish I could be of more help.
Click to expand...


Thank you so much for the kind reply. Thats what I thought at first, but it has only gotten worse. When my older girl who has myco got sick, I just thought the stress of the move got to her and started her meds (she is doing great now). I wasn't concerned at first about the other girls sneezing, as I thought it was just from the move, but they seem to be getting worse, not better. One of them was making a bit a squeaking sound when breathing before, but doesn't seem to be doing it now. Another one may have some lung sounds, I was having trouble telling as she was very squirmy when I put my ear to her.

I am pretty sure something is wrong, I tend to trust my instinct as I do have experience with myco and URIs. What I am not sure about is whether this is a contagious URI or if the stress of the trip brought out otherwise supressed myco in the girls who hadn't been sick before.

Only one of my girls doesn't seem that off to me and I am thinking her sneezing may actually just be from the move. Also, she happens to be the only girl who came from a breeder. I rescued 2 of the others and was told they were all from petsmart and I bought the two oldest (the girls with diagnosed myco) from petco.

I don't think I have any other choice but to try an over the counter med for my girls. My husband and I have literally nothing. I can't even charge the vet visit on the household credit card as we ran it up with moving expenses and a doctor bill for my husband as he no longer has insurance. The small amount of money we have in the bank if for food bills, so I cannot use that. I havent found anyone so far who can lend me the money.

I am so worried my girls are gonna die. I had a rat die once from a URI...it started just like this, but I was young and did not realize he was so sick. By the time I realized and got him to the vet it was too late for mes to work.
 
Unfortunately, tetracycline really is not a good med for rats. It's too mild and it sounds to me that your girls have a more serious respiratory issue. Doing tetracycline could in fact make it worse, the bacteria could flourish instead of be killed off. It's really horrendous how expensive it is to go to vets. I shudder to think what would happen to me if my hubby would lose his job. For now, you could remove all drafts, all fragrance, keep their cage very clean. Keep the girls warm and hydrated. You could also give them infant ibuprofen so they don't feel so run down. You could also try child benedryl. Not the benedryl-D. This might help with the sniffling. Bringing them into the shower for the steam might help as well. Otherwise, I'd try very hard to scrape some money together and see a vet.
 
This thread might give you more information: http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=29761&hilit=doxycycline - specifically about doxycycline, which is better against Myco than tetracycline is (from what I understand).

There are 100+ rat doses (depending on how much your rats weigh) in just one pill of fish doxy, so getting an accurate measurement for dosages is the reason that I don't mess with "OTC" antibiotics.

(They have 'bird' baytril available on the internet as well but the instructions say to put it in their drinking water and that wouldn't be how you would want to dose rats with it. I don't know what the rat dosage would be, as I have never used this product, but only know of its existence http://www.allbirdproducts.com/newproductpages/baytril.html.)

A death from untreated mycoplasma is awful and preventable, and doing something is better than doing nothing in this case (and in my opinion).

Of course, the vet is the best way to go, as we all know.
 
Hi,

Thank you so much for the replies.

Does anyone know if it it legal to buy antibiotics from those online pharmacies that supposedly need no prescription? I ordered something called domperidone (for issues I was having nursing my son) from one a while back. While this medication was not available over the counter here, I was able to legally obtain it from the oversees pharmacy.

I want to bring my girls to the vet so badly. I have been calling places all am, no one will come down on price or offer a payment plan. The best anyone has offered is a pet credit card which we don't qualify for now that we don't have income.

I don't know what to do to help my girls. I already have them in a draft free area. And use no fragrances around them. I will try the benadryl and steam for them. But I need to figure out the best course of action medwise and quickly! :-(

Why did this have to happen now? I keep crying and I just don't know what to do.
 
I do believe in the US, you guys are able to buy meds online. In Canada, we are very restricted.
I know there are a couple of people on the forum that do get their meds online. I'm hoping they will see this and PM you with their information.
 
jorats said:
I do believe in the US, you guys are able to buy meds online. In Canada, we are very restricted.
I know there are a couple of people on the forum that do get their meds online. I'm hoping they will see this and PM you with their information.
Click to expand...

Thank you Jorats! I am very hopeful that something will work out at this point. I gave the girls each a little piece of dark chocolate and put them in a steamy bathroom. I am going out in a bit to get childrens benadryl. I am very hopeful I can keep symptoms at bay until I get some meds for the girls.
 
I hope someone can let you know of a reliable place to order meds asap.
Sounds like they need baytril + doxy (doxy capsuals are less expensive and you can mix them up yourself, and injectable baytril given orally (never given by injection) is also less expensive and has a longer shelf life)
Would your former vet be able and willing to help re meds?
I hope you get some help for your girls asap

:hugs:

Edit: sounds like they really need to see a vet but also sounds like that is impossible right now :(
 
While it seems there's a uri and myco flair up we don't know the full extent of what is going on with your girls. It's really important that they see a vet and are able to get properly diagnosed. I hear you have no money but maybe you could call the vets and see if they are willing to work on something with you. Good luck.
 
trihkal said:
While it seems there's a uri and myco flair up we don't know the full extent of what is going on with your girls. It's really important that they see a vet and are able to get properly diagnosed. I hear you have no money but maybe you could call the vets and see if they are willing to work on something with you. Good luck.
Click to expand...

This is very true. Thank you trihkal for reminding us that a proper diagnosis is also very important.
 
trihkal said:
While it seems there's a uri and myco flair up we don't know the full extent of what is going on with your girls. It's really important that they see a vet and are able to get properly diagnosed. I hear you have no money but maybe you could call the vets and see if they are willing to work on something with you. Good luck.
Click to expand...


Unfortunately, I have called every vet recommended for rats as well as dog and cat vets (none of which are willing to treat them). No one will work with me. No one will cut me a break on price or do a payment plan. I have to medicate myself, I have no choice.

What I can tell you, if my older myco girl who has been on meds for 7 days (as of tonight) is much, much better. I'm pretty sure it's myco flairups. The symptoms are coming and going in the younger girls like they did in my older myco girls when they were younger. They are also the same symptoms my older myco girls always had, and the one baby from the breeder still has no symptoms. I would think, if it were a URI, she would also get sick.
 
jorats said:
trihkal said:
While it seems there's a uri and myco flair up we don't know the full extent of what is going on with your girls. It's really important that they see a vet and are able to get properly diagnosed. I hear you have no money but maybe you could call the vets and see if they are willing to work on something with you. Good luck.
Click to expand...

This is very true. Thank you trihkal for reminding us that a proper diagnosis is also very important.
Click to expand...

I wish I could bring them to the vet, I really want to. I have always gone to the vet with any of my pets when there was a problem. But there is just no way to do it this time. :-/ I have exhausted all resources I could think of.

So, at this point, my choices are to let them get sicker or attempt to self medicate. When faced with this ultimatum, the second choice seems like my only option. At this point, I am doing all I can t keep them healthy until I can figure out meds, which I think I am on my way to figuring out. Please wish me luck and keep my girls in your thoughts.
 
Only the girls with a lower immune system will get a myco flare up. The healthy ones won't. Good luck with your sweeties. Sending lots and lots of healing vibes.
 

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