Vet only prescribed baytril for rats ear infection?

[ratboy96]

Hello! new user here.

I’ve taken my 2 year old girly to the vet for her extreme head/body tilt as she is walking. Her right eye basically faces the ceiling now!
It began when only one of her eye started developing porpherin, then she started walking funny, then full on tilt and struggling to eat (although she eats fine from a syringe).
She seems okay apart from that, she might be a bit sad because I just put her sister down who had cancer. Anyway, the vet said that if it doesn’t clear up with the baytril, then it’s a brain tumour and she will need to be put to sleep. I asked her if there was some sort of combination of drugs used with baytril as I read it online and I said “chloro-something?”, what I was looking for was clavamox, couldn’t be more wrong hahaha. Anyway, it was prescribed 0.1ml twice a day. Thing is, I had already took her before to the vets for what I thought was a respiratory infection and they gave her baytril for it incase it was a potential respiratory infection, however after day 5 of 10 and now that she got taken to the vet for a second time, the time I am talking about now, and this leads us to this point. The vet said if she doesn’t recover in the next few days then it’s best she gets put to sleep. Was she right? What will I do? I don’t want my girl to die because of an treatable ear infection that baytril couldn’t treat on its own.

TL;DR: Rat was given 0.1ml x2 a day for an ear infection, is this correct?

EDIT: I live in the UK.

 

[lilspaz68]

What is the concentration of your baytril? How much does your lass weigh? Ideally a combo of antibiitics and steroids is best for a severe case but baytril CAN potentially cure inner ear infection as long as its used appropriately.

 

[ratboy96]

What is the concentration of your baytril? How much does your lass weigh? Ideally a combo of antibiitics and steroids is best for a severe case but baytril CAN potentially cure inner ear infection as long as its used appropriately.

It says baytril 2.5% and looked further online and it says 25mg/ml. Is this strong enough?

 

[ratboy96]

What is the concentration of your baytril? How much does your lass weigh? Ideally a combo of antibiitics and steroids is best for a severe case but baytril CAN potentially cure inner ear infection as long as its used appropriately.

Also to add, she weights around 300 grams

 

[lilspaz68]

That actually is a little low for her weight and the concentration. A more effective dose would be 0.18 ml twice a day for 3 weeks minimum. If she's very tilted, lower water bottles, offer soft liquidy food she can lick up (chewing muscles are connected to the ear and it can be very painful for them), give her a low ceiling box for at least a week as this ceiling can help them orient up from down when they are dizzy with the initial infection. Make sure she's hydrated, fed and medicate with the higher dose and hopefully you can beat this infection. The head tilt may lessen or not change at all but once the infection is gone she will act brighter and happier and will adapt to her new tilty life.

 

[ratboy96]

That actually is a little low for her weight and the concentration. A more effective dose would be 0.18 ml twice a day for 3 weeks minimum. If she's very tilted, lower water bottles, offer soft liquidy food she can lick up (chewing muscles are connected to the ear and it can be very painful for them), give her a low ceiling box for at least a week as this ceiling can help them orient up from down when they are dizzy with the initial infection. Make sure she's hydrated, fed and medicate with the higher dose and hopefully you can beat this infection. The head tilt may lessen or not change at all but once the infection is gone she will act brighter and happier and will adapt to her new tilty life.

Okay, I have bought some more online I will give her a little more twice a day. Thanks for your help! Hopefully it is an ear infection.

 

[lilspaz68]

if you want to post a video i can look at her

I've experienced too many inner ear infections, pituitary tumours and actual brain tumours so I might recognize something.

 

[ratboy96]

if you want to post a video i can look at her

I've experienced too many inner ear infections, pituitary tumours and actual brain tumours so I might recognize something.

Okay I will! Give me a sec. what shall I post it on?

 

[lilspaz68]

upload it to youtube then copy/paste the link here. If you really want to rule out PT you can offer a small light treat to see how she tries to eat.

THIS is classic PT

https://lilspazrathospice.blogspot.com/2016/11/pituitary-tumour-failing-cheerio-test.html

 

[ratboy96]

upload it to youtube then copy/paste the link here. If you really want to rule out PT you can offer a small light treat to see how she tries to eat.

THIS is classic PT

https://lilspazrathospice.blogspot.com/2016/11/pituitary-tumour-failing-cheerio-test.html

Okay this was her a few days ago, can still walk around some.

This was her just now, shes a bit doped up on metacam drugs so I think shes tired, I gave her slightly too much as I forgot I already gave her some this morning.

 

[lilspaz68]

Oh dear, the first video looks like severe inner ear with the tilt and the dizzies but video 2 looks like PT. Can you try for a video showing her new normal?

 

[TheFatRatGirl]

0.1ml is the standard dose for rats in the UK unfortunately. Every single one of my rats is given that dosage, even though the smallest on antibiotics is 320g and the largest is 620g! You can try relaying lilspaz68's information to your vet and if you're lucky they'll consider what you tell them. I've not been lucky in this regard myself, but I know a few people in other parts of the UK who have.

 

[ratboy96]

0.1ml is the standard dose for rats in the UK unfortunately. Every single one of my rats is given that dosage, even though the smallest on antibiotics is 320g and the largest is 620g! You can try relaying lilspaz68's information to your vet and if you're lucky they'll consider what you tell them. I've not been lucky in this regard myself, but I know a few people in other parts of the UK who have.

I put her down this morning... I upped it to 0.18ml for 2 days but she was still lying sideways so it must have been a PT. thanks for the help.

 

[ratboy96]

Oh dear, the first video looks like severe inner ear with the tilt and the dizzies but video 2 looks like PT. Can you try for a video showing her new normal?

0.1ml is the standard dose for rats in the UK unfortunately. Every single one of my rats is given that dosage, even though the smallest on antibiotics is 320g and the largest is 620g! You can try relaying lilspaz68's information to your vet and if you're lucky they'll consider what you tell them. I've not been lucky in this regard myself, but I know a few people in other parts of the UK who have.

I put her down this morning... I upped it to 0.18ml for 2 days but she was still lying sideways so it must have been a PT. thanks for the help.

 

[TheFatRatGirl]

I put her down this morning... I upped it to 0.18ml for 2 days but she was still lying sideways so it must have been a PT. thanks for the help.

I'm so sorry to hear that. I know it's awful, but you were strong and did the best thing for her.

 

[ratboy96]

I'm so sorry to hear that. I know it's awful, but you were strong and did the best thing for her.

Thank you she looked so peaceful sleeping. Loved her so much, still do. Truly heartbreaking. She’s with her sister now on rat heaven

 

[lilspaz68]

I'm very sorry