# Newbie here, need advice with URI, Baytril in baby rats, dosage, side effects, etc.



## Sherritasworld (Mar 17, 2014)

My baby boys are about 8-10 weeks old and one came home with a URI and I think the other caught it from him (they were housed together at the store so I kept them together when we got home). Yes, I know, I know, pet stores! Had I known then what I know now it never would have happened but what's done is done (altho, in my defense, the reviews on Petsmart.com are complete raves; however, I'm not all that bright and got mine from Petco before reading all the horror stories). I took them to the vet 4 days ago and was prescribed Baytril 22.7 with .25ml twice daily (15cc, if that helps bc I have NO idea what I'm doing!) being the dosage. I was not told to shake it, nor refrigerate it, and now I'm hearing that my ratties are too young for Baytril. I can't say I've seen much (if any) improvement, either. I did just change their fleece bedding and all I had on hand was washed in regular laundry detergent (scented) with fabric softener and rinsed twice so that may be part of the problem. The other issue is, THEY STINK! OMG! Is it common for Baytril to cause their urine and feces to smell RIDICULOUSLY strong?? Their whole cage absolutely REAKS no matter HOW well I clean it! Today during playtime (when I let them run loose in the designated "rat room") they stunk up the whole room! Maybe it's something I fed them? I try to rotate their veggies, fruits, and treats so they aren't always eating the same thing but it mostly consists of baby carrots, sweet peppers (red, orange, yellow), and kale (and/or turnip greens). Sometimes cucumber, apple, peanut butter, coconut flakes, grated mexican cheese, grape tomatoes, fresh green beans, banana (well ripened), or pear. Am I feeding them anything I shouldn't be? I also got the wrong food (Oxbow for adult rats, not knowing any better), so I mix it with the lab blocks that came with the hamster cage (I only kept them in it for a few days but I threw the bag away), and some quality dog food (Whole Earth Farms, adult, chicken meal). Oh, and I give them tiny bits of dog biscuits.

Is there something I should be doing that I'm not? Is there anything I'm doing that I shouldn't be? Besides smoking! I've been going outside, smoking in the bathroom with the fan on, blowing it out windows, etc but I can't help but think I can't be the only smoker left on the planet! Also, the vet showed me on the syringe how to measure out the Baytril but it was empty so I'm not sure if the liquid should come up to 2.5 or the top of the plunger? They take it very well, I don't even have to take them out of the cage anymore to give it to them, they just drink it right up from wherever they are and go back to sleep. I really could use ANY advice on these matters. Another thing: Can I still use regular laundry detergent and softener on my clothes? They both seem REALLY sensitive to EVERYTHING. Oh yeah, and they've been eating those pet-safe packing peanuts from Drs. Foster and Smith as hard and fast as they can for practically the entire time they're having playtime, is that normal? And is it okay? I've done the water-soluable test and they melted. 

Am I just worrying too much? They eat well, take HUGE poops, drink plenty of water, run, jump, play, wrestle, and they're very social and cooperative. However, they also sneeze quite a bit and lately they've been having what I can only assume are sneezing fits. They're squeaking and making odd sounds more often too, coughing maybe (?), and it worries me.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Your cc should not be different; they're equivalent. Unless I know what syringe you are using, I can't guess how to dose them. The vet should've marked your syringe with a black line.

If baytril isnt' working, ask for some amoxicyllin. 

You cannot use fabric softener with rats. It will cause irritation.

Take out the additional food. Oxbow is complete. They only need a bit a dog food. Focus on treats like the carrots and apples, or cereal. Baby rats do stink a bit, give them a few weeks. Especially if they are still afraid of you, they'll do fear poops which stink.


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

Mls and cc is the same thing. You should give 0.25 mls so that means you fill with baytril to the .25 ml line. The top of the plunger should be at the .25 line. I give my boys baytril at that age, and they are fine. Baytril does not need refrigerated but is best to keep out of direct light. They are still adjusting to the new environment and smells so you can expect some sneezing(assuming you just got them). Bit I agree with Nanashi, if no improvement you may need a combination of antibiotics or a different one all together if baytril not working.I am a smoker as well. My boys sneeze when they smell smoke on me. Although I do not smoke in my house.when using detergent, use only very little.washing in hot water will kill" germs" so you dont need much detergent. I would not use fabric softner it can irritate their respiratory. No candles,perfumes/cologne,air freshener. As for the oxbow adult food. Its okay. My boys did not like the oxbow for youngsters, but they love the adult oxbow. You can give them eggs and the shell for extra protein is what I have been told in order to substitute the lack of protein in the adult formula until you can get the young formula. also I assume packing peanuts are the foam inside packages.probably not a good idea if they are actually eating them..hope this helps.


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## dr.zapp (Dec 24, 2012)

Clarification on the syringe use- the *liquid* should be pulled into the syringe to the 0.25 ml line... often there will be an air bubble between the liquid and the plunger- this is fine, as long as the liquid is 0.25 ml... if you pull the plunger to 0.25 ml, and you have air between the plunger and the baytril, obviously you will be giving less that 0.25 ml (relative to the size of the air bubble). Give the Baytril a week, if no improvement, add Doxycycline or Amoxicillin. Search the forum for my posts on the details of how to do this, and calculate drug dose in general.


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## Sherritasworld (Mar 17, 2014)

I just wanted to thank everyone who responded! I could read the comments from my phone but my computer took a crap on me shortly after posting my questions so I couldn't respond. I really appreciate this forum and all who log in to help folks like me that want to be the best newbie rat parents possible, so THANK YOU!


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## Leraine (Feb 21, 2014)

Do you have amazon prime? If you do, you can get Debbie Ducommun's "Rat Health Care" booklet for free. The author has worked in animal nutrition, health care, and animal behavior for many decades, and has founded rat related groups and societies, and has even appeared on numerous television shows to speak about rats. She derives her information from decades of owning rats, speaking to animal care experts, and studying scientific publications on rats.

http://www.amazon.com/Rat-Health-Ca...id=1398282214&sr=8-1&keywords=rat+health+care

If you do not have amazon prime, the electronic (kindle) version is only $5 and you can read it instantly after purchasing it, using the same internet browser you use to access this forum. 

She goes into depth about which symptoms of common illnesses, including mycoplasma, and she also writes in detail about dozens of different antibiotics. She also explains where to get antibiotics without having to see a vet, and how to calculate the dosages. The book is $5 - much cheaper than a visit to the vet who clearly is not up to date on the treatment of rats. 
Yes, it is true that Baytril should not be used in rats as young as yours, and I would highly recommend that you get the book, because I think it can save you a lot of heartbreak and money in the long run if you keep yourself well informed and medicate your rats properly, yourself, as opposed to shelling out your money at an uninformed vet. 

You should not use fabric softener or dryer sheets on any of the cloth that goes into the rat's cage. I specifically bought dye-free and perfume-free laundry detergent for my rat. They're available in most grocery stores, usually in a white bottle, with text such as "free and clear" on the label. 

It is true that rats will do well on Oxbow alone, but some experts believe that rats can continue growing for some time (I remember it was up to 8 months for females) and will need additional proportions protein that even Oxbow Adult Regal Rat cannot supply. I do think that fresh fruits and vegetables should be offered with Oxbow. I would not give them the cheese. Also, peanut butter has caused death by choking in rats, so I would not give it to them on that alone. Additionally, they do not need it in their diet so I would eliminate it even if it weren't a choking hazard. You should limit the amount of cucumbers you feed to rats because they are high in nitrates, and can form carcinogenic (cancer causing) compounds in rats. I would suggest reading this http://www.ratfanclub.org/diet.html to familiarize yourself with rat dietary needs.


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