# Medication questions metronidazole, respiratory infection, h



## zooshe (Jan 13, 2008)

Hi there,

Does anyone know anything about metronidazole? My rat's prescription says to only administer once a day/once every 24 hours, but I'm not sure if this is the norm. And does anyone know how long it takes for metronidazole to be effective in upper respiratory infections?

I'm really worried about my rat as she has an upper respiratory infection. She's a little better today after the first dose. She sounds less like runny mucus and more like the mucus is "airing out", you know like when you are getting better from a cold but you still have mucus? But still she is making that anxious vocal noise when she's breeathing harder.

She was prescribed metronidazole because the baytril wasn't working AND she was already on Doxycycline previously for another condition (was taking in conjunction with the Baytril for a day before the metronidazole). We assumed she had built up a tolerance to both at this point. 

Also if anyone knows how to steam or mist a rat effectively please let me know. I haven't had luck using this method to help my rat because i can't seem to concentrate the steam enough to have any effect. 

Thanks!
zooshe, rat lover


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: Medication questions metronidazole, respiratory infectio*

metronidazole is usually used for gastritis and urogenital in animals and not common to treat URI's in rats.

Rat guide says this:
10 mg to 30 mg/lb BID or TID 3

or

10 mg to 40 mg/rat q24h; PO 2 1

or

10 mg to 50 mg/kg q12h 11
Considerations


She may be chronic respiratory if she is still breathing really hard. I've never had much luck with nebulising rats or using steam except for very mild cases. Have you tried Baytril/zythro. THis is a very potent combination and if anything will cure a URI this will. If that didn't work I would ask your vet about a steroid.


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