# Bird Antibiotics



## leesanova (Feb 8, 2011)

My cousin has two hairless rats, and she just adopted a regular rat baby. Now one of the hairless is sneezing and has blood coming from one of his now swollen eyes. Probably due to stress of the new comer. 

A friend of her's said that she got some drug over ebay and it worked. Her friend is now getting this drug.

From what she's told me, I believe this to be a bird antibiotic that she is getting for him. She knows it is Doxycyline and you have to mix it with water. 

I went on the Rat & Mouse Gazette's Drug Dosing Chart and told her the dose and to stay away from milk products. This is because if I told her not to, she would do it anyway, so I'd rather tell her to do it safely.

Has anyone had any luck with this? Is this safe? Can I use it on my rats?

Please try to use specific examples, if possible, if there any reasons why not. She is VERY hard to convince when she has it in her head to do something. Stupid Aries....

Thanks...


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

Mixing doxy with water is a very bad idea. First off, rats often refuse tainted water, and dehydration can kill rats. Second, there's no way to accurately dose them, as the amounts the drink vary. Third, it is destroyed by sunlight so is ineffective anyway, and even if you block the sun out, it only stays good for maybe 24 hours. Fourth, doxy by itself isn't always effective, and is never effective for more severe respiratory infections. Fifth, bird antibiotics are of questionable quality. The OTC bird meds do not have to follow the same guidelines as veterinary prescribed drugs. It's like buying human meeds from Mexico-you've heard about the problems with counterfeiting, bad filler ingredients, wring doses, etc, right? Sixth, using antibiotics when you are not a vet means you could be giving them when not needed, which leads to antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistant strains are the bane of rat owners, as the ab resistant bacteria can spread to other rats, and now the first choice antibiotic for that kind of bacteria can't be used. It's a very serious problem.

Lol so all and all, no it is not a good idea.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I think she meant using water to make a solution not putting it in their main water supply (like a water bottle).


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## leesanova (Feb 8, 2011)

I have no idea if it is a solution or water bottle. I was thinking it was a solution.

She decided not to get them. Apparently the rat stopped sneezing and is no longer producing porphyrin from it's eyes after she separated him and the new baby she has. 

Possibly just a stress thing? The new baby is quite an unsocialized brat. Someone dropped it off at the shelter she works at and they don't take small animals like that. So it would have been shipped out or euthanized. She's working with him though. I told her to socialize the baby to her first and then to the adults. Maybe it would help.

I am getting very confused on the conflicting information I receive on antibiotics and rats, as in how long and what Mycoplasma bacteria is. Comparing it to a human, it is the same a "walking pneumonia," which is a slow acting disease, but when combined with other issues can become fatal. I've heard 14 weeks and then I've heard 6 months to a year to the rest of its life.

*I am 100% against anyone buying antibiotics over the counter. *However the thought did enter my mind because finding a vet in my area that takes rats is really difficult, and the only one that seems decent wants $80, just to be seen for 5 minutes and is an hour away. 

Thank you Smesyna for your post, as I sent it to her and she now is thinking twice about dosing antibiotics herself. She's a nurse, you would think she would no better. I just needed another source to tell help convince her of it.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Myco is inherent in almost all pet rats. There are different strains of it but basically with myco and how it affects your particular rat is dependent on the strength of their immune system. A strong healthy rat will get bombarded by myco but won't succumb or even show any signs. Only when the immune system has aged and isn't working as well will it get in as such, and then the secondary infection gets your rat sick.

Those weaker rats can get sick over and over, and when their immune system is stressed will succumb faster.

Antibiotics do not treat myco, but treat the secondary infections.


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