Ornacycline

Question
i got mice that are sneezing and i read up about them to find that they have a respiratory infection i changed their bedding to carefreshbut their still sneezing so i bought some bird antibiotic call Ornacycline. I figured i could use it because it tetracycline based ,each poach contains 250 mg of tetracycline hydrochloride so what is the doseage for a mouse?  

Answer
Hi Thien,

I would not use any different forms of tetracycline until advised to do so by a veterinarian.  While they may have the same active ingredient, different forms may behave very differently, and I do not know enough about ornacycline/tetracycline hydrochloride (versus the "tetracycline" in fish antibiotics, which I will go over in a moment) to say safely whether or not it might be perfectly safe or potentially lethal.  It would be irresponsible of me to tell you any different.

In addition to different forms of the chemical behaving differently, inactive chemicals present are something to be considered as well.  They are only "inactive" because they aren't the chemical producing the antibiotic effect, but they can still impact your mouse.  What may be completely safe in the body of a bird may be toxic to a mouse.  This is the case when using any drug off-label or for a different species, and it's extremely important to be sure it's safe before dosing.  Please consult your local vet if you decide to try it.  Again, even though it may be safe, it could just as easily be extremely dangerous to your mice that you are trying to help.

I wish I could tell you more about this particular version of tetracycline, but unfortunately, that's all I can say about ornacycline - be cautious.  Because I don't know enough about the chemical or its safety, I cannot help you with dosages of it, either.

What I can tell you, however, is how to administer tetracycline that has been proven safe with mice already.  The type of tetracycline we frequently recommend is used for fish, and can be found in the fish section of your pet shop.  If you can't locate it and can't purchase it online, I strongly recommend locating a vet that works with pocket pets and requesting medication from them.  He or she will be able to get you the best antibiotic for the job with just one appointment and hopefully be done with it.  Of course, I understand that is not always an option.  If there is no way to obtain the fish tetracycline, and if a vet is impossible, write me back and we will explore some other safe antibiotic options.

When giving the fish version of tetracycline, it is added to the water bottle, and it is very important to keep the bottle covered.  Tetracycline is light sensitive and will break down within a day or two and not be effective.  Regular kitchen foil is plenty to protect it, and you can tape it to keep it from falling off.  Try to limit moist foods to encourage drinking.  Everyone in the cage, whether sneezing or not, needs to have access to the antibiotic.  Here are excellent instructions on how to medicate them and how to get them their first dose:  http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2010/2/Tetracycline-directions-sneezing-mou

Hopefully this helps, but if you have any questions, please do feel free to write me back!  Best of luck,
-Tam