Sendai

Question
Something is killing my babies and I trust your opinion. On 6/27/13 I lost a female rescued more than 1 year ago to a myco infection known as pyometra. She had been a little chesty, but died within 48 hours. Fast forward to late July. Hairless rex male treated for pneumonia (O2 therapy, nebulization, aggressive antibiotics) and seemed to recover, though he had occasional chest sounds after. Fast forward again to 8/12/13. Female in a different cage from either of those starts exhibiting puffy fur, chest sounds, labored breathing. Started her on antibiotics and quarantined. At the moment, she is the only one responding and recovering. 8/13 The hairless male begins labored breathing, lethargy, low appetitle. Quarantined and began the regiment again but he continued downshill. 8/14 his former cagemate, blue rex male, same symptoms, same therapy, quarantinued. The latter blue rex became much worse 8/15. Took to vet, spent day on O2, nebulization. 8/16 their final original cagemate, blue/white rex, began showing symptoms, as did the female roommate of the one who passed from the uterine myco. Same treatment. 8/17 hairless male passed away at home after becoming colder, even with a heated rice pad held next to him. He went into respiratory arrest. Late morning 8/17 the blue rex began showing worse symptoms, took to ER vet and had him euthanized. Blue and white rex is still alive, getting aggressive antibiotics and nebulization, but showing not much improvement, nor is the female roomie of the uterine girl. Only the one girl has responded & recovered. All other rats were moved to a different floor of our home last week and show no signs at all as of yet. My question: much as it will kill me to do this,  should I have anyone with symptoms put down to save my others? I am worried this is sendai, but this has been a stable population for months with no new introductions. Any advice about this question or treatment would be so gratefully appreciated.

Answer
Hi Erin,
What antibiotics have you been using to treat these rats?  It is probably not Sendai, but could be SDA virus. You can't treat the virus but have to treat the secondary infections that come with it. I recommend a combo of amoxicillin and Baytril, or amoxicillin and injectable gentamicin. Also helpful is a steroid to reduce inflammation in the lungs.  Do you have my Rat Health Care booklet?
Deb