Rat Illness

Question
My female rat is just over a year old.  Just under a week ago I noticed she was acting funny - tired, lethargic, a little weak.  (This was a Friday night).  I watched her over the weekend, and although she was still weak and lethargic she seemed to be drinking and eating fine whenever she woke up and moved about the cage.  She would squeak a little if I tried to pick her up.

I'd had a very busy week during the evenings prior to this and I first suspected depression, although into Saturday I noticed dishcharge from her eyes and her nose, which got me worried about a cold or a respitory infection.

First thing Monday morning I called my vet and I took her in the following day (yesterday).  He examined her, agreed she was weak and noticed the discharge, but he hears no issues with her respitory system so doesn't believe it to be an infection.  To be on the safe side he's put her on a treatment of Metacam and Clavamox (which I've used with her before).  I do trust this vet, he's very good and one of only a couple that deals with rats and other exotics in my city.

I have a couple of questions for you.  How long should it take for the antibiotics to begin working for her?  She's still very, very weak today and as things progressed she's been eating less.  I am getting her to eat babyfood at the moment, and she tries other things but seems to drift off to sleep in the middle of it.

Second, as I was watching her in her cage I heard my air freshener go off in my washroom.  I don't have a huge apartment space and when that thing goes off I can smell it in my living room.  It struck me this time that I hadn't been using it for almost a year until about two weeks ago when I put new batteries in and a new can of freshener spray.  Could this product be causing the problem or making it worse?  I'm removing it as I send this message, just in case.

Thank you for your time.

Answer
Clavamox is a drug used more for non mycoplasmosis infections, which sounds like she may have right now.  please refer to my website, sandyscrittercity.com and refer to the page on mycoplasmosis.  I fear she has pneumonia.  I am not really understanding the need for the very dangerous metacam.  its nothing more than a glorified advil or motrin and causes kidneys to fail in more cases than I like to think of.  Info on this drug that will soon be banned for Veterinary use can be found on my website as well.

She was on clavamox before? Did she have a respiratory infection previously?

Also, the rule of thumb is that any animal or human for that matter that is on antibiotics should show a positive response in 3 days. It takes just 12 hrs to get the first dose peaking in the blood system and 24 hrs to get the infection under control. Example: A child with strep throat may return to school 24 hrs after antibiotic therapy has begun.   
Also, it is VITAL the rat is treated properly for a respiratory infection or any infection caused by mycoplasmosis pulmonis for at least 4 weeks.  Any time an antibiotic is not given properly it can cause the bacteria to multiply and return again, causing another infection, possibly a secondary infection, and this time the bacteria can be antibiotic resistant.

I would ask the vet about liquid baytril, esp if your rat is not improving.