re: Respiratory Distress

Question
I took all three of my rats in this morning to Dublin Animal Hospital in Colorado Springs, CO. When I was led to an exam room, the vet tech said, "So, have you been able to keep him separated from your other rats?" and I was thinking, "*&%$! They don't know ANYTHING about rats!"

Luckily, however, the vet (Dr. Roeder) was much better informed. She asked me what they'd been treated with and for how long, then after weighing them/taking a good listen to each, prescribed Baytril twice a day for all three of them for 21 days. She told me to call if I didn't see an improvement in ~5 days (necessitating a switch in antibiotics). She also said that if they start showing symptoms again after the three-week dosage has ended she'll put them on a daily or three-times-weekly "maintenance" treatment. On the whole, she was much better informed than my previous vet. She has rats of her own and seemed very knowledgeable.

Thanks again for finding the practice and checking them out on behalf of my little guys! They're all a little traumatized right now about their big rat adventure, but I'm sure they'll be back to their crazy ways in no time. ;)

I really appreciate all your help, and so do my boys!

Thanks again,
Rachel

Answer
Oh good good!  At first I rolled my eyes too.....I hate when people think they need to keep the rats apart.  For starters, by the time you realize one rat is sick, its a 99.9% chance the other rats were already exposed! Even though myco itself doesnt live long on fomites, it can travel with a sneeze in seconds and it is airborne has heck.  Second, it is nothing but added stress on the ailing rat to take him from his cagemates and can accelerate the illness because their immune system is compromised from the stress. HELLO!

As for the vet you saw....  I am satisfied enough. i am actually elated! Thrilled! Happy as heck that there is someone out there that can help you!!!!

And not to be a party pooper, but just to run this by you in case you want to save my opinion, here it is:

I prefer a full 30 days on the meds, but 21 is better than 5 to 7 days....and prefer to give the meds 3 full days and on the morn of the 4th if there is no change, meds need changed.  BUT.....5 days is better than 3 weeks like some idiotic vets make people wait. By that time, tolerance is taking place and the rat is doomed.
I am really super excited about the fact the vet knows about the maintenance treatment. I refer to it as prophylactic(prophylaxis) dosing, but who cares, it means the same.  I would start off on the one high end dose daily and taper down to every other day as opposed to three times per week, but again, thats me, this is her. Umm....was that correct grammar? Oh well...probably not, but you get the idea I am sure:)  Still, same idea, treatment plans can easily be changed as time goes. Lets just hope this is the last your rats have seen of mycoplasmosis pulmonis, but sometime tells me different. Experience perhaps. Even so, your in the right hands and I am glad you found someone qualified enough to treat your little men.  Please keep me posted over the next few months, feel free to write any time! You can also reach me at Sandracontitodd@yahoo.com or sandyscrittercity@yahoo.com.  More info is on my website, sandyscrittercity.com.

Good luck!