Question
Keiko (before her eye
Hi Sandra,
I have two eighteen month old spayed female rats named Keiko and Tiny. One of Keiko's eyes has been tearing up. My vet said that it was not likely myco, since it was not both eyes and she has no porphorin around her nose. We have tried both baytril and clavamox (not at the same time) to treat her, and have had problems with both antibiotics. Although the antibiotics made the eye clear up while she was on them, she has not been able to tolerate either medication. I think they make her feel sick when she takes them, based on her behavior (i.e. lethargy, refusing to take medication after a few doses, even when it is made to taste good), and once the antibiotics were stopped she was back to feeling like herself again, (although the eye tearing returned). I asked my vet if there was any kind of eye ointment that she could use or a different kind of systemic antibiotic and was told that baytril and clavamox were the only two options she could take. I am not willing to force my beautiful girl to take a medication that makes her feel like hell unless there is no other alternative. Do you know if there are any safe options that I could try?
Thank you!
Answer
Eye infection that cau
Is your vet trying to say that rats, in general, can only take baytril and clavamox?
If this is the case, you need a vet that knows more about rats, because this is not the case.
Rats can safely take most medications humans can take, from tons of different antibiotics to narcotic pain medication, even ibuprofen and acetaminophen like childrens tylenol!
What exactly is her eye doing when you say tearing up? Running clear discharge or simply porphyrin drainage?
Where are you located? I am going to assume your vet is a general vet that sees pocket pets but is not a board certified exotic companion mammal specialist.
Are they any signs of illness that Keiko is displaying that would indicate the need for oral antibiotics?
There are eye ointments and drops, such as baytril otic, but again, this may not even be an eye infection unless you tell me the eye itself is cloudy with white, possibly discharge of green or yellow or white pus, crusting up and drying etc.... here is one example of an eye infection on the photo shown.
If you want, you can make this message private and let me know the vet your using so I can check his credentials, esp if he has you thinking he is an exotics Vet, which I am close to saying I doubt he is from the info I have gathered so far.
Hang in there....I think she will be just fine. Also, when her eye acts up, does it swell shut, crust up? What color is the discharge?
Also, mycoplasmosis doesnt always cause porphyrin discharge. Rats can have porphyrin and be absolutely fine. I have had rats with porphyrin coming from their eyes and are totally fine and I have had rats dying from pneumonia that had not a drop of it anywhere.
Mycoplasmosis is a bacteria that rats harbor naturally. If it becomes active infection, it can cause respiratory infections, which it is then called Mycoplasmosis pulmonis. It can cause inner ear infection called Otitis media, culprit is often myco bacteria.
Anyhow, please let me know your location and again, who you see for your rat (you can make this private)
Here is just a small list of medication rats can take, all antibiotics:
Baytril- for myco and other infections
Doxycycline- for myco and other infections
Amoxil- NOT for myco, but good for secondary infections
Cefadrops-NOT for myco, but good for secondary infections
chloramphenicol- used for myco and other infections, very potent, use as last resort.
Trimethoprim Sulfa-NOT for myco, but good for secondary infections
Erythromycin-for myco and other secondary infections
Ampicillin-NOT for myco, but good for secondary infections
Azithromycin- for myco and other seoncdary infections
Cephalexin Monohydrate-NOT for myco, but good for secondary infections
Amikacin Sulfate- major infections, esp pneumonia used for short term only
Gentocin-major infections, esp pneumonia and other bacteria that is not responding to other medication. Use short term only.
This is only part of the antibiotics they can take safely.
There are others such as heart medications, NSAIDS, steroids, albuterol, valium in liquid form, stadol among other narcotics for pain, I can go on and on. You need a vet that KNOWS this, or otherwise, your rat is never going to be treated correctly.
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