My rat on vibramycin

Question
QUESTION: Hi Sandra. I just got home from the vet, my rat Remy has been sneezing I gave him amoxi caps and didn't see any changes so I switched him on doxy caps and it seemed to help. He's been on it for 6 weeks. (By the way I got the meds on theratshop.com) Last week I heard a mild clicking-like sound on Remy's nose, it comes and goes but every time I use a stethoscope to hear his breathing, I don't hear anything his lungs seem clear and so with the chest, both him and his brother would have the occasional porphyrin on the nose once in awhile. Just to get some peace of mind I took him to the vet today, my vet went on vacation last week so I had to wait till today...anyway I told my vet what has happened and how I gave him doxy and whatnot, he said that they were fish capsules and that it doesn't have the right concentration (I got the dose from the Rat Healthcare Booklet), he checked the breathing and said that Remy's lungs are clear and told me that he should be on vibramycin he said that it should be stronger since it is liquid I'm sure to give the right dose. He told me to give it for 7 days, puzzled me cause I thought they should be on antibiotics for a month at least and he said that it usually goes away in 7 days and that I already gave him the doxy caps prior to that. He also said that if the clicking-like sounds would go back, he'll have to be on it for long term if he responds with it or if not he'll be switched to baytril. Did he handle it right? Thanks for reading this. :)

ANSWER:
Doxy just is not strong enough to hold mycoplasmosis at bay to be honest. what he is doing, which I can understand, is trying to spare using the baytril unless absolutely necessary. However, the longer your rat has active infection from myco, the chances of it gaining strength is high and if he is not on medication long enough it will return with a vengeance.

What confuses me is that he said the doxy you used was too weak yet he is counting those doses into the treatment plan.

I think he should be on baytril PLUS they doxy (vibramycin) for the next 21 days and after that,  NOT WAIT for a relapse, but keep him on the doxy for the duration of his life. Some vets play games and keep the rat on a semi-prophylactic dose by giving them baytril for 4 weeks and taking a break for 2 weeks, and putting them on it again and off it again. This is opening the door for one helluva infection that may just be a strain of something or other that is RESISTANT to the baytril because of this strange dosing regimen game that this particular Vet played.]
I would just put him on baytril for life to be honest.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the fast answer. So Remy needs to be on vibramycin and baytril for 21-30 days. If he improves after 30 days, should I stop using it or just continue using both of them for  long term? Oh, and one more question is there a difference with the liquid doxy, vibramycin and the capsule type ones? I'm confused...I also printed out that whole page about myco on your website, has been very helpful...much thanks again!

Answer

Vibramycin is doxycyline, just a brand name of it.  They all come in different strengths. THe weaker ones are sold over the counter as fish medication so that is what the vet probably meant.

They come in various strengths such as:

50 mg and 100 mg Capsules
or as a Suspension as 5 mg/mL in sold in 60mL bottles.

Also, to treat something that is severe, doxy alone is just not strong enough to really rid the mycoplasma.  

I suggest adding both doxy and baytril and also nebulize using amakacin and nebulize the baytril as well. She could even put put on albuterol if she is wheezing or gasping.
Once the treatment has ended and  she is stable, keeping her on the baytril once a day for the rest of her life, not the doxy, would be the best thing.