Baytril in Moms

Question
What are the risks if you give liquid Baytril to a pregnant or nursing mom who has an Upper Respiratory Infection?

Answer
Hi Alex!

The use of baytril is not recommended for initial treatment in pregnant and nursing does, or rats under 4 months if the respiratory infection is caused by mycoplasmosis, and in most cases, it is, especially involving the upper respiratory tract. If it turns into pneumonia, chances still remain it is myco related but there may be a secondary infection involved as well.
Zithromax (Azithromyacin) is a good drug to use initially and it is safe both for pregnant does and also immature rats under 4 months of age.

However,keep in mind that when symptoms are progressing and the rat is not getting better and in fact, is getting worse after 3 days on zithromax, using baytril may be necessary. The benefits of using baytril, or in combination with doxycycline, may outweigh the risks of the illness itself. This should be up to the vet in such a case.

The reason that baytril should not be used is because it has been found that this medication has been known to cause skeletal changes and detachment of human and rats cartilage cells in which make the structural components of cartilage in vitro.

In laymans terms, in can produce cartilage lesions in weight-bearing joints of immature animals and cause problems with the developing skeletal system.