[twilight]

We are using a new vet, who is turning out to be amazing! But I already forgot her name. Anyway, she looked at Daddy yesterday because he had a myco flare up and I wanted to make sure his lungs where okay (which they where). She weighed him and examined him. Ended up giving us Baytril.

She said if I have to force feed him (which I don't, I put it on bread and he gobbles it down) then to make sure he LICKS it. She stressed the licking part. She said if you just opened his mouth and squirt it in that its possible it could go into his lungs and thats not good to say the least.

I was just wondering if that is true and if so, to warn people of the dangers.

 

[dkg04]

My guess it would be very possible for rats to aspirate such things (which could cause pneumonia, or a lung abcess). If he is taking the medication without you having to force feed it to him, that is really great! I had to force feed my guinea pig the Baytril, and much like rats I made sure I saw him doing a licking motion so that way I could tell he was actually swallowing the medicine and I wasn't just squirting it down his throat or into his lungs.

 

[Mana]

When I had to give Baytril to Rokk, the vet instructed me to squirt it in his mouth.. so I don't know. I wasn't too impressed with that vet though. But I think if good vets say it could get into their lungs that way, people should not squirt it in their mouths just in case. Far better safe than sorry!

 

[jorats]

Yes, squirting in his mouth when the rat is not ready or gasping can cause him to aspirate which is dangerous. But then again... a rat that won't readily lick his meds is going to die without it. So it's one of those things, **** if you do, **** if you don't.
I've squirted the meds in the mouth before and I've never had a rat aspirate it. ...yet.

 

[cjshrader]

Yes I've also squirted medicine in the rat's mouth as well. I think part of the trick is to not do to much at one time, and also not to put the syringe or whatever in too deep. If you do that I imagine the rat will be fine.

However if I could get them to eat it on a piece of bread that'd be amazing.