My rat has a URI. What OTC meds can I give him to avoid vet costs?

Hello. Chewy does offer pharmaceutical drugs, but you will need a prescription from your veterinarian to order anything. You will need to see your vet anyway because there are no medications made specifically for rodents & the doses have to be very carefully calculated & often the medications compounded to make a safe dose for such a small pet. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Keep them warm and as stress free as possible. Stress can complicate any illness in rats. Use a dust free substrate. Some sneezing is normal and you may see a red tinge (porphyrin staining) which is also normal in small amounts. A URI will likely require antibiotics. Do not give any other medications to your rats without the advice of your veterinarian. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite or increased discharge from the eyes nose or mouth. If you see any of these symptoms, have them examined at the nearest veterinary ER. As long as they are behaving and eating normally, you can likely wait until Monday.

Thanks for reaching out about your new family members. Amoxicillin will not treat the typical infectious organism that causes respiratory problems in rats (Mycoplasma). Either return to the vendor or seek a veterinary visit for recommended treatment. If is not the place, nor is it legal to prescribe medications or recommend medication treatments from this website. Good luck.

I hate to hear that Jerry is sick. I’m not sure what this syrup is that you are giving her but rats who have respiratory symptoms typically respond well to doxycycline. It is important to have a veterinarian who is comfortable treating pocket pets such as rats. I recommend to call your veterinarian and discuss your concerns. That is the best way to get appropriate treatment. You may also look online for veterinarians who treat small animals. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It does sound as if you ratbhas a respiratory tract infection. The best course of treatment is to have Blizzard examined by your veterinarian so an appropriate antibiotic can be started if needed. I would also recommend separating Blizzard from the other rats as well in case the infection is contagious. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello. It does sound like Artemis has an upper respiratory infection. Giving the wrong medication is just as bad as not treating at all, so it is best to have a veterinarian examine him. Before agreeing to any diagnostics or medications, make sure they give you a written estimate so you can see exactly what this might cost. Then, do the best you can to try & help your little friend. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. It sounds like Yuki would benefit from the antibiotics, too. Baytril is a very good, broad spectrum medication. Ask your vet if you can start giving Yuki the medication. The unknown here is whether this is viral or bacterial, or if this is even something more insidious like a fungal infection or even cancer. You might try some steam therapy or nebulization with saline. The next step would be to obtain chest x-rays to evaluate what is actually going on in the lungs. A change in antibiotics is a possibility & I would recommend Doxycycline possibly with the addition of azithromycin, & especially for Dambo, you might need to add theophylline to open up the respiratory passages. Personally, I would try to stay away from steroids for now. Contact your veterinarian to discuss what other options are available for your little pets. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.