Orbax (Orbifloxacin)

5540 Views 7 Replies 2 Participants Last post by breyer08, May 1, 2011

Ratchilla

Discussion Starter · Apr 30, 2011

Hi guys,

I've always come to this place when I needed references or help and you always seem to provide such good feedback. I've never had a reason to post before now but wanted your input. I've tried to search for it but only found one thread and it didn't provide much insight.

I came home from a week away and Zara's face was covered in red and then Roo sneezes (Roo never sneezes!). Uh oh. My pride and joy, Nicodemus, died from mycoplasma (18 months) because I caught it too late and he died before I was able to get him to the vet. Now, I'm paranoid about it and any potential respiratory infection. I know they are sick, I can see it and in the way they act/hair/body language, I just hope everything turns out okay.

Anyway, the reason for the post. Last time I was given enrofloxacin and cefadrops (to fight any secondary infection) and it worked well for him (he had originally contacted it at 12 months of age, but I got him to the vet in time). The doc says that all of the baytril they have are in higher doses (22 mg) and that they have orbax and it comes in a liquid form so that I can give the proper dose.

I've tried researching it and have only run into walls. I've even seen some people say arguments break out between the both and which is better (side effects)... what I want to know is will it take care of them?

P.S. I took them both in and got charged two separate exotic visits for them... that part came out alone to be $100. Do your vets do this to you? Next time I'm only taking one.

Thanks for any help!

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breyer08

· #2 · Apr 30, 2011

I don't know anything about those drugs, but the most common thing in the States is to give a combo of Baytril and doxycycline. The vet should be able to prescribe a Baytril suspension--even if they don't have the ability to mix the proper dosage there, they should certainly be able to send it in to a pharmacy and ship it to you. (Are you in the States or the UK?)

ETA: And to answer your question about taking both in together but being charged for both--I'm assuming you only needed one looked at, and you just took the other for company? If that's the case, there is absolutely no reason why you should be charged for two exams. With the vet's refusal to prescribe Baytril, and them charging you twice for just one patient, I'd strongly suggest finding a different vet.

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Ratchilla

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 1, 2011

I live in the states. Yeah, I just couldn't find anything on orbax. I don't know, I asked about the baytril and that was the answer I got. What do you mean ship it to me? They kind of needed the medicine immediately, Zara seemed pretty bad off.

Thanks anyway for answering, I was just hoping someone was familiar with the drug. It seems they have already improved since yesterday morning. They are acting much better today (more alert) and haven't done that freaky eye thing at all.

I don't get it, I use care fresh ultra, clean their cage thoroughly weekly with picking out and replacing as needed through the week. I don't use anything that I think would hurt their systems near them (carpet powder, plug in oils, etc.).

It's frustrating. What precautions do you guys take?

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Ratchilla

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 1, 2011

Also, sorry, I forgot to answer the other part. Roo went in because she was sneezing. I wasn't super worried about it, assumed she got was Zara has since research said most respiratory illnesses are contagious. They picked her up, looked at her nose, but concentrated mostly on Zara since she had a lot of red. I just didn't think they would charge two visits, most likely my fault, it just REALLY sucks, lol.

We don't really have any rat specialists that I could find. I've thought about Banfield (in PetSmart) since they see a lot of those guys come through but I once had a vet there prescribe my little guy (mouse) steroids (liquid form) for his skin since he was scratching it off so much, pretty much down to the muscle. His mite scraping came back negative. Me not knowing any better put it on him and he died 2 days later because he licked it off. Turned out it was poisonous to ingest. Now I just take all my rodents to my normal dog doctor since I figured they wouldn't be any worse than the other supposed small pet ones. I just research everything when I come home now.

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breyer08

· #5 · May 1, 2011

Yeah, I would definitely check for a new vet, then. Mite scraping actually doesn't work with these guys...there are several threads on here from the past about that, one I'm pretty sure was started by me about 1.5 years ago asking about that. Mite scrapings almost always come back as false negatives. It's a lot better to inspect the skin visually, and to give them a dose of Revolution just to be on the safe side. It almost always works.

Even rats with the best possible care will still suffer the effects of myco. It's usually just a matter of time, since most rats harbor myco inherently in their system. My Russell, for instance, has had problems with it his entire life, and there's nothing to be done to cure it. The antibiotics will help to stave off respiratory infections and illnesses, but more than likely the symptoms will come back at some point later on.

My vet is able to make the Baytril suspension right at the clinic, but they work with a pharmacy to get the doxycycline suspension. They call in the prescription, and it ships out to me within two days. I then have the ability to request up to 3 refills on my own accord, whenever Russell needs more meds. Once those run out, then the vet will call in a new Rx. (Russell is now on meds long-term, probably for the rest of his life.) This is something your vet should be able to do, as well.

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Ratchilla

Discussion Starter · #6 · May 1, 2011

Thanks for all the information Breyer, appreciate it.

Interesting, I wouldn't have guessed that about the mite scrapings not working. Another person had a rat on here where they were doing the same thing and it turned out to be a tumor (just not visable), my mouse looked the same way, so I wonder if the only thing he really had was time.

After Nico died, I did an insane amount of research on myco and learned a lot of stuff that I didn't know. I get that pretty much all rats have it, I just don't know why mine at almost a year of age always show it. It seems so young.

As far as the suspensions... 3 refills from the company and you just ask to get it, I'm assuming both baytril and docycycline? I'm sorry, can you give me a little bit more information on how that works? Just so that I know how to explain it to my vet. I'll ask them about it, if they won't do it, I'll find a vet who will. I don't know if having it on hand would have made a difference for Nico (but it might have). I'd rather not take that chance with the girls. The long term meds that Russell is on, do you give to him everyday or only when he shows signs of infection? Thanks again!

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breyer08

· #7 · May 1, 2011

The pharmacy my vet uses is called Wedgewood Pharmacy. Since my vet has the ability to make the baytril suspension right at the clinic, the only thing he orders from the pharmacy is the doxycycline suspension. Each time he calls in a prescription, it is good for up to three refills. I have to call them as soon as he has called it in the first time, in order to give them my shipping and credit card info. They then ship it out within 2 business days to me. When I'm getting close to needing a refill, I can either request one online or call it in by phone.

And fyi: The baytril is in a cherry-flavored suspension, and Russell actually really enjoys it! (Thank goodness!) The doxycycline is in a banana-flavored suspension, and since that medicine is so strong and bitter, I always mix it with baby food squash, and he eats it that way.

Russell is currently on a baytril/doxy combo twice a day for at least three more weeks, but we're assuming that we'll probably just continue him on it at this point on a very low dosage. There is concern for antibiotic resistance, but since he is almost two years old and has been having a lot of health problems recently, we'd rather risk the resistance and help him to feel more comfortable in the meantime. We're playing it all by ear, though.

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breyer08

· #8 · May 1, 2011

Oh, and one more thing: If you can't get the doxy the same day as the baytril, that's ok, but try to get the baytril first. It's the stronger of the two, and when treating a URI, you should start with that first, anyway.

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