View Full Version : Azithromycin for pneumonia. Advice and osage help please
la dame à l'écureuil
04-18-2010, 10:18 PM
I'm caring for a 6 week old baby that was brought to me a few days ago. She is showing signs of pneumonia since yesterday evening. Slight clicking in her throat when she breathes, wheezing and mouth breathing. Otherwise she seems very healthy. She has a good appetite (esbilac and bananas), is alert and very active when awake.
I will be able to get some Amox and help with dosing from a rehabber tomorrow.
However a neighbor gave me some Azithromycin (also called zithromax) that she was given to use instead of Amoxicillin on her two year old daughter and suggested I try it.
I did some online research and found it is considered safe for squirrels and is recommended for rats with respiratory problems. I am considering giving some some to this little girl tonight till I can switch her to Amox tomorrow.
The label says:
600mg (15ml when mixed) arithromycin for oral suspension 200mg per 5ml
Does anyone know how I would figure out the best dosage for her? She weighs 150 grams.
Thanks!
KinshouKitsune
04-18-2010, 11:03 PM
I haven't worked with either before, but i'm sure someone will be here to help you soon. Lots of dedicated squirrel mommys on the board. Hold tight and i've got your little one in my thoughts.
island rehabber
04-19-2010, 12:09 AM
Good to see you again, la dame!
Unfortunately I can't find a dosage chart for Azithromycin in my wildlife books here. I seem to have dosages for every AB on the planet except that one....damn.
la dame à l'écureuil
04-19-2010, 08:22 AM
Thanks anyway,Island, for looking for it!
On two rat sites I found this recommendation for Azithromycin:
4 to 8mg/lb BID-SID, PO
So based on her weight, 150 grams, I decided to try a dose of .5 mg on her last night. Less than what a rat her size would get but I wanted to be cautious. Math is not my forte so hopefully I got it right!
She is about the same this morning. Eating voraciously and active. Still sneezing,wheezing and making the clicking sound but still no discharge from her nose that I can see.
Jackie in Tampa
04-19-2010, 09:06 AM
not a rehabber or a medical person...but usually pnuemonia will make the sq lethargic with appetite loss...and clicking is with every breath and from the CHEST.
I have never had nasal drainage with Pnuemonia either...but I have only SEEN several cases:dono
good luck and keep us posted...
with baytril as medicine, I usually see some improvement after 48 hours.
I also offer heat.
la dame à l'écureuil
04-20-2010, 06:28 PM
Thanks, Jackie. It's helpful to know you ussually don't see an effect from the antibiotics for 48 hours. I had searched the threads for "pneumonia" before starting thsi thread so I knew that the clicking should come from the chest. I couldn't determine for sure, evem holding her up to my ear, where it ws coming from but, her chest or her mouth, but then I put my fingers on her chest and could feel it was coming from there, upper chest anf throat. I have been keeping her warm with a heating pad set to low under on half of the cat carrier I have her in. Also she enjoys taking sun baths while I massage her.
I have her on Amoxi now ( with Benebac to counteract any stomach upset) thanks to the ever helpful dmgualtieri who met me yesterday and gave me some.
As far as the zithromycin goes, if anyone wants to know how it worked for me, I can't say if it helped as I only gave her 2 doses, 12 hour apart based on the minimum dosing for a rat her size. It didn't seem to harm her so that's good news. I wonder though if it was still active as my neighbor had already mixed it with water at some point in the last 3 months and the package says to discard 10 days after mixing.
She is still mouth breathing, wheezing and clicking but her appetite is good, she's active and lively when awake and seems to have an excellent chance for survival.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.2 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.