ANTIBIOTICS: Safe & unsafe, for Rodents

[Jackie in Tampa]

Antibiotics (oral, and sometimes topical) can cause fatal changes in intestinal microflora. (Gram negative bacteria overgrow and cause enterocolitis and diarrhea.) Oral lactobacillus supplements have been used to ameliorate the gastrointestinal side-effects, but their effectiveness is debatable.
Guinea pigs:


Fatal reactions can result from: penicillin, bacitracin, erythromycin, ampicillin, and chlortetracycline
Toxic reactions can result from: spiramycin, lincomycin, streptomycin, gentamicin, clindamycin, and vancomycin
Antibiotics generally considered safe (see table below): enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, cephaloridine, oxytetracycline, sulfamethazine, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim-sulfadiazine
Hamsters:


Fatal reactions: penicillin, streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin, erythromycin, lincomycin, clindamycin, and tetracyline
Antibiotics generally regarded as safe (see dosage table below): trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol palmitate, and tetracycline
Rats and mice:


Fatal reactions: streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin, procaine component of penicillins
Safe (see dosage table below): trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol palmitate, and tetracycline


Gerbils:


Fatal reactions: streptomycin and dihydrostreptomycin
Antibiotics generally regarded as safe (see dosage table below): trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol palmitate, and tetracycline


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This info is from VIN, a forum for licensed veterinarians only.

[island rehabber]

:thumbsup:thankyouGood to know we're doing it right around here, far as I can tell. I can stick this thread here and also in the rehabber's forum. I don't see any reason why it can't be open info but if anyone else does, shout it out.

[pnut2014]

Wht antibioticss r safe for squirrels? Pnut has a.toe where she must have steped on somethin n her cage. Its red swollen sweling has fone down n a week but still rex.wandering if she needs a antibioic. Can anyone find a.vet n the orangeburg sc or columbia sc other than cornerstone ecoxtic.vet. tht was the one tht wanted to give her vit d shots and rabies shots. She also.didt know tht the bald patch was her diet and two ppl on tsb did.ya really know more a lot of times than a vet. :grin2