Unfortunately, there’s no cure for mycoplasma pulmonis. Azithromycin can be an effective alternative antibiotic treatment. Those species that cause disease in animals and humans are able to colonize epithelial cell surfaces and attach to certain receptors on the host’s cell membrane. enrofloxacin), are more effective against mycoplasma. Research indicates that while M. pulmonis has been shown to colonize ciliated epithelium of the upper and lower respiratory tracts, in rat pups, the small microscopic lesions may not be detected until the rat reaches 2 to 6 months of age, and the chronic obstructive lung disease that results may not show until the rat is 12-18 months (Cassell, 2008). The organism is carried in the rat’s upper respiratory system, and can be transmitted by direct contact and through the air (over short distances). In rats, if mycoplasma is suspected or confirmed, a combination of enrofloxacin or ciprofloxacin and doxycycline is often given for a minimum of 2 weeks. Mycoplasma is in almost all chronic respiratory disease in rats, and it can be transferred via aerosolisation, when rats breathe or sneeze on each other, or from the female rat to her babies. Recognizing the Symptoms Monitor your rat's energy levels to see if it is lethargic. and symptoms can be suppressed with antibiotics in the early stages of the disease, but will most likely become a chronic condition requiring periodic or even constant treatment. Left untreated, mycoplasma can cause pneumonia, lung scarring and death. Some rats live their whole lives without a "breakout" and some suffer with it a lot. Two that are commonly prescribed by many veterinarians, and I have used in the past for my rats, are doxycycline and enrofloxacin. Nebulized treatments involving antibiotics (e.g., fluoroquinolones: enrofloxacin (Baytril), aminoglycosides: amikacin or gentamicin, amikacin), macrolides (e.g.azithromycin, erythromycin at bacteriocidal doses), and the tetracyclines (e.g. Last updated on May 15, 2017, 22:37 A Layman's Guide to the Health and Nursing Care of Rats For more information on the treatment and therapies in advanced Mycoplasmosis where pneumonia, otitis media/interna is involved, or where genital or urinary tract infections are present, see the following located in the Rat Health Guide section of the Rat Guide:
M. pulmonis is non-pathogenic to humans, and even though it can be carried by humans in the nasal passages for short periods of time, you yourself cannot be infected. The most common organism causing this disease in rats is the bacteria Mycoplasma pulmonis,which can enter the body’s cells in order to hide from antibiotics. It can, however, be helped with antibiotics and symptoms can be minimized. It's contagious.Some rats live their lives without symptoms or breakouts (good for them! The mycoplasma organism carried principally by rats and mice is Mycoplasma pulmonis. With CRD, long-term treatment or intermittent treatment may be needed lifelong. Observe for any signs of increased agitation or intolerance. *Note: it is important to complete the medication treatment or regimen prescribed. Some of the greatest info I read about rats (and small animals in general) come from Facebook groups, and the experts who admin them.
Providing higher caloric foods and encouraging the rat to eat will help maintain strength to combat the effects of illness and to keep the gut mobile. If noted stop treatment and contact vet. Obviously, you should see your specialized veterinarian to discuss a plan of action. However, how rapidly transmission occurs may vary among rats within a colony based on: husbandry practices, environment, and how many rats within the colony. The ability of mycoplasma to have a cell membrane to cell membrane attachment with its host allows the organism to expose the host’s cells to peroxide metabolites and superoxide radicals (Suckow, Weisbroth, & Franklin, 2005). A two-week course of meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), was prescribed to reduce inflammation in the upper respiratory tract. What this means is that although the etiology is Mycoplasma pulmonis, the disease is frequently initiated, accompanied, or exacerbated by other bacterial infections such as CAR bacillus, and Corynebacterium kutscheri, as well as viral infections like SDA (Sialodacryoadenitis) and Sendai virus, with recognizable clinical signs. While antibiotic treatment can help control the disease, there is no known cure for Rats that are ill frequently tend to reduce intake of water and food so it becomes important to monitor this. ), but some really suffer. Mycoplasma differs from other bacteria in that they lack a cell wall. The rats were then separated into pairs and housed in three enclosures during treatment but were eventually re-homed together. It can, however, be helped with antibiotics and symptoms can be minimized. In lower infection as disease advances along the respiratory passages causing bronchiolitis, bronchiectasis and Mycoplasma Pulmonis is a disease that almost all rats are born with. However, if the rat shows no improvement within five days of starting treatment, or should the rat’s condition worsen at any point during treatment, see a veterinarian to discuss alternative antimicrobial or appropriate combination drug therapy. Obviously, you should see your specialized veterinarian to discuss a plan of action.