Vet Rat Respiratory Guide

A new free guide which looks at the causes and treatment of a poorly understood respiratory disease in pet rats has been announced. The Vet Rat Respiratory Guide discusses various causes of the disease and suggests treatments, many of which are not routinely used to treat this often fatal disease.

Written by exotics certificate holder Mark Rowland BVSc CertZooMed MRCVS, and produced in conjunction with the UK pet rat rescue charity, CavyRescue the publication includes a Formulary section, enabling vets who see rats with this illness to prescribe medications they may not have used before on a rodent.

Announcing the guide, Stella Hulott from CavyRescue said:

"Over the last ten years one of the most common questions we, as a high profile pet rat rescue, get asked about is the treatment of respiratory disease in rats. This guide is a combination of our experience and our vet's expertise.

"Since using the various medications as described in the guide, the charity [has] been able to successfully manage and control the disease and [has seen] an increased longevity in rats who once would have died prematurely due to respiratory distress."

Over the next few months the Vet Rat Respiratory Guide will be mailed or emailed out to veterinary practices. It can also be downloaded here.