19 Day Old Gerbils, Possible Respiratory Infection Help

[sycohearted]

The title says it all...I have 19 day old babies that are making severe clicking sounds...I have no small vets in my area and I was hoping someone could give me medicine help that does not require a vet. I read online some kind of bird medicine will help cure them? 

[Sajira]

I don't actually have any experience in this, but I've heard that bird antibiotics will help.

[MoonstoneGerbils]

You need to go to a vet. Antibiotics are not available without a prescription. Most petsmarts have a banfield and a vet on staff that treats their small animals.

Ornacyline may or may not help you, its overused and your strain might be resistant.

[sycohearted]

I am assuming my post was not thoroughly read because I stated I have no vets near by...So, I am not sure why that was even stated.
Thank you, Sajira. I'll try the bird medicine.

[MoonstoneGerbils]

The reason why i posted that you need to see a vet, is because you can not get antibiotics without a prescription.

The bird antibiotic, ornacyline is pretty much only sold at petsmart. Thats the only place I have ever found it. Further, if you are at petsmart, you should ask who their vet is, because they have and use one. (so does petco, but they aren't on site).

Ornacyline isn't very good at treating gerbils, ESPECIALLY pups. Pups are not drinking water yet, only milk. So they won't get properly dosed by treating the water. if anything they'll become more dehydrated as mom will avoid drinking the water, and produce less milk.

Don't be so presumptive that i do not know what i'm posting, or that i didn't read your post in its entirety.

Find a vet, any vet. who will prescribe you SMZ. Without a real oral antibiotic, your pups will not get the help they need.

[sycohearted]

You think I don't know that? There not being a vet around is not my fault. I am desperate for other options or else I would of not even wasted my time making a forum post. If a vet was around that would of been my first option and no other vet in my area will even talk to me unless it is a cat or a dog.
I said what I did because it was a dumb thing to reply in my opinion, I clearly stated a vet is out of the question.
I wish I could just go to a darn petstore and buy SMZ.

[sycohearted]

Would a cat or dog vet prescribe some to me if I were to say anything specific?

[crittercrazy]

I think what MoonstoneGerbils is saying is that even if you don't think there's a small-animal vet around, you should look into finding one at Petsmart. Do you not have a Petsmart nearby?

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that they wouldn't give you medicine for an animal they don't deal with. I could be wrong, but you said that they won't even talk to you if its not a cat/dog, so seems unlikely they would give you medicine for gerbils.

I hope something works out, and that the pups get better!

[sycohearted]

I will have to check Petsmart next time I go for the medicine Thank you so much, CritterCrazy!

[MoonstoneGerbils]

Don't get angry with me. None of us are vets here (and if any of us were, they'd be smart enough not to risk the license by offering medical advice over the internet), and no one should be offering you any other medical advice, other than to go to a vet. Respiratory infections can be caused by viruses, and antibiotics won't help. This is why you need to see a vet, and not self medicate.

[sycohearted]

No one said I was angry, kid. Calm down lol...Making a racket over a forum post.

Anyway...
I was able to obtain some Tetracyline, which I read on many websites (including here!) that it was okay to give to them. My only issue now is dosage and how often a day I should give it to them? they are 21-22 days old.