Where to buy rat nebulizer?

Wed Aug 25, 2004 5:29 am

I've seen people talk about them briefly on here and I was wondering where you could get them and what they do. Is it like a steroid for humans with asthma? I would like to get one for emergencies since vets are hard to get into around here and I lost a rat to respiratory probs two months ago. Thanks for any help.

Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:17 am

I have no idea Shrug

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pferdfrau92-- Rat Wave

Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:51 am

I use our people-sized nebulizer that our insurance bought for us when one of my children had pneumonia as a baby.

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Maripat
Marshmallow, Caramel and Feather (ratties)
Tyler and Patience (bunns)

Waffles, Scurry, Jennie, Secret, Sweetie and Tickles - ATB

Wed Aug 25, 2004 3:40 pm

A drugstore, surgical supply, or ebay. There are actually two parts to the nebulizer: the pump/air compressor (which is the expensive part) and the nebulizer itself, which probably costs less than $5 USD and may require a prescription (probably because it's a medicine delivery system).

For nebulizing rats, you'll need two additional parts: an empty 2-liter soda bottle and a SuperPet Chinchilla Bath House. Photos of my nebulizer system (w/o the compressor) can be found here (the nebulizer is to the right in the top photo; it does not have the medicine cup attached). Note the action shot of it in use

Hope this helps!

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Victor, Bandit, and Sparrow's Sweeties: Neiko & Roo. Sparrow's Boys: Oliver, Arthur, and Rabskuttle. The fRAT Boys: Jim, Jack, and George.
Good night, Witter, Kono, Rat, Olie, Metro, Calle, Mr. Ratburn, Arwen, Leather, Ohana, Zoe, Misto, and Kanga.

Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:40 am

Thanks. How do you know how much medicine to give? Do you just do it when they are in respiratory distress? Thanks for all the help.

Thu Aug 26, 2004 4:27 am

	Victor wrote:
	A drugstore, surgical supply, or ebay. There are actually two parts to the nebulizer: the pump/air compressor (which is the expensive part) and the nebulizer itself, which probably costs less than $5 USD and may require a prescription (probably because it's a medicine delivery system).

Actually you don't need an Rx for the nebulizer. When ours gets too old, we've always just gone to the pharmacy and purchased a new one (without prescription).

Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:00 pm

I just bought mine too, but I think the laws vary from state to state. As for the medicine--your vet should be able to tell you that. I used plain bronchial saline (which is NOT the same saline you use for contact lenses) to help open the nasal passages up. In Maryland, I don't need a prescription for bronchial saline, tho it was kept behind the counter.

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Victor, Bandit, and Sparrow's Sweeties: Neiko & Roo. Sparrow's Boys: Oliver, Arthur, and Rabskuttle. The fRAT Boys: Jim, Jack, and George.
Good night, Witter, Kono, Rat, Olie, Metro, Calle, Mr. Ratburn, Arwen, Leather, Ohana, Zoe, Misto, and Kanga.

Fri Aug 27, 2004 12:55 am

Thanks. I'm going to see what the vet says because I'm guessing I need a prescription to get it. You can't even buy two boxes of sudafed at the same time where I live because of people making meth!