Pocket Pet · Rattus norvegicus var. domestica · typical adult weight 0.25–0.70 kg
Azithromycin is dosed at 30 mg/kg PO q24h x 5d then twice weekly in pet rats, per Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. / 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.770 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350. Azithromycin is used in pet rats for Resistant Mycoplasma / 3rd-line. Routes documented in pet rats: PO. A typical adult pet rat weighs 0.25–0.70 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Azithromycin in pet rats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Zithromax
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|
| PO | 30 mg/kg | q24h x 5d then twice weekly | Resistant Mycoplasma / 3rd-line | Moderate | Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. / 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.770 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15–30 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.1 | 15-30 mg/kg PO q24h,130 |
| 50 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.1 | 50 mg/kg PO q12h × 14 days |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your pet rat's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Binds to 50S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Concentrates in tissues with long half-life.
CONTRAINDICATED orally in rabbits and guinea pigs (fatal dysbiosis). May cause GI upset. Long tissue half-life means prolonged effect after discontinuation.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for pet rats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Azithromycin dose range in pet rats, with cited source references: PO 30 mg/kg q24h x 5d then twice weekly. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Azithromycin in pet rats: PO.
Azithromycin is indicated in pet rats for: Resistant Mycoplasma / 3rd-line.
These are general warnings for Azithromycin across species; consult the pet rat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. CONTRAINDICATED orally in rabbits and guinea pigs (fatal dysbiosis). May cause GI upset. Long tissue half-life means prolonged effect after discontinuation.
Why a species-specific page? Azithromycin pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in pet rats — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.