Ratting Meds?

[Rustypippa 18]

Gonna do a bit of ratting soon on a small holding, do I need to jab the dogs with anything like penicillin or so on after on anything else medicine wise il need?

[rob284 1,682]

No. Only use antibiotics if you get infection.

[bird 9,858]

I could be wrong lol, but your dog or dogs should covered with there booster jab you get ever year. what used kill dogs + humans is ( wells disease ) think that what you call it, it in the rats piss that the dogs pick up sniffing about, more than the bites , but as said I might be wrong, prob somebody on here will know more than me. ive my self always fancied a1 terrier for spot of ratting, ive got the ratman dvd ,and in it are some great pat x whippets , would love this x my self, but don't think you see many bred that way, more just straight jacks, and x jacks etc.seem to be what used today , shame really .

[Rustypippa 18]

Cheers lads, they all up to date on there jabs. Thought I'd best find out before hand as it be my 1st time. Cheers atb

[dymented 2,220]

the more ratting you do the better the dogs will build up there own immunity and rarely get an infection

[donnyc 1,203]

Lepto make sure your jabs had that in it

[neil cooney 10,416]

We used to rat hunt on a dump and knew before each hunt that we were sure of catching rats and there was also the sharp edged rubbish to deal with.

So we used to give every terrier a shot of penicillin before hunting because one way or the other they were going to get a cut that would probably get infected..

It was usually 100 + and in the Summer time which didn't inflict on digging.

But if your sure your terriers are going to get a nip of a few rats then have the penicillin ready.

Edited January 6, 2015 by neil cooney

[neil cooney 10,416]

Sorry, just to add.

Your terrier will get an infection from a rat bite but Lepto from their urine. So in a rat hunt your terrier is more likely to get a bad infection from a rat bite .

They'll pick up lepto at any time in their lives if not properly inoculated.

[gnipper 6,406]

The bites off a rat will swell up the first few times but after that they get pretty immune to their bacteria just give them a wash with saltwater and they should be fine. If it's a really bad one then use whichever treatment necessary.

[keith j 1,088]

Gonna do a bit of ratting soon on a small holding, do I need to jab the dogs with anything like penicillin or so on after on anything else medicine wise il need?

like you said rusty your dogs are jabbed up that should cover them against leptospirosis and hepatitis both of which rats carry ,and yearly boosters i find is a must,as i rat my dogs on a weekly basis and have accounted for some big numbers .i don't however find the need to give my dogs any medications before a hunt as you dogs need to build there immunity's up against the bacteria rats carry in there bites,sometimes pups may swell up after being bitten but they sharp get used with that .i find good after care and making sure bites, wounds are well cleaned and kept clean you should have no probs,although if swelling dose not subside in your pup only then would i use anti biotics . Hope this is of some help ,atb keith j.

[leegreen 2,150]

Lepto make sure your jabs had that in it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptospirosis

[Rustypippa 18]

Cheers lads for the help, il let you know how it goes. I won't be giving the dogs any meds unless need but with be making sure all cuts an bites are treated well