Chemogenetic technology designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) is a widely used experimental method to control neuronal activity with an exogenous receptor. This study virally expressed an excitatory DREADD in all inhibitory interneuron types of the CA1 region of the hippocampus in the rat. For this study, Sprague Dawley rats were used for viral injection and intracranial recordings. Rats were housed in pairs prior to implantation, but housed separately afterward. The dataset includes electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry data. The data indicate that DREADD activation of interneurons brings about both short-term and long-term circuit reorganization.