Python may be sick

[mps725]

I think my snake has a respiratory infection, he has bubbling a bit at the mouth.

I have a vet appointment scheduled but what else can I do to help for the time being?

The heat on his basking side is around 90 degrees, plenty of water, two hides, aspen substrate.

What else can I do for him until his vet visit?

-MPS

[Will0W783]

The best home remedy is to raise both temperature and humidity in the enclosure. The heat helps the immune system and the humidity makes it easier for it to breath. Try to raise the temps maybe 5 or so degrees and place another water bowl directly under the heat lamp so it will evaporate and add humidity. Also you can mist a bit.

[mps725]

Thanks, I looked around online a bit and I did that already. Sounds good, thanks for the input.

[mps725]

Well, here is an update on my snakes vet visit:

Turns out he had some mites under his chin and a small respiratory infection.

The vet gave me a mite treatment to do once a week for 3 weeks and four syringes of medicine for his RI.

I also bought all new cage furniture, got rid of his aspen substrate and got a terrarium liner.

Hoping he gets better soon!

-MPS

[mps725]

On a funny note, the Vet was baby talking to the snake which is a new one for me!

[Will0W783]

Lol. Different people have different attitudes with snakes. I speak to mine like I would a dog sometimes, "hi, baby, sweetie, good boy/girl.." even though I know they can't hear me.

[mps725]

Well, I have one shot left to give Jugg and another week of mite treatment, he is looking much healthier.

I am hoping he eats by the end of august... would be great!

-MPS

[Will0W783]

What antibiotic and mite treatment did the vet give you? Only 4 shots seems like an awfully short course of meds to me. I have a carpet currently on Amikacin for an RI and I have to give him a shot every 3 days, it's been 2 weeks and the snake has to go back for a checkup Tuesday. It wasn't even a very advanced RI, but the vet did a full workup- blood count, blood smear, fecal sample exam, throat culture and mucus examination under the microscope.

[mps725]

To be honest I am unsure of what the shot is, but she gave me 4 syringes and did one at the vet for a total of 5.

I am doing Frontline for the mite treatment since it (according to the vet) has a very low toxicity level for animals.

I don't think Jugg was very far into his RI either, I am going to schedule a checkup upon completion of the treatments so if you have some questions for me to ask the Vet, I could ask them since I wouldn't mind knowing myself.

Admittedly, I thought it odd that she suggested a mite treatment that originates with dogs and cats but I am not a vet so I wasn't terribly concerned.

-MPS

[Chu'Wuti]

Is your vet herp certified? If she's a dog & cat vet, she's recommending what she knows. Check out this thread for some excellent info: (Medical) Mite Treatment, (NIX) at http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-discussion/82231-medical-mite-treatment-nix.html

Good luck with everything.

[mps725]

Yeah, they don't see animals they aren't certified for, lawsuits galore.

-MPS