Neglected RI Needs Help

[Brad]

My blood has had a respitory infection for quite some time but I've been putting it off because it didn't really seem that bad. Now every once in awhile it sounds like she is really having problems breathing. I can hear her breathing pretty hard and it kind of makes a whistling sound. I'm hoping I haven't cause any irreversible damage due to my laziness. I need help on how to cure this as soon as possible. Let me give you a little background info on her and her enclosure.
She's almost two years old, weighs about 18-19lbs, appr. 4 feet in length, and is eating regularly. Her enclosure for the mean time (until I finish her new home) is 40 gal terrarium, made of glass with a wire mesh sliding lid. I have trouble keeping the temperature steady but it's normally between 84-90 on the warm side.
Let me know exactly what I need to do to get rid of her Respitory Infection because I hate hearing her troubled breathing especially since it's my fault.

Thanks for any help you may provide.

[ohh_kristina]

up the temps & if it's too bad, get her to a vet. She'll need antibiotics. Is there any bubbling around her nose/mouth? Is she open mouth breathing?

[Brad]

I've never seen any bubbling around the nose or mouth and she seems to be breathing only from her nose. There isn't anything wrong with her mouth. Last night she was rubbing her nose against the glass and blowing which made a loud noise. She did this for about an hour and then stopped. I got the temp to about 88-90F on the hot side not sure what the low side is which is where she hangs out. How high do I need to go and how long do I keep it there?

[Linds]

*sigh*

Your snake needs veterinary assistance ASAP. Your warm side was too low in the first place (they should be about 90, 84 is too low), as well as your humidity may have been too low in a glass tank (should regularily be about 60-70%). Do you know what the humidity levels are? Bloods have a hard time with RI when they get it, it hits them pretty hard. Just because it doesn't appear bad is absolutely no reason to put it off. It will only get worse the longer you wait. RI don't go away on their own. I'm not from the area so I cannot recommend a vet, but I'm sure someone else may be able to help. Unless you are prepared to properly care for your snake, please give it to someone who will until you are ready. Too many animals die from negligence in this world, I hope yours isn't one of them. I don't mean to come across harshly. Good luck with your snake, and keep us updated.

[Brad]

*sigh*

Well we're back from the Vet and she seems to be doing fine. Unfortunately the Vet mislead me to believe he knew what he was doing. I called before hand and asked how much experience he had with snakes and if he's dealt with RI's before and of course I got all the answers I wanted. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to speak directly with him instead I talked to the receptionist. When I got there the Vet was shocked to see how big she was which I thought was strange because she's about 4 1/2 feet long. So I started to ask him questions and he was giving me strange answers. Then I started asking questions I already knew the answers for and I realized he was giving me answers that pertained to a Ball Python not a Blood. So I told him this is a Blood Python and he became very offensive and said "You're funny you don't believe me!" then he gave me a book to read which was an encyclopedia of reptiles. He said all you answers are in there but there was nothing but one picture of a blood python.
While I was trying to find something in the book he began his examination. He weighed her she weighed in at 16lbs. Then he tried to open her mouth with a spatula and this really ticked her off and she ended up spraying. It was pretty nasty. So he let her go and stated all she needed was some Baytril. One shot every other day for 10 days a total of five shots. Self administered the shots were $20 a piece. I said how to you know she has an RI and he stated he saw in her mouth but that was impossible because he couldn't open it.
All the shots are done and she seems to be doing fine. Then again she never seemed that bad in the first place only on occasions that's why I let go for so long. So hopefully all is well she's moving into her new home today which is 5x2x2 feet.

[Brad]

Linds, you may be a moderator but there is no reason for you to give me a lecture. I don't remember asking for one in my post anyway so next time please keep it to yourself. If you want to provide me with some help then yes that is appreciated but the lecture is not. Maybe you didn't mean to come across so harshly but you did. It's not that I'm sensitive it's just people come to these sites for answers to their questions and behavior like yours can discourage them from asking something they may badly need an answer to. Next time you want to respond to one of my posts with a big *sigh* at the beginning like a disappointed school teacher and tell me too many animals die because of people like you just keep it to yourself I don't want to hear it! All of my snakes are doing good the one time something happens this is the response I get.

[eyespy]

Brad, I'm sorry to hear you had such a bad experience at the vet's, but try not to worry too much. There's not much species-specific differences in treating RI so even though he couldn't identify your blood he can probably still treat an RI effectively. You got a fairly common antibiotic regimen so it sounds like he does know a few things.

Hope your snake responds to the meds quickly and does just fine. Please do keep us posted.

[Linds]

My position on the site is irrelevant to the advice I gave you. I gave you the best advice I could with utmost concern for your snake. You openly admitted yourself to neglecting your snakes condition, and I've seen enough animals die from negligence. Not only is it heartwrenching to see animals suffer, but it also endangers the hobby as a whole, since mistreatment/neglect is a main point in the fight to ban reptiles as pets. I was not lecturing you, I was giving you advice as I was concerned for the life of your snake, and any other animals you may have due to the information you gave us in your post. I'm sorry if you couldn't see it that way. I'm glad she seems to be doing better

Originally posted by Brad
All of my snakes are doing good the one time something happens this is the response I get.

Had you come to us for advice when your snake was sick you would've gotten a much different reply no doubt. I didn't jump down your throat, I just experssed my concern for both your animals and the hobby itself. I'm a little baffled that you were so upset I voiced that after openly stating you neglected your animals health??? Again... as I said in my previous post <b> I do not wish to come across harshly, but am voicing my concerns</b> and giving the best advice I can to help you and your animals. If you choose to take it as rudeness or as an attack, I guess it's because tone is lost in type

[Boid_22]

RI infections are a headache with Bloods.....I would use Fortaz rather than Baytryl but both work...next time catch it early..as soon as you see or hear anything...up the temps and walk with it and pat it on the back(believe it or not it loosens the mucus)leaning it's head downward....anyways good going...

[Corey Woods]

Brad,

Don't get all upset over the negative posters on this site. Just ignore them......that's what I do. Also, their are lots of people on this site that want to help but just don't have any experience behind them to back up their info. All they do is regurge someone elses info.

Anyways, I'm rambling on about stuff that is off topic. To treat your blood up your temps to 90-95F 24 hours a day for a couple months. You can go a little higher if you'd like but watch for distress. If she'll take it up her hot spot to 100F......but, I'd advise moving her to a larger cage if you do that so she has an option to move off the heat.....however, I've noticed that sick snakes seek out the heat.

IMHO, Baytril is crap and doesn't work. It seems to repress the RI symptoms but they usually come back stronger than ever in about a month. I'd personally use Fortaz (Ceftazidime) at 20-28mg/kg every 3 days. You'll have to use it for about a month (about 10 injections) but after about 5 injections you'll think it's gone but continue the treatment to make sure you kill everything and not just repress it. You'll also want to increase the humidity to as high as you can get it as well.

Good luck with your blood.
Corey
PS and in case you were undering I have fought RI in almost all species of pythons I've kept (including Bloods).