respiratory infection

[Helix Newton]

Ok,I'll do my best to describe her current condition.

I've notice her strange behavior about 14 days after I got her,I didn't understand what is all about since this is my first snake so I was observing her carefully,first she became very dormant,then I noticed stargazing and coughing..it took me awhile,but when she started coughing I definitely knew something was wrong so I started digging online to find some answers when I saw the symptoms and the circumstances match RI! My first action was raising the temperature to around 34°C,then I took her to the first vet,he wasn't certain what was wrong(she also got a pink belly,but that resulted in shedding later)gave her one Baytril shot and told me to take her to the vet university on Monday.So I wen't to the university on Monday and the vet told me there that she has still some old skin left on the head which may trouble her breathing so I left her there for 2h so they could try to remove that,don't know if they did a culture in that time,but when I returned to pic her up,vet gave me 5 (currently unknown) antibiotic shots,and told me he was not going to use Baytril since it can leave some side effects on the skin.I used up all the shots 14 days ago and she is still acting a bit weird.

My consumption is:

She got RI cause of the low temperature she had at night,when I bought her I only had a heating lamp installed,and a small termo pad without thermostat and I would turn off the heating lamp at night so she could have some night time,now I think she is getting better atm. but still needs a better setting so that's why I ordered a new terrarium today and a thermostat as I will change the heating from ceramic heater to termo pads,I already mention that in my other thread and that was the advice I got.I think her slow recovery is due to the lack of possibility for me to sustain a good stable environment within this OSB terrarium and I think after I get the new setting,up and running she will be healthy in no time!

Hope this was enough intel on the situation!

Thank you!

[Helix Newton]

Also if any of you guys know how to do a culture at home,please tell me.I think I've got most of the equipment needed at home,I'm a bit of a scientist myself so It probably won't be hard for me to do.

[SnoopySnake]

Don't really have any advice for the RI but definitely don't put the temp that high again.. temps at 90f or 32.2c or higher can easily kill these guys, but they really shouldn't even get over 85f or 29.4c. These guys like temps a bit cooler than most snakes.

[yeloowtang]

I must say that it's weird that the vet gave one baytrill shot !!!!
not to be mean, but I would not see that vet again.. for baytril to work, or any other antibiotic, you need to follow up on the full dosage.. otherwise it won't do anything, worst the snakes system could become immune to it...
the fact he just shot her up with one dose ???? tells me he knows nothing about snakes. Or very little to be fair.

many meds out there, and yes Baytril if not injected properly or in too big of a dose, can cause skin burns, and it hurts them.. usually bigger doses are split up.. say you need to inject 0.6cc you would do 3 times .2cc in different areas on the snake . best to use insulin 31 gauge syringes as they are small.
for reference:
1ml = 1cc 1cc = 10x 0.1cc and so on at 0,3cc it starts to become a big dose and that amount in one shot would hurt..

also, always inject the snake in the upper 1/.3 of the body or upper 1/2, if injected too low, I can cause liver problems since the medication is filtered by the liver before it has a chance to get in the snakes system..
if not Baytril, it could be fortaz witch has a wider spectrum range, but this one also has side effects.. they almost all do..

for the culture, the vet has to do that, they swab the snakes mouth and grow the bacteria so it can be identified.. once it is, you know what meds to use, usually a combination with the antibiotic. it can get $$$$ as they will do it to identify it, then need to do it when the snakes feels/gets better to make sure it's gone completely.
having said this, if you can do it yourself, you need to swab the inside of it's mouth and then place that in that strerile bio gel in a dish to grow it out, from there, you can find the info regarding the kinds of bacteria online. unfortunately the vet may disregard your results !!!! you would have to ask, they normally don't sell medication unless their lab got the results.

this is where the cleaning gets important.

one of the best ways to do it is with a 5% javex solution, rinsed after wards .
water bowls are the #1 source for bacteria, if you ever noticed that pinkish /yellowish slime when you wipe the bowl ?? this is usually the culprit .. to avoid it, you will need to change/clean every day

rambling on again but wishing you the best of luck

[Snakesitter]

Nice summary, MDT!

[Snakesitter]

A lot of excellent points here. And Yeloowtang is correct...for your own safety, check with the vet first to make sure they will honor your culture...otherwise their lab will have to start from scratch again, costing precious time on a possible emergency treatment.

Good luck!

[MDT]

Originally Posted by Helix Newton

Also if any of you guys know how to do a culture at home,please tell me.I think I've got most of the equipment needed at home,I'm a bit of a scientist myself so It probably won't be hard for me to do.

Hey Helix...please don't take this the wrong way, but, yes it will.

Let the lab do it.

[Helix Newton]

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

Don't really have any advice for the RI but definitely don't put the temp that high again.. temps at 90f or 32.2c or higher can easily kill these guys, but they really shouldn't even get over 85f or 29.4c. These guys like temps a bit cooler than most snakes.

Well I did that after I've read online,that boosting the temp might help fight RI

[Helix Newton]

Update: I found the receive form the first vet,it's was not Baytril,it was Enroxil.I gave all the shots in the upper part of the body as vet told me to also I'm changing her water every day since I got her,yesterday got a new terrarium as well,still waiting for the thermostat tho

[Helix Newton]

Originally Posted by MDT

Hey Helix...please don't take this the wrong way, but, yes it will.

Let the lab do it.

I know cultures are hard to do because of sterile environment needed to isolate one,but I would only do that for my insight on the situation,no offence taken btw

[Helix Newton]

Next time I take her to the vet I will ask if culture was taken,we will probably go soon,she is still sneezing but no bubbles are forming,also she got a pink belly again.

[yeloowtang]

nice set up, but i would leave her on paper towels to keep the enviroment as sterile as possible.
that moss is great but will arbor bacteria

changing the water is good but useless if you don t clean and desinfect the bowl every day.

having a glass tererium is also better and easier to clean..

for your info unless i am mistaking

enroxil = enrofloxin = baytrill they are the same but with diferent names..

the pink belly is surely a shed coming, it happens when injected with medication, just make sure the humidity is good, you don t want a bad shed on top of this ..

keep up the good work..

steph

[Helix Newton]

Thanks Steph,I use UV-C sterilizer for tank disinfection,for enroxil part I figure that out yesterday lol, also I went to the vet today will post un update soon!

Pic of sterilization in progress,that's the old tank btw.

[Helix Newton]

Update:

Yesterday we went to the vet for exam, and I asked why didn't they took a culture and he said the her nostrils wore to small to wash them for sample.He looked at the snake and said that she appears healthy to him,no bubbles or other signs of RI but she is still breathing very loudly and remains very dormant,I just took a recording of her breathing,when I touch her she exhales very loudly,will upload very soon.I'm in doubts now,don't know if she is sick or changed behavior all the suddenly also kind of lost cause I don't know what to do now,We don't have many vet's here that are specialized in reptiles,so no good for looking for help there,any suggestions ?

[Snakesitter]

The problem is that "boosts" are relative, based on the species' normal range....what may mean a small increase to one type of snake could kill another. Sounds like you were fine this time, but as Snoopy said I would not risk it again.