Newb w/ a question

[Big Thunder]

Ok, I'm new to this. Last week, I bought a BP for my 16yoa son. Female, about 1400 grams. She is set up in a 20 Long w/ UTH and 100 watt bulb (ambient residence temp is about 68), her cage is currently staying about 80 with 90 under the light. Day we got her, we noticed an excessive amount of saliva and what sounded like a cough. Next day she was at the herp vet. No RI and stool exam (had to wait until today) came back w/ no parasites. Vet recommends hospitalization for a couple of days, treating with antibiotics and Carnivore Care.

Has anyone experienced this before? Store/breeder was hesitant to offer assistance until I explained I was not looking for a refund, but wanted him to know he sold a sick animal. Exchanging her was not an option. We brought her home, so we excepted the responsibility. I would never think of taking one of my Great Danes back.

I'm looking for any advice or experience you may have had. If so, is this long term care? Your help will make us better owners.

[dr del]

Hi,

I'm not sure I'm understanding your post.

Does the animal have an RI or not? Does it have anything else wrong with it?


dr del

[mpkeelee]

it probably had a really bad repiratory infection when u got it. i have never had to leave mine there tho. the vet may keep it for a couple weeks and see how it repsonds to the meds and then let it go home or may keep it for a month or so. good luck!

[Big Thunder]

No RI -
Fecal exam found no parasitical eggs
Doc thinks this may possibly be GI, and that a couple days of hospitalization may be necessary.
I'm wondering if anyone else experienced this.

[redstormlax12]

Make sure you have the tank covered on top to keep in the heat and humidity. Can you use towels dampened to keep the humiditiy up if its too low. Or just put the waterbowl under the light and cover most of the top with tinfoil or a piece of plexi-glass or just glass. Make sure at least three of the sides of the tank are covered with black construction paper or something to obstruct the view.

[singingtothewheat]

Well a couple days at the vet couldn't probably hurt but I don't think most vets would keep them. Something is up for sure. But I would tell them you want to know before expensive treatments are done. I guess it depends on your situation.

[The Rev]

Some times the nares may be covered up with stuck shed, Thus forcing the snake to breath out of its mouth making a weezing/coughing sound.

[dr del]

Hi,

So what makes you think it is ill?

And how much experience does this vet have with exotics?

Just trying to work out what sysmptoms it has to see if anything jumps out.


dr del

[Big Thunder]

Dr Del - as I stated the excessive saliva and the coughing noise were first indicators. After my visit to the vet, I learned that when she holds her head vertical and keeps her mouth open that she may be in some sort of gastronomical distress. I'm not sure if that action is considered star gazing or not, but she does it very often.

As for the vet - over 20 years of exotic experience. I found the vet while reading articles by Melissa Kaplan, who specifically recommended her.

[dr del]

Ah.

I'd think about seeking a second opinion.

Melissa Kaplan is an idiot.

Those symptoms are classic symptoms for an RI but I have never heard of them being associated with GI problems? The raised head and open mouthed breathing are known signs of an RI as well. Are there also traces of excess mucus in the waterbowl or smeared on the cage furniture? Can you hear any sounds when the snake breathes (move your ear from her head to the front third of her body to try and determine where they are coming from )?

Anyone every hear of a GI problem that did present with those symptoms?

I'm also curious why the vet feels it is necessary for it to be hospitalised and what carnivore care is exactly? Normally they just get a course of anti-biotics that you can be shown how to inject yourself.

I would imagine the hospitalisation etc isn't going to be cheap?

I don't know where you live but these links might help you find an alternative to double check the recommendations.

Link 1.

Link 2.

Link 3.

If it is a simple RI I would suggest getting a culture to determine exactly which anti-biotic would work best.


dr del