Inserting antibiotics into my BP

[Seemingly_Harmless]

So my ball python started to show signs of having a RI a week ago. Of course, I got him to the vet just for them to give me the relieving news he was in the early stages of it. I was suggested to give him antibiotics and every 3 days I have been injecting it in him. Yesterday a friend said he would help hold him for me whilst I inserted the needle, but their so called "new friend" who was with us said she didn't like that I was putting needles into my snake and I should be using a fogger and raising the heat in his cage for 10 degrees higher instead. Me and my friend disagreed with that and said that as much as it may make conditions for him more comfortable that it wouldn't help make him better. So my question for all of you is this: Is this lady bonkers? Or am I and my friend just not being more open minded to this suggestion? Have any of you guys had a snake with a RI? And if so, what did you do to make them better?

[Daybreaker]

I've had three snakes come to me with RIs (one adult and then two babies from an expo) and all three after taken to the vet were put on injectable antibiotics. Can a snake recover from an RI if caught early with nebulized F10 and raising heat? Yes, but sometimes snakes do need antibiotics to get better. These antibiotics should be prescribed after a culture to see what type of RI the snake has. There is nothing wrong with giving shots to your own snake(s) as long as you were shown how to properly do them first by a knowledgeable vet or otherwise IMO.

[satomi325]

Both the fogger(nebulizer) and injectables work fine for treating RI. Many folks nebulize their antibiotics with great success.
Nebulizing helps by preventing the mucous from drying out and clogging airways. Its also an efficient way to get the snake to absorb the antibiotic directly into the lungs.

When I had rescues that have RI in the past, they got injectable antibiotics in addition to nebulizing treatments with F10.

I would consult your vet about it if you really wanted to try fogging. Your snake can heal just fine without it though as long as the injectable antibiotics are the correct type.

Bump up your hot spot to 95. Keep ambient a minimum of 80. 85 might be better though.

[Seemingly_Harmless]

Thanks both of you. I am curious to try the fogger, but I am positive just like the vets that gave me the antibiotics, that what I'm doing right now will make him better!

[satomi325]

Good luck.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[Seemingly_Harmless]

Thank you So far he's doing good. He hasn't blown any bubbles in the past two days and his open mouth breathing has minimized a LOT.

[Jackie]

I think your doing the right thing by giving the injections. Good luck! I hope he starts feeling better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pythonfriend]

i would trust a reptile vet the most, followed by a general vet, an experienced breeder or some of the experienced forum members here. and friends that have no such credentials would rank pretty low.