Initial vet visits?

[Shelby]

I've heard it recommended that you take any new snakes you get to the vet for an overall wellness exam. Do you do that? What all needs to be checked? Just a fecal exam, or is there more?

[Adam_Wysocki]

I always reccomend it to my friends, as well as an annual.

I have a vet come in twice a year to go through my collection with me (too many to take to the office LOL). Vets really have a better eye at spotting and feeling things sometimes. He'll look inside the mouth, examine the skin, vent, and eyes, and feel around the internal organs through the belly just to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be and there are no surprises.

IMO it's definitely worth it.

-adam

[Shelby]

I'd like to hear some more opinions as well.

I remember someone saying somewhere here that when you have thousands (or hundreds) of snakes, you don't drag them all to the vet each year for a check up. (or have the vet come out either)

[alexrls]

im all 4 vet visits

[Adam_Wysocki]

I'd like to hear some more opinions as well.

I remember someone saying somewhere here that when you have thousands (or hundreds) of snakes, you don't drag them all to the vet each year for a check up. (or have the vet come out either)

Why wouldn't someone with a large collection have a vet come out? The only possible argument I could see against it is the cost. For me, the extra expense is worth it just to have an independant set of eyes look over my snakes and make sure all is well.

The health of my animals is extremely important to me and I always budget for regular and unforseen health care.

-adam

[led4urhead]

Moved to the General Herp forum.


Vet visits are an important part of reptile health. As keepers we are responsible for the health of our collections. This includes ( but is not limited to ): providing the correct husbandry, fresh water, the proper diet, and yearly trips to the "reptile doctor" aka vet. We, as humans, have the ability to communicate when we are ill whereas reptiles ( besides body language ) generally do not. We, therefore, need to be pro-active when it comes to the health of our reptiles.

Just my $.02. I might be way off, but it seems to work for me.

[Shrap]

I would recommend that any new addition to your collection gets a trip to the vet. On top of a yearly check-up for all of your animals. And of course anytime there is an illness or injury.

And do not forget to follow proper quarantine procedures with new additions as well.

[Kara]

I'd like to hear some more opinions as well.

I remember someone saying somewhere here that when you have thousands (or hundreds) of snakes, you don't drag them all to the vet each year for a check up. (or have the vet come out either)

LOL - guess you should have read the rest of my post, which explains why I said that. It's because we do the vast majority of our check-ups, diagnosis & medicating in-house, although we do consult with a couple of different (and very talented) vets when necessary.

K

[Shelby]

LOL - guess you should have read the rest of my post, which explains why I said that. It's because we do the vast majority of our check-ups, diagnosis & medicating in-house, although we do consult with a couple of different (and very talented) vets when necessary.

K

Ah, it was you. Well that makes sense then.

So, what should the vet do when checking a new herp?

[Adam_Wysocki]

So, what should the vet do when checking a new herp?

Well, like you said earlier, a fecal is the most important ... in an earlier post on this thread a went over a few other things ...

He'll look inside the mouth, examine the skin, vent, and eyes, and feel around the internal organs through the belly just to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be and there are no surprises.

He (or she) will then probably go over some basic husbandry and any questions that you might have.

(can ya tell i've done it a few times? ... LOL)

-adam