RI help

[Bleepr]

A while back I posted about my snake possibly having an RI. I let it be, hoping for the best, but it was indeed a RI and I got him into the vet immediately. I received Baytril to inject him with daily, and have been giving him the injections around the same time per my vets orders.

Anyway, I've got some questions for you guys. Ed, the snake, seems to be getting worse not better, hes weezing and coughing much more often then he was before, but is much more active and visiting his water bowl daily. Are these good signs?

Secondly, Ed's seemed to have developed a lump at one of his injection sites. It doesn't look irritated, red, or really anything out of the normal, other then being a small lump on his side. Time to worry again?

Help is very much appreciated.

As I'm sure that I'll be ask about my enclosure. I'm holding him in a 20 gallon tall. I lowered the humidity (I've read that it helps, correct me if I'm wrong), and increased the heat (belly heat at 95 on the glass, not substrate) and an ambient temp of upper 80's - low 90's. His water dish is always full (and is getting changed right after I post. And of course, he has 2 hides, 1 hot, one cold.

Otherwise a very happy snake before the infection hit, with no problems tagging his two adult mice each week (was working on getting him on rats.)

He'll be making a switch to a 31qt tub here withing the next month or 2.

Again, help is appreciated. Thanks in advance

[llovelace]

How long has he been on the Baytrl inj. ?

Massage the lump it should go down. Are you alternating inj. sites? You don't want him to get a burn from the meds.

[Bleepr]

Did his 3rd injection today. I didn't alternate sides, but I wasn't near the same site. I identify the sites by his markings, but I will be giving the injection on the other side tomorrow.

[llovelace]

You should see some noticeable improvement by day 5, if no improvement by day 7 notify vet.

[Bleepr]

The lump went down with some minimal massaging. Gave him his 4th injection today, and the wheezing and popping is still bad, but there seems to be much less mucus then before. He'll be making the transfer to a rack before then months out.

[2kdime]

You need to alternate sides. Baytril needs to be given deep and diluting it before administration isn't a bad idea either. I've noticed if given deep enough and properly, bumps were minimal.

Don't move him back to the rack if he is not better.

Did you get a C/S test to determine the best drug to use?

[Bleepr]

I didn't. I trust the vet, and hes only only one withing any reasonable distance from my house. I did do it on the other side today. I'm giving them as deep as I can in the muscle around the spine. I was given insulin needles and told to find a meating part, go all the way in at a 45, and inject.

I don't have the strength of the Baytril, as I'm at work, but hes getting 7cc's per injection.

[2kdime]

You probably mean .7cc's. Whats your animal weigh, like, 1300grams?

7cc's is a TON of meds

Don't expect the Baytril to do the job. It may or may not help, your shooting in the dark by not doing the C/S test.

HONESTLY, not trying to be mean. Just trying to be honest with you.

Baytril IS a good broad spectrum antibiotic, BUT not all RI' are created equal.

Just keep your little fella warm, and give him fresh clean water every day. It wouldn't hurt to disinfect the bowl every day too.

[Bleepr]

Yea, .7ccs my fault. Again, I don't ahve the details because I'm at work, not at home. And hes nice an toasty, no worries there. Hes only about 300 grams or so, and hes been off feed for 3 weeks now.

Hes also never been in the aformentioned rack, as its not built. I cleaned his enclosure before putting him back in for any extended period of time, disinfected it, the works. After his shot the other day he was very happy go lucky, even tried to escape several times.

The vet seemed confident that the Baytrl would be just fine, and so, I'm confident in it too. I'll obviously be taking him back in if it turns out not to work.

I THINK I'm doing everything right now. I mainly wanted to know when I would see some noticeable improvement.