Administering your own meds?

Hey all, I just has a bad first experience at an “exotic” animal vet clinic. You may have caught the thread. :P In the past (few years ago), I recall some people administering their own meds to their herps. Has anyone else ever heard of this? If so, how does one obtain the proper medication without a license or prescription?
Thanks in advance guys, Josh

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Originally Posted by Jerhart

Hey all, I just has a bad first experience at an “exotic” animal vet clinic. You may have caught the thread. :P In the past (few years ago), I recall some people administering their own meds to their herps. Has anyone else ever heard of this? If so, how does one obtain the proper medication without a license or prescription?
Thanks in advance guys, Josh

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Usually people administrating their own medicine, go to a vet first and depending on how many shots the animal will require there will be 2 options either administer the shots yourself as shown by your vet, or go back to the vet every time the animal is due for a shot.

I agree with Deborah. Most members either go to the vet to be diagnosed or to have a culture performed, so they know which antibiotic is most effective in that particular case. The shots are then adminstered at home.

Just make sure that when you give a shot you get good control of the head. Most people are not prepared for how strong their snake is and get freaked out and let go. Good way to get tagged on the hand. When you get them under control, just slide the needle at an angle facing toward the front of the snake under a spot where the ventral scales meet the side scales. Pull back slightly on the plunger to make sure that you are not in an arterie and push gently on the plunger.

I agree that QUALIFIED herp vets are the best choice to get the correct medication to treat you animals. Reading over your vet experience post, I can see why you are hesitant to go to a vet to treat your snake, but finding a good herp vet will help change your mind.

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Originally Posted by vegaschef1

When you get them under control, just slide the needle at an angle facing toward the front of the snake under a spot where the ventral scales meet the side scales. Pull back slightly on the plunger to make sure that you are not in an arterie and push gently on the plunger.

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Different medications will be given differently, including injections. While I realize you meant well, information on giving injectable medications should be specific to the medication prescribed and should also be given by the vet.

-Evan

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Originally Posted by vegaschef1

Just make sure that when you give a shot you get good control of the head.

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Have you ever actually given shots to a snake before?

I disagree completely with this "technique" of man-handling the snake. Not only is it absolutely unnecessary for medicating ball pythons, it's going to turn an unpleasant situation into an intensely terrifying one. How would you like to be immobilized around the neck & then jabbed with something sharp? Ball pythons are relatively small & quite easy to manage, and if you know how to properly give an injection it takes mere seconds & the process is over. Not so if you're grabbing the snake, restraining it one-handed & then trying to give the injection with your other hand. It is MUCH easier to inject a snake that is calmly laying in it's enclosure than it is to wrangle one that is threatened & freaked out after being grabbed behind the head.

Stop and think...these are not mindless little beings. Snakes can actually associate events & experiences to some extent, and if you make injections into a horrible, threatening encounter, you're absolutely losing rapport with that animal.

Grabbing behind the head...no. Just...no.

K~

i did in high school. i had a ball given to me by a friend who wasnt taking the best care of him. his neck was pretty swollen and he was gurgling so i called my herp specialist and he brought over the shots. basically just inject under the scale between spine and rib, then massage into the muscle. pretty easy but hey im a licensed embalmer so im used to injecting into things lol. i would reccomend if you can getting the vet to do it for you, especially if your thinking of trying to do something like that with no help.

ah, didnt read the rest of that post. yeah i had my mom hold him gently. he was relaxed and no restraining was needed. i think he knew we were helping him. either that or he was too tired to try to get away. either way i wouldnt suggest trying to manhandle a snake into doing anything. you wouldnt like it if someone did it to you.

i have never injected a snake or any other animal before(besides myself, i'm not a drug addict...) but personally i would take any animal in my care to an experienced professional. i would never risk attemping any potentially harmful procedure on a living thing unless trained and and qualified. just my opinion... thanks:twocents:

My Veterinarian showed me the first time (Longgg time ago), and then gave me the instructions written down, and sent me on my way. It was difficult the first time by myself, but now... no prob! :D

Both injectable and oral meds are difficult to give when you are not prepared...

But I agree with Kara, it's easy.... If you know your animal, and its comfort levels, and what NOT to do.