Worst news ever :-(

Can you find out exactly what this vet prescribed and exactly what the vet said to do? $400 and the snake dies. This is no surprise to Big Gunns at all. Although sometimes you can do everything right and for whatever reason the snake doesn't make it.....usually they will if treated correctly.

If the vet called and said that the meds were right, it looks like he/she did a culture which is a very good thing. BG would like to hear all the facts so he can get to the bottom of this. BG hates this kind of thing after an animal goes to the vet and then dies quickly. It happens all the time.:taz:

So sorry to hear! Sounds like it was either too late to be treated, or the treatment wasn't optimal for the snake, what did the vet give?

Either way, I'm so sorry to hear that it ended badly even when you and your friend tried to do everything to help.:(

Necropsy!

I would also suggest a necropsy. They are not extremely expensive for just the visual which is always the starting point.(my vet charges $45 with out cultures or samles sent off) If it was something big like fluid in the lungs or "constapation" this is visible with out testing.

Wow Ash, I'm sorry to hear about this!

Sounds like your vet was right to do the culture and prescribe the antibiotic. Like others have said, snakes have a very slow metabolism and sometimes the medication doesn't even have time to make a big impact before it succums to the illness.

One thing that has me baffled is the vet recommendation that she soak the snake for 20 mins daily. From my expeirence (not vet school) this is illogical and bad advice. RI is dangerous because it inhibits the snakes ability to breath. Putting the snake into the tub of water while it has RI, is extremely dangerous and exacerbates the problem. The fact that the snake died during one these sessions does not surprise me!

Ash if you or your friend wish to call and talk through all that happened, please do. My cell: 706-599-4850

Justin

A snake soaking in water doesn't have its breathing inhibited. The increased humidity and hydration helps thin the mucous secretions so they can be expelled.

But a snake with an RI that goes into convulsions and dies suddenly--I would have a necropsy done. You want to make sure it wasn't something nastier than just a bacterial RI.

Wow, I am really sorry. I am beside myself right now.:(
I recently was planning on adding to my collection, but I had a male that I had to move to the QT room, from what I thought was an RI. So I cancelled my purchase from JKR, I would have been heart struck if it would have been me. I do hope your friend doesn't give up on this beautiful hobby of ours, and she can find peace in all of this.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

A snake soaking in water doesn't have its breathing inhibited. The increased humidity and hydration helps thin the mucous secretions so they can be expelled.

But a snake with an RI that goes into convulsions and dies suddenly--I would have a necropsy done. You want to make sure it wasn't something nastier than just a bacterial RI.

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I'm not sure I understand how putting snake in the water would help break down it's mucus, especially for 20 minutes at a time. In fact my vets have actually recommended temporarily removing water bowls for RIs...

If they want the mucus to break down with the aid of moisture you would need to raise the humidity, not soak them. IDK about your snakes but mine don't react well to being placed in water they didn't willingly crawl into.

I am not a vet or a vet student, but I have had my share of RIs and I'm actually dealing with 1 right now due to my Albino pushing himself a little too far from breeding. These conditions just don't sound like a normal RI or advice that I would expect my vet to give me.

Stories like this are heart breakers. Everytime I hear of a story about vets and ball pythons dieing, I really just wonder to myself if these vets actually know anything.

In this case, I would have to say that soaking the snake in luke-warm water owuld be a good thing (as long as you monitored the snakes head to keep it above the water) because like someone above me said, it would have thinned out the mucus.

but yeah you should have a necropsy done.... You already payed $400, whats another $40? Find out why the poor thing died, and try your best to never let it happen again. It's really the only thing that can be done from here.

This really upsets me. Hearing about any animals suffering like that just rips me apart inside.

I hope you get through this, and eventually get back into the hobby. :please:

Sadness :'( So sorry.