Sick Ball Python

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Originally Posted by como

I'm would rather not take it to a vet and pay money for the "not much else you can do but blah blah blah". What could be done to help a snake at the vet? I figured i'd probably get either an equal or better answer online then I would going to a vet.

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How sad.

Good luck with your snake.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

How sad.

Good luck with your snake.

-adam

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Well said my friend very sad.

I appreciate the responses. I may come off as a little cheap but I honestly never would have thought a vet could do anything for a snake, but obviously I was wrong because every post has stated that I should go to a vet. I have a friend who's a vet and from what he tells me, most of his customers are told to do what is obvious are for the pet owner to do things that he or she had been doing all along to cure the alement... and wasting money at the vet several times myself hasn't done much to increase my faith in them. I guess ill be taking it to the vet.

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Originally Posted by como

Ibut I honestly never would have thought a vet could do anything for a snake

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Well, if the alternative to spending some money to get a trained and educated first hand opinion is watching your snake die, wouldn't you rather spend the money? Even if there is nothing the vet can do, isn't your snake worth finding out for sure?

No one on the internet can diagnose a sick snake 100%, they can only give you opinions (aka, they can make guesses and pretend to be experts) ... a vet can see your snake, examine it, do cultuers, blood work, and form a conclusion based on real evidence .... you know what they say about opinions don't you?

-adam

Well you can look at it this way Como. Taking the snake to the vet, even if they cannot save it, will give you some idea of what caused this. If it is something that a change in your husbandry could have prevented, you will learn better for next time. If it's something that you could not have prevented happening, then you will know you did all you could for your pet. Either way you have answers and a possibility of saving this creature. If you don't get to a good vet, the snake may not have much hope of survival and you will be left w/o your snake and w/o any knowledge of why this occurred or how to possibly prevent it occuring again. Also if the poor animal is indeed dying, humanely euthanizing it at a vet's office is much better than a slow death in it's enclosure.


~~Jo~~

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Well, if the alternative to spending some money to get a trained and educated first hand opinion is watching your snake die, wouldn't you rather spend the money? Even if there is nothing the vet can do, isn't your snake worth finding out for sure?

No one on the internet can diagnose a sick snake 100%, they can only give you opinions (aka, they can make guesses and pretend to be experts) ... a vet can see your snake, examine it, do cultuers, blood work, and form a conclusion based on real evidence .... you know what they say about opinions don't you?

-adam

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If you own a snake or any animal from pet rats to horses, you need to take responsibility for that pet. Understand that if you hop online for a diagnosis you will easily end up with an eight year old telling you it is URI (upper resperitory infection). You need to have a vet properly inform you on your snakes health. Bottom line.
Rusty

I had a bad experience with a vet too and one of my favourite cats died because of it. I didn't use that vet again.


A few years ago one of my young cats nearly died, and if it hadn't been for the vet I have now she would have died at 7 months old. She is now 4 years old and owes her life to the skill of that vet.

I have just taken on a rescue BP and he may need to see the vet after his next shed as he has retained eye caps. We're hoping they'll come off with his next shed, but if they don't, off to the vet he goes. My husband and I are not financially well off but when it comes to the animals - I have 7 snakes, 11 cats and 1 dog, we find the money and take them to the vet if they're ill. We will go without ourselves rather than deny our animals vet care.

If there's a problem with any of our animals, we take them to the vet straight away. By doing this, the problem is easier to cure and is less expensive in the long run rather than let a problem run on until it is major or life threatening, then needing prolonged and expensive vet care.

Basically, nip a problem in the bud before it develops into something huge.

When you take an animal into your care, YOU are responsible for looking after that animal and making sure it does not suffer. I also know that it can be very difficult, especially when you've had a bad experience with one particular vet, but there are many vets around who are very, very good at their job, and very caring people.

I hope as I write this, you have taken your snake to the vet and he is getting better.