Snakes keep getting sick..

Yeah that was what I was planning on doing. I'll weigh each one on my gram scale and write species and age if known.

I wouldn't think it'd be safe to give antibiotics to snakes so small as a baby colubrid unless it's given orally. With a needle you could puncture an organ or just go straight through the snake so easy!

The best syringes I find are the shot syringes. Easy to draw up the meds and the needle just screws off for a nice oral syringe. Well happy birthday again and maybe things will start turning around for you.

You sure couldn't puncture an organ with a 25 or a 27g, LoL. Snake would think it rubbed up against bedding(carefresh at that) and the shot would be done and over with.

Baytril can be given orally. I use the 100mg/ml solution with my rats all of the time. It absorbs quicker via the intestinal lining rather than injection. Injections of Baytril often cause burns, abscesses and scarring, unless you inject some sterile saline or lactated ringers solution in the area before you inject the Baytril. It's not a tissue-friendly drug. Mine have always tolerated it very well when given orally(mammals, not reptiles).

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Baytril can be given orally. I use the 100mg/ml solution with my rats all of the time. It absorbs quicker via the intestinal lining rather than injection. Injections of Baytril often cause burns, abscesses and scarring, unless you inject some sterile saline or lactated ringers solution in the area before you inject the Baytril. It's not a tissue-friendly drug. Mine have always tolerated it very well when given orally(mammals, not reptiles).

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Not sure about other snakes, but I've been told that oral anti-biotics and ball pythons don't really work. The word is that they have very very low absorption rates of anti-biotics given orally. Every vet that I have ever had has told me this over and over, but I don't remember why exactly that they have such a hard time absorbing anti-biotics orally. That said I've had some solid success recently using Zithromax in conjunction with either Baytril or Fortaz for tought RI's.

Baytril at 100mg/ml is some nasty stuff ... for balls, 22.7mg/ml is much easier on the skin/muscle. I think for larger animals 100mg/ml is probably a must, but avoid it if you can for the smaller guys.

-adam

Here is what I use to treat all my snakes i get in that are sick.


.2ml/cc per 200grams the snake. Oxytetracycline If under 200 grams I use half the dose all around. and I use it for 2 weeks every other day. 7 injections in 2 weeks and then I leave them to their own. I have never had to retreat any snake or reptile with RI or RI symptoms using this guideline.

Now I dont know if your vet will just give you the meds and let you sort it. (mine does as he knows i know how to inject and get things sorted) I just go to my vet and ask for so many mls of the antibiotic and he measures it out and gives it to me.

Hope this helps,
Beauty the BP

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Originally Posted by Beauty the BP

Now I dont know if your vet will just give you the meds and let you sort it. (mine does as he knows i know how to inject and get things sorted) I just go to my vet and ask for so many mls of the antibiotic and he measures it out and gives it to me.

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Here in the states, anti-biotics are a regulated medication and "technically" can't just be given out. I don't want to cross any lines here, but April should definitely talk to a handful of vets and find someone that knows what they are doing and that can work with her situation. ;)

-adam

Well there are only two vets in my area that I know about.. I've checked the listings and everything.

Adam if a vet was going to let me get antibiotics for my entire collection even though he'd only seen a few sick ones, would that be illegal? I mean do they have to see every single snake? That brings me back to the problem of getting one snake well, and another sick one gets another sick.. then you get the sick one well, and it gets sick again from another one.

Becky - so there is a needle that would be safe to inject a baby colubrid with?

Now I know this one isnt BAd, I use insulin needles. very fine sharp and they barely if at all notice til its over.

I know about the differences in countries adam. And I wasnt trying to say go get it like I do, I was saying that this antibiotic does the trick for me. I am sorry if I came across as saying any different.

I only get the stuff because the nearest reptile vet is a 4 hour drive. and I confer with her alot via phone and she tells the local vet here to just give me the stuff...........lol

If it were possible i would send shelby over the exact amount she needed to treat her snakes. but it isnt. that would be breaking a number of international laws as well as a few US ones.

But if the ther antibiotics are so expensive, I would look into seeing if the vet could offer the oxytetra- .

I get snakes so congested from RI they can barely breath let along think of eating. This is what I give them and with in 2 weeks you see a very big improvment.

Beauty the BP

Wow, I am sorry to hear about your babies being sick :( I myself had a few bouts of mties in the past year (well, my snakes, not me lol) and it was so discouraging and frustrating. When they are all healthy again you'll be releved, I wish you's luck .

my vet will just give me what i need, work out how much for each depending on weight and voila, i'm buying in bulk.

anyway, my suggestion is: does your vet do home visits? ours does. he'll come to the house for one fee and work on any and all pets who need his attention... really saves you money when you are needing care for multiple animals.