Pied male can't hold down food

I have a pied male that I got about 2-3 years ago and he went from being a very strong eater to going on strike, then back to being a very strong eater. The problem has been now for a bit that he can not hold down his food. I have come home to find a terrible smell and find what looks like a slime covered, smelly rat in his bin. After I have waited up to a few weeks before trying to feed him again, and feeding him much smaller than normal. He will take the first meal and be fine, then the second one or so will be thrown up a few days after he eats it. His appetite is good and he wants to eat.

I do not think its husbandry related as we have all of our temps etc dialed in, we don't handle him what so ever during any of this, and don't do anything to stress him out. I have read on some articles that other than these reasons, the reasons could be some type of bacteria, parasite and/or infection. I've read some medications like flagyl may help if this is the case and the vet should probably be my next stop. I haven't found much as far as exotic vets in my area though.

I had a GTP that had a couple meals come back up and then she suddenly passed. If it were me I would seek a vet. Just my two cents.

I'd say vet. My herp vet told me there are certain parasites that will make it impossible for food to pass beyond the snake's stomach. Not saying that's what it is, just that it sounds like it could potentially be a pretty serious issue that may need vet intervention.

I agree with the previous posters. Vet. Google reptile veterinarian for whatever city you are in. And please take care of snake :(

You will need it, frequent vomiting is a serious problem.


Please keep us posted.

Make sure the vet is boarded in exotics.

David

For a known, just few weeks ago passed away a 1,5y old pastel with the same symptoms. 3 times regurge in 4 weeks. Sadly he didn't get an autopsy. In my point, vet ASAP.

Going to a vet that works with exotics today at 430

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Felidae

For a known, just few weeks ago passed away a 1,5y old pastel with the same symptoms. 3 times regurge in 4 weeks. Sadly he didn't get an autopsy. In my point, vet ASAP.

---

After a regurge the snake shouldn't be fed again for 2-3 weeks to give it time to recover and rehydrate.

Let us know what the vet says!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

After a regurge the snake shouldn't be fed again for 2-3 weeks to give it time to recover and rehydrate.

---

^--This right here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

After a regurge the snake shouldn't be fed again for 2-3 weeks to give it time to recover and rehydrate.

---

I know, but he didn't knew it. It was too late when he asked us, and his pastel passed in the same day :(

Vet took a culture from his rear and a stool sample. He didn't see anything in the stool and the culture was sent to a lab.
He gave him a b complex injection and baytril and gentamicin for me to administer over the next week

He said to soak him twice a day and try to feed him small about a week after treatment


He

Why are we giving a antibiotics for an unknown?
I would wait for samples and verdict from lab.

I went to the vet I was able to find and this was the treatment that he recommended

More of a vent on the vet.
If they don't know what/IF anything is wrong then how much of a dose should be given?
This is my point.
Just out of curiosity, what is the exact temp of the hot spot inside the enclosure?

I'll measure again when I get home

There's some kind of problem, hopefully these lab results at least tell me something

I honestly wasn't a huge fan of the vet but didn't find a lot

I too wonder why a vet would prescribe a bacterial antibiotic for something unknown. Baytril is already hard on a reptiles system killing both harmful and good bacteria not to mention it dehydrates them as well. So now your snake not only doesn't eat and regurgitates which will dehydrate it, it now is having any good gut flora it had killed by the Baytril as well the dehydrating effect of Baytril. At least your vet did a culture so hopefully in a few days you will know if its a "bug" problem. The vet didn't request a blood panel though? Blood panels are good at finding problems but generally are expensive. They run $93 up here but I have it done on any of my pets the first time a vet has to see them so its in their file on record.

TheBeanFarm.com sells NutriBAC, which is a reptile probiotic that helps snakes bounce back from a regurge or loss of gut flora due to antibiotic treatments. I'd pick some up for your little guy. I dust a damp feeder with a pinch of it.

I would be cautious of something like Cryptosporidium. I had a male corn snake that started regurging constantly and he had been perfectly healthy before that. When he passed I had the vet to a necropsy on him and she found that this is what he had. It is highly contagious so if you have other snakes keep him away from them. Also you will want to use a bleach solution on any container that he has been in before putting any other reptiles in it. Unfortunately as far as i know there is no definitive test for it.

A couple of things:

Crypto can remain asymptomatic for years. The animal can also suffer from the disease sub-clinically for a long time before noticeable symptoms develop.

Crypto also has some tell tales signs when it reaches the point that the animal cannot hold down a meal. Irritation to the gastric mucosa and swelling which affects the gastric lumen causes the stomach to swell. A proper exotic would be able to note this or even feel it by palpating the middle of the animal. Depending on whether the snake is currently shedding oocysts, crypto can take a couple of cloacal washes to detect.

He could also be suffering from a "lifestyle" disease such as hepatic lipidosis, or even something systemic such as cancer.

I do not understand why the vet would treat him for a bacterial infection. I would have recommended metronidazole or flagyl if I had to blindly deal with a potential protozoal parasite. No I'm not a vet, but I just don't understand the logic of giving baytril or gentamicin for a snake that is not able to keep for down.

I would not offer him another prey item until this is properly diagnosed. The more he eats the more he is going to irritate his digestive system. The root cause needs to be determined before you resume feeding him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Skiploder

A couple of things:

Crypto can remain asymptomatic for years. The animal can also suffer from the disease sub-clinically for a long time before noticeable symptoms develop.

Crypto also has some tell tales signs when it reaches the point that the animal cannot hold down a meal. Irritation to the gastric mucosa and swelling which affects the gastric lumen causes the stomach to swell. A proper exotic would be able to note this or even feel it by palpating the middle of the animal. Depending on whether the snake is currently shedding oocysts, crypto can take a couple of cloacal washes to detect.

He could also be suffering from a "lifestyle" disease such as hepatic lipidosis, or even something systemic such as cancer.

I do not understand why the vet would treat him for a bacterial infection. I would have recommended metronidazole or flagyl if I had to blindly deal with a potential protozoal parasite. No I'm not a vet, but I just don't understand the logic of giving baytril or gentamicin for a snake that is not able to keep for down.

I would not offer him another prey item until this is properly diagnosed. The more he eats the more he is going to irritate his digestive system. The root cause needs to be determined before you resume feeding him.

---

Thanks for the reply. The vet did feel the entirety of the snakes abdomen and said nothing was abnormal. I separated him from the rest once I got home from the vet that day.

I am not a vet either so I do not know what course of treatment would be appropriate. I'm not sure of any other exotic vets in my area. The snake is currently In shed and about 2-3 years old

Update:

I finished the meds and waited a week to feed as the doctor suggested. I also moved him to a tub out in living room with a heat pad. We started back feeding very small and once a week, and slowly working back up in prey size. He is currently about on appropriate for him size prey with no vomit/regurge. He is putting on a little weight too

Yaaaaaaay :dance::pinkele::fest::fest2::juggle::cake::clap::party::banana:

Sweet! Just to be sure though I would double-check the temperatures in his regular tub or enclosure to make sure they're correct.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Billy305

Update:

I finished the meds and waited a week to feed as the doctor suggested. I also moved him to a tub out in living room with a heat pad. We started back feeding very small and once a week, and slowly working back up in prey size. He is currently about on appropriate for him size prey with no vomit/regurge. He is putting on a little weight too

---

Congrats on a job well done. Glad to see he is putting on weight. How about some updated pics of the rodent killer? Lol. :D :D :D

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05...67998db50c.jpg

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05...72d174edb3.jpg

Still a little skinny and only time will really tell but he's looking better

Wow he is gorgeous. Hope everything goes well for him.