Questions regarding RI progression.

I have a sick girl right now battling an infection. I've treating her daily with F10 nebulization and the standard temp and humidity bump. She had Baytril injections last Monday through Friday.

Toward the end of the injections she seemed to be improving a bit, but her symptoms changed. She initially had quite a bit of mucous discharge as well as a lot of gurgling and wheezing. After the injections, the mucous is nearly non-existent. Her wheezing is lessened as well, but now she seems to be having a harder time breathing. I'm seeing a lot more head elevation and open mouth breathing, even though her breathing sounds better.

My main question is... Does it seem as though she's getting better or worse? I'm uncertain of the progression of symptoms for the better or worse.

P.S. Tomorrow afternoon I'm picking up 10 more doses of Baytril from the vet.

A 5 day treatment is very short and it is recommended (by the best vet in the country) that treatment should last at least a minimum of 30 days.

It is very possible that the first 5 days of treatment have help but until the treatment is complete and another culture is done you are not in the clear.

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Agreed, that is very short. One of my girls was at the very onset of an RI and is on a 30 day program. I'd get a second opinion, or at the very least get the treatment extended to the required duration. You'll most likely be starting over.

Dave

Did the vet do a culture?

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Originally Posted by SKO

Did the vet do a culture?

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This. Normally Baytril and other abx are given every 3 days for 30 days. Also a lot of bacteria are now resistant to Baytril which is why my vet does combos like Baytril + Fortaz while waiting for the results of the culture to come back.

Yes, he did a culture. He said that he normally starts on Baytril and Fortaz, but the nebulization seemed to be working and she didn't seem bad. He was confident that the Baytril would be enough.

He didn't tell me the results of the culture but said that she only needed the Baytril. He's giving me 10 doses today, but he hasn't told me how frequently. I've seen some people doing daily and some doing every 3 days. I'm hoping we switch to a 3 day cycle...

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Originally Posted by myadlosky

Yes, he did a culture. He said that he normally starts on Baytril and Fortaz, but the nebulization seemed to be working and she didn't seem bad. He was confident that the Baytril would be enough.

He didn't tell me the results of the culture but said that she only needed the Baytril. He's giving me 10 doses today, but he hasn't told me how frequently. I've seen some people doing daily and some doing every 3 days. I'm hoping we switch to a 3 day cycle...

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Is your vet a QUALIFIED herp vet?

The fact that he did not share the results is strange, so is the fact that he "normally" starts on Baytril and Fortaz, make it sounds like regardless of the culture that is what he does, not to mention that the treatment he had initially plan was just not enough.

Honestly, probably not as specialized as I'd like. I called about 12 places that were listed on the reptile specialist searches and the majority wouldn't even touch a ball python. The one vet, after talking to 3 people on the phone who weren't sure if they treated ball pythons, told me they had someone who would, "Take a look at her." This vet is their exotics specialist. They had good reviews, so he was the one I chose.

If anyone knows of a good reptile vet in the Pittsburgh area, I'm open to suggestions...

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Originally Posted by myadlosky

Yes, he did a culture. He said that he normally starts on Baytril and Fortaz, but the nebulization seemed to be working and she didn't seem bad. He was confident that the Baytril would be enough.

He didn't tell me the results of the culture but said that she only needed the Baytril. He's giving me 10 doses today, but he hasn't told me how frequently. I've seen some people doing daily and some doing every 3 days. I'm hoping we switch to a 3 day cycle...

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If he didn't give you the results of the culture but clearly said she only needed the baytril. Then I would think,but have to clarify with him, how often the baytril should be given. Usually for routine dosaging, Baytril is given every 24 hrs @ 5- 10 mg/kg via intramuscular injection. In complicated cases the dosage is usually adjusted and combined with another bacteria specific antibiotic.

If you payed for a culture you should demand to see the results. That's like paying your own blood test and not getting shown the results.

There was no follow up to view it. He hasn't hid it or denied access to it...

I have a 10 day course of Baytril that starts tonight and ends on the 13th. Whether or not this clears it up, I'll be going to a local reptile expo on the 14th in which I can ask around regarding the best vets in the area.

In the meantime, can anyone please answer my initial question? I just want to know if she's going through a natural healing progression and the Baytril was working.