RI yet again

[ronthon]

Hello, my snake got RI again, vet appointment booked.

in January got treated for RI, injections for 2 months, then he stopped eating for months, last feed in May, 4x2 wood vivarium, so on Oct 2nd I lowered his ambient temperature ( Habistat reptile radiator) thermostat needle set on 28C (82.5F), 2 thermometer probes report 25.6 - 26.2 C ( 78-79 F) , changed his heat mat set up - removed heat mat glass holder and he sleep directly on a mat, thermostat needle set on 30C (86F) IR temp gun shows 32C - 89.6F, and he started to eat again, hurrah. I was so happy, finally he eat. Due to lower temp humidity rose form 64% to 74% - wet orchid bark dish.

What am I doing wrong? please help.

[Bogertophis]

Question about previous vet help: did the vet do any lab work to assess the right antibiotic to use? Or did they just take a guess? It matters, & if not, maybe the first RI was never fully gone.

Also, it's no surprise that your snake stopped eating for a few months after that- injections are stressful, vet visits are stressful, & antibiotics destroy their "good" (necessary!) gut bacteria right along with the infection it was intended for. They can impact the snake's appetite, for sure. For best results, AFTER antibiotics are given, it can help to add a reptile probiotic to their food for a while (like Nutribac or Bene-Bac) so they regain better digestive function, & FEEL like eating again.

Question about your wood vivarium- is the wood well-sealed against moisture etc.? If not, he may be re-infecting himself. Unlike glass or plastic, wood absorbs a lot more than just moisture, & many pathogens thrive in a warm humid environment like BPs require. (Ask your vet about this too.)

[ronthon]

no lab work done I'm sure about that, vivarium is sealed with aquarium sealant, but he's got an orchid bark dish kept wet for stable humidity.
No 1 sign of RI for him is keeping his head propped up higher on furniture, no wheezing at all, no mouth gapping - yawning, and then straight to "cough" to get the mucus out.

[Bogertophis]

no lab work done I'm sure about that, vivarium is sealed with aquarium sealant, but he's got an orchid bark dish kept wet for stable humidity.
No 1 sign of RI for him is keeping his head propped up higher on furniture, no wheezing at all, no mouth gapping - yawning, and then straight to "cough" to get the mucus out.

Not sure if you want another opinion, but it might be a good idea- snakes really need experienced vet help when they get sick, for best results. Though lab work makes treatment a lot more pricey too, so sometimes they take a chance (best guess) depending on what the pet owner wants, but it's always better to identify the pathogen- antibiotics are only effective for a certain range of things, they're not one-size-fits-all. If only...

So if you need to find a vet this may help: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661