Forcing Mouth Open for Liquid Meds - HELP

[NightLad]

Hi everybody,

Salzedo got bit in the eye* by his latest meal. I took him to a herp-specialist vet the next morning (it happened late in the evening, and nobody was answering the emergency number - GAH! I'd have gladly paid the fees!) and he got a shot of antibiotics. In addition I am supposed to administer 0.5CC of of liquid oral meds for the next 10 days, as well as apply 1 drop to the eye twice a day.

Fortunately even with all the trauma and stress, Salzedo is a little champ and remains calm/still enough for me to hold his head and play with his lips while trying to get him to open up. But --- no success. I can sort of part his lips, but his mouth remains tightly shut. I'm positive I must be doing this wrong!

I know not to administer the liquid at the front of his mouth, because that might risk it going in his glottis so I've been trying to get it in the back of his mouth on one of the sides.

I had to quit earlier this morning after unsuccessfully getting him to open up. Hopefully enough residue liquid made it into his mouth via the open lips to be effective.

Any suggestions/instructions, or better yet, directions to a tutorial video, would be very much appreciated.

Thank you!!!!!

* I will be writing a complete thread about this experience in detail later. I've been too much of a wreck the past couple of days to do so.

[GirDance]

My best advice, having done this myself and working at a vets for years, take him (or one of your healthy snakes) back to the vet and get the vet or one of the techs to teach you how. They really should have done this *before* sending you off with oral meds... But I won't get into that much further.

The other option, would be to inquire as to whether you could switch over to a non-oral method, injections may be easier for you, and less stressful for him because you're not fumbling around with his mouth.

Good luck,

[LadyOhh]

My trick is to get a credit card or something flat and insert it into the side of the mouth, then just lift. That will give you leverage to place the syringe into the back cavity of the mouth easier than just shoving it in there.

BUT... you need to be very coordinated no matter what.

Good luck.

[Thor26]

My trick is to get a credit card or something flat and insert it into the side of the mouth, then just lift. That will give you leverage to place the syringe into the back cavity of the mouth easier than just shoving it in there.

BUT... you need to be very coordinated no matter what.

Good luck.

I think a rubber spatula would work best

[wicked5446]

I have always used the method Heather described with the card. Always worked well for me.

[boost3d05]

i used credit cards, keys, the those blue pen cap thingers...i always start trying to "pry" on the front of their mouth...right in the center.....then manuever it lefrt and right until the python adjusts its jaw a little (or opens it)

[Rapture]

Most herp vets wouldn't recommend oral antibiotics to a snake... I'm not sure if I were you I that I wouldn't also get a second opinion about giving oral antibiotics from another reptile vet.

[sg1trogdor]

I went through this with my ball and blood pythons. They contracted RI one from the other because of carelessness on my part. But yeah i start right on the side about mid way from under the eye to the snout. I used the syringe (not needle the plastic ones) for the medication itself. I would just run it back and forth along the side of there mouths until they opened them it worked every time. its up to you just use common sense dont use your finger or something short enough that the snake may be able to catch your fingertip. And good luck with your snake.

[NightLad]

Thank you for your replies everybody!!!

I will be trying a new technique tomorrow. *crosses fingers*

I received a check-up phone call from the clinic today, and I was able to ask the nurse for some more suggestions. Unfortunately she told me that what I had been doing was what she'd have suggested, so tomorrow I'm going to get a phone call from the vet herself.

With any luck, by this time tomorrow he will be opening up like a champ!

I'm also going to ask about injectable meds instead of oral. I'd rather not have to give them orally if possible. I don't like stressing him out by touching his head, even though he seems to get over his head-shyness rather quickly with me. This morning he stayed quite still and let me 'play' with his lips, even though he didn't open up.

Salzedo is my only snake, so I don't have any others to take back to the clinic for a hands-on demonstration. I feel so awful about this. It really was a freak accident. I observe all feedings, and Salzedo's response is fantastic; the mouse is gone within 2-5 seconds of being introduced to the feeding tub. Its just that this time he coiled around the mouse in a way that I could not see where its head was, and by the time I located it, the damage was done and it was dead. At least he ate the damn thing.

Thank you again for your suggestions and thoughtful messages. It really means a lot. I'll update this after I speak to the vet tomorrow and attempt another oral administration, providing I don't get injectable meds instead.

[NightLad]

Hi Everybody,

Here is another mini-update about.

His eye looks whitish and I can’t clearly tell if the pupil is dilating or not. The scales above his eye and a little bit around his jaw seem to have lighter in color too.

Today I noticed that he had pooped (he sticks to a once per two week schedule) so I collected a sample for the vet clinic. While I was there I figured that I might as well pay the little extra $ for a fecal screening. I’m sure he is healthy, but I figured it would not hurt.

This led me to making another trip to the vet clinic to drop off the sample. While there the receptionist went in the back to talk to the Dr. about him not opening his mouth. She returned with a small soft-plastic catheter to attach to the end of the syringe I’m using in the hopes that I could gently slip it in the back of his mouth that way.

I asked about the possibility of injections if this did not work, and she agreed (this is still the receptionist) that it was a possibility. She cautioned me that the injections were $35 each, and he’d need them every-other-day for a total of 10 days. I’d also have to bring him back to the clinic because only the nurse will do them.

I asked if I could be taught to do them myself (or my mother, who IS a people-nurse and has literally reached into the open-chests of flat-line patients and massaged their hears back to life), but the receptionist seemed aghast at the suggestion because “something might go wrong.” (I'm rather frustrated.)

I had to bite back from saying, “Something could have gone wrong with telling an armature to open the snake’s mouth and squirt liquid inside, too, lady!” but I tried to keep it civil. Everything goes through the receptionist so I didn’t want to tick her off; apparently, from my experience, you don’t directly speak to a Dr. or a Nurse unless you are actually in an appointment.

So I left with the catheter, which Salzedo successfully fended off tonight, although he stayed perfectly still for the eye-drops. I didn’t even have to restrain him. Maybe that was his way of trying to cut a deal.

Your thoughts and prayers are much appreciated.