Quote Originally Posted by Skiploder View Post
I actually think that bacterial RIs are not as common as we think. Doesn't mean that they are uncommon, just means that they should not be the first thing we assume when a snake has an RI. There are fungal causes, parasitic causes and viral causes.

In my time keeping snakes, I have had more imports come in with lungworms than bacterial RIs. When is the last time you saw someone talk about parasitic RIs on the forums? They don't because most vets just don't bother to do anything more than throw Baytril at a snake with a suspected RI.

The one time I had a spontaneous RI occur in a long term captive, it was due to a virus.

I'll repeat what I said earlier - until vets stop short-arming clients, no one knows the true breakdown of the incidences of each cause.
we can both repeat what we said until we're blue in the face, but that leads to nothing. i wasn't trying to turn this into a debate. just trying to help other people out. i do not think vets should assume and treat any illness without running tests first, and many vets do this. while i do agree with some of your points, maybe you can help me understand your side better and help me fix my logic if it's incorrect. my logic does not come from reptile keeping or posts on forums. it comes from my lifelong experience having parents as veterinarians, a pediatrician grandfather, and working at a vet clinic for 8 years. i realize you're older and have more experience when it comes to keeping reptiles, although i believe i may have more experience being around veterinarians, so please correct me if i'm wrong.

antibiotics treat bacterial infections, correct?

antibiotics do not treat fungal, viral or parasitic infections.

antibiotics would not work if an animal was infected with parasites or a virus.

if illness is unknown, veterinarians (or doctors) treat an illness with the most common drug that clears these symptoms.

in a snake, if viral respiratory infections were more common than bacterial, antibiotics would not be the most common drug that cleared these symptoms.

in veterinarians' experience, antibiotics work more often than not.

-therefore, my logic is telling me bacterial respiratory infections are more common than viral or parasitic.


i'm in no way trying to offend you, belittle you, or start a heated debate, and i would appreciate the same respect in turn. just explaining where my logic comes from and putting it out there for criticism.