The New IBD Blood Test - Predictions?

[Skiploder]

The new blood test available for screening IBD is great news. Well, great news for some people.

It also represents an interesting scenario - or better yet potential scenarios.

Since IBD made the scene, the community has had a weird attitude about it. Some big name breeders went around claiming it did not even exist. An IBD mythology made the scene, complete with people mischaracterizing the disease. It was claimed pythons died immediately. It was claimed that any neurological symptoms were IBD, it was claimed it was not prevalent, it was claimed that all animals so afflicted had to display symptoms. I could go on but you get the point.

At the same time, people started posting horrendous stories of snake collections being rapidly decimated by the disease. Some of these stories were never backed up by conclusive evidence that IBD was the cause and some, by the very nature of IBD as an asymptomatic back-packer, never ruled out other diseases such as OPMV or viral meningitis. The landscape was littered with denial, misinformation and willful ignorance.

All of this was hampered by the difficulty in screening animals - either by necropsy or live biopsy. Since IBD could inhabit various organs, biopsies on live animals were a chancy bet.

But there was a group of researchers determined to continue to work on a way to screen and potentially treat the disease. Those researchers were very open about the lack of financial support from the community and also were quick to point out the fallacious facts surrounding IBD on the forums. Still, the disease was ignored.

So the first question that comes to mind is will boa breeders rush out to clear their stock? Will python breeders?

Now remember that in the past, IBD researchers have thrown out there that up to 1/3 of all boas may be asymptomatic carriers. So in reference to the first question, what does that mean if I'm in the boa business?

Now with regards to python breeders - the myth has been that IBD kills pythons immediately, even though Dr, Jacobsen himself has claimed that no one has proven that nugget. so what does that mean if I'm in the python business?

Here's my prediction - no one will rush out to clear their animals.

As time goes on, some vets and veterinary institutions will recommend the test to owners. Slowly a database will build.

Then things will get interesting.

Question to you boa and python owners - what WILL you do? How does this test affect who you buy from? Will you clear your animals?

When you take your snake in for a visit for a recurring and incurable RI, will you submit your python for the blood test?

If the researchers guesses prove true and both pythons and boas can remain asymptomatic for an indefinite period of time and perhaps a large percentage can be carriers, what will you think of the community? The community that denied the existence, in some cases willfully spread around BS facts..............

In five years, the landscape of how we buy our snakes and who we buy them from will change. Pay very close attention to this test and any resulting info that comes from it.