Burm Had IBD--Had to Euthanize It.

[Skiploder]

Just wanted to post this, I was reading up more on IBD and paramyxovirus, and I found this: "Burmese pythons generally show signs of central nervous system disease without showing the respiratory signs. Regurgitation is not usually seen in Burmese pythons" http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptil...y-disease.aspx

My Burm never regurgitated and never really even showed signs of an RI. That day he did show me signs of CNS disease. I'm trying to do some research to see if I can try to figure out what he could have had.

Tiff:

This means absolutely nothing. I can list diseases on both hands that would present the symptoms your burm had.

You can't just assume IBD. IBD is a disease with a myriad of symptoms - most of which overlap with other diseases.

The only way you are going to know what he had is by getting a necropsy done.

Wolfy already stated that the very fact that he was undernourished and dehydrated could have caused the neurological symptoms.

[CoolioTiffany]

Tiff:

This means absolutely nothing. I can list diseases on both hands that would present the symptoms your burm had.

You can't just assume IBD. IBD is a disease with a myriad of symptoms - most of which overlap with other diseases.

The only way you are going to know what he had is by getting a necropsy done.

Wolfy already stated that the very fact that he was undernourished and dehydrated could have caused the neurological symptoms.

Yes, I know it means nothing but it just can give me an idea of what could have caused it. I'm seeing other diseases that have the same symptoms, so maybe it couldn't have been IBD. Although we did get in many diseased snakes from the seizure so that Burm could have gotten at least something.

I'm unsure why he had stopped eating in the first place. All the others were housed the same way and had the same everything, and every one of them ate besides him.

[CoolioTiffany]

This morning our Albino Burmese python "Butters" died. Last night it showed the same symptoms as my Burm did, head & neck spinning/twisting, open mouthed--spinning around, head tremors.

Butters was a real nice girl, we are all so sad about it happening. From what I was told, the two Rattlesnakes that were on the shelves below Butters were the FIRST ones showing the exact same symptoms, then everything else started to come down with it.

Even though this will probably tell me nothing as Skiploder said, I read Reptile Channel's information about paramyxovirus, and it states this: "Paramyxovirus is most common in vipers, but it is occasionally found in other snake species." Rattlesnakes are vipers, and a couple of our other vipers had died mysteriously too (all we know is they did not want to eat after a while).

So possibly the Rattlesnakes could have had it first, and then passed it on to our other snakes? The Texas seizure snakes were no where even close to where the Rattlesnakes and venomous snakes were, they were probably 20-30 feet apart from each other.

Not trying to get anyone mad that I keep assuming the worst diseases, but I'm just trying to think of the possibilities. Next time I'm there I'll give them a printed out sheet on paramyxovirus and tell them to do a necropsy on the next snake who shows signs of head tremors and the head spinning like Butters and the other snakes did, and to NOT freeze the snake.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Check for RIs, too--paramyxovirus is usually primarily respiratory, with neurological being secondary, whereas IBD is usually primarily neurological.

It's very important to determine which it is, and from what you described, it certainly sounds like one of them. IBD is always deadly, while paramyxo has a fatality rate as low as 30% with prompt and diligent supportive care. Once recovered, they're immune, and there's no evidence of carriers (wrong type of virus, and none have been found), so there is no need to euthanize with paramyxo--just strict quarantine of any animal with RI or neuro signs, and supportive care.

There are also less common nasty bugs like rhabdovirus and reoviruses that can cause these symptoms and deaths.

Yes, the little burn could have had neuro signs due to malnutrition, etc...but given the current situation, it seems unlikely.

Some of the deadly neuro viruses are airborne. Others can be transmitted through contact and transfer, like the common cold. Some, like IBD, are believed to be spread by mites.

Basically, if you can identify it as paramyxovirus, the snakes may stand a chance. If it's IBD or one of the others, well, any snake that shows symptoms should be euthanized immediately.
They'll all have to be quarantined from contact with any other snakes for at least a year, regardless of which it is. Including animals that show no symptoms. They shouldn't be adopted out to anyhow who has animals already. Paramyxo can take up to a year to incubate, and the incubation times for the others aren't well known.