Baytril help

[Zach]

When/if your bp ever had RI..
Did your vet tell you to give the snake water by syringe and tube before injecting the baytril?
That's what i was told to do- Ive heard that it is not necessary. It seems to put a ton of stress on the snake, and me. Its also pretty hard to do.

[jkobylka]

I'm not familiar with that... worked with several extremely experienced reptile vets too...

[j_h_smith]

I think someone else on this forum mentioned this some time ago. I don't know why, but I have heard about it.

Jim Smith

[kellysballs]

Here is what I would do. Call your vet on the phone and ask what why he/she wants you to do this. Let them know you are having a hard time doing it and the snake is stressing really bad when you do. Ask if soaking in shallow water for a few minutes before would be okay.

It's okay to question your vet (or anyone for that matter) as long as you are tactful. I can only guess that he wants you to do this to prevent dehydration since baytril can be harmful to kidneys and liver. If your snake is dehydrated it may be more susceptible to renal damage. (just a guess).

[Crazy4Herps]

Are you using a tube to administer Baytril? If so, water is generally injected down the tube *after* meds to flush out any Baytril that may still be in the tube.

I agree with kellysballs; call your vet. It's very important to stick to the treatment plan exactly as you were told. Don't put us online peoples' advice above your vet's. Never change treatment plans without consulting your vet.

I'm guessing the water is just to keep your BP hydrated during a stressful time, especially if he's not eating. Again, I have not personally examined your snake, nor do I have a degree in animal medical care, so I can't tell you whether or not this is necessary. If you feel strongly about not doing this (trust me, I know how hard it is giving oral medication to an uncooperative snake!), give your vet a call and talk it over. Have this conversation with your vet, not us.

[2kdime]

The only time any type of "water" would be used is it you are injecting the antibiotic.

You dont use regular water, you use lactated ringers or saline that the vet uses.

A lot of times Baytril is "diluted" before injection because the antibiotic has such a high PH level.

[mpkeelee]

i think people are getting confused. you mean the vet is saying to inject water into the snakes mouth and not into the body with a syringe right?

if that is the case, i agree with what someone else mentioned. a lot of medicine for R.I's can really cause some damage to ur snakes kidneys and sometimes death and cause severe dehydration. if the RI is bad enough the doc has to "thread the needle" if u will. they have to give them enough antibiotics to kill the bacteria, but not kill ur snakes organs

[Zach]

Are you using a tube to administer Baytril? If so, water is generally injected down the tube *after* meds to flush out any Baytril that may still be in the tube.

I agree with kellysballs; call your vet. It's very important to stick to the treatment plan exactly as you were told. Don't put us online peoples' advice above your vet's. Never change treatment plans without consulting your vet.

I'm guessing the water is just to keep your BP hydrated during a stressful time, especially if he's not eating. Again, I have not personally examined your snake, nor do I have a degree in animal medical care, so I can't tell you whether or not this is necessary. If you feel strongly about not doing this (trust me, I know how hard it is giving oral medication to an uncooperative snake!), give your vet a call and talk it over. Have this conversation with your vet, not us.

i give him the water orally before i injenct him with the baytril

[j_h_smith]

I believe the reason for giving water orally before injecting Baytril is to make sure the snake is well hydrated. Baytril can burn the skin at the injection site. So, my guess is the vet wants to make sure this doesn't happen.

This is just a guess on my part. I've injected Baytril into 3 animals in my lifetime and I've never given water before the injection. But I'm not saying it's wrong either.

If it helps the snake, I'm all for it, however I would think it would add stress to an already stressful situation.

Jim Smith