how to detect IBD and prevent it ?

[nightingale2k1]

Hi,

I have a ball that has ibd symptom few days ago. But I worried whether the other snakes will be infected with IBD as well... I put them on the same room but different cage (I am using container box) and now I moved the sick one on different room.

My question: how to detect whether you snake got IBD or not ? can it be diagnose by checking the blood ?

[BPelizabeth]

Oye....is this snake new?? Did you quarantine? What are the symptoms that you are seeing? There are other illnesses that have similar reactions such as over heating. Also if this isn't a new snake...have you had it around any other snakes most importantly Boa's.


I do know that there is a pretty invasive test that you can give a boa to see if it carries the virus but it is NOT 100%. As far as a test to see if your python has it.....I don't think so.

[dr del]

Hi,

Just to rule out one similar looking condition...

Is the snake showing the problem a spider?


dr del

[nightingale2k1]

@BPelizabeth

I got my ball about a year ago ... and it just notice when the mouth seems bleeding a little but now it is fine. I checked on my friend and she said that my ball got IBD.

and yes ... I just got Boa near the ball cages. Could that be the problem ? so far my ball haven't take any food for about 3 weeks. I did test whether my ball has stargazing by taking her tail but it didn't show up like those who got stargazing ( i check on youtube)

[Lolo76]

@BPelizabeth

I got my ball about a year ago ... and it just notice when the mouth seems bleeding a little but now it is fine. I checked on my friend and she said that my ball got IBD.

Not sure I understand this... why was the mouth bleeding, and did your friend think that was a sign of IBD? What experience does your friend have in diagnosing this disease?

and yes ... I just got Boa near the ball cages. Could that be the problem ?

Boas can be "silent carriers" of IBD, meaning they will carry the disease but not show any symptoms... did you quarantine the boa, or just put it next to your python as soon as it came home? That could definitely be a problem, although I'm not qualified to give more info than that.

so far my ball haven't take any food for about 3 weeks. I did test whether my ball has stargazing by taking her tail but it didn't show up like those who got stargazing ( i check on youtube)

How is the snake doing now? Still showing symptoms?

[ed4281]

Ok here we go.

IBD (inverted body disease) is a viral infection that boas can carry but is fatal to pythons. IBD is very rare a lot of times people think their pet has IBD, however tests are done post mortem and the animal just has an antibiotic resistant bacterial infection.

Symptoms of IBD can be similar to URI (upper repertory infection) fluid in the mouth, stargazing, regurg, and wheezing. The more IBD progresses, you start to notice neurological symptoms, such as cork screwing and head shaking, this can also happen with severe URI so it is hard to distinguish the difference.

Now, blood in the mouth is more consistent with mouth rot which is painful to the snake but can be fixed with antibiotics.

If there was not a boa in the room and proper quarantine procedures had been followed I would think that your chances of IBD are very slim, but given those variables it's hard to say.

Please take your BP to the vet, he/she will be able to tell you for sure what’s going on with your pet and prescribe the necessary care for it. IBD, however is 100% fatal and most pythons are gone within 1 month of infection.

I hope that isn’t the case for you and I pray your pet will be ok, good luck

Ed

[J.Vandegrift]

Ok here we go.

IBD (inverted body disease)

I think you mean Inclusion body disease

[ed4281]

you are correct that was the spell check working against me lol.