Let's Clear Some Stuff Up About IBD

[Skiploder]

I believe the Barkers both have degrees in biology and both worked in (I don't recall which one) zoos with snakes, they both have published in journals. I tend to take their book as it is researched and referenced as well as any journal I have ever read. I am not questioning you or Dr E. Jacobson either. I have not had time to read the 2 papers I have found in addition to your posted link yet but much of the research is done with Boidea isn't it? I understood that they could be a passive carrier and carry with no symptoms for long periods of time, but Royals have not currently been found to be carriers but show symptoms quickly. I read this somewhere and as much as I hate it I cannot figure out where that was. My brief read (I have not had time to read in depth yet) (http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/college/de...JExoticPet.pdf)

that the article mentions "Boa constrictors affected by IBD also regurgitated food items within several days of feeding, in addition to the CNS disease signs described for pythons"

My understanding is that when it attacks the CNS neurological signs are rapid and evident. Is this incorrect? I could not find an reference to it. I don't have enough knowledge to make meaningful points at all. I have questions with out answers.

Has there been studies done on Royals and IBD or is it limited to Boidea?

Have there been documented cases of IBD in Royals that carry no outward signs?

When IBD enters CNS is there neurological issues?

Has there been Royals showing signs of IBD but with no CNS involvement?

I am not saying I have accurate information. I am not saying the information presented is not absolutely correct. I am saying does it apply to Royal Pythons the same way? I know boidea can carry IBD for ages I know of one whom has. What I don't know and have not seen any reference pointed to a meaningful study that Royals can carry the disease without outward symptoms. Do you have one?

Alex:

What the Barkers have degrees in is irrelevant. They are not researching the disease. Dr. Jacobson and his group are researchers at the forefront of studying and categorizing this disease.

The short answer to your question is who knows? The researchers are sorely underfunded and the community has been pathetic in helping them.

The common conventional wisdom was that boas can harbor it, pythons succumb quickly. In some cases that has happened, in others it hasn't.

The problem is people often don't find out why their pet snake has died, into the trash it goes. As more and more people are becoming educated on this, more and more people are opting for necropsies and histologies on deceased animals.

It's very important that you read the dates on what ever research papers you read. I cannot stress enough the differences in conventional wisdom on IBD from as short as three years ago to today.

If all else fails, Dr. Jacobson has shown an inclination to respond to emails. This discussion has been carried out on several forums already and in every case, Dr. J has taken the time to answer in a candid and forthright manner.

When I wrote him, I was very concerned about my antaresia, aspidites and regius. His response to me was honest: no one knows how long those species can remain asymptomatic, no one knows exactly how it's spread and no one knows how those symptoms would present themselves.

What has happened with a lot of these care sheets (including those on the sites of respected breeders) is that they parse a limited amount of info and draw absolute conclusions from them.

Case in point - 7 or 8 years ago, IBD in a boa meant stargazing, regurges and death. While that's not what the studies said, it was selectively parsed from the research and has been parroted on just about every website ver since. The fact is that for years and years, researchers have known that a large percentage of certain boid species can carry the disease indefinitely without exhibiting symptoms.

Case in point - it has been universally trumpeted that any regius afflicted with IBD dies quickly. Fact is that more and more people are finding that other boid species can carry the disease asymptomatically for an unknown period of time.

Until a cost effective screening test is available that people will use and breeders will consent to utilize to screen their animals, we aren't going to ever know exactly which species can carry the disease asymptomatically. The community hasn't really supported this research and, as I said before, some of the biggest names in the business are on record saying that IBD really doesn't exist.