Yes i agree there are strains resistent to baytril but if the resp is caught early most of the times baytril clears it up. If the resp is in the stages where you see bubbles or mucous the snake looses the battle. There comes a point where you have to look at risk vs reward. If the snake is in the later stages with bubbling and mucous you have to make the decision that do i want to spend upwards of a grand to take a shot in the dark that spending that kind of money will clear it up? The odds are not good in that case. Also snakes have a slow healing rate. Even if you spend big money and try different antibiotics this takes a huge toll on their system and all your doing is prolonging the inevidable. Im not saying baytril is the only answer im just relying of my 20 years of personal experience. But i do agree on your post that an infection should be cultured but its helpful in making the decision to know the signs of the stages in resp infections cause there is a point in where its a loosing battle