over the counter medication?

[RichsBallPythons]

Once you start importing and get in good with your Vet, He/She should have a list of meds dosings for you to have on had, Thus saving you time and money.

I know my Vet which i havent used for reptiles yet, but he will write me any script i need and he will give me the dosage over the phone.

You will need to take your first batch of Imports in t know what you will be dealing with. Then stock up on the Meds depending on the number you import.

[Skiploder]

Once you start importing and get in good with your Vet, He/She should have a list of meds dosings for you to have on had, Thus saving you time and money.

I know my Vet which i havent used for reptiles yet, but he will write me any script i need and he will give me the dosage over the phone.

You will need to take your first batch of Imports in t know what you will be dealing with. Then stock up on the Meds depending on the number you import.

Rich, obviously your vet isn't one of those fancy southern california rip off artists we've all been hearing so much about.

[slackerz]

im also had experience with few bad vet before..but it doesnt stop me to find a good one and finally found it..after so many years dealing with him,now he trust me to do it on my own..sometimes he just give me antibiotic which i need to inject it to my sick animal..i knew exactly the meds he use with the concentration, but when new people ask me about their sick snake,i suggest them to bring it to the vet..the only thing i can help them is to introduce them to a good vet.that is the only shortcut in treating sick reptile..

[RichsBallPythons]

Rich, obviously your vet isn't one of those fancy southern california rip off artists we've all been hearing so much about.

I guess, Hes just a cool down to earth Guy I been going to for years for my Cats checkups and so on.

[kitedemon]

Quite the hot topic! A good vet is worth what they charge. I have a vet in the family (horses and cows mostly :-( ) She just set up her own practice and that means a 2 million dollar loan to do that. Add the cost of education and loss of income while in school it is quite a debt will she pay it back yes absolutely does she over charge I have to say no, I have 2 years less schooling than she does and my business was set up much far cheaper and I still charge more an hour.

I saw my vet today a check up on one of the rescues (I don't own her and am not likely going to be her 'forever' home once she is well and healthy she will find someone whom will care for her and look after her properly. I agreed when I took her in I would look after her that mean a trip (or 4) to the vet. My vet saw her today spend 40 min with us and we decided that everything seemed to be on the mend. I was charged a reasonable 60$ for that. I trust my vet and lean on her experience to keep my animals and animals I am responsible safe and healthy. I do the same for my mechanic for my car I pay him 70$ an hour why should I not pay my vet 100$ especially when she is right more often!

There is no web site that should be taken at face value all information should be cross referenced and compared before taking it as truth. The problem with web sites is often bad information and worse that information being quoted to and from other sites.

The fact is drugs change frequently, what was used commonly 10 years ago is not used at all today. Taking ANY information on drugs from a web site is sketchy as it is likely out dated. There are so many types of internal parasites that are possible with WC animals that no one drug will work anyway it is a handful and there could be cross reactions and complications with using more than one. A vet will know this and understand the complexities of drugs. Web pages are far too simple to be complete. look at ASA dogs can be given it but cats it is a poison. Every vet knows this but my vet sees 5-10 cases of salicylate toxicity in cats every year. There are a handful of web sites that talk about ASA to cats... wrongly. You are trusting your animal to some person whom bought page mill? seriously???

[WingedWolfPsion]

Step one: Find a good reptile vet.
If you do this, you will not be overcharged, and you will get quality care for the reptile. If you settle for less than a good reptile vet, your reptile may not get good care. ARAV.org can help.

Step two: Educate yourself, so that you know in the first visit whether or not the vet you chose is a good reptile vet. (Sadly, this is still necessary).

If you're getting a wild caught animal, it may have a whole host of exotic parasites, bacteria, and even viruses, dwelling within it. That really requires a professional to identify everything and treat it appropriately. Expect wild caught animals to cost MORE, not LESS, than captive bred animals, for this reason. If you don't like that, just buy a captive bred ahaetulla. I've seen them around, though not commonly.

All that having been said, it has been a source of low grade annoyance for me for years now that metronidazole and fenbendazole can all be purchased freely at feed stores in concentrations appropriate for the treatment of livestock, but CANNOT be purchased in concentrations appropriate for the treatment of small animals (such as reptiles).
I own a microscrope, and having once worked for a vet, I know how to prepare fecal float, and learning to identify pinworm eggs is not rocket science, nor does it require a veterinary license. There's a nice book available, with photos. Vets use it. We should be able to regularly screen our own collections, and treat them simply for anything we identify, saving vet visits for more serious issues than a minor case of worms brought in by a rodent meal.

[satomi325]

A good vet is worth what they charge.

I wholeheartedly agree!

My vet charges a lot, but I don't mind. She's not ripping people off and its not out of greed, I assure you. She is one of the most awesome, kind, and knowledgeable person I know. She treats my animals as if they were her own. She coos at my ferrets as well as the snakes. Haha. Most meds and vaccines are generally the same price everywhere, but it's the office visit fee that really kills me. An exotic exam is $60 per animal, which is average I suppose. I usually bring my animals in groups. So the multiple animal office fee does get up there. I've also been to other not as great vets, who charge less and/or offer a 1 office visit for all fee. Even though they're cheaper, I'd rather just pay more for my vet, who I know I could trust to keep my animals healthy.

[mr.spooky]

Step one: Find a good reptile vet.
If you do this, you will not be overcharged, and you will get quality care for the reptile. If you settle for less than a good reptile vet, your reptile may not get good care. ARAV.org can help.

Step two: Educate yourself, so that you know in the first visit whether or not the vet you chose is a good reptile vet. (Sadly, this is still necessary).

If you're getting a wild caught animal, it may have a whole host of exotic parasites, bacteria, and even viruses, dwelling within it. That really requires a professional to identify everything and treat it appropriately. Expect wild caught animals to cost MORE, not LESS, than captive bred animals, for this reason. If you don't like that, just buy a captive bred ahaetulla. I've seen them around, though not commonly.

All that having been said, it has been a source of low grade annoyance for me for years now that metronidazole and fenbendazole can all be purchased freely at feed stores in concentrations appropriate for the treatment of livestock, but CANNOT be purchased in concentrations appropriate for the treatment of small animals (such as reptiles).
I own a microscrope, and having once worked for a vet, I know how to prepare fecal float, and learning to identify pinworm eggs is not rocket science, nor does it require a veterinary license. There's a nice book available, with photos. Vets use it. We should be able to regularly screen our own collections, and treat them simply for anything we identify, saving vet visits for more serious issues than a minor case of worms brought in by a rodent meal.

you make a good point. if you feel confident enough to learn how to do fecal floats, and to identify common parasites and such, it would be a first line of defence. it would also be benificial for monthly fecal checkups. you truly cant go wrong by doing this..
but saying that, one must also know that just because they have a scope, there not a doctor.
i am fortunate that most of my working life, i have been in the animal field. my wife is a board certified DVM in pathology,,,so most of our lab work is done in house, and what cant be done in house is taken to the vet diagnostic lab we both work at. BUT, if one of our dogs has been limping for a few days, or the cat has the snots or something,,,,, we still take the animals to the local vet
does anyone really think that they can gain the same knowlage from a few weeks on the internet that the doctors gain from a 5-6+ years of education, and a career to further their education?
spooky

[WingedWolfPsion]

I agree entirely--but there's a line between trying to learn to be a vet at home, and learning some very basic first aid and treatment of very simple ailments at home.

You don't take the dog to the vet if it gets a little cut on its pad--you put a safe antibiotic ointment on it, and keep an eye on it.
If a snake gets an RI, we know that's serious--it should go to a vet (I don't agree with the folks who try treating that at home by nebulizing, personally). But, a minor case of worms isn't exactly serious if you catch it early, and the drugs used to treat pinworm or most protozoa aren't incredibly dangerous--panacur and flagyl have a wide safety margin.
We're considered competent to dose our horse, but not our snake. The procedure is the same--you weigh the animal, and follow the directions.

It's the division between livestock and 'pets' that I object to.

[mr.spooky]

we are on the same page here... we should all just be responsible to know when to say when...
maby in 20 years or so, it will be common practice to treat our reptiles for common problems, but as of now, reptile medicine is still in its beginnings, and for the most part, should be left to the pro's.
spooky