Need help ASAP!

[Riggamortis]

Update.
I spoke with my vet yesterday for quite some time. Cant get him in till thursday evening. Tell me if this sounds crazy, but her diagnosis is a GI problem not an RI problem?! His first checkup she did a fecal smear and found ghiardia and something else and treated him with ivermectin and another drug. She said he prob has a blockage, and I may need more ivermectin. He isn't a very productive pooper, but I figured it was because how young he is. He ate a large fuzzy yesterday no problem. She also told me to swim him daily. Does this make any sense?

[Skittles1101]

The GI problem is completely unrelated to the RI IMO, get the culture. Two different issues. I'd also be on the look out for a better vet, even if you have to drive a little further. Good luck

[PitOnTheProwl]

I'm with Leah on this one..........and please dont stress him anymore with a swim.

[Riggamortis]

Yea I was thinking that prognosis sounded a little off. I def need a new vet because I had to convince her he still has a RI, and I need a culture. AnyOne familiar with a herp specialist around bucks county, Pa?

[Shadera]

How far are you willing to drive? Dr. Stahl is about 3 hours from you, and is an excellent herp vet.

http://www.seavs.com/

[kitedemon]

My experience the culture at this point is a waste of money at this point the drugs the snake has been on will mask the results and they will be inconclusive at best. baytril is an old drug there are so many resistant bacteria to it that it is of little wonder it failed to work. I also don't think it sounds like a GI issue. I would look at other antibiotics other than baytril. Ceftazidime might be a better choice. I could be wrong about the culture /lung wash, but adding fluid to the lungs and draining it for a culture might be counter productive.

Snakes have a slow metabolism the vets in my area usually say 30 days of drugs and no change for 20. Yes it is worth it.

[angllady2]

Something that may help a little in the meantime is bumping up the humidity a little.

My vet suggested this as it helps to keep the mucus thinner and easier to clear.

I am having serious doubts about this vet. I do however remember reading here recently that someone thought their snake had an RI, and it was really stomatitis, which is an infection of the mouth, throat or lining of the digestive tract.

I don't think swimming is going to help your snake one little bit. I do think you should do your best to find another vet, which is probably not going to be easy. I think your vet should at least attempt a culture of this mucus. When I had to deal with an RI, my vet didn't even consider Baytril, she said it's not very effective anymore. If I remember correctly, I think Dr Stahl does phone consultations, so that might be worth a shot.

I wish you and your snake all the best.

Gale

[Riggamortis]

Shadera- I looked up the exact directions, and its def a little further than I'd like to travel. About 3hr45. Man I wish he were closer.
Kite- I'm not doubting your knowledge at all, and I appreciate you help, but you truly recommend not getting a culture? I understand your thought process, and believe me my knowledge is very limited, im jut surprised your the only one with that outlook.
Lady2- I've kept my humidity pretty average. Thismorning it was at 57%. Again my knowledge is obviously slim, but in researching I've found instructions that said raise it, and others say lower it to dry him out?! Thats the Internet for you. Luckily I have an appt. with a new and different Dr. At the same practice who specialized in snakes today at 5:45. I'm hoping for the best.

[Skiploder]

Shadera- I looked up the exact directions, and its def a little further than I'd like to travel. About 3hr45. Man I wish he were closer.
Kite- I'm not doubting your knowledge at all, and I appreciate you help, but you truly recommend not getting a culture? I understand your thought process, and believe me my knowledge is very limited, im jut surprised your the only one with that outlook.
Lady2- I've kept my humidity pretty average. Thismorning it was at 57%. Again my knowledge is obviously slim, but in researching I've found instructions that said raise it, and others say lower it to dry him out?! Thats the Internet for you. Luckily I have an appt. with a new and different Dr. At the same practice who specialized in snakes today at 5:45. I'm hoping for the best.

I think Kitedemon is simply stating that based on the state that your snake is in, and the fact that he just came off a run of Baytril, you probably don't want to wait for a culture. I'm sure Alex would be the first one to agree that cultures are necessary to properly treat an RI.

However, that decision should be up to the vet. More often than not, when your snake is this sick, a vet will culture but will also send you home with antibiotics that he feels will work. See, it takes time to get the results of a culture, so when a snake is as sick as yours, the odds are that the next vet will take note that Baytril did not work and get you started on another med while the culture is processed.

I'm confused as to why the vet prescribed Baytril for giardia. Giardia is a protozoal disease and usually the only antibiotic used to treat it is flagyl (metronidazole) which is effective on many protozoa. Fenbendazole (Panacur) is also used. Panacur is not an antibiotic.

I may be wrong but I thought that some species of giardia are actually native to the intestinal tract of snakes.

[kitedemon]

All opinions are suspect, no individuals should be taken at face value.

The culture is very effective before drugs, after, the drugs mask the results greatly. The outcome may not be conclusive and you just spent 300-500$ for a poor result. Your choice, but from my vet and the courses I have done it is effective before not after. It is a nasty procedure as well the process of feeding a tube into the lung adding saline solution and squeezing the liquid out and growing a culture is a very dramatic event. Check with your vet and see what they suggest.