Vet Trip

[alkibp]

So I took my little black pewter named Shadow to the vet today.

He has been wheezing for a few days now.

The staff at Mountain View Veterinary Hospital were very friendly and professional.

Hopefully after 10-14 days of liquid Baytril, my little guy will be okay.

A picture of my snake on the Vet's facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mounta...99404973451590

[alkibp]

Well after 14 days of Baytril, he still makes the wheezing/whistling sound when being handled.

I read in another post that whistling sounds from the glottis are normal, so now I am not sure what to do.

I could take him back to the Vet and try a different antibiotic but, that would create more stress on him.

I could dismiss the sounds I am hearing as normal but, that would be bad if it is an actual RI.

The Vet couldn't do a culture since the snake isn't discharging any fluids.

Anyone have any insight?

Here's the link to the thread where folks were saying it's a normal sound:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...95#post1865795

[Poseidon]

Is it just wheezing? Or is there mucous, bubbles, opening mouth, etc?

[babyknees]

Are you sure it's wheezing? I've mistaken hissing for wheezing before. Heh.

[alkibp]

Is it just wheezing? Or is there mucous, bubbles, opening mouth, etc?

He isn't discharging any fluids- so no mucous/bubbles.

Vet would've done a culture if there was.

- - - Updated - - -

Definitely not hissing. Thanx though.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Well after 14 days of Baytril, he still makes the wheezing/whistling sound when being handled.

Anyone have any insight?

Your issue is mainly right here

Hopefully after 10-14 days of liquid Baytril, my little guy will be okay.

Treatment is too short, Dr Stahl http://www.seavs.com/ who is the best herp vet in the country recommend a month treatment and not 10 to 14 days.

Additionally oral anti-biotic are not the best, injection are usually prescribed.

Also a culture should have been done whether mucus was present or not.

Now I understand you vet was nice but what really matters is to go to a QUALIFIED herp vet many will tell you they will see your reptiles when ask but believe me there is a HUGE difference.

I would suggest a different vet.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Short of them doing a lung wash, you're probably done for now, unless he develops some other symptoms, or the symptoms get worse. I do have one snake that developed asthma after an RI. It would act up whenever ambient temps dropped a bit, or she went into shed, and once in a while for no apparent reason. A couple of years later, it rarely occurs anymore. You could try bumping the humidity up a bit, or even giving him a weekly nebulizer treatment with water, to ease his breathing, if his airway is simply inflamed and sensitive.

[Skiploder]

So I took my little black pewter named Shadow to the vet today.

He has been wheezing for a few days now.

The staff at Mountain View Veterinary Hospital were very friendly and professional.

Hopefully after 10-14 days of liquid Baytril, my little guy will be okay.

A picture of my snake on the Vet's facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mounta...99404973451590

I did not tell you whistling sounds were normal, I told you they were normal under certain circumstances - namely stress.

What is not normal is a vet prescribing an antibiotic without the presence of any other symptoms or without attempting to culture the causative bacterium.

Given the absence of any other symptoms, the vet should have pointed this fact out. However nice your vet may seem, if he/she suspected a bacterial infection, a culture should have been taken. A trans-tracheal wash could have been done, regardless of what you were told.

Baytril is not a silver bullet against the gram negative bacteria that cause RIs in snakes. Hack vets that blindly throw it at every bacterial infection can be thanked for that.

[alkibp]

Your issue is mainly right here

Treatment is too short, Dr Stahl http://www.seavs.com/ who is the best herp vet in the country recommend a month treatment and not 10 to 14 days.

Additionally oral anti-biotic are not the best, injection are usually prescribed.

Also a culture should have been done whether mucus was present or not.

Now I understand you vet was nice but what really matters is to go to a QUALIFIED herp vet many will tell you they will see your reptiles when ask but believe me there is a HUGE difference.

I would suggest a different vet.

Well, there are 3 Vets that work in that building I went to. The guy I saw was their "reptile" guy.

He also mentioned injections are not the best due to the possible development of an abscess.

How can a culture be done without taking a sample of mucous/fluid from the mouth area?
I'll mention that to the Vet next time I see him.

Thanx for the advice. I'll keep it in mind.

- - - Updated - - -

Short of them doing a lung wash, you're probably done for now, unless he develops some other symptoms, or the symptoms get worse. I do have one snake that developed asthma after an RI. It would act up whenever ambient temps dropped a bit, or she went into shed, and once in a while for no apparent reason. A couple of years later, it rarely occurs anymore. You could try bumping the humidity up a bit, or even giving him a weekly nebulizer treatment with water, to ease his breathing, if his airway is simply inflamed and sensitive.

Thanx for the info. I had no idea snakes could get asthma. Now my ball python and I have something in common.

[alkibp]

I did not tell you whistling sounds were normal, I told you they were normal under certain circumstances - namely stress.

What is not normal is a vet prescribing an antibiotic without the presence of any other symptoms or without attempting to culture the causative bacterium.

Given the absence of any other symptoms, the vet should have pointed this fact out. However nice your vet may seem, if he/she suspected a bacterial infection, a culture should have been taken. A trans-tracheal wash could have been done, regardless of what you were told.

Baytril is not a silver bullet against the gram negative bacteria that cause RIs in snakes. Hack vets that blindly throw it at every bacterial infection can be thanked for that.

Yes. Here is what you said:

" It's normal.

Snakes often make noises - especially when they are being held or messed with - that emanate from the glottis and the nares. These are usually the expulsion of breath due to stress."

"Normal under certain circumstances" is exactly what I got from it. When being held he makes a whistling/wheezing sound.

On my next visit to the Vet, I'll mention the trans-trachea wash and culture, regardless of the absence of mucous/fluids.

Thanx,