Things to ask during vet visit

[anicatgirl]

That seems too warm

[Sauzo]

That's is too hot. When my bearded dragon had RI(yes I know its not a snake but its a reptile) I raised her temps by a few degrees to basically the max acceptable temp for that species. So I would probably lower the temps a few degrees and keep the cool side around 83f, hot side 88f and UTH 92f. You want it warmer so that one their metabolism doesn't slow down as you got antibiotics going through their system and two the higher temps will also kick in their own immune system. Think of it like when you have a cold and you get a fever, that's your body fighting the cold.

Fortaz is fine. I used Baytril for my beardie as I didn't want to do the whole injection thing and its much easier giving oral medication to a beardie than a snake. Be aware though that RIs can be a bear to kick and might require lots of time. I'm assuming the vet took a mouth culture to determine exactly what bacteria it is and to make sure it is a bacteria?

Also I'm guessing the vet at the least used a listening device to check the snakes lungs to make sure it wasn't pneumonia? And like I said up top, he/she also took a mouth culture to have that checked at the very least? Those are two things I would definitely make sure were done. I also had a full blood panel done on my beardie but that was because she had never been to the vet so I wanted her overall condition assessed too but those are kind of expensive.

[_Victoria]

That's is too hot. When my bearded dragon had RI(yes I know its not a snake but its a reptile) I raised her temps by a few degrees to basically the max acceptable temp for that species. So I would probably lower the temps a few degrees and keep the cool side around 83f, hot side 88f and UTH 92f. You want it warmer so that one their metabolism doesn't slow down as you got antibiotics going through their system and two the higher temps will also kick in their own immune system. Think of it like when you have a cold and you get a fever, that's your body fighting the cold.

Fortaz is fine. I used Baytril for my beardie as I didn't want to do the whole injection thing and its much easier giving oral medication to a beardie than a snake. Be aware though that RIs can be a bear to kick and might require lots of time. I'm assuming the vet took a mouth culture to determine exactly what bacteria it is and to make sure it is a bacteria?

Also I'm guessing the vet at the least used a listening device to check the snakes lungs to make sure it wasn't pneumonia? And like I said up top, he/she also took a mouth culture to have that checked at the very least? Those are two things I would definitely make sure were done. I also had a full blood panel done on my beardie but that was because she had never been to the vet so I wanted her overall condition assessed too but those are kind of expensive.

I also thought those temps sounded too hot so as soon as I saw him lounging outside his hide I watched for a bit and then adjusted temps. My surface is still at 84 and air is 81 on my cold side. I lowered my UTH temp as well so it will be around 92 with the occasional high being 94.

There was no culture that was done. I had prepared to asked and with that being my first vet visit ever I just spaced a lot of my questions. He never mentioned one either. He did listen to his lungs though and also felt all parts of his body as if massaging him a little, checking for lumps/numbs. He also checked his mouth. I'm praying this medication works.


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[Sauzo]

Well without a mouth culture, you are playing darts. An RI can be bacterial, viral or fungal. If its the latter 2 then fortaz wont work. Just keep an eye on your snake. You should see improvements within a few days if it is working. Fortaz and Baytril are wide spectrum bacterial antibiotics so chances are if it's bacterial, it will work. I'm surprised the vet didn't want to do a mouth culture to find out exactly what "bug" was causing the RI. It's good though that he listened to lungs to make sure it wasn't pneumonia though.

What do you mean surface is 84f and air is 81f on the cool side? Are you using something to heat the substrate on the cool side? I would personally shoot for 84f ambient temp on the cool side. I mean I'm sure 81f will be fine but I would try and bump it up a few degrees.

[_Victoria]

Well without a mouth culture, you are playing darts. An RI can be bacterial, viral or fungal. If its the latter 2 then fortaz wont work. Just keep an eye on your snake. You should see improvements within a few days if it is working. Fortaz and Baytril are wide spectrum bacterial antibiotics so chances are if it's bacterial, it will work. I'm surprised the vet didn't want to do a mouth culture to find out exactly what "bug" was causing the RI. It's good though that he listened to lungs to make sure it wasn't pneumonia though.

What do you mean surface is 84f and air is 81f on the cool side? Are you using something to heat the substrate on the cool side? I would personally shoot for 84f ambient temp on the cool side. I mean I'm sure 81f will be fine but I would try and bump it up a few degrees.

So I'm pretty sure my acurite thermometer is broken which would give the messed up temps. What first tipped me off was the different temps for surface and air. I have nothing on my cold surface, I just measure the temps. I then messed with all my other thermometers I have and placed them in that cold spot and voila, it read far higher than it said on the one I was using. Like 90some degrees.

Now I'm even more panicked and freaking out. When I got home from the vet I had upped my temp by switching it a bulb for a higher one, point being that he only was in those danger zone temps for a while but still then I question if his cold side temps were wrong this whole time.

I just ordered these acurite thermometers and haven't even been using them for more than a month and a half.

Also this morning I woke up to the floor of the tank filled with water because he tipped over the dish I put it there last night for humidity before I could get more moss. I'm guessing this could have kept him cooled down during my yet another major mistake.


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