Respiratory infection treatment vs me going to hospital

[m1lkhoney]

There's no reason to go into too much detail but I've been feeling pretty suicidal lately and it's gotten to the point that my therapist suggested inpatient treatment for a couple days until I'm straightened out a bit. However, my snake has an RI and he's on oral baytril twice a day. I have no one else who can administer it to him and if I went inpatient, he would miss at least four doses. I REALLY could not live with myself if I did this and it harmed my snake. I know I need help but he has to come first. Would missing a few doses hurt him? He's on the mend well, but still. You can't mess around with antibiotics...

:/

[Scottywelsh]

Honestly, you need to think of yourself first. If your snake is getting better then maybe stopping and starting in a few days wouldn't hurt. If stopping and starting means that your snake still has a little bit of the RI left and the last bit of antibiotics doesn't clear it up then you can always get more antibiotics.
You are priority number 1. Without you your animals die.
Good Luck. I hope everything works out

[bcr229]

Can your vet keep him and treat him? When my snakes had surgery they stayed at the vet, one for a few days, the other for several months (it was a major operation).

[piedlover79]

You need to treat you first. Hugs

[TurkeyPython]

I know this might not be the best advice, but I've dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts and actions for pretty much my entire life. At one point it got so bad I had to be continually monitored to make sure I didn't kill myself, but the only time I couldn't even hurt myself was when one of my animals was sick or injured. When they're sick I care about them more than anything and without me being there for them they would worsen and die. I could never do that to them. So I would stay and continue to treat him until he's better, but your animals might not be as big a part of your life as mine are to me. If you feel like you still might hurt or kill yourself while he's sick then you should go, if he's improving then two days without meds won't hurt, but if you're like me and their health matters more to you than anything and you know they won't get better without you then you should stay.

[m1lkhoney]

He's pretty much the only thing that keeps me going but my last suicide attempt was in February and I ended up on life support so it's really like... I have to be there for him but I also have to be there for him. Giving him up is not an option; without him I don't want to be here.

[m1lkhoney]

So yes, he's as big a part of my life. My friends all pooled their money to get him and his tank and everything for me. He's like all I live for right now but I'm just barely hanging in there.

[Willowy]

I agree with seeing if the vet will do board-and-treat/inpatient care. It usually costs a bit more than regular boarding but not too much. Then you don't have to worry if he has enough water or if his heat has gone haywire, etc. either.

[m1lkhoney]

My roommates can do the water and heat monitoring part; they just can't do the meds. They are all slightly scared of snakes and I don't want an improper administraton to waste the baytril.

[m1lkhoney]

I will see how much the vet and boarding cost is. I'm on a really tight budget right now but i know he comes first...