Baytril Injections: Questions about my vet's treatment and side-effects of Baytril

[artgecko]

Update: One of the vets at my local office said that he'd see Kirby to do the second injection. This guy is retired and only works 2 days a week at the practice. When I told him what was perscribed and asked about her giving the shot in the lower half of the body, he said "no, always in the upper third because of the position of the kidneys" He also said that it could cause kidney issues and ineffectiveness if given in the lower half and pointed out that he always injected it intermuscluarly.

I asked him if he'd be OK seeing my other snakes on future occasions for minor things and he said sure...

All that said, apparently this guy who is retired and went to vet school probably 40 years ago seems to know more about snakes and baytril than the "specialist" I have been going to. :/ It is a shame he only works 2 days a week or I'd be able to see him for everything.

I have to go back to my original vet Saturday for the last injection and will tell her what he said about injecting in the upper third of the body. We'll see how that goes. She always has interns from the university with her, so I'm willing to bet she will be offended that his advice contradicts hers and may even refuse to inject it properly.... Hopefully that won't happen, but I could see it going that way.

My other snake now has some grayish small areas in the lower third of his body...I'm wondering if this is tissue necrosis from his series of injections. He got the injections over a month ago (close to 2 months ago) so I'm not sure.

[Albert Clark]

You really don't have to go back to your original vet if you are not satisfied with the care she or he is administering . You are the owner of the animal and essentially you are the advocate for the the patient (your snake). It's absurd that the original vet is not on board with your wishes. You have the right to seek the medical care that satisfies you and makes you happy.

[artgecko]

You really don't have to go back to your original vet if you are not satisfied with the care she or he is administering . You are the owner of the animal and essentially you are the advocate for the the patient (your snake). It's absurd that the original vet is not on board with your wishes. You have the right to seek the medical care that satisfies you and makes you happy.

Yeah, I agree, but the issue is that literally no one else in the area (within 45 minutes driving distance) will see a snake for anything. If the guy I saw yesterday was working in the time frame that would fit the third injection, I'd see him in a heart beat... But he only works Monday and Tuesdays, which won't fit the antibiotics injection course that the original vet prescribed (every 3-5 days). Hopefully, this will be the last time I will have to go to her...I'll plan on seeing the guy at my local practice for any other services unless it is something severe, in which case I might have to go to Auburn (they only have one exotics guy in their entire vet school apparently, so not sure how that will go).

The vet I saw yesterday was talking with me about it. He said that all the "new doctors" were afraid to see other species and that sometimes you have to be willing to call and get consultations and treat species you weren't super familiar with. He said the university he went to had an exotics department but that now many vet schools do not, so the vets they produce don't want to deal with exotics. Something else interesting that he said, was that there are a lot of overlapping treatments for different species but there are a few contradictions that are important to know. I really liked him, it's just too bad that he is basically retired and working only a couple days a week.

[bcr229]

Ask the vet who only works a few days a week if he'd be willing to send you home with pre-filled syringes so you can do the injections yourself at home. It's not difficult to do.

[artgecko]

bcr229- I wish that I had thought of that yesterday... For all future appointments, that will be what I do for sure. I'm pretty sure he would be ok with it.