Help? :\

[valentinedoux]

I have a problem with Cleopatra.

I have had her for one month now. I bought her at a pet store. (yeah, it was a big mistake.) At first, she looked healthy and active. After a week, she had a problem with breathing and she regurged. I took her to the vet. The doctor said she have pneumonia and intestinal blockage. Cleo stayed overnight at the vet for more tests. She had two enemas to remove all stools. She had pinworms in her digestive system. The doctor did check for GI tract and he told me it was normal. He said it wasn’t a problem, she will able to poop later.

two de-wormed medicine.
many warm baths.
7 days of baytril injections. we fed her a small pinkie rat.

waited over the weekend with no progress and took her back to the vet.

7 more days of baytril injections. and one more feeding after the vet threatened to force feed her because she was starving.

I never saw any poop.

Now, it’s been more than two weeks. Her last shot was last Friday. The day of and before her last shot she was active and fine. She DID get better but last night, she had a troubling with her breathing.

Today, I decided to take her to the vet again.

They told me that she will be allright but an hour later, they gave me a bad news.

They can’t solve Cleopatra’s problems anymore because it’s too advanced for them. They recommended me to take her to different vet which it’s like over two hours of driving or put her sleep. Cleo have a problem with GI tract (two weeks ago, they told me that she doesn’t. Anyway, she can’t able to poop on her own.) and her lungs are filled with fluids again.

They did ask me about her husbandry. Everything looks normal and they don’t know why Cleopatra is still sick.

(warm side: 90-95, cool side: 80-85. humidity: 40-60%)

Well, I have choices:

1. Take her back to the pet store.
2. Take her to different exotic vet near my home. (but i already spent over 200 dollars for vet billings.)
3. Put her sleep.

I don’t know what to do anymore. Ugh, any suggestions? Home remedies? Anyone else had this kind of problem and everything turned out fine? She is still a baby and I hate to give up when it is sometimes just a process. I would also hate to invest more time on a lost cause. :\

[bigballs]

if you can afford to spend the time and money then take her to the other vet.


if not then put her to sleep... it may be better for her if her problem cannot be cured...

i wouldnt take her back to the pet store only because they would most likely keep her alive without any treatment and allow her to suffer until she dies.

very sorry to hear about your dilemma...

[valentinedoux]

thank you for your comment.

i'll think about it.

[ReptiNut]

would the pet store even take it back after it's been over 2 weeks?

[valentinedoux]

i doubt it.

[Griggs2121]

I'm sorry, thats really too bad. I hope you haven't lost faith in the hobby... You've done good so far, so feel good about that. Good luck to you.

[Amy05]

i would say bring her to the vet again. If you cannot afford the vet, then i would say try to give her to somebody that knows about snakes and can rehab her. It would be a shame bringing her back to the petshop, you know she is going to end up dying if she goes back there.
I wish you the best of luck, and if worse comes to worse, take her back to the vet to have her euthanized (sp?)

[frankykeno]

I would certainly go to the pet store manager with your vet bills and speak to them about the fact that they've sold you a snake that obviously was infested with internal parasites and is so ill that the vet sees no real ability to save this snake. That's incredibly unfair to put you through that so they can make a sale. Is this a chain type store or a small privately owned pet store? I would certainly not give them back the snake but I surely would raise hell over being sold this snake in the first place.

As far as the fate of your snake, I'm so very sorry you've had to go through this. All I can say is to make the best choice for the snake, with your vet's advice and your own gut feeling on this situation. If the snake has no real chance to be fully healthy then perhaps it's more humane to end it now but only you and your vet can really make that determination.

[Laooda]

Yes, So sorry that you are having to deal with this. I would most definitely agree with Jo... No matter the outcome of the situation. The store needs to be aware that you have experienced this.


Best of luck on your decision,

L

[Ktzero3]

Looks like you've done more than enough for her. Because of that, I'd be behind you on whatever choice you make.

Personally, I would put her to sleep.