Ri?

[Papa Burgundy]

My 06 female BP has never had any health problems, but she has been giving me reason to grow rather paranoid. Lately, she has been sneezing. I have read up on RI quite a bit and know that that is one of the many signs. I talked to Tom Greek last week on the phone and he said that unless she was holding her head up to drain fluid from her head or had mucus around her pitts, I didn't really have anything to worry about.
Her cage has a UTH with an over head lamp, both of which has been turned off during the day because it has been over 90 degrees the last week. Her cool side is always around 81 or 82. She has aspen as a substrate.
Am I just being paranoid? Anyone have any BP's that just seem to sneeze a lot?
I also noticed that she had what looked to be a turkey neck on her. Not sure if that is fluid build up, but I had never seen it before.

[Papa Burgundy]

Forget to mention, I hear a bit of a popping noise as well. Not sure if that is a better indicator.

[Papa Burgundy]

She seems to be rubbing her face against her water bowl and side of the enclosure more than before. But she is flickering her tongue like normal, and there is no open mouth breathing.
Hopefully you guys will have some feedback for me in the morning.

[dr del]

Hi,

When she rubs her face does it leave any saliva or mucus? Have you tried looking inside her mouth to see if there is excess mucus?

Dou you hear the popping sound all the time or just when she is being handled or breathing hard?

Also is there any sign of anything unusual in the waterbowl?


dr del

[SatanicIntention]

Definitely sounds like a respiratory infection that is just starting. Open-mouth breathing is in the later stages, when it is harder to treat. Why would he tell you not to worry??

I really recommend you take her to the vet and get a culture done to see which antibiotics will work, and then get her started on a course. If you catch it quickly, she will recover faster and have a much higher chance of recovering.

In the meantime, up her heat AND humidity(84-85 cool side and 95-96 warm side, 70% humidity or thereabouts) and keep her in a very quiet place. Make an appointment today before it gets any worse.

[Papa Burgundy]

Made an appointment for friday to see Tom. It'll be a $100 I can't really afford, but it will be the best possible $100 I can spend if she is sick.
For now I will make sure her temps are up, along with humidity.
Say she needs shots for the infection, how long will it take for it to go away? Assuming it is in the early stages.