Posted by:
joshhutto
at Sat Jan 26 17:59:25 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by joshhutto ]
it sounds like an RI like the other posters have stated. However, it's not the end of the world like some make it sound. Treated correctly the snake should make a full recovery if it isn't too far gone. First you are doing the right thing to a point. Raise the entire cages temp up to 90, do not give it a cool side. Next get the humidity up to around 65%, no more (too much humidity and too little can cause a RI) and hydrate the heck out of that thing. Since you work at a vet clinic bring your snake to work with you. Any competent vet can tell if a reptile has a RI (which it sounds like with giving the symptoms). If it is a RI you have two good choices of meds. The first is Baytril, the longstanding workhorse of the reptile community as far as infections go. The bad thing is that Baytril can cause skin necrosis and kidney damage. To counteract the skin necrosis, alternate injection sites by about an inch. To prevent kidney damage, give the injections in the first 1/3rd of the snake. The other medication that is successful in treating RI's is Fortaz. Fortaz works great but also has the same nephrotoxic effects and is extremely painful (read that to mean you will not be giving this injection by yourself at home). Fortaz also takes a little more time to prepare since you must bring it to room temp before injecting.
Some species respond better with one drug over the next but bp's typically respond the same with both drugs. I prefer baytril but that's just my personal preference. Either way here are the standard dosages that you can relay to your non-herp vet to assist you in treating your baby.
Bayril 5-10mg/kg IM or PO every 24hours (I prefer to do one injection every 48-72hours to prevent kidney damage and I've had very little success with giving it by mouth).
Fortaz 20mg/kg IM/SQ every 72hours.
I hope this information helps you and keep us updated.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles
Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.
a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!
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RE: (long)I found my ball python after 1 yr. - joshhutto, Sat Jan 26 17:59:25 2008