a blood or tissue sample culture, is used many times as a rule out diagnosis, to help eliminated differential diagnosis that may be in question. we usually only send out cultures, if entire litters of puppies or kittens, or colonies of snakes and/or lizards are taken out. depending on which lab and panel your vet uses, you can usually test for a variety of pathogenic presence. sure some of the common "carrying" pathogens may show up, but it can be beneficial if something shows up as very uncommon and goes along with signs and symptoms observed by the keeper at anytime while the snakes were alive. if such pathogens are present, then it could and probably would be beneficial to see what the pathogen (assuming bacteria) is sensitive and resistant to, and treat the remaining snakes, if exposure is probable and/or confirmed
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retic is king of kings

1.0 Tiger Retic
1.0 Albino Tiger Retic
0.1 Striped Tiger Retic (het albino)
0.1 Salmon Boa
1.0 Albino Boa
0.1 False Water Cobra

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• Health of Collection Concern - killerchondros, Thu Apr 9 09:02:13 2009
• RE: Health of Collection Concern - reticguy76, Thu Apr 9 11:27:42 2009
• RE: Health of Collection Concern - killerchondros, Thu Apr 9 16:15:25 2009
• RE: Health of Collection Concern - LarM, Thu Apr 9 13:40:57 2009
• Issues regarding bacterial infections... - Kelly_Haller, Thu Apr 9 16:47:47 2009
• RE: Issues regarding bacterial infections... - killerchondros, Thu Apr 9 17:33:18 2009
• RE: Issues regarding bacterial infections... - reticguy76, Thu Apr 9 19:58:09 2009
• RE: Issues regarding bacterial infections... - reticguy76, Thu Apr 9 19:50:56 2009
• RE: Issues regarding bacterial infections... - LarM, Thu Apr 9 20:37:40 2009
• RE: Issues regarding bacterial infections... - reticguy76, Thu Apr 9 23:03:18 2009