You have one of the best in Dr.Klingenberg. Consider yourself lucky to have a DVM like him available to you.

As a vet tech I am very experienced in examining, testing, and treating animals. It is very, very tempting to cut corners and try to diagnose and decide a treatment plan myself. You seem like you are very knowledgeable on such topics, but you and I both are not veterinarians. It takes the knowledge and experience that a vet obtains while become a DVM (and concurrent continueing education while specializing in herps) to fully consider what is wrong and what to do about it.

My suggestion to you if you would like to be more proactive in your animal's medical care is to develope your vet/client relationship with Dr. Klingenberg. Take your snake to see him. Regularly, even for yearly exams. Bring fecal samples. Discuss your motivation with the doctor and as he becomes more comfortable with your level of knowledge and experience he may help you with your goals. Now I'm not suggesting that it will ever come to the point where he will give you a bottle of Baytril without an exam, but this is not unheard of. This is often what rescue societies and wildlife rehabbers do.

The key is to never lose the value of a veterinarian.

[ Show Entire Thread ]