Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I think it was Brian that said something about them and I said I had something in a book and I couldn't find it. But I found it now. Thinking back, this doesn't really answer the question, but here goes.

"Fungal pneumonias occur more frequently than most herpetoculturists or reptile veterinarians would like to believe. They are commonly misdiagnosed as non-responsive bacterial pneumonias, but they are treatable. Desert snakes housed in plastic containers with poor venilation seem especially prone to fungal pneumonias but any snake oused in moist conditions for long is a prime candidate for a fungal infection. One Western Hooknose snake (Gyalopion canum), having been housed in a plastic snoebox for two months, died with signs of respiratory prblems, and a necropsy revealed fungal hyphae in the lung tissue... We have successfully applied amphtercin B in a nebulizer at the dose recommended by Jacobson (1988) which is 5 milligrams in 150 mililiters for saline solution nebulized for one hour twice perday for one week."

'What's Wrong with my Snake', pg. 115

I have to wonder if tropical boids are as suscepitble to this as the colubrids apparently are. Until I read otherwise I will have to assume that they are. It would be irresponsible to do otherwise.

That antibiotic listed below sounds like it is possibly a mixture of a synthesized penicilan and a tetracycline based antibiotic. Can anyone that is in the veterinary field or medical field verify this?

>>I think it was Brian that said something about them and I said I had something in a book and I couldn't find it. But I found it now. Thinking back, this doesn't really answer the question, but here goes.
>>
>>"Fungal pneumonias occur more frequently than most herpetoculturists or reptile veterinarians would like to believe. They are commonly misdiagnosed as non-responsive bacterial pneumonias, but they are treatable. Desert snakes housed in plastic containers with poor venilation seem especially prone to fungal pneumonias but any snake oused in moist conditions for long is a prime candidate for a fungal infection. One Western Hooknose snake (Gyalopion canum), having been housed in a plastic snoebox for two months, died with signs of respiratory prblems, and a necropsy revealed fungal hyphae in the lung tissue... We have successfully applied amphtercin B in a nebulizer at the dose recommended by Jacobson (1988) which is 5 milligrams in 150 mililiters for saline solution nebulized for one hour twice perday for one week."
>>
>>'What's Wrong with my Snake', pg. 115
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It isn't "Ideas" that fail or succeed,... it is the "Systems" which are instilled to launch and sustain the idea that either fail or succeed.>[Me.]

Brian,
I am not a vet and don't have any experience with this drug in reptiles, but Amphotericin B is an antifungal compound that is effective only on fungal infections. It is not considered an antibiotic as it does not bind well with the cell wall of bacteria and therefore does not have any effect on them. I have used a number of antibiotics over the many years but I have never used any antifungal drugs. I wouldn't have a clue on the dosages of antifungal agents in reptiles. Hopefully a vet with experience in this area will jump in.

Kelly

I'm very glad I did. I have that book an had fogotten about the passage. A very important distinction between thetwo pneumonias. Thanks for posting.
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Marcia Pimentel
Tango River Reptiles
GiantFeeders