Originally Posted by Skiploder

Not necessarily.

Remember, IBD often expresses itself in a series of subclinical or acute ailments, indicating a breakdown in the immune system.

I had IBD that showed up in two long term sonoran dwarf boas. The male began suffering from subclinical infections and, after liver and esophageal biopsies, was found to have IBD. The female was asymptomatic but also was put down because inclusion bodies were found in her liver biopsy.

The male was "successfully" treated for his secondary ailments time and time again until I put him down. There was no getting worse or quietly falling apart. He'd get and RI- it could be treated. He'd then have another small issue, and it was treated. If my vet had not put two and two together, I could still be wondering what the heck was going on.

Yep, no stargazing, and none of the other neurological symptoms everyone is so paranoid about.

This ongoing BS about pythons dying quickly after exposure and snakes NOT being asymptomatic carrier for years upon years is tiring. Dr. Jacobson has taken the time to answer e-mails from just about everyone I know who has contacted him.

When the foremost authority on this disease is so willing to share what he knows with the community, it's maddening when people still spew the same tired old half truths and faulty conventional wisdom from Kraplan's site and other care sheets that over simplify and mislead on this disease.

What amazes me most about IBD is that while people are buying more and more snakes, they can't spare $20 to send to Dr. Jacobson at U of F to further his research and hopefully help fund more affordable and more reliable diagnostic tests or a potential "cure."

Nope, according to the good Dr. himself, there has been little to no financial help from the reptile community and certainly not from some of the largest boid names in the industry - some of whom openly say that IBD is not as big an issue as it's made out to be.