Hey guys, need help with my woma... she got cold

hey guys~ so somehow my sub-adult woma python got a cold (extra fluid in the mouth, breath using mouth, and breathing noise, ect.) Do you guys have some recommend medicine for the treatment? The Ved. here suck and they know nothing about reptiles, so I won't even give a try.
Appreciate for your commons.

Unfortunately I don't know enough to give you specific instructions (keep her hot and dry I hear) but you might want to try asking this in the "Veterinarian Practice & General Health Issues" section for advice on medicine and dosing. There's also a lot of good info there on combating respitatory infections. (Generally I see talk of antibiotic injections like Baytril/Fortaz and the like)

You really should try to find a vet though, even if you don't think you need one yet. Sometimes things happen that we can't treat at home and we need professional help. You'll want to be prepared for that.
I did a quick Google search and found more than a dozen possible leads.
~ Here's a pretty long list of vets in Spokane under "exotic" http://www.dexknows.com/local/pets/v...ew=list&sort=0
~ Likewise for "reptiles" http://www.dexknows.com/local/pets/v.../att/reptiles/
~ And you might want to look into this one http://www.localvets.com/services/exotic/wa/spokane/

~ For ones you can be more sure of, ReptileChannel has another good list on herp vets in Spokane http://local.reptilechannel.com/Rept...pokane_WA.html
~ ReptileVeterinarians.com has a good review on one http://www.reptileveterinarians.com/Spokane/Washington/
~ And also on HerpVetConnection http://www.herpvetconnection.com/washing.shtml

I'd check them all out and call asking how familiar they are with snakes. Maybe even look for ones outside the city if you still haven't found one you're comfortable with yet, but you definitely should give it a try. It's always good knowing you have a vet to turn to!

Best of luck to you both!!!

This is an older list, but some of these vets might still be around:
http://www.herpvetconnection.com/washing.shtml

It's hard to give advice without having any solid information about the current conditions. Womas are fairly temperature sensitive - if there is fluid in the mouth + noisy breathing, I doubt you'll correct the problem by just increasing temps a few degrees. (The best chance of that method working is with higher temps than most would recommend; but I will not go into further detail because a) I don't want to deal with the people that will inevitably insist it is too high, b) I haven't examined the animal to know if it is even a reasonable option - vs a lethal one, and c) going that route requires the ability to recognize signs and symptoms and change things accordingly...get it wrong and the snake will die faster than from the respiratory symptoms)

Part of keeping any animal is that it may need medical care. Waiting until the animal is sick to find it isn't the best idea...but it is often the stimulus that prompts the call. Even a vet that doesn't have reptile experience can be helpful, IF they are willing to see the snake....even more so if you can provide the right information.

I had typed out a fair amount more, then I reread your post.

The Ved. here suck and they know nothing about reptiles, so I won't even give a try.

Sorry, but I have a hard time with that...enough so that I deleted the rest of my response. Best of luck to your snake.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

It's hard to give advice without having any solid information about the current conditions. Womas are fairly temperature sensitive - if there is fluid in the mouth + noisy breathing, I doubt you'll correct the problem by just increasing temps a few degrees. (The best chance of that method working is with higher temps than most would recommend; but I will not go into further detail because a) I don't want to deal with the people that will inevitably insist it is too high, b) I haven't examined the animal to know if it is even a reasonable option - vs a lethal one, and c) going that route requires the ability to recognize signs and symptoms and change things accordingly...get it wrong and the snake will die faster than from the respiratory symptoms)

Part of keeping any animal is that it may need medical care. Waiting until the animal is sick to find it isn't the best idea...but it is often the stimulus that prompts the call. Even a vet that doesn't have reptile experience can be helpful, IF they are willing to see the snake....even more so if you can provide the right information.

I had typed out a fair amount more, then I reread your post.
Sorry, but I have a hard time with that...enough so that I deleted the rest of my response. Best of luck to your snake.

Appreciate for your advice~ I said so cuz I had a really bad experience with the ved in Spokane... maybe that just individual feedback but that just left me a bad image of the ved in Spokane.

even though im in veterinary medicine, reptiles are different. i only use medications in extreme cases or cases that will not get better despite home treatment.

snakes rely on the environment for not only staying healthy but also regaining health when they are sick. if you were to observe snakes in the wild, if/when they get sick with respiratory infections, stomatitis, and other infections, you will see them bask more than normal. heat and warm conditions are what boost the immune system in reptiles to fight infections off. i always recommend trying temp raising (keep humidity same or little lower) and handle very little for a week to two weeks and keep enclosure as clean as possible while doing that.

Ryan,
I don't disagree with you....however you have the benefit of your work experience from which to draw. As I indicated in my earlier post, a woma that is displaying the described symptoms is not likely to reverse with just a few extra degrees. (Yes, a species specific comment based on my experiences with them.) Increasing temps to a level that would help is not something I recommend lightly - especially without the benefit of examining the snake - due to the increased risk.

Originally Posted by hhmoore

Ryan,
I don't disagree with you....however you have the benefit of your work experience from which to draw. As I indicated in my earlier post, a woma that is displaying the described symptoms is not likely to reverse with just a few extra degrees. (Yes, a species specific comment based on my experiences with them.) Increasing temps to a level that would help is not something I recommend lightly - especially without the benefit of examining the snake - due to the increased risk.

I do want the snake gets examined by a ved, but the problem is that most ved here only gonna tell you the basic snake care information and let you go home without doing anything helpful or even tell you what's wrong with the snake... that's so frustrating.
If you have any information about any ved that has reptile treating experience in Spokane area I would appreciate cuz I searched for a long time and found nothing...:'( The only one that has a doctor that treat "small animal" including reptiles gave me nothing but meaningless stuff...

Just as an FYI, the word/term is vet - short for veterinarian.

While I have no personal information about vets in your area, a number of links were supplied early in the thread...have you used them to start looking?
Also, do you know WHY your woma got sick? Treating the symptoms without correcting the underlying cause usually just means it is going to happen again.
If you know, and have fixed it - great. If not, providing detailed information about how you are keeping the snake (enclosure size and type, type and location of heat source, substrate, humidity, temperatures - cool and warm, basking, day and night) will help us to help you.

i guess its just difference in opinions and views in medicine. reptiles are different, physiologically, biologically and medicinally than mammals. in mammal (humans as well), if there is an infection, we have become and are acclimated to medicinal therapies, which benefit from artificial synthetic cures (ie, antibiotics). reptiles are just different, unlike us and other mammals, they rely and are dependent on their environmental surroundings, including temperature and humidity differentials. im not against medical intervention in reptiles, all im saying, is adjust the environment first, most of the time, unless its severe, illnesses will clear up.