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Blocked glottis on snake -any advice urgently welcome

I'm now away for 10 days - my partner will be checking and cleaning, but we won't be trying feeding again until I'm back. Just hoping he's still with us by then. I'd take him with me, but I'm not certain my hosts would approve....
 
Just back, he's still with us, has passed some urates, no changes otherwise. Now I need to chase up vet re Coccidia, and probably get another egg and vitamin feed down him.
 
I've tried to keep up on this thread, and when I think about replying, I get interrupted by something! Not that I have anything of value to share, just moral support! :)

Poor Samael! It sounds like you're doing everything you possibly can, with what's available in your area. Are you still waiting on some culture results from the mucus in his throat?

Anyway, trying to send healing vibes your way, and hope he comes around soon. The things we "animal people" do for our furry, feathered, and scaley kids!

Kathy
 
I really do appreciate the moral support from all of you, I'm quite isolated as a reptile keeper out here, and it is really helpful to be able to discuss things.

I've spent today basically cleaning up from my field trip, and tomorrow I'm heading down to the vet to chase up any results. The vet has (hopefully) done a faecal smear to determine whether Samael really does have Coccidia, and also whether my other snakes (Rifraf, Magenta, Constantine and Mazikeen) also have it as a systemic thing, or if it's just him.

The mucus swab went to the commercial farm animal lab for bacterial culture 7 weeks ago - no news when I left, but maybe I'll get lucky on this visit - these guys are responsible for all the cattle and goats in the country, so I don't suppose my snake is really a priority for them.
 
Well fingers crossed you got some results back and can start work on getting samael on the mend once and for all


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk
 
I'll "second" that! Even where herps are more commonly kept as pets, it's easy for us to feel "isolated", as there is still a great deal of ignorance & basic dislike for these beautiful creatures we care for.
I can still remember when I first got into keeping snakes many years ago & had to take one to the vet: I was shocked to learn that many vets hated, feared & would not treat them for reasons other than their lack of specialty training. Silly me, I thought if you loved animals, you loved them all? But I haven't given up, and neither should anyone else, because over the years it is slowly changing for the better.
 
OK so, fairly good news, I think. :)

The faecal smears from all snakes came back negative for parasites, including coccidia.

The urates from all snakes all had the same cells in them as seen in Samael's so now the vet thinks this was not coccidia, but may be normally shed dead renal cells. (She could only look at them under normal light, didn't have any specific stains available). So it's unlikely he has coccidia.

The lab tests came back positive for a Staph bacteria that is susceptible to Baytril, so chances are we got the RI, and the "coughing" fit he had after we finished the treatment was just ridding himself of the remaining mucus.

He hasn't had any further RI symptoms since 21 January (7 weeks ago), so I am now daring to hope that part is sorted, and all I have to deal with now is the post anti-biotic anorexia.

So, while he is not out of the woods yet, I think overall this is good news.

Back to eggy goop in tubes, or maybe it's time for the chicken sweetcorn and carrot babyfood!! :ack2:
 
Hey, that IS good news! Maybe another tube-feed or two & he'll hopefully want to eat on his own again. Hope so! Great update, hang in there!
 
Thanks both, I tube fed him a vitamin and probiotic reinforced beaten egg last night. He's not loving me, but I'm very relieved that we don't have to give him another treatment of more aggressive drugs. He's lost a bit more weight, but now I'm ready to start boosting up his feeds a bit.

Once more, thanks to all for the support and suggestions.
 
Happy stool day!

Well, this isn't the type of event I can share with many other people, but I think you guys will understand how happy I was to find a smelly, soft, but decent sized and well-formed stool today! :ack2: :thumbsup:

He's still refusing to eat voluntarily, but I am "egging" him about once every 7 - 10 days, and he is slowly starting to put on weight (only about 20 gms every 2 weeks or so, but heading in the right direction).

He's a little bit more active, still seemingly weak and lethargic in comparison with his "before" personality, but no more breathing difficulty (now clear for 10 weeks). Not sure if it was the respiratory infection or the antibiotics that have kicked him around so hard, but whichever it was, it was a doozy.

Anyway, just wanted to share the good news, and hoping for more in future! :eek:
 
Hey, that's great news! I was hoping for a positive update along about now. Keep up the good work, smelly piles of poo and all, LOL! As he feels stronger, hopefully he'll want to eat on his own, too.
 
Great news! Fingers crossed that he's on the mend for you.
 
Thanks all, will update again once he (fingers and toes all crossed) starts to feed voluntarily again. So far I have offered him freshly killed chicks, f/t mice, and his regular chicken wings. He looks slightly interested, but won't take either from me or when left in his tank. Hopefully time will make it happen.

In the meantime tube feeding eggs is messy and a bit stressful, but keeping him alive. I'm still giving the probiotics and vitamin supplements. Might cut out the vitamins soon, as there are quite a lot in eggs already, and I'm nervous about overdosing...
 
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