Help pls..advice on unknown injury or infection on my darwin..
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simonandtoni
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simonandtoni
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She's doing ok now - chlorhexidine wash in the morning and the flamazine cream at night. back to vet tomorrow for 3rd injection.
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simonandtoni
Not so new Member
Update 27.10
She's had a final injection yesterday and is on Baytril-25 orally at .22ml daily.
Still applying cream at night and chlorhex wash in morning.
She has random scales flaking off here and there, not just around the site of the infection either, so thinking she may be looking to shed early as part of the healing process (?)
The areas are still dark, but not moist or reddened as they were.
Doug Grey and Sam at Kawana Vet have been great.
She's had a final injection yesterday and is on Baytril-25 orally at .22ml daily.
Still applying cream at night and chlorhex wash in morning.
She has random scales flaking off here and there, not just around the site of the infection either, so thinking she may be looking to shed early as part of the healing process (?)
The areas are still dark, but not moist or reddened as they were.
Doug Grey and Sam at Kawana Vet have been great.
Whenever you're injecting baytril it should be diluted with saline, to reduce the amount of scar tissue and because it stings reptiles like a MF.
the oral preparation isnt such a problem but in my experience oral antibiotics dont work very well at all in snakes. Baytril is often used because its much cheaper and it does work (although not very well if the animal is immunosuppressed because it stops bacterial growth it doesnt actually kill the organism)
but Fortum is a better option in most cases if you have the extra money to spare - it does kill the organism (rather than 'freeze' them and wait for the immune cells to clean them up) and tissue damage not as severe
Glad to hear shes on the mend, but do keep a close eye on her now that shes going on to oral antibiotics to make sure the infection doesnt re-establish itself
the oral preparation isnt such a problem but in my experience oral antibiotics dont work very well at all in snakes. Baytril is often used because its much cheaper and it does work (although not very well if the animal is immunosuppressed because it stops bacterial growth it doesnt actually kill the organism)
but Fortum is a better option in most cases if you have the extra money to spare - it does kill the organism (rather than 'freeze' them and wait for the immune cells to clean them up) and tissue damage not as severe
Glad to hear shes on the mend, but do keep a close eye on her now that shes going on to oral antibiotics to make sure the infection doesnt re-establish itself
simonandtoni
Not so new Member
thanks mate,
she certainly isn't too well pleased when being injected.
I have another follow up appt on Tuesday, so will ask as a priority about the Fortum - I didn't ask if there was an option, you just assume in good faith that a vet's advice correct when you haven't had experience in this area previously.
Money is no issue (I reckon if u cannot afford to cover costs of unforeseen health issues with an animal, maybe u shoud reconsider, but that's another thread.....) so I'll confirm with them that they are happy with her progress and does not need anything else.
The affected area still looks quite discoloured and bruised, but it has most certainly improved.
Still using Chlorhex in the morning and Flamazine at night.
Really appreciate the advice, thank you.
Sime
she certainly isn't too well pleased when being injected.
I have another follow up appt on Tuesday, so will ask as a priority about the Fortum - I didn't ask if there was an option, you just assume in good faith that a vet's advice correct when you haven't had experience in this area previously.
Money is no issue (I reckon if u cannot afford to cover costs of unforeseen health issues with an animal, maybe u shoud reconsider, but that's another thread.....) so I'll confirm with them that they are happy with her progress and does not need anything else.
The affected area still looks quite discoloured and bruised, but it has most certainly improved.
Still using Chlorhex in the morning and Flamazine at night.
Really appreciate the advice, thank you.
Sime
Anytime, feel free to message me if you have any questions regarding drugs etc I dont know everything but I do know a little bit.
Vet's who dont treat reptiles regularly may not consider things like functional anatomy and make the mistake of progressing as you would with a dog or cat, this may be successful sometimes and it may not - please dont think that I'm suggesting they mislead you.
As I said though please do monitor her closely as success of oral antibiotics in snakes does vary, and since it has started to affect other tissues (if I remember correctly) you really want to take her back as soon as you notice the infection to reappear (if it does). I question that maybe the variance in success of oral antibiotics is because of the feeding behaviour and functional anatomy of snakes, natural feeding obviously causes significant stretching of the digestive tract.
I would imagine the site of infection still looks kind of nasty, but you're mainly looking for if it stays the same for a prolonged period, or even more so if it gets worse.
Hopefully her progress is uneventful and responds well to the oral baytril - please do let me know how she goes with the oral antibiotics.
good luck with her
Vet's who dont treat reptiles regularly may not consider things like functional anatomy and make the mistake of progressing as you would with a dog or cat, this may be successful sometimes and it may not - please dont think that I'm suggesting they mislead you.
As I said though please do monitor her closely as success of oral antibiotics in snakes does vary, and since it has started to affect other tissues (if I remember correctly) you really want to take her back as soon as you notice the infection to reappear (if it does). I question that maybe the variance in success of oral antibiotics is because of the feeding behaviour and functional anatomy of snakes, natural feeding obviously causes significant stretching of the digestive tract.
I would imagine the site of infection still looks kind of nasty, but you're mainly looking for if it stays the same for a prolonged period, or even more so if it gets worse.
Hopefully her progress is uneventful and responds well to the oral baytril - please do let me know how she goes with the oral antibiotics.
good luck with her
simonandtoni
Not so new Member
indeed I shall...
simonandtoni
Not so new Member
Hey Souldoubt,
It's been nearly 4 weeks now and she's doing well after completing the oral Baytril once daily and a morning application of Flamazine a couple of days ago.
We had a check up with the vet this morn and looks good.
She's halfway through a really dry shed, however the layer underneath so far looks exceptional (as you can see in the pics)
I'm going to give her another 24 hrs to see if she can shed the rest on her own, but if not, I'll bathe her in a warm chlorhex solution and help it off again.
I held off a feed for a week and then fed her a couple of nights ago and she took it well, so it's all looking pretty good thus far - just need her to shed properly so we can see what it's like where the infection was.
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It's been nearly 4 weeks now and she's doing well after completing the oral Baytril once daily and a morning application of Flamazine a couple of days ago.
We had a check up with the vet this morn and looks good.
She's halfway through a really dry shed, however the layer underneath so far looks exceptional (as you can see in the pics)
I'm going to give her another 24 hrs to see if she can shed the rest on her own, but if not, I'll bathe her in a warm chlorhex solution and help it off again.
I held off a feed for a week and then fed her a couple of nights ago and she took it well, so it's all looking pretty good thus far - just need her to shed properly so we can see what it's like where the infection was.
View attachment 225709View attachment 225710View attachment 225711View attachment 225712View attachment 225708
Thats great news and good to note that oral treatment can work, that's one more for the "success" side haha I just like to keep a rough idea of the portion that it works for and any situations that may influence it. So she did she have an empty stomach for the whole course of treatment? or a full stomach?
Thanks for the update and Im glad its worked out well
Thanks for the update and Im glad its worked out well
simonandtoni
Not so new Member
as below:
4/10 Fed
7/10 Bad Shed
13/10 Fed
16/10 Def and had it all over herself
18/10 Vet and 1st injection
23/10 Fed and started oral Baytril
9/11 Fed
12/11 Shed - not so good but better than the last one
She has a patch of shed on her back which I have sprayed with water to soften.
She looks great and has made an excellent recovery. All of the infection area now looks perfectly normal with only one scale looking a bit dodgy, but no discolouration or evidence of lingering nastiness anywhere.
I'm very happy and most grateful for the help from Doug Grey and Sam, from Nicklin Way Vet Surgery.
4/10 Fed
7/10 Bad Shed
13/10 Fed
16/10 Def and had it all over herself
18/10 Vet and 1st injection
23/10 Fed and started oral Baytril
9/11 Fed
12/11 Shed - not so good but better than the last one
She has a patch of shed on her back which I have sprayed with water to soften.
She looks great and has made an excellent recovery. All of the infection area now looks perfectly normal with only one scale looking a bit dodgy, but no discolouration or evidence of lingering nastiness anywhere.
I'm very happy and most grateful for the help from Doug Grey and Sam, from Nicklin Way Vet Surgery.
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