Worming snakes

[pythonmum]

Mr Bredli - where do you get the Vetafarm product?

 

[Nephrurus]

You're putting a toxic compound into the animal. Is it really worth doing if it's unlikely it has worms? Putting the snake through the stress of breaking down this compound instead of getting on normally?

If you're feeding a snake frozen food from day one, it's going to be very unlikely it'll have worms at any point in it's life. Sure, it's possible (however unlikely) some worms might survive the freezing process, but bacterial and protozoans might survive as well. Maybe you should give the snake a yearly course of antibiotics and bi-annual dose of flagyll as well.

You should be monitoring you animals at least every 4 weeks so it should be very clear when something is wrong. If it's eating like a horse and not gaining weight or size or even losing weight it's time to take it to a vet.

-H

 

[MrBredli]

Mr Bredli - where do you get the Vetafarm product?

http://www.pets-megastore.com.au/ad...?search_in_description=1&keywords=wormout+gel

 

[pythonmum]

YMaybe you should give the snake a yearly course of antibiotics and bi-annual dose of flagyll as well.

The breeder we got our maccie from wormed and gave a protozoan/bacteria treatment twice yearly. The snakes are healthy. I've just been wondering if the advice I was originally given (e.g. worm twice a year) is standard. From the progress of this thread, there doesn't seem to be any 'best practice' consensus.

 

[firedragon]

We worm every 4 - 5 mths, by injecting worming stuff into the rodent. Better to be safe than sorry and it doesnt do any harm.
They dont have to be wild caught to have worms i've been told, parasites can be passed on through food, and other wild lizards and reps that roam the house..

Sorry correction i've been informed it is every 6mths

 

[Kyro]

I will stick to the advice of my vet (Robert Johnson) which is to worm every 2 years. He said there is no harm done to the animal & if there are any health problems in the future then worms can be quickly ruled out if you have been doing it regularly.

 

[Crazy_Snake08]

I worm mine every 18 months just as a precaution. I've had no problems with worms ever. Never seen them in the snake faeces either. I jsut do it as a precaution.

 

[RobJo]

yep guys every 2 years is fine i think thats what i do and worm all new additions
and use a trustworthy food supply i think all types of medications have side effects
just something to think about. you know your pets so you will know if they are healthy
or not.

 

[JoeBlakes]

um no i dont own shares...lol do some reading or ask a vet about normal parasites in animals.. you will find out some cool stuff.. but its like the gut floura your snake will have salmonella, there are good and bad forms.. if it has the good it will be healthy and will aid digestion.. if it has the bad your snake will be ill and you can also be ill... look into doing a course if your interested in this sort of stuff, there are a couple out there.. i am looking to do one again soon...

 

[grimbeny]

So now your telling us that some of these foreign organisms could be good for the snakes, but it is still necessery to kill them? What point are you trying to make.... I think your forgetting that worming medication is a harsh toxin with no regard for wether the target is good or bad. It should also be noted that many worming medications on the market have not been trialed on reptiles and may have long term affects on other organs.

 

[GSXR_Boy]

If it aint broke............

 

[JoeBlakes]

The point i was making was about the post.."only worm your snakes when they have worms...." So technically they always have worm so you should worm them all the time.. What i have said before.. watever works for you.. like i have said people i know with large collections worm every 6 months. Yes you are introducing a toxin, and its probably doing damage to something somewhere, and if you dont every worm your snakes and it works for you then keep with it.. they worm every 6 months and there snakes are optimum condition it works for them.. Its the same with every topic.. different people with have a different look on the topic..
Another point i was trying to make was a lot of people dont know or understand the level of micro organisms we all live with.. i am not saying i KNOW either but i have had a little insight.. typical thing to do.. go to your local hospital and take a swab with a cotton tip ANYWHERE in the hospital, and grow the cultures.. you would have done something like this in science at high school.... LOTS of things grow ie golden staff.. how many times do you hear the patient had a staff infection post surgery... all i am trying to say is dont just say only worm the snakes when they have worms cause they always will have worms. the statement should have been treat worms if create a problem.. But with some worms you dont notice there is a problem until your snake losses all its condition rapidly and gets sick... then you have to act fast... hope you all get what i am saying a little clearer now..

 

[scout]

Do people realise how golden staph and all these infections that are now becoming resistent to all our anti biotics are evolving...its by the over use of drugs. The organisms are devolping their own immunity to our cures/treatments. This is the same with parasites. While you think you are doing the right thing by worming your reptile bi-annually is it really necessary or are you possibly giving the parasites a foot hold on their own "cure". Think how hard it would be to treat your reptiles without medications that work. It takes luck and years of research to develop these treatments. While worming them as "prevention" seems a good idea, think of the possible out come down the track.. Prevention sould be more about hygeine then drugs. Use only frozen food(parasites DO NOT survive the freezing process, contrary to what anyone will tell you) quarantine any new animal(worming the new addition is wise), use an anti bacterial hand wash(which can be bought at any supermarket) when handling your animals,or any one else does, and good house keeping for your tanks. The parisites should not be able to get to your reptiles through these defences. So no need for treatment. If after all this your animals do show signs, then worm them ALL using the instructions supplied on product. That way we get to keep the usefullness of our drugs for when we really NEED them.

 

[cockney red]

If it aint broke............

 

[Renagade]

for all you avid wormers out there, how old were your snakes when you first wormed them?

 

[diamonddan]

once every 2 years is good for snakes... anymore and your just wasting your money..

 

[jenjen]

I am not too sure about which types of worms affect reptiles and their lifecycle, but I know that in cats and dogs (and humans), some of the types of worms that can infect them will cause alot of damage before you see symptoms. Some of the worms, when in the larval stages, will actually migrate throughout the tissues of the body. Sometimes ending up in the wrong place, like the brain leading to, in some cases death. Or the back of the eye causing blindness. If this is the case for the worms that affect reptiles, then an argument could be made for routine worming. That being said, one of the vets I work with (I am a vet nurse) reccomends using panacur in reptiles. It is a sheep, pig and cattle wormer. He reccomends a one off dose, then a dose for any new additions that arrive.

 

[bredli84]

i just got some panacur and flagyl from the vet. what do people think of these?

 

[jenjen]

i just got some panacur and flagyl from the vet. what do people think of these?

I am curious about this also. The vet I work with is a brilliant vet, but isn't dealing with alot of reptiles on a day to day basis.

 

[GSXR_Boy]

i just got some panacur and flagyl from the vet. what do people think of these?

I have used Panacur before (well on the snakes not me! ) and have found it to be pretty affective. (probably depends on the worm you are targeting).
The vet prescribed a dosage with a follow up in two weeks.
Apparently (don't quote me) he said it is hard to overdose with it.