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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
 Posted - 07/05/2009 : 22:24:45
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Respiratory Infections
Introduction to RIs
An RI is an infection usually caused by bacteria but occasionally a virus that affects the respiratory tract including the lungs. Because snakes do not show sickness as quickly as humans or dogs and cats, by the time there are signs something is wrong, it is usually well progressed and left untreated an RI can lead to other severe problems such as Pneumonia and Septicaemia and even death.
Unless you are experienced in treating RIs, immediate veterinary attention should be sought, ideally from a specialist exotic or reptile vet.
What causes an RI?
There are several things that can lead to your snake developing an RI, many of which are preventable.
Stress, which can be caused by too much handling, incorrect set-up or temperatures, excess noise/activity immediately outside the enclosure
Poor husbandry, for example incorrect set up and temps, poor standards of cleanliness/hygiene, failure to wash your hands between handling different snakes.
Symptoms of an RI
Some symptoms of an RI are more common than others, a snake may present one or many of the symptoms listed below. Be guided by your gut feeling - you know your own snake (and get to know it better the longer you own it) and should quickly realise when something is wrong.
Signs to be aware of include:
Clicking or wheezing sounds (can be mistaken for hissing)
Blowing bubbles of mucous from the mouth or nose
Mucous splattered or wiped on the viv, decor or glass (as the snake has rubbed against these things to try and clear it away)
Elevated head (as the snake attempts to clear its airways so it can breath)
Perching with the head lower than the body (as the snake tries to get mucous or fluid to drain from it's lungs)
Loss of appetite
Poor shedding
If your snake does show some of these symptoms it's not necessarily an RI! For example, sometimes clicking and wheezing can be due to shedding, the skin tightens over the nostrils immediately before a shed or bits can get left in the nasal passages following shed. Loss of appetita can be due to numerous reasons, as can a poor shed. If in doubt seek veterinary advice.
Immediate treatment of an RI
If you suspect your snake may be starting to shown signs of an RI there are a few things you can do straight away to help ease symptoms. You can raise the temperature 1-2*C, increase humidity slightly by providing a damp hide, and try to avoid handling, feeding or stressing the snake. If after 48 hours there is no improvement seek veterinary advice.
Veterinary treatment of an RI
Ater an initial examination possibly including taking some swabs for bacterial culture and sensitivity, your vet may prescribe antibiotics, commonly Baytril although other antibiotics are also used. A course of antibiotics is often started with an injection given by the vet, then depending on the chosen method of treatment you may have to return to your vet for them to give subsequent injections, you may be issued with pre-filled syringes of medication and instructed on how to give them at home, or be given a couse of oral medication to be given at home. Full instruction should be given by your vet on how to administer the treatment, the duration, when an improvement should be seen and when the snake should be re-examined by your vet. In severe cases however, your snake may have to stay at the vets for continued treatment.
When you bring your snake back home
Providing a moss box in the middle of the viv can help loosen mucus to improve breathing. It is NOT recommended to increase humidity levels too much during treatment of an RI as this could potentially make things worse.
Holding your snake with its head lower than its body can help clear mucus from the airways, do this for no longer than five minutes at a time and before giving medication.
Putting branches in the viv that your snake can climb on will also help as it will give them somewhere to rest in a position to clear mucous and fluid.
Adding Reptoboost or Critical Care to there water may also help to give them a boost if they drink during this time.
Putting a nebuliser in the enclosure using diluted F10 (1:125 with water)twice a day can also aid recover and relieve symptoms.
The advice given above does NOT replace veterinary advice or treatment.
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"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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Edited by - wolfspirit on 08/05/2009 14:19:13 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2009 : 22:33:52
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| Tres Bon. |
 
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lee2308
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2597 Posts |
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Dazzetski
Yearling
United Kingdom
461 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 00:03:55
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Spot on Anne, I hope I never go through this, but thank you.  |
 
0.2.0 Cats (Spud & Phoebe) RIP Stevie fat man
1.1.0 Royals (Syd & Sofia)
2.2.3 Corns (Hogan, Shaggy, Sparkle, Tango, Fred, Haribo & Go Faster)
0.0.1 Columbian Rainbow Boa (Escobar)
1.1.0 Variable King Snakes (Lancelot & Guinaverre)
0.0.20 Fish |
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reptiles-ink
Yearling
United Kingdom
298 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 00:29:33
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Well wrote.
I would just like to add that there are 2 types of R.I.
There is bacterial as mentioned and also a viral type which is more severe and harder to treat. |
 Plenty of Retics and Burms
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spor
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1226 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 01:05:13
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| nice write up. have just spend the last 1hr reading your thread and what a nightmare of a time that you must have had. between snow and lousy vets. |
0.4.0 Royal Python
1.0.0 Pastel Royal
0.1.0 Spider Royal
1.1.0 Carolina Corn Snake
1.0.0 Normal Stripe Corn
1.0.0 Yellow Bellied Turtle
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 05:14:42
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quote:
Originally posted by reptiles-ink
Well wrote.
I would just like to add that there are 2 types of R.I.
There is bacterial as mentioned and also a viral type which is more severe and harder to treat.
If you get time then maybe you could write up about the second one to be added to this...
Also thanks to Ali (GP) for making it a better read and changing what needed to be change..
Thanks GP;-) |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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Edited by - wolfspirit on 08/05/2009 14:29:02 |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 18:03:03
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well done anne...told you you could do it... |
 
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Edited by - dazb on 08/05/2009 18:03:13 |
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Paulusworm
Fully Grown Royal
Azerbaijan
1550 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 18:55:16
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| Way to go Lady |
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Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 20:08:39
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| you didn't have to edit your original Anne |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
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reptiles-ink
Yearling
United Kingdom
298 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 20:53:46
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quote:
Originally posted by wolfspirit
If you get time then maybe you could write up about the second one to be added to this...
If I ever get chance I will do.
For now heres an indication of how severe it is.
Paramyxoviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses of the family Paramyxoviridae. Members of this viral family not only cause respiratory disease (influenza), but also may produce neurological disease.
Clinical signs of Paramyxovirus include a sudden gaping of the mouth, followed by violent convulsions, regurgitation, and expulsion of a brownish fluid. Death usually follows within hours of the first convulsion. |
Plenty of Retics and Burms
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2009 : 19:42:23
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this is what i found, it is deep reading...
Ophidian Paramyxovirus information
Here is some information for those of you interested in this subject. This info is taken from the latest edition of "Reptile Medicine & Surgery" by Douglas Mader. I hope it is OK to reproduce the text here because this book is rather expensive and alot of people would not have a copy but the info is a must for herpers if you can understand some of the text!
Ophidian Paramyxovirus (OPMV) was first isolated in 1973 from a Fer-de-lance (Bothrops moojeni) after an outbreak in a Swiss serpentarium that killed 25% of 431 specimens. Since then, numerous documented outbreaks of Paramyxovirus have been seen in private and zoologic collections. Paramyxovirus has been isolated from all major snake families, including elapids, boids, colubrids and viperids. Crotalids appear to be the most susceptible.
Paramyxovirus is an enveloped RNA virus 120 to 150 #956;m in diameter that reproduces by budding from cell membranes. Two distinct subgroups have been shown to exist with several intermediate isolates. This grouping does not appear to be species specific, although geographic correlations were found. Recently, a transmission study was carried out in Aruba Island Rattle Snakes and Koch's postulates were fulfilled.
Clinical Signs
There are no pathognomonic signs for the diagnosis of paramyxovirus infection. The disease affects primarily the respiratory system but can present with a tremendous variation of signs, which makes diagnosis difficult for the clinician. The symptoms are divided into three categories.
Acute and Peracute
Often minimal to nonexistent promontory signs are noticed by the keeper or owner; the animals are often just found dead. Anorexia and regurgitation are occasionally seen. The most common symptoms include respiratory compromise, blood in the oral cavity, or neurological involvement such as head tremors, excitement, star gazing, flaccid paralysis, or convulsions. The time from exposure to death can range from 6 to more than 10 weeks. Animals often die of secondary bacterial infections. OPMV should be included in the differential diagnosis in boids with neurological symptoms suspected of Inclusion Body Disease.
The virus may overwhelm the immune system, with death occurring before a detectable antibody response. Improper husbandry and environmental conditions may play a critical role in immunologic incompetence, particularly the absence of a thermal gradient.
Chronic "Poor Doer"
Anorexia, hypophagia, and regurgitation are the earliest signs and have been seen up to seven months before any other signs of disease. Animals exhibit other general signs of debilitation, such as reluctance to move, increased use of heat plates, emaciation and poor muscle tone. Respiratory symptoms include variable degrees of stridor and dyspnea, often developing into secondary bacterial pneumonia. Gastrointestinal signs may include gaseous bowel distention, mucoid diarrhea, malodorous stools and protozoal overgrowth. Directed antiprotozoal and antibacterial treatment increase survival times.
Specimens usually have high titers. However, antibody presence does not prevent viral shedding, as shown by animals able to infect or induce seroconversion in cagemates. These snakes eventually succumb to the disease but actively shed virus and pose the greatest threat to the collection.
Clinically Healthy Animals
Specimens may remain asymptomatic for up to 10 months, although most individuals eventually become chronic "poor doers." Sustained high titers may be indicative of a chronic carrier state and not necessarily immunity. Some specimens have been documented as overcoming a viral encounter and surviving.
In the authors' experience with a paramyxovirus outbreak, the animals with a regular appetite became anorectic, and respiratory compromise developed. They became severely lethargic and died within 1 week of the onset of signs. A few specimens had horizontal head tremors develop that varied from subtle to broad-swinging movements frequently accompanied with star gazing behavior. One specimen, a Bushmaster (Lactesis mutus), did not show any clinical signs despite a seropositive status for 9 months. A Northern Copperhead (Agkistrodin contortrix) placed in an adjacent aquarium did not have a titer or lesions develop after 8 weeks of exposure to the Bushmaster.
Diagnosis
Presumptive diagnosis of Paramyxovirus infection may be based on a history of exposure and clinical signs. Ill animals should be closely monitored. A thorough clinical examination should be performed, including pulmonary auscultation and fecal examination. If abnormal lung sounds are detected, transtracheal washes for cytology and bacterial culture should be performed because both secondary bacterial and verminous pneumonia are common.
If OPMV is suspected, serum should be assayed for the presence of antibody with Hemagglutination inhibition (HI). Titers only reflect exposure, and a rising titer is necessary for diagnosis of active disease. Seroconversion generally takes more than 8 weeks. The laboratory of Dr Elliot Jacobson at the University of Florida, the University of Tennessee and the Texas State Diagnostic Laboratory currently perform HI serologic testing for titers to OPMV. Titer do not necessarily correspond among laboratories because different test antigens are used in each.
Any animal suspected to have died of OPMV should be necropsied as soon as possible. Blood should be collected, cetrifuged and serum frozen pending histologic findings. Three sets of tissue are recommended to be collected. Special attention should be given to include Lung (cranial, mid and caudal sections), liver, kidney and splenopancreatic tissue in all sets of tissue saved. Garner (Northwest ZooPath, personal communication) also recommends brain and salivary gland.
The first set of tissues should be preserved in 10% neutral buffered formalin for conventional staining and microscopic examination.; the second should be placed in formalin for 48 hours, then removed and placed into 70% ethanol. This improves the likelihood of finding lesions with special staining techniques. A third set of tissues should be frozen and kept for virus isolation, should this be indicated by histopathologic findings.
Gross pathologic lesions range from no visible lesions to clear mucus or blood in the oral cavity, slight pulmonary congestion and a frothy serous or hemorrhagic exudate in the lung and air sacs. Severe cases may exhibit caseous exudative pneumonia that results from the secondary infections.
Histologic lesions in the respiratory system include proliferation of epithelial cells and thickening of the pulmonary septa. Macrophages, heterophils and mononuclear cells often infiltrate the tissue, and moderate amounts of cellular debris, bacterial colonies, and exudate can be found in the primary bronchus and air spaces. Rarely, epithelial cells may contain eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions. If the brain is involved, an encephalitis can be observed, with multifocal areas of gliosis and minimal perivascular cuffing. Moderate ballooning of axon fibres may occur in the brain stem and proximal spinal cord. In many snakes with paramyxoviral lesions in the lung, hepatic pathology also consists of diffuse hepatic necrosis or multifocal pyogranulomatous inflammation. Hyperplasia of pancreatic ducts acinar cells with cystic dilation have also been observed. In the salivary glands, ductular dilation, flattening and crowding of ductular epthelium, and accumulation of cellular debris and secretory material may be noted in the ductular lumina.
Definitive diagnosis of OPMV infection requires isolation of the virus from tissues. Thus far, this has only been achieved with tissue samples harvested at postmortem examination.
Electron microscopy can be used to show virions budding from the apical membranes of type I and type II alveolar cells.
Occasionally, intracytoplasmic inclusions can be observed in affected cells and consisting of paramyxoviral nucleocapsid material.
Immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase staining techniques have also been developed to show viral antigen in affected tissues. In Situ hybridisation has recently been used to identify paramyxoviral nucleic acid.
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"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2009 : 19:44:41
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and this
This disease is called paramyxovirus,
Paramyxovirus is most common in vipers, but it is occasionally found in other snake species. This virus is usually transmitted by nasal or respiratory secretions from infected snakes.
Infected snakes usually show respiratory signs of disease. Often they show nasal discharge, open-mouth breathing, abscess material building up in the oral cavity and increased respiratory sounds. Some snakes will have signs showing the nervous system has been affected, including head tremors and a severe twisting of the head and neck, which is called opisthotonos.
When a dead snake is examined, herp vets usually will see signs of things gone terribly wrong in the respiratory tract. Often the nasal passages and windpipe (trachea) are filled with cheesy pus. The lungs may be filled with fluid or caseous (cheesy) pus and often there is a secondary bacterial infection in them.
If a snake with respiratory signs does not improve on appropriate antibiotic therapy, paramyxovirus should be suspected. Lung tissue samples taken postmortem (necropsy or animal autopsy) can be used to detect virus particles on histopathology or by electron microscopy. Some paramyxoviruses can be grown in cell cultures. A hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test has also been developed to measure antibodies against this virus. The infection can look very similar to a reovirus that has also been discovered to cause deaths in snakes.
There is no treatment specifically for this virus. Antibiotics can be used to treat any secondary bacterial infections. Isolation of sick animals and strict hygiene should be practiced to prevent the spread of paramyxovirus through a snake collection. At this time, no vaccine providing adequate protection against this virus is available. |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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Respiratory Tract Infections ( RI's)
