Boa - RI that won't respond to treatment, advice welcomed from experienced keepers

[Conners]

Hello guys,

I am writing to ask if any experienced keepers can offer any advice concerning a snake of mine that has been suffering from a respiratory infection for some five months?

She is a female BCI, 13 years old. I've had her since she was a few months old, so I'm very attached to her.

She's always been a great feeder and very healthy. She's 9' long and until the illness struck was just over 50lbs.

After playing with different temperature and humidity settings had no effect, I started nebulising with F10. The symptoms got progressively worse.

I took her to the specialist vet I've used in the past and she was an inpatient for a few days while they performed an operation under anaesthetic to drain her lungs of congealed mucus, took a culture and sent it to a lab, took an x-ray to show the condition of the lungs (rear inflamed, front normal) and began IV antibiotics with a broad spectrum product.

The culture came back showing an unidentified bacteria, and she was prescribed a less common antiobiotic called Marbocyl, which they had to specially order in.

She has now been through two complete courses of this and I have renewed nebulising with F10, using another solution that is designed to work as a bronchial dialator beforehand.

The initial treatment quickly wiped out some associated stomatitis, and dramatically reduced the signs of bubbling around the mouth. The wheezing and gurgling was still present however.

And, five months on, it's still present. Nothing gets any better or worse, day after day.

I know it's not her viv conditions. Temperature and humidity are carefully monitored, with a range of 27-32 degrees in a 7' viv, and 70-80% humidity day and night. I've tried changing these for a few days at a time periods to see if it will help. The substrate and furniture are fine - they were used for years before she got ill, and are disinfected once a week.

The treatment has now cost me getting on for £1,000, and I don't know what other options there are.

She hasn't eaten since 16 April, although her weight is holding up and she has plenty of fat reserves left. She seems largely comfortable, but when disturbed she hisses and I can hear a great deal of gurgling and wheezing.

Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this? I am guessing that the infection is viral, hence the fact it hasn't responded to treatment (although the culture showed bacteria). However, why does it not get either better or worse?

I'd be very grateful for any suggestions from people who know what they're talking about and have seen this with any snake. Is there anything left to try?

Cheers all,

Conners