Snake dying

[dwyn127]

It's time. My 1st corn, the girl in my avatar will be put down this Friday. She'd feed ok for a couple months, then go through a regurge period, then seem ok for a couple months then regurge again. This has been on and off for most of her short life. She's an 03 who at her largest was only 40 grams. A little over a month ago, she developed some dark internal swelling above her vent. Took her and a poop specimen to the vet who couldn't find any infection or blockage, but put on an antibiotic anyway. Now when she's got a meal in her stomach, I can see through her and her stomach is now looking dark. She hasn't kept her last 2 meals down, pinky's at that, and is now down to 24 grams and pretty weak.

The vet offered to put her down, free of charge, and autopsy her to determine if the cause is infection, parasite or simply genetic.

I guess 1 positive out of this is that since she was our 1st corn, she earned a spot in the living room, far away from my other snakes. The hard part will be tomorrow, telling my 5 and 8 year old that she has to be put to sleep.:awcrap:

[Jonathan P]

I feel for you! I have a 4 and 2 year old and the 4 yr old has already experienced death - 3 toads from the yard, and one snake. The corn unfortunately was an '05 hatchling who got burned by a malfunctioning heat pad.

When I took the burned snake out of the Viv, she asked me how long would she have her other '05 hatchling. She didn't want to name it since it wouldn't be around long. Thankfully our snow motley is now named Skittles and doing great.

I wish you the best. It's never easy.

[TandJ]

I am sorry.. It sounds like you tried your best with the Amel.. I lost two this year myself.. I believe mine came to pass because they were stressed. It bites trying to explain to the younger ones why you did what you did, although I would not admit to my kids that I choose to put the animal down, and generally use that the animal was sick and is in a better place now.. I never ever feel at ease when it comes down to putting an animal down, but I know it is the right thing to do..

Here is a site that might be of intrest to you, I know it helped my sister a bit when she lost he beloved English Bull Terror ( I know it is spelled wrong but he was sometimes described this way ). She had him for 10yr's and honestly was like a child to her, which unfortunantly, my sister could never have..

Regards... T and J

[TandJ]

I'm sorry, I missed posting the link for you.. http://www.rainbowbridge.com/hello.htm

Regards

[Missy]

oh wow, i too feel for you and know what your going through.
i had my girlie, missy put to sleep just over a year ago now coz she had kidney failure and secondary gaut it was the vet who highly recommended to have her put to sleep coz she was now suffering, i just agreed.

a week before christmas just gone we had our dog of 14 years put to sleep as she had cancer of the face, i swear i have never seen an illness take hold so quickly and visciously. it stared in one side of her nose and spread like wildfire within 2 weeks to her whole face, it hit us like a ton of bricks.
but that rainbow bridge is a beautiful story, i have a copy under my pillow and i found it did help me through it.

[Preita]

I'm so sorry. We lost one of ours in september. It's one of the hardest things to do, but you gave the animal the best life it could have ever had.

[dwyn127]

It's time. My 1st corn, the girl in my avatar will be put down this Friday.
The hard part will be tomorrow, telling my 5 and 8 year old that she has to be put to sleep.:awcrap:
Well I told the kids tonight and my 5 yr old daughter through her tears asked "when is Elizabeth (her het for bloodred/lavender) gonna get a lump and have to go to the vet forever?" Had to explain that her snake isn't sick and will probably be with us for a long time.

My 8 year old son has been hanging with me a little too long. His response through his tears was, "Daddy, can we get a bearded dragon?"

[ultimuttone]

I am sorry :(.
I know how hard it can be, especially with kids. My 8 yr old daughter just lost her first snake, a little garter, KC. One of her first responses was also the fear that her other snake would die soon. We made a little memorial, a box with KC's hide and water dish, and vine inside. I think it helped her to have something concrete to show how special KC was to her and that she won't be forgotten.

[dwyn127]

We made a little memorial, a box with KC's hide and water dish, and vine inside. I think it helped her to have something concrete to show how special KC was to her and that she won't be forgotten.
That's a great idea!:idea: She has a hide that's a hard plastic cave that will look "at home" in the garden right outside the back door. Thanks for your input!

[ghosthousecorns]

Danny, so sorry to hear about your snake.
I had to put one down this year. It's hard to do but it is kinder than keeping them alive when they are not doing well. My sincerest condolences, you are doing the right thing

[dwyn127]

Thanx to everyone who showed concern. The doctor called tonight after opening her up. She said the heart, lungs and liver were all good, but the stomach, intestines and kindeys all showed thickening and definate signs of disease. Said she can't know for sure without testing, but showed possible signs of crypto, so everything goes in the trash. Thankfully she was on a different floor than my other 4 snakes and I usually wash between snakes and tended to her last, just in case (fingers crossed).

[rachel132002]

I had a hypo go through something similar but he just stopped eating over breeding season so it all seemed normal then he just died on me he had thickening of stomach, kidneys, liver again thought possibly crypto so EVERYTHING was binned or sterilised but it turned out to be hep c and other things related to him never being in 100% health when i got him as he was a bit skinny and had an RI when i bought him. Sorry for the loss and hope it' wasn't crypto!

Rachel

[Preita]

I'm so sorry for your loss. :cry: In the end it's kinder than letting them suffer. I hope that it wasn't the C-word :(
Best of luck, and that memorial is a good idea.