Broken tail

I guess the sick bay decor is staying then? (paper towel, hide & water bowl) No probs! And I guess I'd better pay off a bit of my credit card before Tues. juuuuust in case. (Paying off a huge tab from my equine vet already.)

So here it is from this morning, I wanted to show my husband what was going on in the basement for the past few weeks. Plus I needed him to hold her while I put on the cream.

See the lump on the 3rd saddle from the left? It never changed size & she still has normal tail mobility all the way to the end.

Just back from the vet appointment. Vet was happy with how well so much of the tail healed but mentioned that unless the tip was surgically removed, there was a risk that it wouldn't heal correctly or maybe reinfect, plus with the vertebrae still sticking out, that would make Martha uncomfortable & probably miserable as it would catch. And believe me, she could really feel it when the vet gently & barely touched it, Martha bit her & broke skin.

Please, PLEASE someone tell me I did that right thing by agreeing to a very costly tail tip amputation surgery. (Let's put it this way, I could buy the 2 new good quality tires for my work truck that I need at the price I was quoted) My husband was brought up on a farm where an animal is just that: an animal. I was brought up differently. I couldn't bare to risk not getting the surgery when, if left alone, you take your chances but if we do the surgery, she has an excellent recovery. I feel sick to my stomach for having done, what I think, the right thing.

We left her there overnight, surgery is in the morning.

Oh wow. You are an AMAZING AMAZING owner, and Martha is the luckiest snake alive to have ended up with you
I honestly admire all you've done for Martha. You absolutely have done the right thing, and I hope Martha will reward you for many years to come

I'm an animal lover through and through, but I admit I side more with your hubby. I don't know if our snake will be as lucky as yours if something happens to it....It's hard enough for my husband to fork out the price of a new dirtbike on our dogs vet bills. He says the same thing, it's just a pet. But our dog has cost us a small fortune and he has always been the first to say to the vet 'whatever it costs...just do it'
But when it comes to a reptile, there may not be as much of a financial cushion for our lil Redneck to do what you've done. I totally admire you and please keep us posted on everything. I'll be thinking of ya <3

I think you did a great job of keeping the area from getting infected and have helped the healing process along wonderfully. Now that she has shed and there's some caught up in the wound I think surgery is the best course of action. So yes I do think you made the correct decision

Fingers crossed for successful surgery and a full recovery.

I'd certainly have done the same in your position, even though at the moment for me it would have meant leaving the heating off for a couple of months and living on pasta. But I do see your hubby's perspective - with his background, his approach is logical, even if I disagree with it.

If it had been a choice between eating and the vet bill, or new shoes for the kids and a vet bill, then I'm pretty sure I'd have gone with your hubby's logic. For all we love them, sometimes pets just can't be the priority. But if I could afford it with some scrimping, then I'd still go with the op.

It isn't a clear-cut decision and I understand how you could end up feeling bad either way. But on balance, in your situation I'd have gone with the op as well.

I think you did the right thing. I've spent $4000 (that I don't have!!) on my dog since October- I feel your pain!

I've been on both sides of such a decision, I.e. spending much more than I had on vet bills, and saying, no, just can't do that right now. Both are personal and heartwrenching. Martha's a lucky gal.

Thanks guys, I appreciate your words & to know that others understand the tough predicament. There was no way to make everyone happy in this situation & which ever decision I made, I would feel rotten either way. Yeah I maxed out my CC on this & put the well being of the animal before our needs... nope someone was going to get hurt by the decision. I can slowly pay off my card over time but a living being that you know that by helping with this one extra thing that will make it all better for certain... to not try, "I" would have tormented over that decision for a very long time. She would not know the difference of my decision but I'm the one that has to live & deal with it. That all mighty dollar *shakes head*

But what is done is done!

Martha's surgery went very well. The vet did a really nice & clean job. She has one stitch on the tip & a lose stitch that's keeping the side (that deep gouge near the end) partially open to help it heal better. *Knock wood* We don't need antibiotics, only pain meds (3 doses), as long as we keep it clean & moist, Martha should make a nice recovery.

So we are to:
- apply the polysporin every 24 to 48 hrs to keep the area moist until it's all healed up.
- keep the tank minimalist, so paper towel, a hide, a water bowl & her UTH until it's all healed.
- handle her only when necessary & when we do, on a smooth fabric or bare arms to prevent any rubbing.
- continue to offer little feeds on her regular schedule but not force the issue or when she's hungry. So offer food after the pain meds; a pain free snake is more apt to eat & keep its food. (makes sense)
- keep a close eye with the next few sheds & make certain the skin where the stitches are is moist so it won't snag the shed & if it does, give her a short soak (10 - 15min). And again a couple of sheds after the stitches come out as well.
- follow up & stitch removal in 8 weeks.

They rolled her up loosely in paper towel, so we just left her in it & put her on the UTH side. We'll check up on her by lifting a corner, just to see if there's movement but otherwise, we're letting her rest. I'll take photos when we apply the cream tomorrow late afternoon.

Poor wee thing, hadn't come out from where we'd left her last night but the vet had called & wanted an update. So we had to go & handle her to assess her behaviour & check the tail.

After lifting the PT. Has the "whaddaya want, I'm not here, leave me alone but woe is me" look. At least she wasn't doing a scary python look by flattening her head & threatening to strike.




Trying to figure out how to pick her up without touching the tail & letting her see who it is


No thank you! Making a run for it


Her left side


Her right/top


Right/bottom


Top close up of the two stitches


With polysporin. Wasn't easy applying it, so I put it on thick as I really didn't want to rub it too much with the Q-tip.