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Health Issues/Feeding Problems Anything related to general or specific health problems. Issues having to do with feeding problems or tips.

Please Help: Snake with Possible Broken Vertebrae
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Old 12-21-2008, 07:37 PM   #51
Lyreiania
Hello Nanci and Vestuvates...
LOL. I am breathing deeply and trying to be calm and take a zen approach. However whats preventing me is the thought/concept and idea of a floating piece of bone in my poor snakes back. I envision it bobbing up and down and to and fro and side to side, within his body, and wonder what it will do, and when will it completely sever his spinal colum? Can it float away and rupture an organ?

Euthanizing isnt in the picture at all. I am very good at knowing when the time comes to put suffering animals out of their misery, and my snake is NOT suffering. He eats, and a suffering snake wont do that. He is friendly; were he in pain hed try to bite me when I pet him, and when Ive righted him when he was upside down and in knots. He just is a bit sensitive around the direct area of the fracture.

Im having more a problem with the mental image of the break and what it signifies. That I know I have to discuss with my vet to truly know if my fears are groundless. I also DO hate and get depressed looking at his seeming struggles to move, but thats no valid or legitamate reason to kill him.

I must say the coldly detached clinical part of me, the part that says "what a cool X RAY" when she looks at it...that part of me is fascinated by this snakes seeming capacity to LEARN. He has figured out if he braces the part of himself that works, movement is alot easier. So he uses the side of the glass, a cage decoration, one of the water dishes. It IS interesting to see this animal learn, and it shows that even animals we dont associate learning and intellect with, can learn and figure out their environment.

Thanks for both of your kind words, Im grateful to you both.

Sincerely,
Susan
 
Old 12-25-2008, 09:33 PM   #52
iLuvScooter
Hi Susan,

I'm new to the site, and new to having a snake (Scooter!), but I read your thread with interest and the hope that everything would work out ok. I have to agree with the others that if your snake doesn't seem to be in pain and is managing to get around, then it would be a shame to end his life.

Also, this might sound ignorant, but are snakes' brains the same as mammals, ie, with a left and right hemisphere? If there's a "malfunction" on one side, the other side will eventually take over the behavior in many/most cases, right? And it sounds like your baby is adjusting to the situation. You'll just have to keep helping him when he gets knotted up, I guess.

Sending gentle hugs and energy to both of you.
 
Old 12-25-2008, 09:50 PM   #53
ghosthousecorns
I have had to put down a snake with neurological damage after trying to nurse him back to health for months and it was very hard to do, but it was a quality of life decision in the end. I don't want to seem harsh here. but to me it does seem like it might be kinder to euthanize him especially if he seems to be getting worse instead of better... I know he is eating and pooping, but I really do not think snakes express pain in a way that is easily recognizable like other animals. The snake dragging itself around would be a big signal to me that the time had come to let go.. I'd also worry about the stress it is causing every time he ties himself in the knots or flips over and can't get himself upright. I'm very sorry.
 
Old 12-26-2008, 07:19 PM   #54
Lyreiania
Hi Scooter and Jen...
Thanks for your words as well. Scooter, congratulations on your new snake!!! I wish you many years of happiness with him <smiles>. You are correct; in mammals at least, if one hemisphere of the brain has damage, the other side (with physical therapy help) CAN in some cases assume the duties of the other side. That is felt to play a role in the recovery of stroke victims.

However, my snakes damage doesn't lie within his brain. His brain, such as it is, functions well. The injury is in his spinal cord. There is nothing for the brain to "take over" here.

Jen, thank you for your perspective as well. I agree, if its a quality of life issue I would have him euthanized. I think its selfish and immoral to keep a pet alive when that pets existence is one of misery and despair. However at this point its not. I share your concern about his stress when he flips over or ties himself in a knot, at times he gives the impression of frustration... but that doesn't seem to be doing HARM. If one day it did, I would act.

A snake that eats, says my veterinarian, isn't suffering. If he were in pain, he really would be vicious and hostile when I had to un-knot him...and he is neither.

The snake's movement disorder isn't a reason for me to euthanize, all other things being normal as they are.

Thanks again for your perspective, I really do appreciate it and I also respect you for saying something that you had a feeling would not be favorably received.

Sincerely,
Susan
 
Old 12-26-2008, 07:27 PM   #55
ghosthousecorns
I am usually not too shy about speaking up, rather I may need to work on keeping big trap shut. I really didn't want to seem mean. Thanks for understanding my perspective, I was a bit afraid my post would offend you. . I do hope the snake will recover or at least improve.
 
Old 08-22-2018, 03:07 PM   #56
RustyTavern
Did the Snake survive? I have the same problem

what is the resolution?
 
Old 08-23-2018, 10:52 AM   #57
Dragonling
This thread is a DECADE old. Go to the vet.
 

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