• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

snake still sick

B

buddithegreat1

New member
I posted this last week but recived minimal responses so I am trying again, with updates.

I have an approximately 2 1/2 year old male cornsnake who was suddenly distended in the last 1/3 of his body, to his vent, then he was normal size. The swelling appears to have gone down. His last 1/3 of his body does not constrict or grasp anything and appears flaccid. He is underweight and I have force fed him for 8 months. The swelling appeared last week and looked like he might be septic but he has no scratches, his belly and skin is normal color, and has been in his cage and is not unsupervised when out of his cage. He has been drinking lots of water for three weeks, is deficating normally although he has white crumbly urates.There are a few changes that have gone on recenetly that may be the cause but I am hoping it is not kidney failure:
1. He completed a 10 day cross country trip three weeks ago in a small cage, from Seattle to Panama City FL.
2. He was chilled 1x, three weeks ago.
3. He is in a new (used cage) that I cleaned and disinfected well (with bleach-that I washed and rinsed out very well)
4. He goes not strike and has not self fed for a year (he went on a four month hunger strike and lost substantial ammount of weight-which he has never regained) and now he is down to 1/2 body weight-with spine visible)
UPDATED FROM PREVIOUS POST:
5. He shed yesterday but is still lethargic and weak.
6. I took him to the vet in Panama City Beach FL, last week. He gave him IV fluids, vitamin B injection, and RXed Baytril (to be injected into the pinkies and force fed every other day as he believed that Cornelius is too immune system compromized to have the Baytril injections). He provided no diagnosis. There has been no change other than the shed.

Questions for you:
1. Should he be on Beni-Bac, since he is on antibiotics. (I put my iguanas on it). If so how much?
2. Could this be stress of moving related?
3. Any ideas on Panama City Beach or surrounding areas for a vet who specializes in herps?

Please give me some advise. I am not sure how to follow the responses but will try to navigate the systen to find out what you recommend.
Jan
 
I am curious as to why you were force feeding him for the last 8 months? Do you have a pic of the snake?
 
buddithegreat1 said:
I posted this last week but recived minimal responses so I am trying again, with updates.

I have an approximately 2 1/2 year old male cornsnake who was suddenly distended in the last 1/3 of his body, to his vent, then he was normal size. The swelling appears to have gone down. His last 1/3 of his body does not constrict or grasp anything and appears flaccid. He is underweight and I have force fed him for 8 months. The swelling appeared last week and looked like he might be septic but he has no scratches, his belly and skin is normal color, and has been in his cage and is not unsupervised when out of his cage. He has been drinking lots of water for three weeks, is deficating normally although he has white crumbly urates.There are a few changes that have gone on recenetly that may be the cause but I am hoping it is not kidney failure:
1. He completed a 10 day cross country trip three weeks ago in a small cage, from Seattle to Panama City FL.
2. He was chilled 1x, three weeks ago.
3. He is in a new (used cage) that I cleaned and disinfected well (with bleach-that I washed and rinsed out very well)
4. He goes not strike and has not self fed for a year (he went on a four month hunger strike and lost substantial ammount of weight-which he has never regained) and now he is down to 1/2 body weight-with spine visible)
UPDATED FROM PREVIOUS POST:
5. He shed yesterday but is still lethargic and weak.
6. I took him to the vet in Panama City Beach FL, last week. He gave him IV fluids, vitamin B injection, and RXed Baytril (to be injected into the pinkies and force fed every other day as he believed that Cornelius is too immune system compromized to have the Baytril injections). He provided no diagnosis. There has been no change other than the shed.

Questions for you:
1. Should he be on Beni-Bac, since he is on antibiotics. (I put my iguanas on it). If so how much?
2. Could this be stress of moving related?
3. Any ideas on Panama City Beach or surrounding areas for a vet who specializes in herps?

Please give me some advise. I am not sure how to follow the responses but will try to navigate the systen to find out what you recommend.
Jan
Click to expand...

Am I understanding correctly; that the vet told you to force feed him (injected) pinkies every other day? From my knowledge, no snake could handle that. Am I misunderstanding?
 
Take him to another vet..do a search in the area or check the phone books or online for vets that know how to handle herps..It doesn't sound like this vet is very educated or knows what he's talking about..
 
I have an appointment for him on Saturday with a different vet. After everything I read on this site I did a search on Kalpans site and found a recommended herp vet who may be able to get Cornelius and me on a viable health and feeding program. I have been rescuing iguanas for 18 years in the Seattle area and am very knowledgable about their husbandry and health care but very new to the snake area. I got Cornelius (the snake) at the Seattle Animal Shelter.
 
The vet I tried to see (Whitehouse) , which was recommended by the HepVet referral service site on-line, stated they are not herp vet and that I should try a vet closer to home. I did that and I got the above mentioned general animal vet (Dr. Ford- a nice man) who RXed the antibody injected pinkies every other day. The closest exotic vet I can find is a 9 hr drive. Anyone here from Panama City area or south alabama or mississippi who has a herp vet. I did find one in Pensacola that I will call tomorrow. Good thing I don't have a job yet so I can transport Cornelius.
 
If your vet has not taken an x-ray of your snake, I would highly recommend that one is taken. The fact that the last half of the snake is flaccid is a very poor sign. I had a snake that had gotten wedged tight in a part of his viv one night and I didn't find him until the next morning. By then, he was paralysed behind the part that had gotten constricted. There was permanent nerve damage and he had to be euthanized. Feeding a pinky to an adult snake every other day in order to administer antibiotics is just fine and a method mentioned in both reptile medical books in my personal library (Dr. Mader and Dr. Frye). The fact that the snake has not eaten on it's own for a year is very disturbing and I wonder shy you waited this long to bring him to a vet. IMO, the snake has some serious issues and perhaps needs to be humanely relieved from it's suffering.
 
I thought that my vet record information was in my initial post. This snake has been seen 3x for the eating issues in the past year by Tracy Bennett and Dan Lejinkas, both highly regarded reputable herp vets in Seattle (see chelydra.org, anapsid.org, herpvetconnection). He had a clean bill of health (per bloodwork and xray) in relation to his refusal to eat. There is not a medical finding to cause the eating issues.

I will repeat. I just moved to Panama City FL and need a viable herp vet referral. The current symptoms started during the moving process. I posted here to try to get productive feedback. I am willing to travel to take my snake to a decent herp vet. I appreciate your feedback regarding the injected pinkies, maybe the vet that I am going to is not off base. One of my concerns (based on feedback from the people on this site that an antibiotic injected pinkie every other day was not good for the snake) was that this vet, recommended by a local pet store, was not qualified enough.

I am never opposed to humanely euthanizing an animal that cannot recover. I have done that when clinically indicated with the iguanas, pets, and horses.

Please understand, I ALWAYS take my herps to the vet. I just moved to Florida and took my snake to the vet as soon as the new symptoms appeared. I have rescued iguanas for 18 years and have an excellent reputation for rehabbing ill reptiles (albeit iguanid).
 
Sorry if I sound defensive. I have just moved, am still unpacking, found Bufos in my yard last night (and was up late hosing out the mouth of the dog) and am feeling unsettled by the fact that I have left behind all of my constants (including very good vets who I knew could handle all of my pets issues appropriately). Two days ago I received all of the snake viverium fittings (that I mailed to FL 3 weeks ago), including hiding places, water dishes, lights, etc that i mailed to myself from WA. He has been using a temporary cardbord box in his vivarium and I am hoping that he will be less stressed in familiar surroundings. He has a follow up appointment on Monday.
 
A list of vets in your area that say they see exotics:

http://www.petcarehospital.com/ - This is an AAHA facility which means they have high standards of veterinary medicine they need to follow in order to keep that classification.

http://www.switchboard.com/swbd.mai...Business|0007335585::&frompage=&showsection=1

http://www.switchboard.com/swbd.mai...Business|0129489761::&frompage=&showsection=1

http://www.switchboard.com/swbd.mai...Business|0007333326::&frompage=&showsection=1

http://www.switchboard.com/swbd.mai...Business|0068576626::&frompage=&showsection=1

I can't say how good a herp vet any of these are, but at least you have a list to start with. But as I said in my earlier post, any creature that has to be force fed for a year and whose rear 1/3 can't move must not be a very happy creature. There is a point where one has to consider a creature's quality of life. Is it fair to keep it going beyond the point where life isn't worth living? I've been a certified veterinary technician for over 25 years and I've seen too many pets suffer and die a miserable death because their owner's refused to accept the fact that is was time for the pet to go and thought only of their feelings. I did not read your prior thread and oly have this one to go by. I also have not seen the snake nor know what it's exact condition is. I only have what you are telling us to go on.
 
Susan, Thanks for your info. The animal hospital that you sent the info on is the one I am taking the snake to for a follow up on Monday. I suppose that that is my only area option. I appreciate your time and effort in searching for a vet.
I understand your insights on end of life. I was a vet assistant for several years on the Southern CA racehorse circuit, worked with race and show horses for many years, and have been personally involved in the decision to euthanize and the euthanization process of multiple animals. My distraught sister made her mare suffer for 5 days with peritonitis after foaling so went with the vet and assisted in the euthanization of the mare. I also have a MA in psych and am aware that people prolong the lives of animals (and family members for that matter) to avoid feelings of loss and grief. That said...If the vet says the snake is not progressing I will do what needs to be done. He looks somewhat better , his tail is moving more, and appears a bit more active after the antibiotics for 10 days...but I will know more on Monday.

Thanks again.
 
Update on Cornelius.

Cornelius appeared to be more active, per my and the vets observations, after the antibiotic TX. The vet attempted to do a complete workup on the snake, took stool sample, xray, and blood. He stated that snake was not impacted due to "gut sounds", but was anemic (very low RBC). He stated that the snake could have parasites but none showed on the slide. No noted concerns on the xray. Vet gave him oral ivermectin in the event that he had internal parasites. His last fecal was negative and he is my only reptile. Within 24 hrs of the ivermectin the snake regurgitated fluid and died. I think he had a reaction to the ivermectin but I had, as the snake had not improved enough to be comfortable, made an appointment to have him euthanized. He was a nice snake, very accepting of humans, and appeared to trust me.

Thanks for everyones help. I decided that I am not going to accept another reptile as I can't take care of them adequately in an area that does not have a vet that specializes in herps. I didn't that into consideration when I moved here last month and I have been successful with my herps for about 18 years.

Jan
 
Jan I am sorry to hear about Cornelius :awcrap:

I hate that you are considering not getting another snake. It sounds like Cornelius had some serious health issues and you gave him the best chance to live.

I really hope you change your mind.
 
Yep, good on you for trying. At least at the end he with with someone who was busting a gut to help him out.

Sorry - this sort of ending is never easy to bear, regardless of how short a time you've owned an animal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top