A couple weeks ago, I noticed a tiny little sore on the top of K's nose...with a bit of a scab(?) around it. Was just a tiny little thing and I figured it would heal up and the scab would drop off with her next shed. In all other ways, K seemed totally fine...ate her rat...acted normal.

This morning she shed and left a right mess in her tub to clean up. So as I was taking her out, I saw that the little spot on her nose had turned into a much larger open sore. Poor baby!! I took her into the sunlight to get a better look at it...and while I'm examining it, I hear her whistling. Not just one little sound I may have imagined...but a clear whistle with each breath. ( again!)

So right away, I start hunting for a good snake vet in San Antonio. Had to call around a bit, but there are a number of them out here, apparently. I found one not too far away who was willing to squeeze me in, even though her appointments were booked solid for the day. I was relieved because I really didn't want to let it go for the whole weekend.

(See review of Dr. Hill here!)

After a thorough exam by Dr. Hill...we could find absolutely no sign of any respiratory distress at all. No more whistling sound, no mucus or excess saliva in her mouth, mouth tissue looked a healthy pink without any streaks or swelling anywhere. Lungs sounded clear and all breathing sounded normal even with a stethoscope.

Dr. Hill was impressed with K's weight and muscle tone and gorgeous coloration. (who wouldn't be??? )

The doc determined that there was no reason to treat for an RI that showed absolutely no signs of being there. Most likely the whistling was a wee bit of skin stuck inside the nares. The wound is likely from a rat bite or scratch that started out much smaller when it happened, but the shedding process tore away extra skin that was in the healing process. She gave me a little tube of a collogen substance that will act like a synthetic skin to help it heal fully before her next shed.

And since K was gracious enough to leave me a big, fresh poopy this morning with her shed, I decided to go ahead and have a fecal float done as well. Of course that came back completely clean...seein' as how she's one of Adam's babies. But it's nice to have that on record now.

So that's my story for the day. All in all, K didn't seem to mind the trip too much...but she absolutely hated having her mouth forced open for the exam. That was the first time I'd ever felt the full power of her body as I helped hold her while she struggled against it. Poor girl was quite put-out by that part of it. But once it was done, she returned to her sweet self and proceeded to try and find a hidey spot in the folds of the doc's smock.