Scale rot?

[jenaero]

I've had my bp in to the vet because there was a bit of blood with her shed. He identified a 'bad scale' on her vent. It's looked the same since then (months ago) and now I'm seeing the same brownish spots on other scales on her belly. I don't have a pic yet but I'll get some tonight hopefully. I wondered if anyone has any pics of early stages of scale rot. My vet is away til next week so I can't call him. A friend of mine advised me to wait until there's something wrong before dragging her to the vet again. I'm still new to this (i've had her for a year) so I'm afraid I won't be able to identify when something IS wrong. Please advise.

[JLC]

What sort of substrate and environmental conditions is she on/in currently?

If there's a chance of scale rot or burns or any other injury or infection, I'd get her on clean paper (newspaper or paper towels) in a relatively dry environment. Check it constantly and the moment you see any urine, urates, or poo, clean it out immediately. Make sure she has fresh water, but in a bowl too small for her to soak in.

Such steps might help keep it from getting any worse until you can take her to the vet again. I'm not a vet, and your description is a bit vague, so there's no way I can even try to guess what it is...but I'm quite sure the steps above won't hurt a healthy snake, and may actually help a sick one. Good luck!

[jenaero]

She's in a 20long with paper towels as substrate, hide at each end, water dish, red heat lamp. Temps are 78-82 and 88-92. Any urates/poop is always cleaned immediately unless I happen to be at work at the time. She never sits in it/runs through it. She goes out of her way not to.

I'm trying to download the pics now. I'll attach them in a few min. I don't think they came out that well.

[JLC]

Sounds to me like she's in an ideal environment. All I can think of is another trip to the vet. When the vet found the "bad scale" near the vent the last time...did he treat it in any way or offer suggestions for you to do so? How confident are you of his ability to understand and treat snakes?

[KIBPLOVER]

our vet gave us silverdine creame for one of ours that had scale rot.. bottom of the belly couple scale were brownish, scabby looking. we rubbed it on the areas of concern and it was gone next shed.

[jenaero]

Yea the pics are terrible. But here they are.

[jenaero]

The one is just to show her size. The first one is the only belly shot that wasn't insanely blurry. I suppose there's no need to say that photography is not my forte. She has one dark scale on her vent and the other is that small discoloration in the middle, between the 2 large dark patches on the left side. She has a few more but they didn't come out clearly

You guys managed to post all that while I was posting this. He never gave me anything for the first one. He said as long as it doesnt get worse not to worry about it. It's not bloody or scabby but there was some blood with her shed before the initial vet visit and there was a bit with the shed last week. She's shed a couple times in between with no problems. He did say if it's only one scale not to worry but if she starts getting more then it could be a problem.

I'm confident in his ability to treat my turtles but being that he's a herp vet in a small city, I doubt he has much to do with snakes here.

[JLC]

I can't tell anything from the picture...looks like a normal belly to me.


I can say this, though...that a small amount of blood with a shed is perfectly normal. It doesn't always happen, but it's not an uncommon occurrence, and may have nothing to do with the off colored scales.

[KIBPLOVER]

i agree every shed we have has a little blood on them, and our vet said don't be concerned...

scale rot should look kind of brownish and crispy looking...

here is the best thing for scale rot if its what you have only a vet can perscribe it

[Penelope123]

My phython got a burn from her heating pad it never turned to a open wound it deflated itself and now is kind yellowish around the area what dose that mean