Tip of tail came off with shed. Had a burn? or scale rot? Not healing!

I had my bp on an unregulated heat pad. She was shedding at the time and after I soaked her in betadine she shed and it the remaining burn is very minor. However the tip of her tail shed which before was brown all the way around. It was bleeding and is red raw and is now not healing. its been 48 hrs...
I've been soaking in betadine. She's on clean newspaper but I'm worried about possible infection... it's not bleeding now but doesn't look any better either. it was still 'wet' as it was picking up dust and hair fibers.

Snakes have a very slow metabolism - you are unlikely to see much improvement until it sheds again.

However they do shed more if injured so just try to keep it clean until then and apply neosporin ( the type without pain killers ) and use a non-particulate substrate like paper towels.

If you can get us a clear picture of it we might be able to say whether a vet visit would be a good idea.

http://www.mountainside-medical.com/ will sell silver sulfadiazine without a prescription. It's preferred for burns in snakes as it doesn't cause scale damage like the petroleum-based ointments, such as neosporin, do if they're used long-term.

Another option is Vetericyn, which is available at Petco. It's not as good as the SS but if there's a store near you, you can get your hands on it today. It's a gel so it also doesn't damage scales, and it dries "dry" so your snake's tail won't be goopy and picking up lint.

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Originally Posted by mamaofporter

I had my bp on an unregulated heat pad. She was shedding at the time and after I soaked her in betadine she shed and it the remaining burn is very minor. However the tip of her tail shed which before was brown all the way around. It was bleeding and is red raw and is now not healing. its been 48 hrs...
I've been soaking in betadine. She's on clean newspaper but I'm worried about possible infection... it's not bleeding now but doesn't look any better either. it was still 'wet' as it was picking up dust and hair fibers.

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If that injury was red , raw and not healing it is very suspicious for sepsis to set in. Now it doesn't look better to you either I would seriously consider a herp vet. Tails in snakes are very sensitive structures that get used in reproduction, balance and support. IMO, I would be scheduling a clinic appointment. Don't play around with this one boss! Stay in peace and not pieces. Don't forget to donate to USARK. Good luck.:gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mamaofporter

I had my bp on an unregulated heat pad. She was shedding at the time and after I soaked her in betadine she shed and it the remaining burn is very minor. However the tip of her tail shed which before was brown all the way around. It was bleeding and is red raw and is now not healing. its been 48 hrs...
I've been soaking in betadine. She's on clean newspaper but I'm worried about possible infection... it's not bleeding now but doesn't look any better either. it was still 'wet' as it was picking up dust and hair fibers.

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Like Dr. Del said it's hard to say without pictures. Same with the slow healing.

If you are worried about infection/sepsis, which is a real concern with an "open" wound, take the snake to an exotics vet. They will more than likely give you silver sulfadine (topical cream) and antibiotic shots.

Keep her on newspaper or paper towels, take out anythin "extra" in her cage and get a thermoSTAT for the UTH.

Deep breaths! Please keep us posted.

Pictures would be helpful.

Also pictures of the snake's stomach where there was a burn. If the burn was bad enough to cause the snake's tail tip to fall off I doubt it's completely healed after just one shed. You may want to do more medicated soaks for the burn, but again it's difficult to recommend anything without pictures. If you think the tail is bad enough don't hesitate to get him to a reptile vet.