Abscess

Aww, poor thing, hope you can get her back to good health.

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Originally Posted by ShawarmaPoutine

So the vet said it’s cellulitis because there’s no sac formation or any pus to drain out.

There is swelling inside the mouth at both sides but the left side was more swollen just as the outside is.

She put her on Chlorhexedine, applied twice daily for a week. If it heals, it heals. If it doesn’t then she wants to send a bacterial culture to the lab + ceftazidimie 180mg/ml injection or something.

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I have the same question as reptilemom25...how much experience does this vet really have with snakes & reptiles??? This is critically important as there is a HUGE
difference in treating snakes/reptiles compared to typical dog & cat medical care. Pus formation in snakes is typically solid & requires surgery...it does not drain or go
away on it's own. I've never heard of a snake with cellulitis...anyone else???

She has plenty of snakes herself! She applied pressure on the swelling and it’s not “hard”

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Originally Posted by ShawarmaPoutine

She has plenty of snakes herself! She applied pressure on the swelling and it’s not “hard”

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I own 17 snakes, but that doesn't mean I'd know how to diagnose an abscess in a snake necessarily. Just pointing that out, she may not have had specific training for it and defaulted to training she did have for cats/dogs.

I don't think "solid" pus is necessarily "hard". If I'd had to guess, I would have assume a sort of jello or soft play dough consistency rather than like a pebble. So I don't think not being hard is a good reason to think it is not an abscess.

I've never seen chlorahexadine recommended as a treatment for anything in snakes aside from superficial wounds to prevent an infection, so I'm not really sure that treatment makes much sense when it looks like there is something of some kind in there already (swelling comes from somewhere after all). There is another thread on here where a member had to have their retic brought in for a surgery to remove an abscess. Anyone have a link? (Sorry, work-brain has made me forget whose it was)

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Originally Posted by pretends2bnormal

I own 17 snakes, but that doesn't mean I'd know how to diagnose an abscess in a snake necessarily. Just pointing that out, she may not have had specific training for it and defaulted to training she did have for cats/dogs.

I don't think "solid" pus is necessarily "hard". If I'd had to guess, I would have assume a sort of jello or soft play dough consistency rather than like a pebble. So I don't think not being hard is a good reason to think it is not an abscess.

I've never seen chlorahexadine recommended as a treatment for anything in snakes aside from superficial wounds to prevent an infection, so I'm not really sure that treatment makes much sense when it looks like there is something of some kind in there already (swelling comes from somewhere after all). There is another thread on here where a member had to have their retic brought in for a surgery to remove an abscess. Anyone have a link? (Sorry, work-brain has made me forget whose it was)

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While I'm delighted that some vets are taking more interest in herps, I agree that it's taking a leap of faith when you assume that they have trained for & successfully
treated snakes with some advanced health conditions, when in fact they may not have. It's not "rude" to inquire about any doctor's training, whether they treat humans
or pets...you have a right & need to know. Vets can be well-meaning & willing to help, but when you have a significant health issue that generally needs surgery, you
want someone with recent/current experience, & preferably someone who has seen more than one or two similar cases. It's like if you need a root canal, & your local
dentist is willing to do it, it's still better to see a practicing endodontist- someone who does these procedures every day & all day long. It can make a huge difference
in outcome, in reducing risks.

And as far as I know, pus in snakes has more of the consistency of thick custard...not "hard", but just not fluid enough to be drained either naturally or with a syringe.
I have seen Betadine used to swab a snake's mouth but not chlorhexidine- it's an ingredient in human mouthwash, but that doesn't mean it's good for snakes...I'm not
sure about this use, it's a new one on me too but perhaps OK...but it's only superficial treatment. I remember that thread too, but not whose snake it was...maybe a
'trek' thru the retic forum, we can find it?

It's not rare for snakes to get an abscess either along the jawline like this or on their nose area (from hitting their face on cages). There's bound to be more than one
thread here about similar issues.

This was the thread, but it is a couple hundred posts down before the relevant parts. Somewhere in 800-900 I think is where it starts.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...9&share_type=t

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Here's a few others that are relevant. (I was searching "abscess") There's probably others...

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...hlight=abscess

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...nd-information

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...hlight=abscess

It’s my mistake thinking it was common sense to go to an exotic vet with experience in snakes and that’s exactly what she is. I called 20 vets and found only 2 that looks at snakes plus I was picky with regards to who I saw at this specific clinic.

All that being said, I am not being defensive regarding the vet because I have 0 loyalty to any medical practitioner be it my physiotherapist or vet. I am only in search of the best of anything. Thankfully, I am also shameless enough to ask the vet “where do you rank yourself with regards to being the best reptile vet in Ontario?” Or “when was the last conference you attended that was reptile/snake focused?”

Alas, I am gonna put a budget of $1000. If that doesn’t save her, I am gonna lay her to rest and make a belt out of her skin. I’ll take the rest of her skinless body and give it a Viking funeral.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShawarmaPoutine

It’s my mistake thinking it was common sense to go to an exotic vet with experience in snakes and that’s exactly what she is. I called 20 vets and found only 2 that looks at snakes plus I was picky with regards to who I saw at this specific clinic.

All that being said, I am not being defensive regarding the vet because I have 0 loyalty to any medical practitioner be it my physiotherapist or vet. I am only in search of the best of anything. Thankfully, I am also shameless enough to ask the vet “where do you rank yourself with regards to being the best reptile vet in Ontario?” Or “when was the last conference you attended that was reptile/snake focused?”

Alas, I am gonna put a budget of $1000. If that doesn’t save her, I am gonna lay her to rest and make a belt out of her skin. I’ll take the rest of her skinless body and give it a Viking funeral.

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Maybe it is common sense (and I'm glad you have it), but we've seen plenty of people skip out on common sense and insist they were right before in the topic of vets so some of us are a bit jaded, apologies. Nothing personal about you, we just wanted to make sure that was not the case here and that the snake gets appropriate treatment. (I'm sure you can imagine how ineffectual a dog/cat vet would be on an exotic snake injury.)

Your wording did sound more in line with what is done to mammals, and that's all the information any of us have to go on is what you say. Your initial reply on her expertise was related to owning snakes and not necessarily treating them medically, so we had to assume that was her limit from the info given.

I'm very glad she is the most experienced available to you and that you're willing to question things and not take it at face value. Hopefully it won't come to needing that belt for quite some time, and it will be able to be healed.

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Originally Posted by pretends2bnormal

Maybe it is common sense (and I'm glad you have it), but we've seen plenty of people skip out on common sense and insist they were right before in the topic of vets so some of us are a bit jaded, apologies. Nothing personal about you, we just wanted to make sure that was not the case here and that the snake gets appropriate treatment. (I'm sure you can imagine how ineffectual a dog/cat vet would be on an exotic snake injury.)

Your wording did sound more in line with what is done to mammals, and that's all the information any of us have to go on is what you say. Your initial reply on her expertise was related to owning snakes and not necessarily treating them medically, so we had to assume that was her limit from the info given.

I'm very glad she is the most experienced available to you and that you're willing to question things and not take it at face value. Hopefully it won't come to needing that belt for quite some time, and it will be able to be healed.

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Hoping she makes a full recovery. The whole family is rooting for her!