Ball python with a broken jaw 😢 Vet pushing to force feed 🤔

I would also suggest a second opinion, I am a vet tech and the only way I've ever seen anythings' (mammals, and a tortoise once) jaw wired was to surgically implant an external fixeter -basically sharp pins punched through the bone on either side of the fracture then held in place with a hardening plastic-like matrix or strait up hooking wires around the teeth to hold the jaw in alignment...no idea how that would even be possible in a small snake. (maybe a 15-18 foot burm or something of similar size, but not even the biggest ball has jaw bones that thick)

Also most xray machines have some trouble with tiny bones, so unless they used a dental x-ray, I'm not sure they'd have gotten the detail needed. Even for mammals we always sedate or fully anesthetize or skull / mouth rads since you have to hold the mouth open with gauze to get a good view. Again, not sure how your vet achieved the diagnosis, and I'm not in an exotics practice, but the technique should be similar.

Especially since the lower jaw of a snake is not connected by bone so that when compared with a mammal the lower mandible looks "fractured"...hopefully any vet would know that and that is not what they are trying to fix, but it also would not surprise me

Edit: though expensive and MIR would be much more detailed for a snake skull

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

That would be my last Visit to that vet. The fact the Vet told you that healthy snake needs to be fed during a 6 week period shows they dont even know the basics. Red Flag PERIOD.


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I agree with CALM... Sounds like the vet just wants to make a quick buck off you.
Doesn't sound like he was an exotic vet of any sort that knows snakes. Beware my friend!!

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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

I would also suggest a second opinion, I am a vet tech and the only way I've ever seen anythings' (mammals, and a tortoise once) jaw wired was to surgically implant an external fixeter -basically sharp pins punched through the bone on either side of the fracture then held in place with a hardening plastic-like matrix or strait up hooking wires around the teeth to hold the jaw in alignment...no idea how that would even be possible in a small snake. (maybe a 15-18 foot burm or something of similar size, but not even the biggest ball has jaw bones that thick)

Also most xray machines have some trouble with tiny bones, so unless they used a dental x-ray, I'm not sure they'd have gotten the detail needed. Even for mammals we always sedate or fully anesthetize or skull / mouth rads since you have to hold the mouth open with gauze to get a good view. Again, not sure how your vet achieved the diagnosis, and I'm not in an exotics practice, but the technique should be similar.

Especially since the lower jaw of a snake is not connected by bone so that when compared with a mammal the lower mandible looks "fractured"...hopefully any vet would know that and that is not what they are trying to fix, but it also would not surprise me

Edit: though expensive and MIR would be much more detailed for a snake skull

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Omg...you are right! What if they simply misread the unique head/jaw structure of a snake as a break?

The nonsense about the liver damage makes me wonder just how much that vet truly knows about a reptile like a snake?


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Originally Posted by bcr229

If your snake ate during that time then he got some hydration from his feeders.

Also as you pointed out, you didn't monitor your snake 24/7 so he could easily have gotten a drink while you were sleeping and then returned to his hide.

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It was during his winter fast.. But right he could of drank when I was sleeping, his nickname isn't "Sneaky Pete" for nothing hahahaha


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Originally Posted by zina10

Omg...you are right! What if they simply misread the unique head/jaw structure of a snake as a break?

The nonsense about the liver damage makes me wonder just how much that vet truly knows about a reptile like a snake?


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Yeah, i didn't touch on the fasting thing - none of the vets I work with understand that balls can fast. When I first mentioned that mine was on his 65th day of not eating my one vet asked if he was sick, once I explained that is just something they do it was still hard to believe lol

Dottie is going on her 4th month not wanting food. I dont think she looks starved at all lol.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...cae23028_h.jpg


I would personally find another vet. I wont repeat what others have already said but so much sounds wrong with this vet and his/her practices.

This vet is calling themselves a reptile, avian and exotics specialist, and aside from all this she also told me that my girl was overweight and that she'd like to see her have a more triangular shape with visible backbone... which is directly contrary to everything I've ever read about ideal BP body condition. Rest assured I went out of my way to attempt to provide my snake with the care of a herp specialist, and we will not be going back.

Phillydubs as far as I know her jaw wasn't broken until two days before her first vet appointment when I noticed a bump and a dark spot on her lower jaw. I've had her for 3.5 years and she hasn't struck on her food since 6mos after I got her... she just examines it nose to tail and sizes it up, then chows it down. She ate for me about 2 weeks before I saw the break, and it was as uneventful as always when she did.

I'm having trouble getting pics from my phone to this forum... I haven't used the forum much aside from lurking, so if I get it figured out without having to open an online photo storage account I'll post some images this weekend.

In the meantime, if anyone knows a great herp vet in the greater Seattle area, I'd love a referral.

I'm having trouble getting pics to post, but she was able to drink with it on. It was simple medical tape around her muzzle and back toward her jowl on the underside of her jaw, with a collar of tape around her neck connecting to the tape under her jaw. It looked wonky to me... I'm looking for another vet... this one was reputed to be one of the better exotic and reptile vets near Seattle, and I'm not impressed.

You can use tapatalk to upload pics. It's a free app and simple to use.