Facial Injury

Sorry if I am posting this in the wrong section, but I got a text from a lady with a ball python with a swollen face(the right side of his face is pretty swollen) and she has asked me to take him in. I really wanna help the little guys out but wondered what all I could do to help him? Heres the picture she sent me
http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...ich0l3/132.jpg

I know a vet trip would probably be in order, but does anyone have any advice I can do to help him before hand?

Unfortunately not much you can do without a visit to the vet. It's likely an abscess or infection of some sort that usually requires treatment that may include antibiotics, for a cyst or abscess they may have to remove it to rid the affected area of infection then prescribe an antibiotic course.

I figured :/ was hoping there was something i could do to help before that. It dosnt look itd bevery comfortable... well i may go ahead and set up a place to meet. I can get a better look at it when i get him.

-Amber

Did the lady say if this is an injury, or a condition?

I've seen that before on another forum, and the owner got rid of the infection themselves, but I HIGHLY recommend going to a vet.

I do not agree with at-home abscess removal, but here's the vid. *graphic*http://youtu.be/u4ATSWg71rc

She got him from a college student i guess. She thinka he struck the glass of his aquarium. She said he eats fine and that he just ate 2 small rats friday. And that when she first got him he soaked for several days and the college student kept him in a box. So wo know how neglected he was.. i feel bad for him

-Amber

If he's eating, that's a good sign, but that swelling doesn't appear to be normal. I would still take it to a vet.

what a sin.... some people shouldn't own snakes if they will neglect them...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by carlisleishere

I do not agree with at-home abscess removal, but here's the vid. *graphic*http://youtu.be/u4ATSWg71rc

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That is CRAZY!!

I wonder if he was pushing on his tank? I have seen my retics/burms do that, and an occasional bp and their mouth swells up some.

I would gently open his mouth and see what's going on inside.

It might be a broken tooth pushed into gums or somewhere in the mouth. A Vet is likely in order.

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMG_0880.jpg
http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMG_0879.jpg
http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMG_0877.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by carlisleishere

*graphic*http://youtu.be/u4ATSWg71rc

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Ok folks, I'm a card carrying graduate of both the US Air Force Self Aid-Buddy Care and the US Army Combat Life Saver courses. I have performed actual, no kidding, combat first aid with bullets flying. I have even performed a Jugular Cutdown IV insertion in the back of a bouncing HMVEE screaming down Route Bull in Qalat Province...But there is no way, no how, that I would do that on one of my snakes :no:

There's a reason I have a great Herp Vet...That video is the reason.

I'd rather perform that procedure on one of my kids than one of my snakes...

I could never do that.. I would pass out.. That is def a vets job!

One of my snakes had the same thing a few months ago:

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3...26thmouth2.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3...26thmouth1.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3...21swollen3.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3...ideswollen.jpg

She was rubbing her face against the side of her tub after she spilled her water bowl over and made her tub a sauna. Took her to the vet first thing, was advised to do warm compresses to the exterior area two times a day and to do diluted Betadine swabs to the interior swollen area two times a day (do all on the inside of her mouth on that side). This worked really well and she also got some shots of Baytril to fight any infection since the vet wasn't sure if she broke a tooth or not. But the swelling went down and her gum line went back to normal after ~1-2 weeks.

I would advise a vet visit asap before it gets worse. It could be an abscess as mentioned or just swelling like my girl had.

Ive seen pimples worse than that snake's abcess in the video lol