Uninformed vet? PLEASE HELP!

My ball Lucy went to the vet today, she had a red belly that went away but has yellow leathery spots on 2 parts of her belly, each that are about two inches long. Her scales on the bottom of her are falling off but the ones on top look perfectly normal. Visually noticeable that she's uncomfortable on her belly. The last 3-4 days she's been drinking the most absurd amount of water. Like, almost any amount of water I put in front of her.

The vet said that she thinks it's a burn from the bottom. I use a reptile heater and it's two inches from the bottom of the tank, and it's temperature is at 90. I told her that it didn't sound like it made any sense that Lucy had been using that heater for 2 years, and that it only now randomly started burning her? She also suggested that I put a heat rock in for my ball to sit on. I was surprised to hear that because I always heard heat rocks burned pythons... But she told me that almost every time she sees a burn, the owner had a reptile bottom heater and not a heat rock.

Anyway I am very nervous, I don't want anything bad to happen to my python, she's been given antibiotic shots and a lotion that I'm supposed to put on sparingly twice a day. I was told to give her a bath, but when I did my lucys belly got SUPER red and irritated despite the water being only luke warm. I'm just nervous that maybe she's been misdiagnosed since the vet was suggesting things that I had always heard of as being big no-nos (heat rock) (putting lotion on twice a day) and was adamant about it being a burn when her heater is only 90 and had never been a problem before. The vet didn't give much attention to me explaining how much water Lucy had been drinking, just brushed it off as part of the burn.

If anyone has info they could give me to help with Lucy's well being PLEASE help! It would be much appreciated.


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Here are some pictures, this one is the top view, she is completely ok
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/18/ry9y5a5y.jpg

These ones are of her belly
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/18/ynu6umuj.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/18/2utyny8u.jpg

This one is of her flaky scales
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/18/uqyjesu8.jpg


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No no no, did I say no cause that heat rock even on a thermostat still can burn the animal. That heat mat shouldn't be the cause of this I almost thought belly rot at first till I read on, I can't say but try a new heater maybe or put a thermostat on the old one. If we had pictures it can be better maybe if the heat mat to see if discoloration our signs of over heating on it? Please let us know that she's ok.

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

Her belly is a little more red than usual because of the luke warm bath the vet suggested. It wasn't like that before the bath. Just had the yellow spots


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okay, first off, time to find a new vet. your girl may have belly burns, but putting a heat rock in will not rectify that situation. instead, pick up a thermostat. it'll keep belly temps where they have to be to avoid burns. Hydrofarm makes affordable ones, although more popular models include the VE100 and the Herpstat collection.

Heat rocks are garbage.

baths are really unnecessary unless you're doing a betadine rinse. even then, the water should be room temp, not warm to your touch at all. when you sprinkle it on your wrist, it shouldnt have any heat, kinda the way you would test a baby bottle.

what is your humidity? the other option is a possible case of scale rot, caused by too much moisture.

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Ok so it does look like burns but my question I'm thinking is how if the mats 2 years old and did ok it should still be ok but you never know if keep her in a there but use over head heat as her source till it's figured out is the old one on a thermostat out no?

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

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Originally Posted by Bloodborn25

No no no, did I say no cause that heat rock even on a thermostat still can burn the animal. That heat mat shouldn't be the cause of this I almost thought belly rot at first till I read on, I can't say but try a new heater maybe or put a thermostat on the old one. If we had pictures it can be better maybe if the heat mat to see if discoloration our signs of over heating on it? Please let us know that she's ok.

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

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Just uploaded some pictures, there is a temp gauge on the heater and it's at 90 degrees.


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http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/18/qedujyva.jpg
Heater is two inches from bottom, and the temp gauge is always 89-90.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Archimedes

okay, first off, time to find a new vet. your girl may have belly burns, but putting a heat rock in will not rectify that situation. instead, pick up a thermostat. it'll keep belly temps where they have to be to avoid burns. Hydrofarm makes affordable ones, although more popular models include the VE100 and the Herpstat collection.

Heat rocks are garbage.

baths are really unnecessary unless you're doing a betadine rinse. even then, the water should be room temp, not warm to your touch at all. when you sprinkle it on your wrist, it shouldnt have any heat, kinda the way you would test a baby bottle.

what is your humidity? the other option is a possible case of scale rot, caused by too much moisture.

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Archimedes I was thinking scale rot at first too, flaking scales go's hand in hand with it. Hmm but ya get a new vet or a very good breeder near you to check her out

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

Also, humidity is around 50. Been trying to get that up higher but I don't think that would be part of the belly issue


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Well it's not always the humidity. Snakes can get scale rot from being on wet bedding for to long if it's wet it cooks be that but if not more investigating to do.

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

What thermostat are you using with your UTH? What temp gauge are you using to measure the 90 degrees hot side? (Heat mats can malfunction, they won't last forever)

What ointment did the vet recommend you to apply and what antibiotics?

What substrate are you using?

Also how deep is the bedding I'd do 2"-3" depending on size

0.1.0 normal Ball Python

Looks like a burn to me.

Heat Rock - NEVER USE ONE. If your snake doesn't have a burn yet, it will soon enough on a heat rock.


Heat Mat - Get a thermoSTAT to control the heat. Unregulated heat mats can spike and be hot enough to burn a snake.


Regardless if it's a burn or scale rot, you can apply Silver Sulfadiazine cream. And you can also disinfect the area with Betadine before using the cream.
I would stop bathing your snake. You want the area to be dry, not wet or moist.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Looks like a burn to me.

Heat Rock - NEVER USE ONE. If your snake doesn't have a burn yet, it will soon enough on a heat rock.


Heat Mat - Get a thermoSTAT to control the heat. Unregulated heat mats can spike and be hot enough to burn a snake.


Regardless if it's a burn or scale rot, you can apply Silver Sulfadiazine cream. And you can also disinfect the area with Betadine before using the cream.
I would stop bathing your snake. You want the area to be dry, not wet or moist.

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I was told that using cream too much would cause the scales to come off, would that be something to be concerned about with the silver sulfadiazine cream or betadine?


The vet said a bath everyday. After this bath seeing how red her poor belly got I don't think ill be doing that again. Lucy was prescribed a "triple antibiotic with dex" according to the vets notes. Right now I am currently using brand new clean towel (I change every week) as the substrate. This vet bill is putting me so far into the hole, and it's getting more and more frustrating seeing that I've probably wasted a few hundred dollars on a vet who doesnt know jack.

They want me to go back two more times this week at almost 90$ per visit to get 2 more gentamicin injections on top of the one she got today. Is that a good idea? I really don't have the money to keep dishing out as I've already dropped a ton and need to make sure I have enough for bills and such.

Oh and one last thing, the vet said to get a UVA lamp to put on top of the tank, except now my humidity went from 50 to 20!! I have two huge water bowls in there but it's not helping.



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Quote:

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Originally Posted by STROUSE90

I was told that using cream too much would cause the scales to come off, would that be something to be concerned about with the silver sulfadiazine cream or betadine?


The vet said a bath everyday. After this bath seeing how red her poor belly got I don't think ill be doing that again. Lucy was prescribed a "triple antibiotic with dex" according to the vets notes. Right now I am currently using brand new clean towel (I change every week) as the substrate. This vet bill is putting me so far into the hole, and it's getting more and more frustrating seeing that I've probably wasted a few hundred dollars on a vet who doesnt know jack.

They want me to go back two more times this week at almost 90$ per visit to get 2 more gentamicin injections on top of the one she got today. Is that a good idea? I really don't have the money to keep dishing out as I've already dropped a ton and need to make sure I have enough for bills and such.

Oh and one last thing, the vet said to get a UVA lamp to put on top of the tank, except now my humidity went from 50 to 20!! I have two huge water bowls in there but it's not helping.



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Using oil based products like Neosporin ointment will make scales soft and flake off.

Silver Sulfadiazine is an antibiotic cream for burns and scale rot and safe to use. Betadine is an antiseptic so its used to keep the area clean so it doesn't get infected.


Why the UV lamp? For heat? Snakes don't utilize UV like lizards. And ball pythons are nocturnal.


The burn doesn't look too bad compared to others I've seen. I think it will be fine in the end. Get a thermostat for your heating pad. I'm not a vet, but keeping your enclosure hospital clean and applying betadine and antibiotic cream should be enough in my opinion.I would consult a reptile vet for conformation. Many can advise you through email or phone if you do not have access to one locally. Sounds like yours isn't reptile knowledgeable.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Using oil based products like Neosporin ointment will make scales soft and flake off.

Silver Sulfadiazine is an antibiotic cream for burns and scale rot and safe to use. Betadine is an antiseptic so its used to keep the area clean so it doesn't get infected.


Why the UV lamp? For heat? Snakes don't utilize UV like lizards. And ball pythons are nocturnal.


The burn doesn't look too bad compared to others I've seen. I think it will be fine in the end. Get a thermostat for your heating pad. I'm not a vet, but keeping your enclosure hospital clean and applying betadine and antibiotic cream should be enough in my opinion.I would consult a reptile vet for conformation. Many can advise you through email or phone if you do not have access to one locally. Sounds like yours isn't reptile knowledgeable.

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Thank you so much, she said I needed to get the lamp because all pythons need UVA rays? She said nothing about heat. I've never heard of that before though. She also said to put a very large water dish in there so she can soak. I did that and Lucy has been in and out of it. But I don't know if her soaking is a good idea with the cream she's prescribed mixing in a waterbowl, and with keeping her somewhat dry right now.

I'll be picking up silver Sulfadiazine and Betadine tomorrow! Hopefully I can see her back to her old self again soon


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You need to run, not walk, RUN away from this Vet and never darken their door again. I don't know what kind of Cracker Jack Box Vet School she went to, but she clearly knows nothing about Ball Pythons, and I'm willing to bet she knows nothing about snakes in general.

Prescribing UV lighting for a ball python is like me prescribing contact lenses for Stevie Wonder...

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Originally Posted by Slim

You need to run, not walk, RUN away from this Vet and never darken their door again. I don't know what kind of Cracker Jack Box Vet School she went to, but she clearly knows nothing about Ball Pythons, and I'm willing to bet she knows nothing about snakes in general.

Prescribing UV lighting for a ball python is like me prescribing contact lenses for Stevie Wonder...

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No kidding, my god. She sounds like a crock. Don't go back!

I am astounded she sent you home with neo-poly-dex instead of silver sulfadiazine. I've never seen any of the reptile vets I've worked with send that home. You can slather the SSD and nothing bad will come of it. I used that on my blind yellow ratsnake when I got him and he'd been bitten in the face by a rat at his last owner. We call it the 'miracle goo' at work. The stuff about the heat rock and UV is ridiculous as well. Flee! Flee while you can!

here this may help you find a vet near you that deals with reptiles
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...d-Exotics-Vets

I agree with the others. This vet may be the "cat whisperer" or something, but has no current reptile knowledge. Definitely don't waste any more of the little cash you have there.