Snake Lump

Just noticed a small lump on my snake close to the head today wondering if i should be worried
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/files/5/4/9/4/lump.jpg

do you feed live? If so, I wonder if it could be an abscess formed around a bite or embedded piece of claw.

usualy not but i ran out of frozen and live is all i have available lately. so yes i did feed him about 4 days go but i did not see him get bit

so should i let it go or should i see about going to the vet. Id hate to go to the vet if its something thas gonna go away on its own. I seem to have that luck, go to the vet and they tell me oh just let it go and see what happens $60 please

Does the skin itself feel loose or soft around the area of the lump?

In any event, I would take it to see a qualified reptile veterinarian immediately.

Hi,


Well looking at the picture there does seem to be evidence of a scar or bite of some description running from the edge of his back stripe down to the top of the side marking but that could just be the photograph.:confused:

This is the problem with trying to guess whats wrong without actually being in contact with the animal.

How long has it been there? is it getting bigger or smaller? as mentioned by Elevatethis what is its concistency (sp) and how is it connected to the surrounding tissue?

Its important to point out you pay the vet to know the difference in what can be left and what can't so if he gives you a topical cream and says wait I still think he absolutely deserves the money.:)

So I'm another vote for "let a vet look at it".

dr del

Yes , I have had that happen , not as large though. I believe it is from a rodent bit also. Don't get scared , but take it to a vet to make sure. God bless

Derek

I'm from the school of "if it looks funny have the vet look at it". I don't like lumps under the skin popping up like that and I'd far rather have a herp vet tell me I'm being worried for no reason and pay a bit of cash for that reassurance, than ignore it and end up with a snake with much bigger issues.

It does feel soft almost like an air pocket under the skin. There is a bite mark there but its at least 6 months old because i got this snake from a friend and it was there when he gave it to me. Im gonna take him to the vet just thought id see what the general consensus was before i went
Thanks to all who replied

I forgot to add its been there maybe 2 days at the most but i just noticed it last night. It has not grown since i noticed it

Well i just moved to florida from wisconsin and im haveing a bit of trouble tracking down a vet. I called pet stores and the vet in town woth no good leeds. Does any one know of any resources that might help me find a herp vet in north florida

Just this I'm afraid. :(


Any members located near you that you could ask who they use?


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Squishy Burrito

It does feel soft almost like an air pocket under the skin. There is a bite mark there but its at least 6 months old because i got this snake from a friend and it was there when he gave it to me. Im gonna take him to the vet just thought id see what the general consensus was before i went
Thanks to all who replied

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Sounds totally like an abscess to me. Cats get them very often from fighting. They will get a lump about the size of the pad of your thumb from one tiny claw or tooth puncture. Oh man, one time one of my cats got one and I didn't know what it was. I noticed the hair was matted and as I investaged further I could tell there was a bulge. I was really looking close and started tugging at some of the dried, matted hair to try to get to see the skin and, all of a sudden, this massive river of white puss came out and ran down its fur. :puke:

So, an abscess is something that will probably go away on its own over time but generally a simple lancing procedure along with something to kill the remaining infection is done.

That would put me in the "go to the vet" camp. Personally, I would risk going to about any reputable vet that feels confident with a snake if I couldn't find a specialist. An abscess is sort of a universal thing with a universal treatment. If I did go to a non-specialist vet I would ask him to determine if there was an abscess or not. If he came back with some other weird diagnosis I would then more strongly consider seeking a specialist.

http://books.google.com/books?id=qQV...ct=result&cd=2

"Abscesses are the most common dermatologic condition seen in captive reptiles. They are commonly caused by bites from prey or cage mates. Most abscesses are filled with a solid exudate. Treatment for abscesses include surgically removing the abscess and irrigating the area and using antibiotics pending culture and sensitivity"

Also:

http://www.klsnet.com/sicksnake.html

Ok i cant get into the snake specialist for over a week. When i called the snake shop in valdosta to try to find a vet in my area they said i could possibly try something called Tetracycline. Wondering what your thoughts are on this product

Tetracycline is a very weak antibiotic and is used mainly for fish, cattle and pigs. This is not something that you want to be treating with home remedies as the abscess could rupture internally and your snake could get very sick. The abscess needs to be lanced and removed(reptile abscesses are firm and not fluid-filled) and the snake put on antibiotics so it doesn't form again.

well the apointment has been made so you dont have to worry about that i was just wondering if it could possibly be benificial to try since i have to wait a week no mater what i do

I wouldn't mess with it but if you are concerned about any home care during the week before the appointment then by all means give the vet's office a call. They are always the best source of information and advice when it comes to your animal's health concerns.

Yea, I really think an abscess is most likely to eventually go away and, therefore, is not an emergency situation. You might call your specialist back and ask about their emergency policy. Keep your eye on the ball ;) and if it starts looking really sick you can go there and pay emergency rates.

You may also consider gently tugging and/or prodding the lump again. Don't use any level of force that could actually injure healthy tissue. If the abscess has a weak spot you may be able to get it to open up. If it is an abscess and it does open you will start to see puss (you've basically got your hands on a giant pimple). At that point you can at least drain it using mild pressure and then swab the area with a mild anti-biotic. I personally find (on my own body) that a little hydrogen peroxide goes a long way to ending the infection pronto. I've seen alot of suggestions for things that are preferred over h2o2 on this site. Anyway, getting a little anti-biotic around the wound and a little back into the hole is a very mild form of the "irrigation" referred to in the first reference I gave you.

Best of luck.

... Abscesses don't just go away. It is infection that is incapsulated, therefore the body cannot get antibodies to it to fix it. It needs removed by a qualified vet and the snake needs to be put on antibiotics since there will be a hole where the abscess was.

Do NOT poke it, mash it, wiggle it, squeeze it, etc. They are more prone to rupturing internally rather than externally and that is a whole boat of trouble you don't want.

Reptile abscesses are SOLID masses, not liquid putrid green stuff. They cannot be squeezed out. Also, hydrogen peroxide damages tissue and isn't an effective cleaner. I only use it to get blood out of scrub tops.

I realize you're only trying to help, but information like that could unfortunately get someone's pet injured. The owner would then have an even bigger vet bill on their hands. He said he has a vet appointment soon, and if the wound has lasted for a few months before now, it can wait a few more days.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

This is not something that you want to be treating with home remedies as the abscess could rupture internally and your snake could get very sick. The abscess needs to be lanced and removed(reptile abscesses are firm and not fluid-filled) and the snake put on antibiotics so it doesn't form again.

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Bearhart,

Please don't confuse a human pimple. and the treatments therof, with a reptile abscess.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bearhart

"Abscesses are the most common dermatologic condition seen in captive reptiles. They are commonly caused by bites from prey or cage mates. Most abscesses are filled with a solid exudate. Treatment for abscesses include surgically removing the abscess and irrigating the area and using antibiotics pending culture and sensitivity"

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Your own quoted source says "surgically remove" not "gently tugging and/or prodding the lump".

If the abscess is indeed solid then nothing of worth can be attained and if it isn't and does indeed have a weakspot it may well turn out to be on the inward facing side thus leading to a much more serious infection.

In these instances once a trusted vet has been consulted the only sensible course of action is to do what he tells you to and ask him before doing anything he hasn't mentioned - it may be because it will interfere with a treatment he has planned for example.

** edit**

I see my slow typing has once again lead to Becky getting the info out there before fumblefingers has left the starting gate :bow:

**end edit**


dr del

ok, I'm only trying to suggest what I would do in the absense of proper veterinary help. If anybody has reason to believe my suggestions are dangerous I welcome the intervention.

Not to argue the point, but just to defend the fact that I was being sensitive to potential risks here:

1) He did say the lump felt like an air pocket which suggested it might contain fluid. The term "solid exudate" could have simply meant that what was contained was not a solution. A whitehead pimple contains somethat that could be described as solid. Likewise, "surgically remove" could simply refer to, what is commonly referred to as, "lancing". If you look at my second reference you will see "Treatment of abscesses involves lancing and completely draining the abscess, with follow-up treatment of cleansing, dressing, and possibly an antibiotic treatment" which, I think you'll find, is just about the same for anything including humans.

2) I was careful to suggest using only minimal force. Undoubtedly this thing is being regularly disturbed simply by the snakes own movement.

3) I would be surprised if at least some abscesses do go away. The abscess is simply a collection of dead cell bodies from the war between the bacteria and the immune system. With infections, one or the other side usually wins. If the snake loses he dies. If the bacteria lose, there is still the "mess" left by the war. In that case (in mammals at least), if the abscess is not drained, the body will very slowly break down and get rid of what's there. If abscesses were 100% fatal I would expect at least one of my references to bother to mention that. In fact I don't think either even mentioned death as a risk. In any case, my statement that abscesses will go away was mostly meant to convey that this was not an emergency situation that required any sort of drastic action.

4) I was only mentioning home treatment in the case that Squishy felt he had to do something. Perhaps I should have been more clear in stating that waiting for the vet was probably the best course of action.

Ok guys a little update here, maybe clear some things up and get your opinion on the new developements here. The injury on the back of the snake is very old and well healed far before i had him so that is not the cause. The bump was at the most 2 days old when i noticed it. I handle them at least every other day and it must have developed on one of the off days. It does feal very soft and not hard.Also it seems to be going away on its own i can barly see it anymore. Now for my possibly dumb and belated question. The other day I had him out and i was doing some cleaning and water changes my hands were full so i set him on the table for like 10 secounds when i came back he was on the chair it is possibly that it could be a small swelling from falling. I dont know if that happens on snakes as it doess humans but i thouhgt i would throw that out there see what you think

I want to thank all of you I appreciate your help very much!

Glad to hear its not getting bigger!

I'm sure snakes can get bruises and swelling. I'm a little skeptical though because that is located where the snake is fairly light. Who knows.

Also, it is possible for an old injury to flare back up if it has something embedded in it. But if it was a huge infection that was successfully destroyed by your snake's immune system I would expect the body to take much longer to re-absorb all that junk. Swelling, on the other hand, can go down quickly.

I don't know what your finances are like but I would still stick it out and go to the vet. You can still get a little education and a wellness visit. :sunny: