Nova's Surgery

[bcr229]

Here's why it's so vital to have a good exotics specialist available if you're going to keep snakes.

Two days ago one of our reticulated python females had to have surgery for an obstructed colon. We took her to SEAVS in Fairfax, Virginia last week after the area about 12" in front of her vet became hard and she felt like she had swallowed a tennis ball. Initially the vet thought she was just constipated, but exercise and massaging the area failed to improve her condition so we authorized surgery. What was found surprised all of us; left untreated she would have died, as she had an infection in her colon wall that was blocking anything from passing. That portion of the colon was removed and the healthy ends were stitched back together.

I've created a photobucket storybook with comments on each picture from the surgery at:
http://s477.photobucket.com/user/efi...Nova%20Surgery

Nova will be at the vet for a few weeks for post-op. She will also need to be tube fed carnivore care for several months while her colon heals, and she's on antibiotic shots for a while as well.

[Reinz]

So glad your timing was good and that you have a most capable vet.

I found the pictures quite interesting.

[bcr229]

And the histopathology results are in. No worries about cancer or an infectious disease like crypto. In layman's terms Nova had something called Pseudomembranous Colitis. How she got it is a complete mystery. Fortunately her prognosis at this time looks great.

[GoingPostal]

That's fascinating , good thing you decided to go ahead with the surgery and really odd on the colon infection. The pics were interesting, did they do any xrays or bloodwork beforehand? Do you have to worry about this reoccurring? How is she recovering?

[Reinz]

Great news!

[bcr229]

That's fascinating , good thing you decided to go ahead with the surgery and really odd on the colon infection. The pics were interesting, did they do any xrays or bloodwork beforehand? Do you have to worry about this reoccurring? How is she recovering?

Before the surgery they did several ultrasounds, one every few days (she was at the vet for two weeks pre-op while they tried to resolve the blockage and post-op is 4-5 weeks), but the infection didn't really show up well. The whole area just looked like she was backed up/constipated. They were thinking it was some sort of cancerous growth that was compressing or blocking the colon.

Initially they did suggest putting a scope up her vent and trying to take a peek at her insides, but 1) it would have been $400 and 2) if they had found something surgery would have been needed anyway, so we just decided to open her up.

No worries about a re-occurrence in the future though obviously we'll keep a very close eye on her.

Interestingly enough she's always been a bit standoff-ish and flighty ever since we got her over a year ago, though her full sister, who we also own, has been the exact opposite. The vet said after the surgery her attitude/personality changed and she's become very "social" (ok it could be the happy drugs...), and she got very hissy/pissy the week before we took her to the vet. So I wonder if she's always been in some pain and it increased over time as the infection grew. The vet did say this condition built up over many months.

[bcr229]

Update: Nova is back to eating small rodents - she had two large mice this week, her first whole prey since the surgery. If she digests and passes them normally then she will be coming home next week.

[distaff]

Good news!
Didn't know they could do that much work on the gut of a snake - almost sounded like she was going to get a colostomy bag.
Maybe some pics when the gal gets home?

[Snoopyslim]

Wow what a wild ride poor Nova has been through. Very lucky to have such a caring owner and competent vet! I'm so glad she's making a recovery and eating yay hope you get her back asap, take care <3 p.s thanks for sharing it's good for everyone to know that things besides mites and scale rot can happen.

[bcr229]

WELL FINALLY SHE POOPED!!! It took a few weeks and some more small meals of 3-4 large/jumbo mice per feeding. I guess a retic doesn't leave a lot of "waste" when fed mice.

As an FYI her pre-surgery weight was 2.6 kg, she dropped down to 1.8 kg before she started eating, and now she's just under 2 kg now.