Blister Disease

[Dread]

Hello all,

I've been helping out a friend with his BP who got an infection. The blisters were lanced and cleansed with H2O2 3% and now polysporin is applied daily. The snake isn't allowed to soak, but is offered water 2-3 times daily. The redness had gone down but is back a little bit in these pics:



Anyone with any experience with this disease? I've been fortunate not to have even heard of it until this, is this a pretty normal progression on the road to recovery? You can see old scales falling away, and a lot of dead tissue being sloughed, but it seems to be, particularly from where it was that the infection isn't as bad as it was.

I've noticed the crest of the back has lightened significantly:


Is this an indication of the infection? Is it a bad sign?

Thanks for your comments.

[stangs13]

It looks like he was burned!! I hope he gets to feeling better! What is his temps? He looks alot like an axanthic.

[jessie_k_pythons]

that looks like a thurmal burn. OW! wow. I have bever seen belly rot that advanced. My snake is being treated for some small sores on his belly. (I was really sick and in hospital, the cage didnt get cleaned) but it looks nothing like that.

have you been to the vet yet?

[Dread]

No that is not an axanthic, and no I have not been to a vet, nor has the owner of this snake. Unfortunately we're both in an area where vet 'expertise' doesn't count for much.

And no it was not a thermal burn, it was either a sensitivity reaction to newspaper or from contact with fecal matter. It started as two patches of blistered cells, and now the lower 3/4 of the body look like that. Now that the swelling and redness has gone away.

His temps are 73 on the cool side and 89 on the warm. As I mentioned he is being kept dry during recovery.

This is what neglect looks like (different snake):

[jessie_k_pythons]

well I don't know what to say.

[Dread]

Pretty horrific I know... pretty terrible situation on that last one. Hopefully these pics and any information people can share will help some snakes out there.

[stangs13]

the temps are TOO LOW!! Raise them!! Raise them! And i would get him to a herp vet ASAP!! Good luck.

[Dread]

The temps are being worked on, going to see a good herp vet would include two rounds of air cargo shipping off island and back... it isn't going to happen.

[JLC]

The temps are being worked on, going to see a good herp vet would include two rounds of air cargo shipping off island and back... it isn't going to happen.

If getting to a vet is physically impossible...I wonder if you could find one that would be willing to work with you over the phone? (You could e-mail him pics, maybe?) It really seems like something that needs a vet's attention and probably some antibiotic treatment.

[Dread]

Thanks for the advice Judy... I have tried contacting numerous vets from Canada and the US and as yet (weeks) not heard anything back. Certainly if his condition stops improving or worsens a redoubled effort is called for.

The polysporin ointment has several antibiotic ingredients, and have greatly improved his appearance. My question regarding his bleaching colour was hinting at the possibility of a systemic infection... and still waiting to hear from anyone with experience on that. Otherwise, a topical ointment like polysporin and improved husbandry should be the cure.