My bp has a throat problem, any help??

[Sarbs]

My little bp has developed a throat problem that has got us a bit stumped!

We've had her two weeks, and she has had two meals in that time, and has pooped and wee'd fine also.

When I checked her last week, she was making a clicking sound, which I know is not good and always something to look for what with RI, etc. I decided to keep an eye on it. I again checked her Friday and she still had the wheezy, clicking sound (not all the time) and a rather strange 'bull toad' impression. Her throat area, swells up like a little baloon and then goes back down. She also opens and shut her mouth several times. Not all the time also, just infrequently. This happened when being held and just in her rub, so I dont think it's a handling/stress issue.

I took her to the Vets today, her nostrils, pits and trachea are all clear. The swelling isn't in time to her heartbeat, so the vet seems to think it is a 'throat' area problem. She has a tiny bit of mucus at the back of her throat but not enough to make him think it is RI. She has no lumps or bumps on her body and is generally in good health, investigating and flicking her tongue as usual.

Has anyone come across this before? I've upped the temps from 90-91 hotspot to 92-93/94 and the Vet seems to think its a wait and see game, she thinks she may have hurt her throat eating or has just a minor infection/sore throat area that hopefully her body will deal with.

Here's the bull toad appearance

And her mouth opening:

[zina10]

Well, that are certainly symptoms of an URI. Does the Vet see many reptiles ?
Has he given you any meds at all ?

I think in this case I would do a round of antibiotics anyway, "something" is going on, and by giving some meds you could at least rule out a few things, and it won't hurt the snake...

Poor baby

Good luck in getting this figured out and hopefully the little guy will be back to normal in no time.

[dr del]

Hi,

You need a better vet - it's an RI.


dr del

[mpkeelee]

yup, ur snakey is sick. the bump might be an absess (sp?) try a different vet

[Skiploder]

Maybe my eyesight is getting bad in my older years but.........

............in your last pic it looks like she's getting a bit pink..........

Wheezing, clicking and puffing can all occur in the absence of an RI. I've had many snakes - woma and blackheaded pythons mainly- do the puffed throat thing when they are ticked off or stressed. As for the clicking noises, that's another thing that can accompany a mild anger display or manifest itself as the snake goes into blue.

In short, you've had the snake a short period of time - she's eating and pooping fine. She has no obvious discharge and even your vet seems to think she has no infection.

Again, wheezing, clicking and puffing do not necessarily mean she's sick.............you asked if anyone has come across this before - well, I have and it's not exactly uncommon to have snakes do this when they are stressed.

I am not an advocate of prophylactically treating animals with antibiotics unless you are fairly sure something is wrong. A round of injectable antibiotics may set you back more than a visit to another vet for a second opinion. If you feel your vet is unqualified to make a correct diagnosis, find one you feel is and get a second opinion.

[Sarbs]

Maybe my eyesight is getting bad in my older years but.........

............in your last pic it looks like she's getting a bit pink..........
.

She has started fading out today so yes she is now going into shed.

Thanks for your replies everyone, I went to this vet on a recommendation of another Rep friend, luckily having snakes only a year I've never had to use one before.

It's a tough one because I dont want to stress her out taking her to another vet, which wont be very local yet I dont want her to suffer, but Del I'm sure you've seen enough of this or you wouldn't give me that advice for nothing, also I dont think it's an abscess as it goes up and down and an abscess wouldn't do that.

I think I'll try for a second opinion (home visit) in a couple of days. I'll let you know how she does.

[dr del]

Hi,

Can you try and narrow down where the clicking and any other noises are coming from on her body? Nose can be shed related but anywhere else is usually an RI.

**note**
People will look at you funny as you sit in silence trying not to breath holding a snake up to your ear - this is normal. I eventually went and bought a stethoscope from ebay but they still looked at me funny.

You can also check for signs of excess mucus in her enclosure - mainly in the waterbowl or smeared over cage decor.

I've never seen a BP inflate its throat through stress but Skip has kept enough snakes for me to trust his questioning of it as a surefire symptom.

The only times I have seen it it turned out to be a gob of mucus - you can try holding the snakes head downwards and applying gentle pressure to see if anything comes out if you catch it again. But if nothing comes out don't keep trying or anything.


dr del

[AkHerps]

Keep an eye on it, but I agree, my hatchling has puffed up, hissed/wheezed at me and made some weird noises when I disturbed him in a shed to get some poo haha.

[Skiploder]

She has started fading out today so yes she is now going into shed.

Thanks for your replies everyone, I went to this vet on a recommendation of another Rep friend, luckily having snakes only a year I've never had to use one before.

It's a tough one because I dont want to stress her out taking her to another vet, which wont be very local yet I dont want her to suffer, but Del I'm sure you've seen enough of this or you wouldn't give me that advice for nothing, also I dont think it's an abscess as it goes up and down and an abscess wouldn't do that.

I think I'll try for a second opinion (home visit) in a couple of days. I'll let you know how she does.

She could be getting worked up when she's held and be breathing more rapidly, causing the noise. Clicking and wheezing of course CAN be symptoms of an RI - when coupled with mucus discharge at the mouth and nose, inappetance, etc.

Like I said, other pythons make similar noises when they are agitated as do colubrids- especially drys.

It's only when you are holding her or when you are opening her tub - correct? Like you said, it's not all the time................

The "breathing" sound can be normal. Snakes have a U-shaped wind pipe that has a slightly corrugated inside edge (as opposed to mammals that have a smooth O). This allows for the collapse or expansion of the windpipe when feeding. The corrugations are what cause the 'wheezing' sound when air rushes through with breathing. It could be due to excitement, nerves, whatever - anything thay would quicken the respiratory rate of the animal.

[WingedWolfPsion]

I would raise the heat a bit, and observe her carefully until after her shed. If she still has symptoms after she's shed, I would find a different vet who has reptile experience to take a look.
The mouth opening in the absence of aggression would be the main thing to concern me, when coupled with the throat puffing. Some balls do show these signs when shedding, so ruling that out is a good idea--but if they are still there afterward, it is likely something is wrong.