I Just Hurt My Ball Python! Help!

[chris2983]

I was giving my ball his every other day injection for an upper respiratory infection. I never really felt comfortable doing it but have managed so far until now! I stuck the needle in and he flinched. The needle went all the way in and as soon as I took it out it formed an abcess. It bled for a while but I got it to stop. Now the abcess looks like it's getting bigger! What the hell do I do?

[python kid]

take him to a vet treating it yourself will probably get it even more infected.

[wolfy-hound]

Is it an abcess or a hematoma? First, get thee to a vet. A hematoma could mean he is still bleeding bc a artery or major blood vessel of some sort got nicked.
If it is a infected abcess(Which takes time to form, not immediate) then he may need it drained and will need antibiotics.
Vet vet vet, and don't feel too bad, injecting the buggers IS hard. I had to give one of mine injections too, from the UNiversity vets, good thing they are so good natured.
Wolfy

[chris2983]

well i guess it's not an abcess. I hurt him with the needle so it's not an infection. I put some neosporin on the injection site. It's a very big lump. It's 10:00 p.m. and don't know what to do!

[chris2983]

I can't get him to a vet until tomorrow. Do you think the little guy will be ok?

[joepythons]

well i guess it's not an abcess. I hurt him with the needle so it's not an infection. I put some neosporin on the injection site. It's a very big lump. It's 10:00 p.m. and don't know what to do!

It might not be infected now but a injury from a needle can become infected.Do you have a 24hr vet in your area sorta like a ER for people? Did the needle break of inside of him possibly? How is the snake acting right now?

[chris2983]

I put him bank in his tank and hes just resting under his log with his head on his body. The bleeding has stopped and no the needle did not break inside of him. Thank god.

[chris2983]

I'm just gonna wait until tomorrow seeing as how I have no choice right now.

[SatanicIntention]

Really sounds like a hematoma(blood filled bruised area). For that you can hold a warm wash cloth on it for about 10 minutes per day to help it heal faster.

Next time you go to inject the antibiotics, insert the needle into the muscle, withdraw the plunger to make sure you haven't hit a blood vessel, withdraw plunger AGAIN, and then inject. Safer for the animal that way. We do that with all animals, but especially with penicillin shots, because if you get PenG in a vessel, you don't have much of an animal anymore. I know you're not using penicillin, but still, it's the basic concept. Safety is the first priority.

[wolfy-hound]

I think it is a sub-cutaneous injection, not intramuscalture.
my anitibiotics were sub-cu anyway.
Wolfy