Help! Ball Python with swollen snout and recessed eyes. Anybody seen this before?

[Rat160]

So on Saturday I took out our spider female to show to a friend, and noticed she looked kind of funny. Like the way a burm looks like they have beady little eyes compared to their head. I asked my friend if she thought her eyes look a little bit sunken in. She didn't, so I thought maybe I was just being paranoid. Then I go to weigh her today, and notice that HOOOOOLY her face looks extremely swollen!

I examined the inside of her mouth and tried to get some photos, but it was extremely difficult to even open her mouth in the first place, let alone take photos with her squirming around.

She doesn't seem to be exhibiting any signs of an RI, and to me it doesn't look like mouth rot (stomatitis), but I have never seen that in a snake anyways, so I'm not 100% sure what I am looking for.

She is not showing any neurological symptoms, either, aside from a slight (teeny, barely noticeable) wobble after examining her. She doesn't usually exhibit any noticeable wobble, but she is a spider after all, so I wasn't really surprised to see it after all the stress I put her through.

While examining her, I did find a small piece of aspen in her mouth, but I'm thinking that is probably because it got stuck to her swollen upper lip and lodged inside, rather than the aspen being the cause of this swelling.

Right now she is QT'd on the other side of our apartment in a tub with only a water dish, hide, and newspaper substrate.

I didn't find any mucus or anything on the walls of the tub she was previously in. I was considering doing a saline rinse with a syringe, but I really wouldn't know what part of her I should be rinsing.

The closest (exotics) vet, Dr. Adrian Walton, is about a 5 - 6hr round trip for us. I have spoken with him on the phone and sent off some photos to get his opinion on weather this is an emergency situation and she needs to be brought in ASAP, or if there is something we can do for her at home. If he thinks it's an infection I'm wondering if he can have a local vet swab her mouth and prescribe some anti-biotics, as I know there is no chance of a diagnosis over the phone/internet.

Just wondering what you guys think, so I can semi-prepare what we are in for.

We are ready and willing to take the day off and make the trek to the vet if he thinks that's what we should do, in the mean time I just know there's not much we can do for her, and thought you guys might have some words of wisdom.

ACK, I'm babbling, my thoughts are all over the place, I am just so worried! We have never had to make a trip to the vet regarding one of our snakes yet!

Here are the photos I sent off to Dr. Walton:

Please please let me know what the doc says by PM. my male harlequin ball python has the same exact thing. I am actually considering taking him in to the vet as his snout is a little more swollen and has a bump on the top. Im assuming he got bit by a rat as I feed live and it created an infection and is now gathering fluids. He eats fine and otherwise is healthy but if it is an infection I need to get it treated asap as I cannot loose him. I tried giving him antibiotics via injections but it has not helped. Please let me know. Thanks.

[aalomon]

To answer the Listerine question, my vet repeatedly told me that ONLY the childrens berry flavor, alcohol free was safe to use. While all the Listerines will help with controlling bacteria and infection, the other forms are harsh enough that they can actually irritate the mouth further.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Injections usually won't work for a mouth irritation or infection. It has to be treated at the source.

[Rat160]

Injections usually won't work for a mouth irritation or infection. It has to be treated at the source.

Yeah I think im just gonna take him to the vet to be on the safe side. Here is a pic of him (to show off a little)

[SquamishSerpents]

I know that my snake was not bitten, as she doesn't eat live.

But Rat160, thats a pretty snake! I think our situations are a bit different though. I would imagine a rat bite to the mouth could be quite severe indeed. Because you've said you had her on injections previously, this suggests she's already been to the vet?

[Ham]

If there is an abcess in the mouth due to irritation or a tooth lodged in the gums then the abcess will need to be drained most likely, then a treatment of antibiotics will be needed, but I am not a vet, so I would reccomend getting them medical attention...

[llovelace]

I have a female that had the exact same thing, ended up giving her a round of antibiotics, cleared up.







Sorry my pics aren't that good

[SquamishSerpents]

ah yes, that does look the same as my snake, for sure.

i'm going to try her on the saline rinse for a couple days and see if any swelling goes down, and try the children's listerine as well. the vet has not gotten back to me yet and i didn't get a chance to call today, but i am going to email him tonight and let him see this thread.

thanks again, everybody!

[SquamishSerpents]

i spoke with the vet this evening, and she is going in to see him. he is recommending a round of Baytril, just based on photos.

that may change once we actually get her down there, though. i'm just not sure when to take her. she can go down on Thursday, but would have to spend the entire day in the car while Dave is at work, be dropped off, stay overnight at the vet (if he's willing to keep her even), and be picked up after Dave is finished work on Friday.

or else we could wait until Saturday. i really don't want her to stress out by being in the car all day, UGH.

so worried.

in the meantime going to be rinsing her with sea salt water and a syringe, and wiping with diluted rubbing alcohol.

get better, Charlotte

[SquamishSerpents]

I have a female that had the exact same thing, ended up giving her a round of antibiotics, cleared up.







Sorry my pics aren't that good

did you get a diagnosis on what the cause of her swelling was? it's definitely comforting that the antibiotics cleared your snake up!