Apparently from what the vet said, betadine does exactly for the snake what it does for humans- kills germs and disinfects. The typical course for a less severe burn than Matilda's would be to wipe the betadine directly onto the burnt area but since hers is open and blistered so badly, the betadine would sting something awful. That's why he opted to having me do the bath and the sulfadene after she's dry. Sulfadene doesn't sting nearly as bad. I know this for a fact. (My gf's motorcycle fell on her and burnt the inside of her leg to the point of 2nd and 3rd degrees and the resulting burn got infected as well. She too was given silver sulfadiazine. It was really bad.) Burns of any kind are so awful and so painful.