Well with dogs, it's possible to get them spayed.. Which is what should have been done before she even had a heat cycle. We really don't need anymore dogs/cats in the world..

/rant over

Also, snakes can breed up into their 30's I'm sure. I doubt this snake is that old, as the OP said it's their first breeding season. Also, her vet said that Ball Pythons can lay eggs without ever being with a male, which we all know is untrue. They are certainly not like chickens nor are they like mammals. With mammals, you can give them oxytocin to help the contractions, but in reptiles/snakes, they need a good shot of calcium as their bodies are generally low in content from forming the eggs as well as the neonates. Soaking them also helps get the blood flowing and loosens everything up so the eggs can pass.