Urgent! Please Help!

[West Coast Jungle]

So, we just did the procedure with the half water/half peroxide, and suddenly they keep opening their mouths, we thought they were just yawning, untill they began vomiting. More info here: http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=59936

Is it normal for them to vomit?

What is the peroxide thing?

[Furinax]

Right, I made sure to get the kind w/o pain releiver, and theyve been on paper for the last few days, changed daily. (probably not needed, but I want to play it safe) I cant stand to see any animal suffer, ive even offered to take other peoples animals to vets for them. I have a Torbie cat, and a Siberian Husky, both of which have regular vet visits. I was just so panicked because im not used to dealing with reptiles. My thanks goi out to everyone who helped. Thanks for the assurement, JLC. If I have anymore questions or concerns, ill message you privately, if you dont mind.

[JLC]

What is the peroxide thing?

Follow the link he provided to find out.

[kc261]

Here is what I know. Note, this is not intended to say you don't need to go to a vet. Just trying to give you some information.

The hydrogen peroxide bottle says not to ingest it. I'm pretty sure it says to call poison control or at least a doctor if you do.

Hydrogen peroxide will induce vomiting if ingested. Some people use it as a mouthwash/tooth whitener, and I've heard that even if you don't actually swallow it, just getting it towards the back of your mouth too far can trigger vomiting.

Some people in dog circles recommend giving hydrogen peroxide to your dog if it swallows something it shouldn't, in order to get the dog to vomit it back up. Apparently this causes no ill effects to the dogs, other than the vomiting itself. I guess they figure it is often better than leaving whatever inside the dog. Please note I am not recommending this. I've just heard of it, but don't know enough about whether or not it is really a good idea.

So, my guess is that somehow the snakes ingested some of the peroxide solution. However, just because dogs can ingest peroxide and then vomit and then go on with no problems does not mean that snakes can. Regurgitation is a fairly serious thing in snakes.

As far as you being a suitable owner... you are here trying to get advice and to make things better. You plan on taking your snakes to the vet. Those things say a lot. No one was born knowing how to properly take care of BPs.

[juddb]

Your doing good buddy. Hopefully they leave the vet with some reassuring results for you. Good luck again

[Furinax]

They were fine before we bathed them, and they both started at the same time. So im fairly positive they managed to get some in their mouths, as I did see the white bubblies associated with peroxide. But it was 50/50, and right now they are behaving normally, and healthy. So thats a plus. Theyre still getting a vet visit, weve already scheduled one. So hopefully by this time next week, theyll be right as rain.

[dr del]

If ingested, solutions of hydrogen peroxide up to concentrations of 9% are generally nontoxic; however, even a 3% solution is mildly irritating to mucosal tissue and may cause vomiting and diarrhea. Ingestion of industrial-strength solutions (≥10%) causes systemic toxicity and has been associated with fatalities.
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/h4070.htm
Large Oral doses can be irritating, and cause vomiting, but if it was a solution of half peroxide and half water, there is another cause for the vomiting.

With that weak of a solution you would have to ingest large amount of the solution. Something your snake would most likely not do.

If you handled your snake after eating, or there are internal parasites, that can be a reason for regurging. I doubt that the bath made them do this as it's barely toxic at all at those levels.

Hi,

Connie I'm a little confused?

If you told him to use half and half then it may have ingested a 50% solution - if a 3% solution can cause vomiting what makes you think the 50% is not the cause of the vomiting this time?


dr del

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Peroxide is a bad idea, it will burn if apply on a damage tissue (you might not feel the sting but animals do), peroxide also slows the healing process and growth of healthy tissue.

Whenever you have to clean a wound simply use betadine.

Hope your BP will get better and make sure to have it seen by an herp vet regardless.

[python.princess]

connie, isn't that information for humans? i don't see anything about snake consumption. it seems like they'd be more sensitive to it than we would.

derek, my peroxide bottle is only 3% solution. assuming he has the same strength, half and half would be 1.5%

furinax, good luck! let us know what happens!

[Furinax]

Thanks for the positive feedback. It means alot guys. I knew the effects of peroxide, and how it can be used for those different things, just wasnt sure how snakes took it. I know vomiting isnt good for snakes, but I didnt know if that was only if they were vomiting food or not. I think ive definitely learned an incredible amount these last few days, just wish most of the posts I made were good ones, lol. Ill try and post some pics of them ASAP. Ive had a few people tell me that mine might have a degree of pastel in him, maybe someone can clarify.