Emergency!!! - Page 3

KORBIN5895 · 11-16-13, 04:39 PM

If they fed a small meal now then it will be digested by Wednesday. It will also need the energy to promote faster healing.

Hoskins · 11-16-13, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formica

allot Vets offer payments plans, there is really no need to wait until wed, that is a very serious wound that needs professional attention asap.

and why is she still on substrate? whats the point of asking for help if you are going to ignore it?!?

I feel really sorry for this snake

i know you are not intentionally trying to do harm, but you havent listened to anything anyone has told you, I cannot believe you have left her in this state for 5 days without medical help.

Um, even if I had left her on substrate (and I didn't; she is on paper towels, as stated), that statement would not be true. I've applied antiobiotics and made sure that her viv is spotless and sanitary, as instructed.

If you couldn't tell by the initial post, I was very distraught by the accident, I am an amateur snake-owner, but nonetheless an avid lover of animals. I have literally done everything in my power to help her, as I feel incredibly awful about this. This includes calling multiple vets to see which treat snakes, and which would be willing to work out a payment plan for an emergency visit. Only two of the six I called were willing to treat any kind of reptile at all, and neither of the two allowed payment plans or any aid of the sort, especially to a 16 year old.

As I previously stated, I've had multiple emergency-type situations in the past month that have eaten up the money I keep for these sorts of unfortunate events. I have done everything in my power to keep both my snakes happy and healthy.

I'm sorry for the retaliation, but I really don't wish to be called out on something like this on a post asking for help and advice.

Anyhow, I'm going to keep her off feed until I can get her to the vet, just in case, and no I don't plan on doing any debriding, I did say I don't have the knowledge to confidently do it myself.

As for her behavior, she's as active as ever, which really does surprise me, as I'd expect her to coil in her hide.

CVH · 11-18-13, 12:46 PM

Can you give an update?

formica · 11-18-13, 12:53 PM

i understand your difficulty - have you tried contacting any charity animal welfare groups, they may be able to help

Hoskins · 11-18-13, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CVH

Can you give an update?

Yup! I changed her water and switched from paper towels to newspaper, she seems to be normal, the spot is the same as before. One more day til she goes to the vet!

Side note: My brother's ball pooped on me yesterday. Anyone know how to prevent this?

Donnie · 11-19-13, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoskins

Side note: My brother's ball pooped on me yesterday. Anyone know how to prevent this?

Don't pick it up

Mellik's mamma · 11-19-13, 03:23 PM

hoskins, i am so sorry you and your love are going through this. i am sick to my stomach and can't imagine what you are going through!! hang in there. sending healing thoughts to your snake. wish i could help, but i don't know what i would do in your situation besides keeping everything sterile and going to the vet. i would say feed b/c they need energy to heal, i am not a snake vet, soooo

good luck!! hope to hear a positive update soon!!

DeadlyDesires · 11-19-13, 03:35 PM

please let us know what the vet says...

Hoskins · 11-19-13, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadlyDesires

please let us know what the vet says...

I will do it. I'm taking her to a vet first thing in the morning!

DeadlyDesires · 11-19-13, 09:11 PM

i thought she was going today?

Kera · 11-19-13, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadlyDesires

i thought she was going today?

Tomorrow is Wednesday, OP said they're taking the snake Wednesday.

Hoskins · 11-20-13, 11:03 PM

Hey everyone, update time.

We went up to the vet today, at first the technician said they would flush the wound with saline and give me an antibiotic and that it would be done after a couple hours. Total was $75.

She asked me to come back in a couple hours, so I was killing time in that area as it's far from my house, when the vet called with bad news. The technician did not note the torn skin, which is a problem in that neck area. The options were to graft skin on the wound, which she noted was risky and would cost well over $300, or to stitch the wound and keep it moist with a (silvadene?) cream. I opted for the stitching as she personally advised it, and I didn't have enough money to fund the grafting.

So the total ended up being $175, and they are keeping her until Friday.

My brother told me not to, as it was, "a twenty dollar snake." While reason tells me that he's right, I'm attached to her and couldn't just let her die when I knew that I had the power to save her. You enthusiasts can probably empathize with me when I say that I would never forgive myself if I let it happen, especially since the accident was my fault in the first place.

formica · 11-21-13, 04:19 AM

you are right, we get it, I would do the same in your position

glad to hear they have a solution for her, get well soon little ball python

have they given you a prognosis? (expected recovery time, etc)

Starbuck · 11-21-13, 06:20 AM

I've never heard of a skin graft in snakes, but it is interesting that that was one of the available options. Without seeing the snake in hand i can't truly comment on how severe the wound is; but from the pictures you posted i think stitching and sulfazidine? Silver sulfadiazene? sylvadine? (can you let us know once you have her home?) is what i would do in this situation. Hopefully some other members can comment, but i would agree with KORBIN et al, once you do start feeding her again i would keep the meals small so as not to strain the stitches. Snakes can take a very long time to heal, and you may not see much improvement until after she sheds a few times, which may be especially risky. (when it comes time for shedding, make sure she has spot on humidity, i would also offer a humid hide)

Good luck, i look forward to seeing her progress, and I'm glad you were willing to commit to 'just a 20$ snake'

MDT · 11-21-13, 07:20 AM

Hoskins...is your vet a "reptile vet"? I'm not judging, as I don't know jack about reptile "healing process", but in humans it would be very unlikely to close a wound this old. Not that it's never done, just not common. Will you be able to find out if they use absorbable sutures or will they need to be removed after 10 or so days? I'm interested in how this heals over time for a number of reasons. Thanks in advance....