So Glitch has a kidney tumor.

Skits · 04-14-14, 04:39 PM

Well we brought Glitch, my carpet python to the vets. Glitch has had one problem after another it seems, you can read some of my previous threads here to know more about his history.

First rescuing them: http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/morel...w-rescues.html

Story about the mass: http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/morel...e-abscess.html

Basically, we took him to one vet today. We got a radiography exam done and found out he definitely had a mass in him and not a bacterial abscess. Got a bacterial test done and it's not blood or bacterial so he will definitely need surgery. Now I need to make an appointment with a specialist and find out exactly what it is. It's believed to either be in or near his right kidney. Anyone know what could be done next, or any advice?

Derek Roddy · 04-14-14, 05:10 PM

That blows.
That's what I expected the results would be though.

I'm very familiar with them in BHPs and have dealt with them a few times. Unfortunately, I've haven't had any luck having a snake "turn around" after such trauma to the internal organs.

Not saying it's not possible but, you might want to think about having it put down before occurring a nice sized vet bill... for a snake that has the likely hood of a 2% survival rate....don't know, hard one to call and only you can determine that.

good luck
D

Mikoh4792 · 04-14-14, 05:30 PM

How old is the snake?

**Tsubaki** · 04-14-14, 05:38 PM

that sucks so bad, im sorry

jpsteele80 · 04-14-14, 05:38 PM

that sucks, sorry to hear the bad news

Skits · 04-14-14, 05:55 PM

Thank you, I'm still going to try and save him. He's changed so much since I got him and I understand snakes don't feel what we feel, but I feel like he's appreciative of what we're doing for him. He's been through a lot, and he went from being a hissy carpet python to tolerant enough for me to handle and work with. He did awesome at the vets as well which I'm happy that he was.

Derek, did your BHP's act any different with the tumors? Did you ever try to get the surgery done? I'm curious how it would be afterwards. There's a good chance Glitch's tumor isn't in his kidney but beside it, but I'm sure at the size it's at, it would still do some damage..I'm hoping not.

There's no sure age but the vet did say "he's not young" and said he's at least three years old. I'm trying to raise money for him for now so I can get him the care he needs, and I'm trying to sell a few things, hopefully I can manage somehow. We're moving out very very soon (a month or less) so money's tight lately. It's really frustrating. But I'll find a way to make him better, or at least try my best for him.

I hope I don't get bashed on for not putting him to sleep. If I see that he's getting worse, I'll obviously keep an open mind but for now I want to keep trying.

Thanks everyone for the help and support I've gotten on here.

jpsteele80 · 04-14-14, 06:16 PM

There is no reason that anyone should bash you for doing what ever you can to save his life, I commend you for doing that my friend. Keep on fighting the good fight and don't give up until you don't have any options.

Skits · 04-14-14, 06:25 PM

Thank you. I know sometimes people put their animals through things for selfish reasons but I have no way of believing Glitch is in pain, however I know reptiles don't show it.

It's been brought to my attention that it could be an inflamed organ as well, something I didn't think about, and maybe that's a reason why they extracted nothing (air, maybe?) from the mass.

Derek Roddy · 04-14-14, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skits

Derek, did your BHP's act any different with the tumors? Did you ever try to get the surgery done? I'm curious how it would be afterwards. There's a good chance Glitch's tumor isn't in his kidney but beside it, but I'm sure at the size it's at, it would still do some damage..I'm hoping not.

They didn't. They ate and acted fairly normal....
Only up until the point the tumor took over and, in the instances which have been surgical....they ended up dying anyway a few months later.
A couple BHPs...I didn't notice a swelling because they were so overfed by their previous owners. It wasn't til I found them dead and cut them open to find the tumors.

The one sample I had done was a cancer related tumor.

Hard call.
If it stops eating and losing weight rapidly, you'll know what you need to do.

D

Skits · 04-14-14, 06:35 PM

I hope all goes well with Glitch. Also sorry for your losses. It's stressful enough to deal with once, I can't imagine a few times.

Starbuck · 04-14-14, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skits

Thank you. I know sometimes people put their animals through things for selfish reasons but I have no way of believing Glitch is in pain, however I know reptiles don't show it.

It's been brought to my attention that it could be an inflamed organ as well, something I didn't think about, and maybe that's a reason why they extracted nothing (air, maybe?) from the mass.

just because they didn't get anything from the map doesn't mean that its a tumor or even that its not an abscess abscesses are normally very hard and Keyshia so it's possible that the vet got it improper sample. I'm also a little skeptical that they said the snake is not young but definitely older than 3? 3 years is young for a carpet python and there's not a reliable way to determine age once they are adults without knowing the parents history or the coloration of the snake as a juvenile. Was the vet you took him to definitely a certified exotics veterinarian or are they predominately small animal? Did they take any other radio graphy views? I definitely think you should go ahead with the surgery but definitely do get an estimate first and don't break the bank if you don't have to. You also might want to consider the second opinion.

sharthun · 04-14-14, 06:57 PM

Sorry to hear! Good luck with the recovery.

Skits · 04-14-14, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starbuck

just because they didn't get anything from the map doesn't mean that its a tumor or even that its not an abscess abscesses are normally very hard and Keyshia so it's possible that the vet got it improper sample. I'm also a little skeptical that they said the snake is not young but definitely older than 3? 3 years is young for a carpet python and there's not a reliable way to determine age once they are adults without knowing the parents history or the coloration of the snake as a juvenile. Was the vet you took him to definitely a certified exotics veterinarian or are they predominately small animal? Did they take any other radio graphy views? I definitely think you should go ahead with the surgery but definitely do get an estimate first and don't break the bank if you don't have to. You also might want to consider the second opinion.

Thanks for your reply, I was confused about the three years too, but maybe she was giving an estimation. She told me there was no way of telling his age, but comparing him to my two year old CP, I don't know where she took three years old out of it. And yes she was certified for reptiles, she was the only vet there that knew about them and she knew the snake by scientific name and knew all the care behind the species which made me comfortable with her being Glitch's vet. I'm waiting for a call back tomorrow for an estimation as well, and I think I'll go ahead and get a second radiography done since I feel like not much got answered today.

Derek Roddy · 04-14-14, 07:44 PM

Judging from the head shape and size of that animal....I'd say he's no older then 5 or 6. Fully mature carpets get really bulky "old looking" (don't know any other way to explain it... haha) head structures. That animal still has a rather "juvenile" head shape to be much older than 6.

D

Derek Roddy · 04-14-14, 07:45 PM

I looked at your other thread...if you're wondering where I saw the pictures. If I was looking at the right animal....that is.

D