Emergency!!!

[Starbuck]

I thought OP said it was a herp vet? Maybe I misread something? OP?

Mdt, sutures are generally left in reptiles for longer than 10 days (as I mammals) because thwy do not heal as quickly. I don't know for sure, you may be right that its too late for stitches, but the vet could have debrided the edges of the wound before suturing, or it could still be able to close if it truly is a slower process? I'll be interested to see what thw vet says when OP picks up the snake....

[Mellik's mamma]

glad we have a solution. i hope with all my heart it all goes very well for you two.

[MDT]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

I thought OP said it was a herp vet? Maybe I misread something? OP?

Mdt, sutures are generally left in reptiles for longer than 10 days (as I mammals) because thwy do not heal as quickly. I don't know for sure, you may be right that its too late for stitches, but the vet could have debrided the edges of the wound before suturing, or it could still be able to close if it truly is a slower process? I'll be interested to see what thw vet says when OP picks up the snake....

Yeah.. that's interesting regarding suture time in reptiles...I honestly didn't know. When suturing bipedal mammals (usually the drunk type on Friday nights), we will typically leave in for 10 days (5 for the face)...

So is fibroblast activity in reptiles just simply "slower" than mammals (humans) or temp dependent (like most of their metabolic activity)? I would've thought the wound would have began to granulate by this time making repair a little less likely and letting heal by secondary intention...

I'm learning new stuff

[Starbuck]

Mdt I will look into it.... still a firstyear so I'm leatning too :-P our professors at this poibt only like answering questions about horses, ogs, and cats :-P

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by MDT

Yeah.. that's interesting regarding suture time in reptiles...I honestly didn't know. When suturing bipedal mammals (usually the drunk type on Friday nights), we will typically leave in for 10 days (5 for the face)...

So is fibroblast activity in reptiles just simply "slower" than mammals (humans) or temp dependent (like most of their metabolic activity)? I would've thought the wound would have began to granulate by this time making repair a little less likely and letting heal by secondary intention...

I'm learning new stuff

all the stitches ive ever had were taken out on day 10 to 12,staples were left in a little longer

cheers shaun

[Hoskins]

Originally Posted by MDT

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....

I actually just got off the phone with her, she calls me every time there's an update, which I like quite a bit! And she did say yesterday that closing the wound would be difficult and somewhat unlikely, but she just called and told me that she was able to successfully debride and close it! And I can ask for you, is an absorbably suture one that's absorbed into the healing tissue rather than falling out?

She also said that she's started a shedding cycle already because of the wound, and once it starts to peel back, she wants me to trim it around the wound so the sutures aren't shed with it, if that tells you anything.

She also mentioned that once the shed is complete, that tube feeding will need to be done, which I'll have to research, as I know nothing about it.

Not to jinx anything, and we're not out of the woods yet, as it could still become infected (she's giving me an antibiotic, I believe she said silvadene cream), but I have a good feeling, and I'm excited to go pick her up tomorrow!

If anyone has any advice for tube-feeding, trimming the shed, or applying antibiotics, please let me know! I'm still kind of an amateur herp-owner, with only a one year old kingsnake and a three month-old ball python with lots to learn. Thanks for everyone's advice and support thus far, I plan on keeping you all updated.

[MDT]

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

all the stitches ive ever had were taken out on day 10 to 12,staples were left in a little longer

cheers shaun

Did you get yours put in after a "rough Friday night"?

[MDT]

Hoskins, yes....absorbable means they degrade over time and do not require removal..Also, it would seem that since the sutures (should) go the thickness of the skin, simply shedding the outer layer should not dislodge the sutures. But, it would stand to reason that the wound would make shedding around that area difficult. I think you are just simply using scissors to trim away the "stuck shed" so to speak around the wound.

Applying the meds should be just that....smear over the wound margins how ever many times a day the vet recommended.

Tube feeding....no clue.

[Starbuck]

i would ask the vet why she is recommending tube feeding; and ask if you could instead offer a small prey item more frequently… it seems like if she will take it that would be much less stressful, but maybe the vet has a better reason they are recommending tubing? Im glad the debridement went well! Will keep my fingers crossed for you in the coming months.

[Hoskins]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

i would ask the vet why she is recommending tube feeding; and ask if you could instead offer a small prey item more frequently… it seems like if she will take it that would be much less stressful, but maybe the vet has a better reason they are recommending tubing? Im glad the debridement went well! Will keep my fingers crossed for you in the coming months.

She said she didn't want that area expanding at all, should the skin break and expose muscle tissue. Keep in mind that she is only three months old, and even pinkie mice could pose issues for her wound.

UPDATE (or lack thereof):
She said she'd call me today to let me know how she is- but no call, and by the time I thought to call, they were already closed, so I left a message.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by MDT

Did you get yours put in after a "rough Friday night"?

a rough Friday night around here requires re attatchment of limbs mate

cheers shaun

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

i would ask the vet why she is recommending tube feeding; and ask if you could instead offer a small prey item more frequently… it seems like if she will take it that would be much less stressful, but maybe the vet has a better reason they are recommending tubing? Im glad the debridement went well! Will keep my fingers crossed for you in the coming months.

personally i would have tube fed a snake with that injury,even if the vet had'nt said to...

imo when done correctly tubing food into a snake with a wound like that would be less stressful on the wound,as the tube is only a few millimetres in diameter,which will cause no expansion of the neck,or movement which would happen as the snake walks its jaws up over a prey item...

re tubing
i have found it easier doing it with 2 pairs of hands

one person using one hand holds the snake behind the head where the neck starts,the other hand holds mid way down the body,keeping the head,neck and body in a straight line...

that leaves the other pair of hands to open the mouth and slide the tube in far enough so the food/meds go into the stomach,and not back out the mouth

cheers shaun

[MDT]

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

a rough Friday night around here requires re attatchment of limbs mate

cheers shaun

I would expect nothing less!

[CVH]

How is he doing? Can you give us an update.