Skin split as she swallowed...

Mark Jones · 02-19-05, 09:53 PM

Remember my BCI with the RI and all the other issues? WEll she's been doing great. Eating a couple of big fuzzies or a hopper at each feeding. Folks here had been on me to feed her larger mice rather than multiples. Tonight we bought her a rat pup. It was smaller than a grown mouse and only slightly larger than a hopper.

She killed it clean and worked it down fine - until it was completely swallowed and two inches past the back of her head. (She is 22 1/2 inches long.) Then it happened....

Her skin split open right down the centerline of her spine for a length of 4 inches!!!!! It shows clean pink "meat" underneath with NO bleeding. She was due for a shed, but hadn't gone 'milky' yet. Her humidity and temp has been PERFECT for months getting checked daily.

If you've followed this story you know I've gone to all lengths to save this snake that I bought as a sick neo. What should I do? Is it time to consign her to the freezer? I'd hate to do that with all the time, money, and LOVE that has been expended to this point. Has anyone EVER seen this happen before?

Derrick · 02-19-05, 10:12 PM

That really doesn't sound good. Sorry to hear about the trouble. I dont have any advice.

emkovar · 02-19-05, 10:32 PM

I have had this happen to long time non feeding corns taking there first meals (them being sooooo small and skinny and even the smallest pinky i could find toooo big). Anyway because it is just a split in the skin i consulted with a veterinarian and he prescribed an ointment to apply to the area. Also while the wound is healing feed extremly small prey items no thicker than the area that was split or don't feed at all.
After the following shed the wound healed up and the snake has been fine ever since.
I would recomend talking to a vet and seeing what he would prescribe for you.

greenman1867 · 02-19-05, 10:39 PM

Don't give up, emkovar has the right idea, she will heal, try to stay positive, as hard as that is in these situations.

Shawn

VI Reptiles Snr · 02-20-05, 12:14 AM

Dont have any advice but dont give up and it will be ok!!
Good luck

Katt · 02-20-05, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark Jones
Folks here had been on me to feed her larger mice rather than multiples.

Well that was advise gone bad.

Multiple meals are better, especially for an animal that is doing poorly.

Skin splitting is due to malnutrition. Buy some polysporin and NuSkin or any liquid bandage, dab the wound with a bit of polysporin. Then if you can, squeeze the edges of the skin together and paint the wound with the liquid bandage, hold til it dries, the bandage will keep the skin together and help her heal.

Only feed her tiny little meals until she has shed once for you. The skin will reknit and she will probably end up with a scar.

I had this happen to me with a non-feeding burmese.

Best of luck to you.

Mark Jones · 02-20-05, 05:06 AM

I'm wondering if hse's really gonna make it. I've had her to the vet several times, had her wormed three times, force feeding, antibiotics, skin salves, fluid injections, twice a week feedings. I won't talk about the money spent, but it is signifigant for a disabled vet with three kids and a bunch of other beast to feed and care for.

And despite all we've done she is still malnourished?? I'm thinking this is a case of "failure to thrive".

I'm also considering strangling the breeder next month when he comes back to Mobile to sell more sick snakes!

augerdvm · 02-20-05, 08:08 AM

the split needs to be sutured shut to allow it to heal Mark. Ive done this without sedation as the skin has little nerves in it.

You need to decrease the size of prey ang just feed her moreoften...dont wnat to stretch the skin any more than necessary.

You need to put an antibiotic salve on the skin as well to keep it moist and prevent infection from seeping in .

Daren Auger DVM

Gillards · 02-20-05, 08:20 AM

I have never seen or heard of this.
It goes to show you never stop learning something new every day!
Lorraine

Stockwell · 02-20-05, 10:37 AM

Lorraine, it's new to me as well.. I'd like to see a photo of this. Snake skin is highly elastic. In my experience they always regurge before any skin splitting occurs.

Paleosuchus · 02-20-05, 11:06 AM

If i had heard about this anywhere else i would have argued it down to nothing, never heard of this aswell. Best of luck with the animal,
Jason

Katt · 02-20-05, 11:29 AM

There's some good pics of skin splitting in the "What's Wrong with my Snake?" book, a boa and ball python are pictured.

Not nice.

Something is wrong with your boa, and perhaps whatever is wrong with it is causing it to not uptake the nutrition it should be getting from what food it is intaking.

Gary D. · 02-20-05, 11:30 AM

My very first boa was very thin and emaciated, and did similar on his first meal, but not to that extent that inner flesh was exposed. It was mor likely in my case that he was too weak and emaciated to shed properly initially.

Anyway, another product that seems really benneficial for open lesions and cuts on herps is the liquid bandaid. It will not act as a suture in any means by holding the wound closed, but does prevent infection, is flexible and will not come off with activity. An asset to any herper's medicine cabinet.

Linds · 02-21-05, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gillards
I have never seen or heard of this.
It goes to show you never stop learning something new every day!

Ditto that! Good luck with whatever happens, I'm sorry you've had such a tough run with her. Sometimes everything possible just isn't enough

Mark Jones · 02-21-05, 12:47 PM

We take comfort in our vet saying she wishes everyone would try as hard as we do with all of our animals. She said that even the wealthy won't spend a dime on exotics feeling they are not as "worthy" as dogs and cats. Then she offered us an iguana rescue.

That felt good, believe me. (It's a shame we aren't set up for iguanas yet...)

We all hope Midgard will survive, but the poor beast has been through a lot. I'll keep you posted. BTW: All is as well as possible at the moment.