Garter Autopsy

[chloe]

These pictures are not for the faint hearted. One of my chequered females died yesterday. I had noticed she had a bit of a swelling towards her tail and thought that she had slugs (infertile eggs). When i checked her yesterday evening she was very weak and she died a few hours later.

This evening i decided to do an autopsy on her to find out what the swelling was. This is what i found.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//567/medium/snakes07_027.jpg

[chloe]

another pic
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//567/medium/snakes07_028.jpg

[chloe]

I cut the sausage shaped thing in half and found a dead baby chequered.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//567/medium/snakes07_030.jpg

[chloe]

any idea's what could have caused this? I presume the baby died inside her and she just couldn't pass it. Sorry for the gross pictures.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//567/medium/snakes07_031.jpg

[adamanteus]

Chloe, so sorry to hear your bad news.:( I can't say what might have caused the problem. Had she given birth in the past?

[chloe]

Yes she had 6 babies last year. 2 live and 4 still born.

[adamanteus]

Poor thing. Will you ask a vet for an opinion?

[chloe]

Its very difficult to find a decent vet and as she has passed away i don't see much point in spending alot on vet fees when they probably won't be able to tell me anything.

[Sid]

Chloe, So sorry about your loss. Wish I has an opinion to offer, so it would help others in the future.

[drache]

Chloe - sorry about your loss
it may not have been anything preventable
there are many things that can go wrong with reproduction

[enigma200316]

Sorry for your lose.......:(

[Stefan-A]

I'm so sorry about your loss, Chloe. :(

[Snaky]

I'm sorry for your loss...

[Lulu Bennett]

i am sooo sorry to hear abut your loss. thats so gutting. :(

[Sputnik]

I'm so sorry to hear that, Chloe. How brave of you though to do the autopsy.

[Gijs & Sabine]

I'm very sorry for your loss, Chloe :(

This was the only baby she had ? I don't have any experience with this, but maybe it's possible that her body didn't recognized it as being pregnant and the baby was inside for too long and did infect the mom.

[CrazyHedgehog]

This is sad, but thanks for sharing Chloe, help us all to understand the workings a bit better...with you saying it was several layers of skin, its almost like she tried to 'heal' it , like scar tissue gets heavier and thicker than normal skin?

[Thamnophis]

Sorry it went this way.

[chloe]

Thank you for all you kind words