HELP!!! Garter hit by car w/ rectal prolapse!

[Zephyr]

I was out herping at my friend's and we came across this garter who was hit by a car. (or was harmed somehow)
Her bottom half is very swollen from trauma, but the worst of her injuries is a slight rectal prolapse. I cleaned the dirt off of it with some tissue; she's in a plastic shoebox with wet paper towel beneath her and I just put her over a heat pad. Her head is shaking a little bit occasionally. Pictures soon.
I need advice on helping her in general. Thanks!

[prattypus]

I know it's not always convienient, but a visit to the vet comes to mind.

[Zephyr]

I know it's not always convienient, but a visit to the vet comes to mind.
Vet = not open.

[gregmonsta]

You should rub some cooking oil onto the prolapse ... it helps to keep it moist ... fingers crossed this'll help until you can get to a vet.

[Zephyr]

I put some preparation-H on it. (As per the advice of an older prolapse thread on here.)
I've got some pictures of her and the vent before she got a little comfortable. (It was all tight and swollen and now it looks a lot more "relaxed.")

[Zephyr]

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8369/sdc10077ica.jpg
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/941/sdc10078s.jpg

[Zephyr]

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8036/sdc10079d.jpg
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/5528/sdc10080avg.jpg
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1866/sdc10081j.jpg

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

YIKES.... that snake has been through hell and back!!! It doesn't looks like a car hit, the affected area should be smashed flat if that were the case... the back end of the snake looks severely kinked and as for the prolapse.. man i don't know!!! It does not look good at all Kyle :(

You can also try putting sugar on the prolapse and very gently try to re-insert it if it will go? Or is it swollen and infected to the point that it won't go back in?

[Zephyr]

YIKES.... that snake has been through hell and back!!! It doesn't looks like a car hit, the affected area should be smashed flat if that were the case... the back end of the snake looks severely kinked and as for the prolapse.. man i don't know!!! It does not look good at all Kyle :(

You can also try putting sugar on the prolapse and very gently try to re-insert it if it will go? Or is it swollen and infected to the point that it won't go back in?
That's the thing; it doesn't look swollen or infected! The last time I checked on it (before the prep-h) it looked relaxed and light pink (not like dying tissue, but more like it was relaxed.) The snake itself is very vigorous; she kept trying to get away when I was holding her after I caught her.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Just whatever you do don't let that delicate tissue get dirty or dry out. I would clean it with a que tip with clean water and then keep her on very moist paper toweling. And if you can, try to gently push it back in. it doesn't appear to be sticking out as far as the snake I had with a prolapse.

[Zephyr]

Just whatever you do don't let that delicate tissue get dirty or dry out. I would clean it with a que tip with clean water and then keep her on very moist paper toweling. And if you can, try to gently push it back in. it doesn't appear to be sticking out as far as the snake I had with a prolapse.
I just checked on her; it's very "limp." (probably from the prep-h)
I don't know... HOW to push it in. I don't see where the opening is and I don't want to push it in the "wrong way."

[Zephyr]

Update- She's looking pretty good this morning. There's some drainage around her vent, which has decreased in size dramatically, but I can't tell if it's pus or musk.

[guidofatherof5]

Is it still prolasped? I think you have a few big hurrdles to get over. One being that prolapsed tissue. Keeping it moist and viable is imperative. Getting it put back has to be accomplished. The sooner the better. Getting her to eat and poop are next. Your little snake is in our prayer and You are too. Best of luck.
I think you're doing a great job and the effort is greatly appreciated.

[gregmonsta]

I think you might still need a vet for that. It can sometimes take a stitch to keep everything back in place after a prolapse.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

yea, the vet often will reinsert the tissue and stitch the vent shut with a little Y stitch that will dissolve in about 2 weeks time... and then hopefully the next time the snake poops, it will pass without a relapse occuring!! If you can't just gently push the tissue back in yourself and so that it stays in, she needs a vet. My vet asked me to try pushing the tissue back in but in my case the tissue was WAY too far out. The longer that tissue is out the greater the chance that it will become infected or dehydrated and die. It's very sensitive and even the slight irritation of her moving is enough to cause serious damage. Any small laceration on that thin skin in a non-sterile environment will mean instant infection. If the tissue dies, a surgery involving cutting off the dead part and restitching the healthy part of the rectum to the vent will be needed... and that will be VERY costly!!

That snake looks like it's got spinal kinks, and just remember that in some cases, rectal prolapses are actually congenital ( a genetic defect issue) and if that is the case the problem will most likely recur. Since this snake looks kinked, I would keep in mind this possibility because my BP who died of a prolapse even after the stitching had a kinked tail.

[Zephyr]

I think she may have been run over by a bike, come to think of it...
Called the vet; they don't do snake surgeries; only medical treatment.
Oi.

[guidofatherof5]

If you have a local Zoo, give them a call for some advice and help. Give me a call and I'll give you my Vets. phone number. Maybe he can walk you through the proceedure over the phone. If you want I'll contact my Vet. and show him the pictures and get some advice.

[mustang]

yikes...i didnt think a snake could recover from that extent of an injury but the tip of tail looks like it was severed and it healed...take to vet for the inards sticking out

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I think she may have been run over by a bike, come to think of it...
Called the vet; they don't do snake surgeries; only medical treatment.
Oi.

but can they do stitches??? All this requires so far is to be pushed back in and that little snake-butt stitched shut. :p

[DrKate]

Hey Zephyr, kudos on the efforts to save this gal. Did your vet specifically say they wouldn't try to replace a prolapse? Because that part isn't exactly surgery... I would have thought they'd at least be willing to try putting it back in.

I'm sure the vet school at Michigan State has someone who could help - that's about 1.5 hours from you if you're in Dearborn, though. Or you could see if your local vet can recommend anyone closer who *does* do reptile surgery. (If not, you could call the vet school and they would almost certainly have a referral list of exotics vets in the state, and might even know which ones are equipped for surgery so you don't have to call all of them!)

As for putting it back in yourself, that's not going to work while the tissue is swollen up. If it looks like it's shrinking, it might well go back in on its own. If some is left sticking out, you can gently press on it with the flat of your thumb (back in the direction it came from, up the vent along her body, not directly down onto her ventral scales) and see if it stays in. If it doesn't stay in with minimal effort on your part, you're likely to do more harm than good trying to force it, though.

[Brunok9]

I know for a fact that there is an exotic vet in fowerville, but its about 40 mins./ 1 hour away. Its in farming area so they need specialists like that. Its 30 mins away from Michigan State though, so if you were looking to go that way, its a little shorter traveling time.

Add-
Find a Veterinarian - Local Vets and Veterinary Clinics, Vet Services (http://www.localvets.com/ml2/results)
Here's a list of vets for you, at least two of them say they do reptiles..

[guidofatherof5]

I've got to take one of my radixes in today(Tues) for a check-up at 4:30pm(CST). I printed off some photos and I'll get his advice and post later this evening.

[guidofatherof5]

I spoke to my Vet. about the problem. He feels it's probably a surgical issue. He said keeping it moist is a good call also the prepH but that it should be put back and stitched. Please keep us informed about this little one.