Blisters

[garterking]

Hey everyone,
I am hoping someone here can help. My adult girl in only a few days has gotten about 8 to 12 bumps along the length of her body. One is particularly large and looks to be puss filled. A part of me wants to pop it and remove some of the infection but another part says to wait and find out what it is.
It came on very fast. She is alone. She has lost her appetite and her cage doesn't appear to be overly moist nor does she soak too much. Most appear just under the skin and on the sides except for the one that is huge.
I have pics but don't know how to post them so I will if someone can help out there it would help here. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Mike

[guidofatherof5]

Pics. would be great and it could very well be an issue for a Vet. Antibiotics might be called for.
A bath in a weak tea looking Betadine water solution can't hurt. Be sure the snakes head is kept above the water so that it doesn't drink any.

[Tyrel26]

could this possibly be a failed shed and the "puss" is feces that got trapped under the skin?

hard to say without pics but I am trying to think of things a little less serious

to add pics you need to use a different website, upload them there and copy and paste the img. link to your post here. I use photobucket.com; if i can do this you certainly can as I am not good with computers.

goodluck

[ConcinusMan]

Fluid-filled blisters can turn life-threatening in a hurry. http://www.reptileexpert.co.uk/BlisterDisease.html

A vet might be necessary. For clear fluid filled blisters brought on by unsanitary/wet conditions, correcting the conditions and treating with betadine solution has worked for me in the past but once the fluid goes cloudy with a bacterial infection antibiotics are necessary.

[garterking]

Here's the pics

http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww25/sonaturallygreyt/05_31_9.jpg

http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww25/sonaturallygreyt/05_31_8.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

I don't suggest using a differnt website for your photos. The gallery on this forum works great and gives you a one stop location when creating or posting to threads.
I hope this helps
Go to the gallery tab on the homepage
Once on the gallery page click on "upload photos" which is right under the log out button.
Then click on the browse button and locate your photo to upload. Once it shows up on the browse line you can load another(5 photos at a time)
Once you have them loaded on the browse lines click on the Upload/submit button.
Sometimes they will be loaded directly to a folder on your gallery page and sometimes you will have to hit the upload button again to confirm these are the photos you want uploaded.
Once they are in your gallery you can double click on individual photos to open it in the gallery. It will show you that photo with a few thumbnail photos above. If you want to place a photo in a thread you have two options. I use the first one.
Highlite the entire UBBcode.
Then hold down your CTRL key and hit the letter "C"(copy). This will copy your photo to the clipboard.
Now, go to the thread you want to place the photo in. Make sure your curser is in the place where you want the photo. Hold down the CTRL key and hit the "P"(paste) key. The UBBCode will now appear in the thread.
If you want to see your photo click on the thread preview button.

The other way is to click on the "Save to clipboard" button that is just below and at the end of the UBBcode on your gallery page. Then go to your thread, place the curser and do a paste(CTRL+"C" key)
It may take a few times to get it right but it really is best to have your photos on the forum.
Some members have had trouble with storing them here but I've not had any problems, yet:rolleyes:

[guidofatherof5]

I don't think those are blisters. I think that snake needs to shed. Put it in a shed box or give it a bath in lukewarm water. She's very dull looking and I think you will find that is moister trapped behind the old skin. I've seen it many times in my snakes.
15 minutes from now you could have a shinny new looking snake.

[ConcinusMan]

Holy crud! I don't think that's your typical blister disease. That looks like it started inside and worked it's way out from deep within. Yikes. Can't give advice in this case. That snake is in serious condition and needs a vet.

The snake just needs to shed steve? I see a friggen crater in it's side. The other bumps probably go that deep as well. They aren't just under the skin, they're under the scales and in the flesh.

http://www.petplace.com/reptiles/lumps-and-bumps-in-snakes/page1.aspx

[guidofatherof5]

Your first photo clearly shows healthy scales and skin behind the old shed. Look how dull she is. That's moister behind the old shed. A warm bath will start the old shed off.
It look exactly like an old shed situation. A warm bath will tell you whether it's a shed issue or something else.
Whatever the situation a warm bath won't hurt her.
This is just my opinion.

[garterking]

C-man it's not a crater. It's a large pimple like thing and it seems to be growing. I put polysporin on and cleaned her home. Only a small bowl of water and papertowels now. I think it's best if I find her a vet tomorrow

[ConcinusMan]

You must be seeing a different picture. I see lumps actually pushing scales upward, and I see a huge crater where a lump has already opened up. Unless I'm hallucinating.

More pics please. One of them is completely useless.

[garterking]

Yes you are correct. The lumps are under the skin and pushing out but the large one is not a crater. There are no craters. The large looking one is a puss filled boil.

[guidofatherof5]

What I see in the first photo is old shed with water/moister behind it. Looking through the fluid is like looking through a magnifying glass. I've had a few of my girl get the same thing. If you also look up towards the head you'll see a few other places where the old shed is trying to come off. She's also very dull looking as if she needs to shed. A warm bath will rule out my theory and will not hurt the snake in any way.

[garterking]

Couple more pics. The white stuff on the boil itself is polysporin and NOT any leakage

http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww25/sonaturallygreyt/05_31_10.jpg

http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww25/sonaturallygreyt/05_31_7.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

C-man it's not a crater. It's a large pimple like thing and it seems to be growing. I put polysporin on and cleaned her home. Only a small bowl of water and papertowels now. I think it's best if I find her a vet tomorrow

While I have seen water trapped behind old skin and I do see those signs, (try to help her shed NOW) I've never seen the problem go deeper than the thin layer of skin. The fact that lumps are under the scales too indicates something more serious.

Polysporin will do nothing except to keep open wounds moist and fight infection in them. It won't penetrate through skin.

Hopefully this clears up after you get that old skin off. This might have developed between old skin at first, but might have spread infection into the new skin and under the scales. Hopefully steve is right and all will be well once the skin is off. It won't hurt at all to give her a warm soak and/or shed box until you can see a vet.

[guidofatherof5]

That differently looks like an internal problem. Those photos clearly show that. Thanks for the additional photos. A Vet. visit is called for.

[garterking]

That differently looks like an internal problem. Those photos clearly show that. Thanks for the additional photos. A Vet. visit is called for.

Well I'm giving her a warm bath right now but I'm starting to think I should pop that big thing and see what comes out and maybe relieve some pressure

[guidofatherof5]

Well I'm giving her a warm bath right now but I'm starting to think I should pop that big thing and see what comes out and maybe relieve some pressure

That would have to be your call. A Vet. may want to do a growth on it to determine a possible infection cause.
Please keep us informed.
She's in our prayers.

[infernalis]

I encountered this once... I took my snake to the vet.

I had to give oral antibiotics for a week and apply silvadine ointment.

Get that snake to see a vet ASAP.

figure on spending about 100-150 dollars on treating this.

With proper care (vet) this will clear up just fine.

[ConcinusMan]

I'm having a hard time discerning if the fluid is actually under the scales and erupting out under the clear layer of skin or what the heck is going on. IF you break just the clear layer of skin (the part that comes off during a shed) it probably wouldn't hurt but won't help either. That looks like some serious pus pockets under the scales and has been there for some time but is only now reaching the surface.

I wouldn't mess with it and get her to a vet ASAP. If she really is retaining an old shed it shouldn't be that difficult to get it to start separating in places. If there is pus under the scales, causing those lumps, she will die if not treated. Might die anyway.

Her only chance is immediate treatment with the correct dosage and type of antibiotics. Some of those boils might need to be opened up.

Is she WC? what does she eat? any chance of tick bites or mites?

[infernalis]

On my snake, it was Pus, cystic boils and required antibiotics.

[drache]

please be aware that one cannot pop a boil on a snake like on a mammal. their pus is not fluid, but more like aged cottage cheese, and it won't go through a small opening. a boil needs to be lanced and scraped, and for that a vet with the proper equipment is the best choice.
if your snake soaks a lot, there might be mites
good luck for your girl - please take good care

[garterking]

I took Mini to the vet last month and he took off the boils and was sending for biopsy. She continued to eat and I gave her an injection everyday for the infection.

Last week she shed and I noticed her bottom scales which are always a tan and flawless before, turned dark and were more black in color. There were also about 15 to 20 more smaller bumps on her body. I feared the worse as it was another sign she was losing her battle.

Wednesday she ate 2 fuzzies. Thursday she threw them up and I watched her fade quickly. The last hour of her life was spent in my arms as I watched her take her last breaths. I didn't want her to die alone. I buried her today out back in the field where she can roam with the other wild garters and doesn't have to suffer anymore.

Thanks to everyone here for your help and suggestions and thanks to my Mini for the many years of enjoyment you gave me. I'll miss you big girl. rest in peace. :(:(:(

[infernalis]

Slither on in the sky.....

My heartfelt condolences.

[guidofatherof5]

Our prayers are with you. Sorry for your loss.

[Spankenstyne]

Sorry to hear about your loss, my condolences.

[Napta]

Sorry...
I remenber my Oscar, who died in the same condition, and I cry.

[mustang]

sorry to hear it ,i was hopn she'd pull through...so was it blisters desiese or an internal prob?(not tryn to be mean i just want to be able to correctly identify this prob. if i ever come across it)

[drache]

so sorry to hear about your loss