Busy day at the Vets.

[guidofatherof5]

This morning I took 4 snakes to the Vet. All had some type of lump in different locations.
My biggest concern was for my girl (Luckylookalike).
She's gone off food and developed a couple of lumps. An x-ray was taken and then the largest lump was removed from a 2 inch incision.
At this time the smaller lump wasn't removed. It may be removed at a later time depending on the results from the biopsy.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/luckylookalike2.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Unknow_mass.jpghttp://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Unknown_mass1.jpg



The second snake was an injured snake delivered to me last year. He had a prolapsed hemipenis. I removed the dead tissue and 6 months later he developed an infection. This area was lanced open and a pus like material was removed. My Vet. feels he'll make a full recovery. The area will be treated with a betadine solution.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/pus.jpg

I also took 2 young checkered garters that were born on the Ranch last year. One had an enlarged lymph node and the other(albino) had subcutaneous worms. The Vet. thinks they probably came from the guppies she was fed.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Lymph_node.jpghttp://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/worms4.jpg

[gregmonsta]

Wow, a hard days work for the vet. So glad they are under your TLC ;). Hoping for the best for all of them.

[guidofatherof5]

Wow, a hard days work for the vet. So glad they are under your TLC ;). Hoping for the best for all of them.

Best of all I only had to pay $150.00. Well worth it.

The checkered are being treated with Panacur.

[gregmonsta]

It might not have been the guppies :rolleyes: ... worms have been planning payback on garterkind for millenia ... :D

[Mommy2many]

Hope all of them do well and recover.

[ConcinusMan]

Yikes. Scary stuff. And even knowing that feeding of live fish can cause this, it's still common practice to do so. I have heard that with subcutaneous worms, treating with Panacur can lead to death by septicemia when the worms die inside the skin. Not sure if it's true or not.

All I know is that these snakes would have gone undiagnosed and untreated here. I don't have that kind of money to spend, if I did, it would cost twice as much as it did for you, and even then, no vet here would do it for a garter snake. Sad.

You're lucky to have access to such good treatment.

[drache]

Good day's of work Steve
I weep with envy - my fantastic vet is now two states away

[guidofatherof5]

Everyone did well overnight. Applied some more betadine this morning.
They will spend a few days in a container before returning to their homes.
The young Checkereds are probably doing the best and may be returned a little earlier.
My biggest concern is for Lookalike.
Hoping and praying her biopsy is good news.

[Enneirda.]

You got a great vet there! We got charged twice that for sewing up a cut on our dog (barbed wire+dog+rabbit= not good) I don't even want to think about what that would cost down here. Glad the surgeries went well, and I hope everything works out for Lookalike!

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, I don't think that Steve could have chosen a better place to have a garter snake ranch. You just can't beat having a vet nearby that knows his stuff when it comes to reptiles AND treats wild garters for so little money.

Most of us are stuck with paying so much more. I mean, that's surgery there. There's no way any vet around here would have made the incision and removed that lump for less than $300 and that's just the surgery. Doesn't even begin to cover the total costs. That's if they would even do it for wild garter snake, which they won't.

[mustang]

Best of all I only had to pay $150.00. Well worth it.

The checkered are being treated with Panacur.
WHOS YOUR VET:D
i like mine(hes a close family friend so FREE :D)
but id bet others would like to know

[ConcinusMan]

Unless I live in Iowa, knowing who the vet is doesn't matter. I think there's another thread that mentions Steve's vet, and several others that are highly recommended around the country.

[mustang]

Unless I live in Iowa, knowing who the vet is doesn't matter. I think there's another thread that mentions Steve's vet, and several others that are highly recommended around the country.
oh yah!

[guidofatherof5]

My concerns about Luckylookalike are well founded. Checking on her tonight she is swollen up severely from the site of the lump removed to her head.
She is in distress and I have started the euthanize process. I pray she passes peacefully. This is terrible.
I will do a necropsy in the near future.
She is one of my favorite snakes and from birth has been docile and a joy to have around.
She's 3 years old.
I think when I open her up I will find that this tumor has spread radically.
I'll post photos and a summary after this whole ordeal is over.
I will miss this big girl.

[kibakiba]

That's so sad! Poor lookalike. I hope she doesn't suffer long.

[gregmonsta]

Damn, gutted for you mate.

[Stefan-A]

Really sorry to hear it, Steve.

[guidofatherof5]

I opened Lookalike up last night. The edema was caused by fluid retention. I found a large tumor on her heart.
It stretched out and around the area. Liver, lungs and gallbladder all looked normal. It's a shame this fine radix met this end.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/tumor1.jpg

[drache]

poor girl
sorry you had to part

[ConcinusMan]

Eeeew.:(

[indigoman]

My thoughts are with you,

[Mommy2many]

I'm so sorry you lost her.

[Enneirda.]

I'm so sorry Steve...

[Mix]

So sorry to hear, another one gone. x

[guidofatherof5]

The male radix that had this infection near his vent is still not healed. Checking it this morning I found infection(pus) inside.
I irrigated the incision out with a betadine solution and will pack it with antibiotic ointment.
I'll schedule another Vet. visit and get him a baytril injection.
Otherwise he's normal(for a male):D
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/pus.jpg

[RedSidedSPR]

Shoot, hope it works out...

[guidofatherof5]

*UPDATE*

Looks like the infection on this male radixes has returned(maybe never left). It's still producing the same pus as before. I'll need to make an incision and clean it out again. My Vet. talked about doing some laser work on the area but I will try this less invasive treatment. This is so close to the cloaca I don't want to risk any damage or further infection to that area.
This male was brought to me and had a prolapsed hemipenis. It was an easy removal as the hemipenis was dead and dried out.
Hoping I can get this big male back in good shape.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/pus1.jpghttp://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/pus.jpg

[RedSidedSPR]

Let me try this again: shoot, hope it works out!

(how the heck did my post get up there?!)

But really, that doesn't look so good... Hope he's ok.

[katach]

Good luck Steve. I'm pulling for the little guy.

[guidofatherof5]

Let me try this again: shoot, hope it works out!
But really, that doesn't look so good... Hope he's ok.

Things are not particularly bad/critical. The infection is localized and not spreading.
I'll start with irrigating the infected area out with beta-dine using a irrigation syringe. I also think I will get this guy a shot of Baytril.
Hopefully hitting this infection from inside and out.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

I hope he does better soon and Im sorry for the earlier loss. another question for you. What is Baytril?

[katach]

an antibiotic

[Mrs N1ntndo]

I thought so but wasnt sure....Thank you

[katach]

You're welcome.

[ConcinusMan]

Things are not particularly bad/critical. The infection is localized and not spreading.
I'll start with irrigating the infected area out with beta-dine using a irrigation syringe. I also think I will get this guy a shot of Baytril.
Hopefully hitting this infection from inside and out.

What about leaving the wound open and actually packing it with idodine soaked strips? is that something that would be feasible?

If not, I'm thinking that your idea is the best chance of healing this up. The baytril should help with general immune support but it does sound like keeping it open and flushed with idodine so it can heal from the inside out, is about the only thing that will work. Good luck.

[guidofatherof5]

The first treatment went well but not without this adult male doing some rolling to get away.
My daughter Hailee assisted me. The area was flushed out with a weak tea looking betadine solution. There was a lot of infection(thick pus) that had to be removed.
I then treated the area with silver sulfadiazine cream.
Not sure how often I'm going to do this. I will contact my Vet. on Monday for some advice.

[d_virginiana]

Hope everything works out all right.. That infection looks pretty gross.

[jitami]

Doesn't sound like fun at all, Steve, but glad he's getting the care he needs. Please keep us posted.

[guidofatherof5]

My females seem to take treatment and of course handling so much better then my males.
This male really surprised me when he started rolling.
To be honest I think some of it was a reaction to pain.
That I'm sorry about.

[brain]

Subcutaneous worms. The Vet thinks they probably came from the guppies she was fed.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/worms4.jpg

And how did you discover the worms?

[guidofatherof5]

And how did you discover the worms?


Small lumps under the skin.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Small lumps under the skin.
How is this little guy doing now steve?

[guidofatherof5]

I lost one of the Checkereds. The other one is doing well.
The first snake(Luckylookalike) passed away also.

[katach]

So sorry Steve. That is very sad. :(

[RedSidedSPR]

That sucks, sorry..

Was it that particular source of guppies? Do you still feed guppies?

[guidofatherof5]

Never had any trouble before and haven't since.

[brain]

Small lumps under the skin.

So the lump could have been anything, right? :confused:

[guidofatherof5]

Yes, they had to be checked out for identification.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I lost one of the Checkereds. The other one is doing well.
The first snake(Luckylookalike) passed away also.

Sorry to hear it steve was it the one with the flukes.

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to hear it steve was it the one with the flukes.

No, it was the Checkered with the lymph node problem. She just stopped eating. These Checkered are from the bad breeding mix I've posted about.
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/breeding/8852-bad-match-breeding.html