Vladamir's scar - I call it scar

[chris-uk]

In another thread, Pinjohn reminded me about this:



Good photos. Good looking snake, I like the red stripe with the muted colours on the sides.

You call that a scar? I'll show you a scar.

did any body else hear the music from jaws while reading the above?....dun dun..dun dun..dun dun :eek:


So, Vlad's "scar" or "dent" or something... Here's the pics I loaded into the gallery:

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//734/medium/IMG_2140-cropped_-_Vlad_scar_wide.JPG (http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/showphoto.php?photo=10295&title=vlad-27s-scar21-jan-2012&cat=734)

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//734/medium/IMG_2137-cropped_-_Vlad_scar_close.JPG (http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/showphoto.php?photo=10294&title=vlad-27s-scar21-jan-2012&cat=734)

It's difficult to photograph because:
- it is more obvious when he breaths in, and he doesn't tend to hold his breath with his lungs empty.
- black scales showing the shadows of a dent... the light needs to be at the right angle to see it.
- Vlad isn't fond of keeping still for a photo.

To me, it looks like he's broken a couple of ribs when he was little, the movement kind of reminds me of film I've seen of a "stove-in chest" (you probably have to be older to know what that is - pre-seatbelts and airbags it was a common injury for drivers in an RTA who would break their ribs in a neat circle when they hit the steering wheel).
Equally, it could be a healed cut, but there's no sign of a scar as such, just the dent. The scale over the top of the centre of the dent looks like it's loose, as you would expect as it's being flipped from convex to concave as he breaths - probably more of a problem with keeled scales, I'd imagine a flat scale wouldn't be affected as much.
Oh, and it's about 15mm long, and he shows absolutely no awareness of it (I've touched, poked and prodded it).

So any ideas?

[guidofatherof5]

I tend to agree with you on the broken rib theory.
Maybe a crushing injury of some kind.
Any damage on the other side?

[chris-uk]

I tend to agree with you on the broken rib theory.
Maybe a crushing injury of some kind.
Any damage on the other side?

No, just the one side. I'm guessing it's been like this since he was very young.

[Light of Dae]

Knifey-Spoony lol Maybe When he was little he got spooked n went all 'flighty-jumpy' and feel down a cliff or something on a rock. That would be my explanation... First thought was he got kicked... but if it's not that big... and more likely then not happened when very young, a kick would have probably been more of a squish... I'll stick with my falling down a cliff theory.

[EasternGirl]

That is very interesting...yes, it would have to be a place in which an actual bone was smashed in and never healed...like you said "a dent"...it actually dented the bone inward and now the skin just falls in. Could be a rib like you suspect because of the location. I have a little tiny spot like that on my shin...I think I probably hit my shin hard and dented the bone.

[guidofatherof5]

An x-ray of that area would be pretty cool. Any chance of that happening?

[chris-uk]

An x-ray of that area would be pretty cool. Any chance of that happening?
As it's not affecting him at all I won't rush to do it. I'll see what it will cost next time we call the vet... I'd quite like an x-ray of a snake.

[chris-uk]

Question for Steve (or anyone else who has had a snake x-rayed) - does the vet normally anaesthetise them for an x-ray, or can they just time the shot for when the little buggers is fairly still?

[guidofatherof5]

It's a timing thing.

[EasternGirl]

They offered to x-ray Cee Cee to tell me whether or not she is gravid at the vet yesterday...I so wanted to know and yes, an x-ray of a snake would have been an awesome thing to see. But they told me it would cost $100 for the x-ray...so I said I'd pass...

[chris-uk]

100usd sounds reasonable, I know that an x-ray of a small animal (e.g. cat/dog) can cost a couple of hundred pounds... I'll give our surgery a call and find out this morning.

[chris-uk]

So, I spoke to the receptionist at the vet. The first x-ray plate would normally cost £86, with subsequent plates at £35. So getting an x-ray of Vlad isn't likely to be cheap. She did say that the price may be less for a snake and asked whether an ultrasound would work. I don't know how well an ultrasound would show the skeleton.
So, result of the call. Pop an email to the vet (my cousin used to be one of his veteranary nurses) so that he can suggest the best action and give me a firmer price.

[guidofatherof5]

Sounds a bit pricey.

[chris-uk]

I'm hoping the vet may do it cheaper, he's the sort of vet who will disregard money if it's something that catches his interest. And x-raying a snake isn't something he'd do every day.

[guidofatherof5]

Sounds like my Vet. If it interests him he'll do it for next to nothing if not free.
I don't think he has too many people bringing in garter snakes and snapping turtles.:D
Especially a turtle like Tank.

[chris-uk]

The vet will do it cheaper. It will only be around £50 to get both Cuitzeos checked over, and for the first x-ray if her decides it would be worthwhile. I may got for that.

[EasternGirl]

That would be really awesome if you could get that done. Most importantly, you would know what is going on there with the dent. And maybe...you could get to keep the x-ray. I just didn't want to pay for an x-ray for Cee Cee to determine whether or not she is gravid. I don't really have the money and I can keep weighing her and try to figure it out. If she was hurt, it would be a different situation entirely.

[chris-uk]

Part of me is thinking an x-ray of one of our snakes would be pretty cool to have around the house. :)