| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 22/12/2011 : 18:18:15
Some of you may remember my post regarding Echo having a bad shed a bit back. Things have gone from bad to worse since. 
She didn't take her feed before going into shed,nowt unusual there as she doesn't normally feed in shed anyway. Since then she still hasn't taken a feed,tried her in her tub,in a small feeding tub,braining,scenting and different prey sizes and finally multi mammates to no avail. At first I put it down to the stress of the shed but it appears theres more to it.
During this time I've hardly handled her,checked her over last week and weighed her (she'd lost a little weight) her brother is almost double her weight now. However,this morning I decided to check on her and her vent looked swollen and her tail looked wavy rather than straight (I guess you could say kinked).
Been the vets and she's taken a faecal sample (will hopefully find out the results tomorrow). I now have to give her antibiotics and syringe feed her,felt so damn cruel shoving a tube down her.
At the mo I don't know whats wrong or if she'll be ok,she literally has me worried sick for her. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| ScalySituation |
Posted - 29/12/2011 : 16:37:20
my thoughts are with you and echo through this difficult time xx |
| nusnakemum |
Posted - 28/12/2011 : 19:23:53
yep our fingers tightly crossed too x |
| scottishbluebird |
Posted - 28/12/2011 : 19:12:04
Fingers majorly crossed xxx |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 28/12/2011 : 19:01:39
Thankyou. Theres still no change. Her cloaca doesn't seem quite so swollen but she's totally limp where her tail has kinked and the vet has echoed my concern that she may have lost feeling there. Just waiting to find out if she can poo as if not then obviously its not good at all. Still waiting on sample results at the mo.
For the first time today I noticed the very tip of her tail twitch slightly after giving her her meds (may have happened before and I'd missed it as it was a tiny movement). Will be taking her the vets Fri for her next jab and then taking her on Monday (have a feeling that may be a decision making day too depending on results and if theres no improvement by then)
I've had a lot of pets in the past but seeing her go from a healthy snake to this is the hardest thing I've had to go through. Not knowing what it is is the worst  |
| ScalySituation |
Posted - 27/12/2011 : 17:31:13
hoping like crazy she gets better for u xxx |
| Emmy1 |
Posted - 26/12/2011 : 23:22:46
Fingers crossed Mort! |
| nusnakemum |
Posted - 26/12/2011 : 16:06:00
we are all hoping for the best for you x |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 25/12/2011 : 15:17:33
Thanks hun,its appreciated xx
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| scottishbluebird |
Posted - 25/12/2011 : 11:29:43
Really hope with all my heart she hangs on in there xxxxx |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 25/12/2011 : 09:20:27
quote:
Originally posted by Mamma
Awww mandy! Im sorry I havent been around for you right now! I been laid up in bed with a winter viral bug Thinking of you babe. And little echo too xxx
Bless ya Claire,means a lot.I hope you are feeling better now ready for Xmas.
Thankyou everyone for your kind words for me and Echo.You really are a fab bunch.
I apologise for my late update,it all got a bit too much for me yesterday and I had to shut down for a bit. I took her back the vets yesterday morning complete with my camera so I could show her these pics on the offchance she didn't seem so bad. She had an X-ray,more samples taken and a cloacal wash. Surprisingly the X-ray showed up no solid matter. There were however some gas bubbles. She's now being injected with a broader range antibiotic. The cause of it all still isn't known as the tests will have to be done in the week due to Xmas.
Theres no change in Echo herself,I will be taking her back the vets on Tues for her next injection (didn't feel confident enough to do it myself as she so small). I really don't think theres going to be a happy ending and its costing me a lot,but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try my best for the poor girl.
I also want to say a MASSIVE thanks to Mike Richards. You're support and advice has helped me so much,more than you probably realise. I will keep you updated on her progress. |
| Kath |
Posted - 24/12/2011 : 17:45:25
So sorry to hear she isn't better yet Mort, really hope she's ok soon. x |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 24/12/2011 : 15:27:58
Poor girl :-( thinking of you and echo |
| Mamma |
Posted - 24/12/2011 : 12:21:03
Awww mandy! Im sorry I havent been around for you right now! I been laid up in bed with a winter viral bug Thinking of you babe. And little echo too xxx |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 24/12/2011 : 09:44:29
Hiya, it doesnt sound good, the fit tends to make me think it has neurological damage.
If the colour of the poo is green, then that would indicate a fairly serious systemic infection, or Gi infection. I really think the Xray will give you answers, or maybe an ultrasound.
What antibiotics are you on?? If snakey is on oral Baytril, change it, its a really good broad spectrum antibiotic, but its a little on the weak side for a serious infection.
If you see the vet today, ask him to take a swab of the cloaca, send it to the vetlab and get them to grow it, that will tell you if theres an infection, and also which antibiotic to treat with, but for now i would go go onto injectable marbocyl,, infact, i dont use anything but.
The vet doesnt need a sample of poo, just a sterile swab of the cloaca, inside a little, thats all.
I think the scan and swab are the next step. |
| nusnakemum |
Posted - 24/12/2011 : 08:50:24
big hugs from us to x |
| scottishbluebird |
Posted - 24/12/2011 : 02:06:00
So So sorry. I really am hoping for the best, but i dread your next post, ask one one of your kids to give you a hug from me. love Fiona xxx |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 24/12/2011 : 00:28:32
Thanks Mike,I was hoping you might se this. She's being fed the critical care formula through a tube (catheter for a cat). There wasn't really much to work on sample wise (the vet commented on this),she took it from her vent. It looked very similar to how it does on the last photo,don't know if you can make it out? The colour is quite green,I'm not sure on the consistency. I did notice an odour in her tub though. To be honest I'm not sure what the name of the tests were,my heads in the shed at the mo
She's mentioned peforming a cloacal wash and a cardiac blood test? if she doesn't improve in the next couple of weeks. This was before I witnessed the fit this evening.
Her vent has swollen that much in that space of time,its not the angle. The vet commented on her feeling squidgy (as if full of gas) in the area previous to her vent.
I'll be ringing the vets tomoz morning,if she's still alive and I suppose I'll have to see what they say. Hopefully I'll be able to get in and get an X'ray done. Like you say though,its a really bad time of year.
Thankyou,I appreciate that,and will message you on fb tomorrow. Off bed now. |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 23/12/2011 : 23:07:39
Re reading a little, when you syringe feed, make sure she only has liquid, use critical care formula, it works really well, it also means that if there is something blocking her a little, the liquid can make its way past easily.
The sample the vet had, what was it like?? consistency wise? was it really stinky and runny, or fairly normal?? quality and quantity are the important bits, do you know what test the vets/labs did?? was it only a float test?? problem with that is that it doesnt pick up any kind of infection, only parasites, and even then its easy to miss!!
From your pics, it looks like the vent is quite swollen, ans has swollen more in a short space of time, or is that just the angle of the pic?
because, she goes from looking quite slim and consistent shape from body into tail, to there being quite a definite change in body angle, which would indicate some sort of blockage, be it an impaction, or possibly even a tumour, thats why you need an xray, to see whats going on inside.
Tumours can be removed quite easily, impactions can be sorted quite easily too, but its all time sensitive, and really, this isnt a good time of year!!!!
If you want to get hold of me, message me on the dreaded FB!!! i am there far more than i am here, and if i can help, i will! |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 23/12/2011 : 22:58:06
i know this is no healp now, but i think you need an Xray, it does look like there is some sort of impaction going on, and talking to Kate, she reckons the deformation of the tail could be down to vitamin and calcium deficiency.
I think the asnwer may lie in the xray, as much as i wish it wasnt the case, i dont think the outcome is going to be what we all want. |
| Emmy1 |
Posted - 23/12/2011 : 22:19:38
Oh poor thing! It looks very sore indeed. I'd be in a state too, Mort.
I can only hope that all turns out okay and that the vet can help. It is so so worrying when reptiles turn for the worst.
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