When I noticed Kavi seemed to be gaining a bit of weight, I thought nothing of it. He’s always had a lump in his backbone (whether an injury or birth defect I’ve never known). The area beside the crook in his back thickened into more of a bump than just added weight could account for. In the next few days, another bump formed closer to his tail, and then a small one across from the first. By this time, I knew something was very wrong, so I made an appointment to take him to the vet.

We went to see Dr. Auger at the Blair Animal Hospital in Ottawa, ON. He asked all of the important questions about how the snake is kept and fed, and decided that husbandry wasn’t a problem.

Dr. Auger then took Kavi into the back to aspirate one of the bumps (use a needle to drain off any fluids) and to cut another open. He was looking for signs of infection or parasites. After examining the findings, the doctor could see that there was no sign of parasites or infection.

It appeared that the bumps were some kind of tumor, but Dr. Auger said they were benign. They are probably fatty or muscular tissues, which may increase or decrease in size periodically. Apparently this can be a fairly common occurrence in kingsnakes.

One of the most interesting parts of the visit was being able to listen to Kavi’s heartbeat. Dr. Auger brought out a Doppler machine, and put the end of it’s cord against Kavi’s chest. He adjusted the dials, and we could hear his heart, which beat strongly and healthily.

So, it turns out that Kavi is not in any immediate danger. The trip to the vet’s has ended up being a reassurance that I needn’t worry about him. His bumps, just like the lump in his spine, do not appear to cause him any discomfort and do not interfere with feeding, shedding, or other snake activities, although I will never breed him. The lump or bumps may be an inherited trait, and are not something I’d want to pass on. However, he is a wonderful pet and a very gentle animal, and I feel privileged to have him in my life.

Nicki

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1.1.0 Uromastyx maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
0.0.1 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy

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