Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Something I haven't seen before:
One of my bairdi looks as if she's eaten a big meal - in her front end.She regurgitated her last meal.
Due to the placement of the swelling, I would think her lungs were swollen and infected, but there is no sign of respiratory distress.
Perhaps it's a blockage of some sort in her alimentary canal. I will administer mineral oil to ease passage of an obstruction. Other than that, I'm at a loss.
Any thoughts?
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V.P.
Austin Herp. Soc.

Regurgitation and a mid-body swelling, just about half-way between head and tail, are two symptoms of cryptosporidium. Strict quarantine of the snake from the rest of the collection is called for. I would also get a fresh fecal sample to a good herp vet for an acid fast test to determine if it is crypto or something else. An acid fast test uses a special stain to find the oocysts of crypto, and is the only way to find it. Crypto is very infectious and there is currently no cure. Other symptoms are extreme weight loss, and very bad smelling, mucous-laden diarrhea.

-Toby Brock

On that note, the most common source of cryptosporidium is improperly treated municipal/well water and fecal contamination. The oocysts can survive for weeks in or out of water so be meticulous in washing your hands and equipment if you think this may be the cause of your snake's illness. In cleaning the animals enclosure use detergent or ammonia (diluted), the oocysts are resistant to chlorine.

In immunocompetent people, the infection is self-limited, although it causes days of profuse diarrhea and flatulence. Hopefully the former holds true for snakes as well. There is no proven effective treatment regimen except reconstituting the immune system (easier said than done).

Another option to consider is bowel impaction (which is I think where you were headed with the mineral oil).

Good luck.

People who have dealt with crypto are quick to jump on that because of how devastating it is. However what your snake has could be about a million things from tumors, to infections, to crypto, to inflammation of the pericardium (the sac around the heart).

The point is that your snake needs to see a vet ASAP. Many of the possibilities are easily treated. If you could post a pic here that might also help.

A little lubricant will not make this problem go away.