Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need some help with this boa. I have gone through so many vet visits and different treatments that I am left clueless as to what may be ailing her.

A brief synopsis:

I placed her to breed in the 06-07 season starting in November…she was cooled for a month before I introduced a male. The male was only in there for a few days until I noticed she got RI. So I pulled her and put her back on food. She got better.

I placed her to breed in the 07-08 seasons same as year before starting in November. Put her in with the same male. She got swollen very soon, and in February, she dumped 15 slugs and one half way developed baby. This obviously was from the prior season. My guess is that in December of 06, she was bred by that male for 3 days. However, she must not have been in a cycle, and retained his sperm until she went into cycle, thus dumping slugs over a year later.

This is where it all began. Since that date, she has refused all food. My vet and I thought it could be a retained slug that is festering in her uterus. We administered oxytocin which is supposed to flush the uterus…we did this on two separate occasions. I also performed several ultrasounds to see if I could see any slugs in there…but all clear. We also took some blood work, which I have posted for those who understand it, to see. According to the vet, she is fighting something but what it is we can’t pinpoint. I then put her on Fortaz, which is a powerful antibiotic, hoping that she would start feeding soon. I”ve also been giving her weekly immune booster injections that is composed mainly of vitamin B12.

Still nothing. Physically she is very weak, as she hasn’t eaten for 6 months…but maintains good mobility and doesn’t show any sign of neurological illness. The latest thing now is, she goes into shed almost immediately after she sheds. So she is shedding every 2-3 weeks.

Right now I am giving her weekly doses of a mixture of high grade cat food and pedialyte administered via red rubber tube down to he stomache. The first two I administered also contained a mixture of panacur and flagyl to rule out any internal parasites.

Does anyone have any ideas of what this is?

Could it be IBD?

The report is difficult to read.

On the bottom half of the page, the two very low readings are GLUCOSE and PHOSPHORUS. The very high readings are PROTEIN and CALCIUM.

The top half of hte page shows that her AZUROPHILIC MONOCYTES are at 8, where the norm is 0-4.

Everything else is within the norm.

I don't have a clue about what could be going on. The rapid shedding is the strangest thing.

Good luck and best wishes.

Kevin

I would stop all syringe feeding and Anti-Biotics. Giving them vitamins and Anti-Biotics when you don't know whats going on can do more harm than good. Give the animal some time to flush all that out of its system, and go from their. Do a couple different Blood and tissue workups over a month or two and compare. Be mindful of any minute changes and see where that leads. Chances are, you will catch something. You may have to do 4 full workup panels in a months time, but I guess it depends on how far you want to take it.

Also, the Monocyte count may be misleading, especially if you have something tricking the immune system into thinking it has an infection somewhere. Similair to AIDS or other immunodeficiency virus's.

Our vet told us once that antibiotics can cause a snake to go off feed. Our dumeril's did not eat for the length of time she was on antibiotics, plus two months after (when we treated her for an abscess).

Also, I think one of the other posters is correct. If the snake is not eating, there is a reason. Forcing nutrients into its system may make things worse.

Good luck, I wish I was helpful!
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Thanks,
Amy
My Boids

Another thing that leads me to think along the immunodeficiency line is the constant shedding, another sign that the immune system thinks or has triggers that are telling it that somethings wrong, when all other systems may be perfectly normal.

I think I read somewhere that overdosing vitamins (not sure if B12 has this effect) can play havok with shed cycles, i.e. induce rapid succession shedding.

Best of luck, hope she gets better!

Mark
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uncommonboa.com

I didn't read anything that would point to IBD. Doesn't mean it can be ruled out I suppose, but nothing to indicated it'd be considered above any other cause. Based on your account, I think the reproductive or digestive systems are where I'd be looking, but I'm not vet.

Again, best of luck,

Mark
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uncommonboa.com

I have read of studies that high doses of vitamin B-12 will excite skin growth. Don't see any IBD symptons but would not rule out. Good luck to you
Joel Thomas

I had a young corn snake once that had rapid sheds. A dose of a liquid multiple vitamin (A, C, D3, others) slowed shedding rate to a normal frequency. Eggs contain considerable vitamin A, and she may have depleted her reserves producing those slugs. Besides the skin, lack of vitamin A affects vision. Good luck.

Paul Hollander

Wikipedia -- vitamin A

I'm taking it all into account to try and get his girl back to good health.

I'm definitley going to give her some Vitamin A shots...thanks Paul H. for that advice.

thanks to all.

Just don't go overboard on the vitamins. A is fat soluable so it's hard to get rid of an excess. My doseage was based on the note below. One of those pills has 10,000 IU of vitamin A, which works out to 250 IU per pound of snake. Good luck.

Paul Hollander

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Tips

To inprove the condition of captive snakes try using Solovite
vitamin-mineral tablets. Sluggish appetites have been improved with
routine use of this supplement.

Dosage: Not to be used in animals of two (2) lbs. or less.

1 tablet / 40 pounds once every two (2) weeks.

For animals of lesser or greater weight, regulate the time rather than
the dosage.

ex. A 10 pound snake would get one (1) tablet every eight weeks.

This product is available at health food stores or from Solgar Co., Inc.,
Lynbrook, N.Y. 11563.

- Natl. Assoc. for Sound Wildlife Progs. Newsl. 1(2): 7. (Oct-Nov 1977)