Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had the feeding accident to end all feeding accidents today. My coastal carpet lost her ability to swallow properly back in early June. The cause is currently believed to be neural complications from extreme arthritis. Based on her behavior the pain itself seems to be under control from Metacam, but mobility of certain muscles is still off. I've been trying assisted feedings. First I tried (small) whole foods, but that just wasn't working. Then I had good results with warmed egg mixed with vitamin and electrolyte formula, but was urged to use Science Diet instead. I was skeptical that it would go through the syringe, but I tried. That didn't work well. Even diluted, it still clogged the syringe, and then blasted out hard, shooting the catheter off. The catheter went straight into her throat, and disappeared completely. For a minute or two I could even see the outline of part of it under her throat, but if you looked into the mouth there was nothing. Since the majority of it was already down anyway, apparently it took very little force to get the rest after it. Two feet of rubber tubing, gone.

I got her to he vet immediately. They checked around in there, as far as they were comfortable going without anaesthetic, but there was just no sign. It was too far in there. She's an '87, and while she had a great year at 20, 21 has NOT been a good age for her. Internal infection, antibiotics, feeding difficulties... since she does not seem to be impaired or uncomfortable (yet) and since the vet was not confident she could survive the meds needed to tolerate an endoscopy, I set an appointment at a larger exotics facility that I've gotten good results before at in order to get a second opinion.

Meanwhile, there's not a damned thing I can do tonight except worry.

Has anyone seen this happen before? If so, how did the story end?

Also, if they're able to save her, I'm still going to be stuck with these idiot feeding tubes. Ideally I'd like to get her weight up a little, then stop feeding in February or so, then see if she can/will eat on her own in March/April. Maybe she will, maybe she won't, but either way I'll be stuck doing assisted feedings for at least the next several months. So if anyone has any tips at all for not repeating this fiasco, I need them.
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0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (Boots)
0.1 Western Hognose Snake (Bebe)
0.1 Cane Toad (Hengo)
0.1 White-Banded Sheen Skink (Minerva)
1.0 Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Queequeg)

well for my thought on aftercare, if she was able to get the tube down, there should not be the need to put the tube that far in, hold on to the end if you can, and maybe try softer food, ask your vet if something like hills a/d would be a good option, ive used it in a lizard i was trying to get weight on, and its what we mix about half and half w/ water to put down feeding tubes in cats and dogs
as for the current issue, a rubber tube, if it is what im thinking it pretty soft, and hopefully will not puncture anything if sx is not an option due to her other issues. as for hope, i know personally cuz i got called to the owners house to help, a mid size burm passed a towel, as in a full size bath towel, we did help coax it out a bit he passed it ( swallowed it WITH the rat) and was fine ever after
its scary to be going thru this, but im glad your getting vet attention, keep us posted and good luck!!
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hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

A TOWEL? Wow. Do you know what age the snake was?
How far down do most people put the tub when they're working with it? I've been leaving just a few inches outside of her mouth, because with the swallowing handicap she's got I'm paranoid about pneumonia. She's an inch under nine feet, with a head just over three inches. How much tube would most people keep out? I've been feeding her in a rested, horizontal position, sacrificing gravity for a lower stress level.
When you use a/d, do you use it straight from the can, or does it have to go through a blender fist?
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0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (Boots)
0.1 Western Hognose Snake (Bebe)
0.1 Cane Toad (Hengo)
0.1 White-Banded Sheen Skink (Minerva)
1.0 Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Queequeg)

i havent tube fed a snake in a while, but i think i only put 5-6 inches in the snake, i think the tube i had was a foot long or so. as far as the a/d when we feed cats and dogs who have a feeding tube (these are put in for long term use) we usually mix about half a/d and either water or pedialite depending on the needs of the animal and mix it into a slurry of sorts in the blender (needless to say we dont mix drinks @ work!)
good luck!
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hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

Well, amazingly, she's fine. They were even able to get a good look at the inside of her throat to check for trauma, and she looked good. The meds knocked her out so they could do the endo, but afterwards she was neither stressed nor even woozy. I let her out in a nice empty park on the way home since it was in the 80s and she even had a good time wandering and lounging and sniffing around for a few hours. Her overall condition is not nearly as close to death's door as I've been worrying. The vet and I talked a lot about assisted feeding techniques and possibly even reducing medicine dosages, unless it makes her uncomfortable. I really didn't expect her to survive this accident, but everything went unbelievably smoothly. Note to self: do not expect to get this lucky again.
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0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (Boots)
0.1 Western Hognose Snake (Bebe)
0.1 Cane Toad (Hengo)
0.1 White-Banded Sheen Skink (Minerva)
1.0 Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Queequeg)

I know I havn't been on here all summer, but I thought I'd reply to this one. On a nine foot snake, I think you are doing it correctly inserting the feeding tube in almost the entire two feet. In larger snakes the goal is to get the food past the heart so that any regurgitation will actually require more effort than passage into the stomach. Of course, in smaller snakes where it is more manageable, direct stomach access is prefered.

I can see two options to make this safer for you in the future. The first and simpler of the two is easy. Fix an anchor to your tube. This can be a thread tied into the cathetor (if just around it, it may slip). Or it could be a a ring of tape with a lengthy tag that can be grabbed if the cathetor slips. If you are able to, a sheild can also be constructed similiar to what comes with tom-cat cathetors that physicaly prevents the tube from passing entirely into the esophagus.

The second option is at first more invasive, but in the end, might prove the least stressfull method. A surgically placed tube can be sewn in to place. They are tolerated well in chelonians and some lizards; snakes may or may not do well with it. In any case, the goal is to acheive minimal fuss during feedings. Instead of tubing each week, you just take off the cap, feed, flush, and put the cap back on. Obviously discuss the pro's and con's with your vet if you find yourself looking in this direction.

My last bit of advice is to look for some different, more carnivore orientated food to give. Hill's a/d is great as a recouperative diet, but has some serious drawbacks if given long term to reptiles. This might not be a big deal on such a geriatric patient, but again, discuss further details with your vet.