Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone know if feeding can exasperrate mouth rot, or hinder/slow the healing process?? Thanks.
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

The reason I ask is because she's being force fed Carnivore Care at the moment. Frank wants to try a variety of food items to try and intice her too take food on her own. So if eating can exasperrate the problem, why do it when she's being nutritionally sustained via Carnivore Care? Of course, if eating is does not make Stomatitis worse, than that would be much easier on her if she eats on her own.

I should also add that this is a WC White-Lipped, not a Ball Python. Cheers!
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

Feeding should be your last worry. Treat the snake, get the husbandry right, and let it feed on its own. The snakes systems are already suppressed, so there isn't a need to put furthur stress on the renal system. Especially with the common Anti-Biotics used to treat primary/secondary infections.
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South Central Herpetological

I agree with Evins- don't bother the animal with feeding for at least 6 months. Unless its super-thin, it won't need, nor want, food, just water. FWIW,I've has indifferent success with medicating mouth-rot (AKA infectious stomatitis) both at home and by a vet, and stress seems to play a part in the disease. NOT introducing more stress should be a good thing!

from the old school, a topical dressign of hydrogen peroxide applied via q-tip daily, directly to the lesions worked well with anacondas---
it was a great relief when they once again accepted food

Thanks for the tips!! I'm a veterinary technician at an exotic-equipped animal hospital, and I've got the treatment down pat. As for severity of the stomatitis? On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd have to say about a 6.5. The roof of the mouth and the lower jaw is infected and very raw looking. It has not affected her jaw placement at all (as in her jaw lining-up correctly and her mouth closing all the way), but she has lost a few teeth and some are probably due to fall out before the end of the treatment. The amount of "cheesy" stuff is decent, but to a minimum.

We're assuming the mouth rot is secondary to the early stages of an URI, and are treating her with a broad spectrum of antibiotics (though she has not shown symptoms yet, but the mucus extends pretty far down her trachea). I'm probably looking at about 6 weeks worth of antibiotics and twice daily cleanings.

She is Wild Caught fresh brought into the US -- only been in for about 2.5 weeks, and I've had her for about 1.5 weeks. She came to me with the Stomatitis and URI. She doesn't look skinny, and otherwise seems very healthy and full-bodied. However, the reason I am concerned is because she is so newly imported, I don't know how long its been since her last meal, and that worries me.

P.S... Maybe this can help someone out in the future. The best at-home-remedy cleaning agent I have found for mouth wash is 50/50 diluted Hydrogen Peroxide with distilled water, with a few drops of Betadine (to make it look weak-tea colored). I've been cleaning her mouth out with this on q-tips once daily, and with Chlorhexiderm Solution on Q-Tips once daily.

She's already been de-wormed, and she's getting injections of Ceftazadine every 3 days. Hope this helps anyone else out with this situation.
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

depends on the severity of the mouth rot (IMO)
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts

I have been using chlorahexadine for years to treat mouth rot.
I use it in a spray bottle. I know that it sounds like it would not be enjoyable for the snake but neither is the mouth rot. I hold the snake and spray from the side to try and clean out the mouth rot. I do it as a daily treatment for the first 2-3 days and then every other day until it is cleared up. But i do not know the severity of your animal use your discretion.