Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone recommend a Clinical Pathology Lab here in the Bay Area, CA? I was thinking maybe trying to contact UC Davis, but anything closer to the bay?

Woke up this morning and one of my boas was not acting well, I think she's going to pass. I've raised her from a couple months old, she's 9 this year. If she dies I'd like to find a lab so I can take her in for necropsy analysis to find out what happened and honestly, trying to avoid having to go through my vet (middle man).

Any ideas are welcome.

I hate seeing her like this, I'm going to go back home as soon as my boss comes in so I can be with her and try to make her as comfortable as possible. She's never had any issues in all the time I've had her.. I am so distraught.

thank you,
-April

So sorry to hear that April, I hope she pulls through for you! Prayers for you both.
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06
0.2 h albino
07
0.1 dh snow
0.2 leticia
1.1 triple het
0.1 albino h snow
08
2.1 hypo hog
0.1 sunset
1.0 ghost
0.1 arabesque dh stripe alb
1.1 h type 2 anery
0.1 pastel motley
0.1 leticia
1.0 hypo ph bloody sharp
0.2 ph bloody sharp
1.0 h blood
0.1 sunglow poss super
1.2 anery h snow
0.2 albino h snow
1.1 50% guyana h albino
0.1 triple het
0.1 ghost h albino
1.0 jungle h anery ph albino
0.1 pastel het albino
09
1.1 dh blizzard
0.1 h albino
0.1 jungle h albino
1.0 motley h albino ph snow
1.0 albino h snow
1.0 anery h snow
1.1 hypo dh stripe albino
and 25 balls

I really appreciate it.

I am home with her now, she is more responsive and gave me a tongue flick but we are far from out of the woods.
Thank you very much for the kind thoughts, I'll post an update either way. I hope she pulls through.
-April

Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service
www.zooexotic.com

Drury and Bob are knowledgeable pathologist and should be able to help you out.

Kind regards,
Orlando

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Dr. Orlando Diaz
LEGACY REPTILES
www.legacyreptiles.com

Thank you so much Orlando, that is exactlty what I was looking for. Hopefully she'll pull through and I won't need their services but I feel it's always better to prepare for the worst. If she does pass I need to ensure it's nothing that could be effect any of my other boas.
Thank you again, I really appreciate your assistance and recommendation.
-April

on several different types of pythons and boas and I did not have ONE that could actually tell me the actual cause of death. One time they told me "she was clean as a whistle, and appeared perfectly healthy"...bye bye money to that one lol. Waste of money in my opinion. Sorry anyone needed to hear that, but I would guess that finding out what killed your animal after death is like 1 in 100 if that, unless it was fairly obvious or had to do with being gravid or something like that. Sure you might find 10 types of bacteria that popped up in the report, but most of it is just
naturally accurring anyhow. Sorry herp vets! Dont mean to take your business away! Just my opinion.

With that said, sorry to hear about your boa and I hope she pulls through.
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Pythons.Net

Very good points. I guess my thinking is, if she passes they could hopefully tell me if it was something viral or IBD or something else completely. I just need to ensure the rest of my collection is going to be okay. I trully think she is severly dehydrated as I've seen the same neru type behaviour in an amazon tree boa (the amazon recovered fully but she isn't showing the same improvement). It wasn't too much heat as she's in a rack and all the others are fine, temps come up normal. It could possibly be an RI, I went to tube her some fluids and noticed the trachea is swollen (she had been sitting with her mouth slightly open recently but wasn't showing any other signs). I'm calling my vet tomorrow to find out when he can see her and determine if antibiotics would help. So far she's still hanging in there, somewhat responsive, but I don't hold out a lot of hope.
thanks for the well wishes Stuart (and all that responded).
-April

Hi April,
You might want to check with Dr. Harkewicz in Berkeley. He works at the Berkeley Animal Hospital (510)848-5041. The few reptiles I've taken to him have all fully recovered.
Peace,
Charlton Kangas

Thanks! Another person referred me to that same vet as well. I actually have a pretty good reptile vet about 5min from my house, so I made an appointment today for 10:50 this morning. Crossing my fingers.
-April

She's at the vet's now. They're going to do a blood panel but her heartbeat was too weak to draw blood, she's being given sub-c fluids and is in the vet's incubator for the afternoon. Next step will be an oral antibiotic (pill form, he didn't think baytril injections would be a good choice) and possibly xrays to check for meningitis. We discussed IBD and while it's always a possibility he doesn't believe that's what this is (so that's a huge relief). I'm hoping for the best, hoping for a full recovery, but very aware and ready to accept the worst either way.

If you've kept up with this, thank you and please keep Cinnamon in your thoughts.
-April

old pic of her below

Sorry to hear April. Snakes can get sick despite the best care. The dificulty is that snakes often hide it until it's too late. Keep us updated.

Matt

>>Sorry to hear April. Snakes can get sick despite the best care. The dificulty is that snakes often hide it until it's too late. Keep us updated.
>>
>>Matt

it's a snake!! be with her? more comfortable?? i'm sorry but give me a brake. snake's have no emotion's they are purely instictive predatory animal's. good luck, hope she get's better. give her the medicine and check on her tomm.
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All about the U!!!!

gee, thanks for the compassion there buddy.

As if I didn't know snakes don't have emotions.

But you know what? I do! And I am very worried and upset about this boa as she was one of my first. AND yes, I made her more comfortable, I took out the rough hide and shelf and gave her towels and blankets to lay on because she can't move very well right now. Maybe she can't tell (sure seems like she can, she's very calm and relaxed on the blankes) but it made ME feel better about the situation.

So congratulations, you just made me cry and ruined my entire morning as I'm sitting here worried to death about my poor sick snake.
thanks a lot
-April

...I agree with you...Im sorry about your baby and I hope you can find help and that he/she gets bettersoon!...
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1.0 c.b.02' 7' Pastel Colombian Boa(thanks Bill!)"Maverick"
0.1 c.b.06' 6' Firebelly x Pastel boa "Betty Boa"
0.1 c.b. 07 5' Amazon Basin Redtail Boa"Lola Boa"1.0 c.b. 05 6' Blonde Bullsnake "Boo"
1.0 c.b. 05'2' Snow Corn "Zero"
1.0 wc 4' Fl.Cornsnake "Iggy"
0.1 cb 18"Okeetee Cornsnake "Bella"

April,
I am sorry this post got you so upset....this individuals posts have been very negative in the past.

I would have done the same thing! I have great compassion for living things and feel that anyone that assumes the right to own another living being should assume absolute responsibility for its health and well being. It is heart wrenching when one of our pets (not stock, pets) falls ill. Its comfort would have been my top priority too.

I haven't gotten to the bottom of this thread yet, but I hope things turn around for you girl. My heart goes out to you.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Python; Bci; Bcl; Bco
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!
LEARNING PREVENTS IGNORANCE OF THAT WHICH SURROUNDS YOU...AS LONG AS THE SOURCE FROM WHICH YOU LEARN IS A VALID ONE.

some thing's i hear just blow my mind!! free country.. free speech.. BTW see all of you at Daytona..
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All about the U!!!!

...seriously that was probably one of the most heartless things Ive ever heard and you should be ashamed...
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1.0 c.b.02' 7' Pastel Colombian Boa(thanks Bill!)"Maverick"
0.1 c.b.06' 6' Firebelly x Pastel boa "Betty Boa"
0.1 c.b. 07 5' Amazon Basin Redtail Boa"Lola Boa"1.0 c.b. 05 6' Blonde Bullsnake "Boo"
1.0 c.b. 05'2' Snow Corn "Zero"
1.0 wc 4' Fl.Cornsnake "Iggy"
0.1 cb 18"Okeetee Cornsnake "Bella"

I'll take my lesson at Daytona...
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All about the U!!!!

You shouldn't say anything at all. You should be ashamed.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Python; Bci; Bcl; Bco
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!
LEARNING PREVENTS IGNORANCE OF THAT WHICH SURROUNDS YOU...AS LONG AS THE SOURCE FROM WHICH YOU LEARN IS A VALID ONE.

That was pretty heartless, from your own description you must be a snake since you seem to have no emotions.

I know April, she's sweet, kind lady. Totally uncalled for!!!
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

From a friend who is a vet.

The best advice would be to see her veterinarian for evaluation. Even if euthanasia is indicated, which might not be the case, her vet can perform that service in a humane manner and collect appropriate samples for a diagnosis. Necropsy by a pathologist usually is way more expensive than a regular DVM. I'm sure UC Davis could do it if that's what she wants. Ken Harkewicz in Berkeley is one of the best herp vets in the Bay area; he covers East Bay Vivarium.

The two best herp pathologists in the country are Drury Reavill in Sacramento and Mike Garner in Monroe WA
She should call her veterinarian first.
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
Visit kingsnake on Facebook!
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Hey April,

Sorry but I have nothing helpful to add, hope your boa is doing better!
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats