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I took him to the vet yesterday morning for a check up after a weeks worth of amikacin treatments of 0.02cc every other day.

He is improving, still having bad sheds, I had to soak him to get his shed off. The vet helped me remove the shed around the scab, and the scab itself came off, revealing nice, pink tissue underneath. He still has pustules on his side, the one on his mouth went away with this recent shed. We are continuing the amikacin every other day via IM injection for another week. Otherwise, he is fairly active, and is not hesitant to bite anything that comes within his reach when restrained.

I still cannot get him to eat. He has lost weight, down from 44g to 38g. I have tried live pinky mice, thawed pinky mice, herring scented pinky mice, and corn snake skin covered pinky mice. I also tried a thawed pinky rat. He would not even look twice at them. I tried Ben's method of hand feeding, and each time he would grab the offending object and then spit it out immediately-it appears that it was more of a "go away" reflex than an eating thing.

Updated photos, taken today after the shed/scab removal can be found at http://www.lowergroundreptiles.net/indigo/ they are pretty large, so be prepared.

-cat
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My collection and herp photography

www.lowergroundreptiles.net

>>I took him to the vet yesterday morning for a check up after a weeks worth of amikacin treatments of 0.02cc every other day.
>>
>>He is improving, still having bad sheds, I had to soak him to get his shed off. The vet helped me remove the shed around the scab, and the scab itself came off, revealing nice, pink tissue underneath. He still has pustules on his side, the one on his mouth went away with this recent shed. We are continuing the amikacin every other day via IM injection for another week. Otherwise, he is fairly active, and is not hesitant to bite anything that comes within his reach when restrained.
>>
>>I still cannot get him to eat. He has lost weight, down from 44g to 38g. I have tried live pinky mice, thawed pinky mice, herring scented pinky mice, and corn snake skin covered pinky mice. I also tried a thawed pinky rat. He would not even look twice at them. I tried Ben's method of hand feeding, and each time he would grab the offending object and then spit it out immediately-it appears that it was more of a "go away" reflex than an eating thing.
>>
>>Updated photos, taken today after the shed/scab removal can be found at http://www.lowergroundreptiles.net/indigo/ they are pretty large, so be prepared.
>>
>>-cat
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>>My collection and herp photography
>>
>>
>>www.lowergroundreptiles.net

He has already lost 6 gm, which equates to over 10% of his body weight within the last couple of weeks. When it gets to the 20% mark, you are in danger of crossing a threshold where organ damage will begin to occur and bringing him back out of it will be exceedingly difficult.

If you have a Pinkie Pump, it might be time to have it standing by.

If you don't have a Pinkie Pump (and don't want to invest the money) then you can use a 10cc Syringe and a red rubber French Catheter and make a slurry to feed him. The syinge and catheter are available from The Bean Farm or LLL. You can also use a 3" straight feeding needle, but I prefer the catheter. If you put the catheter in the freezer for a few seconds it makes it easier to feed down the snake's throat.

The slurry I use is made from egg yolk (plain old chicken eggs), Jump Start (a reptile supplement paste), Pedialyte, and pinkies. I just put the whole mess in a food processor and let it run until everything is good and liquefied, then press it through a screen strainer before trying to tube feed it.

Force-feeding is a last resort, but don't let him get past the point of no return before you resort to it.
>>
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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson

OH is definitely on track in regards to the time being right for utilizing a pinkie pump or tube feeding.
I prefer tube feeding with a syringe and French Catheter, though I coat the exterior of the catheter with surgical lube prior to insertion, and would not freeze it, as I would harbor concerns regarding thermal burns from such.
While a bit messy, I believe the formula OH has provided is an excellent choice and I would only add a minute amount of B-complex liquid vitamins, after a few initial feedings, as an appetite stimulant.

Jeff

>>OH is definitely on track in regards to the time being right for utilizing a pinkie pump or tube feeding.
>>I prefer tube feeding with a syringe and French Catheter, though I coat the exterior of the catheter with surgical lube prior to insertion, and would not freeze it, as I would harbor concerns regarding thermal burns from such.
>>While a bit messy, I believe the formula OH has provided is an excellent choice and I would only add a minute amount of B-complex liquid vitamins, after a few initial feedings, as an appetite stimulant.
>>
>>Jeff

I guess I should have clarified that a little better. Don't leave the catheter in the freezer until it freezes...just until it stiffens up a little.....about 15 or 30 seconds or so. The addition of B-complex vitamins is a good idea. The Jump-Start has some B-complex in it, but a little more wouldn't hurt anything.
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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson

After checking out the pictures, at least the area seems to be pretty pink and vascular. Still would be worried about that area sloughing and losing from that area back. Are you applying anything topically? Be sure to keep it clean, needless to say looks like your doing a good job already. Did you have a culture and sensitivity done?
Best Wishes,
Roly
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Miami Hurricanes #1
NATIONAL CHAMPS 83,87,89,91,01

>>After checking out the pictures, at least the area seems to be pretty pink and vascular. Still would be worried about that area sloughing and losing from that area back. Are you applying anything topically? Be sure to keep it clean, needless to say looks like your doing a good job already. Did you have a culture and sensitivity done?
>>Best Wishes,
>>Roly
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>>Miami Hurricanes #1
>>NATIONAL CHAMPS 83,87,89,91,01

I've been keeping the area clean and using nolvasan ointment on it every few days or so. It looks much better than it did at first.

The culture came back as positive for citrobacter freundii-a lovely little organism which is resistant to most antibiotics, and is commonly found in the human intestinal tract. Hm, wonder how it came to be in the snake's wound?

-cat
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My collection and herp photography

www.lowergroundreptiles.net

probably none of my buisness.
T.
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"No tree would have branches foolish enough to argue amongst themseleves".

>>probably none of my buisness.
>>T.
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>>"No tree would have branches foolish enough to argue amongst themseleves".

You and me both. I can't get a straight answer.

-cat
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My collection and herp photography

www.lowergroundreptiles.net

What does the vet think happened? Is it a burn, or an abraision, or did it get steped on, or pinched, or can he tell what kind of injury it is?
T.
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"No tree would have branches foolish enough to argue amongst themseleves".

>>What does the vet think happened? Is it a burn, or an abraision, or did it get steped on, or pinched, or can he tell what kind of injury it is?
>>T.
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>>"No tree would have branches foolish enough to argue amongst themseleves".

The vet told me it looks like his tail got caught in a cage lid or door and skinned. How the bacteria got into the wound, I'm not sure.

-cat
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My collection and herp photography

www.lowergroundreptiles.net