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Update on Corn unable to swallow pinky - any other suggestions?

gypsy1dragon Nov 29, 2005 08:47 PM

As I posted a few days ago, my neighbor thought he had injured this corn and gave him to me. He was unable to swallow a fuzzy that should have been very small for him.

On closer examination of his neck it appears that he has an older injury with scar tissue around his neck right behind his head. The scar tissue is rather hard and apparently would not expand when he tried to eat. I had given him a live fuzzy that he went for immediately, had no trouble constricting and such, but could not swallow.

Today I cut up a f/t in quarters lengthwize (yuck)so hopefully his neck won't have to expand to swallow, but he has not touched it. Hopefully after a couple of hours he will go for it, since he seems very hungry the way he went for the one the other day he couldn't swallow.

Hopefully the pieces will have enough smell to attrack him.

Does anyone have any other ideas?
-----
1.2 Ghost Corns, Beetlejuice, Casper and Spooky
1.1 Charcoal het pewter, Smokey and Flame
1.1 Hypo het lavender, Rosy and Rocko
1.0 Anery, Goku
0.1 Amel, Sunny
2.0 Tabby Cats, Daddycat and his son Brat
0.1 Australian Shepherd, Angel

Gypsy

Replies (2)

wpglaeser Nov 29, 2005 10:40 PM

Yeah... Have your Vet euthanize the poor guy. If he can't eat mice you're sentencing him to slow starvation. Otherwise you gonna pinky-pump him for the next 15 years?

I think you know this is the right thing to do.

Walt

qroberts Nov 30, 2005 10:54 AM

The little guy's outlook seems grim.

Scar tissue continues to contract the longer it is present (may have heard of this problem in human burn victims). The only way to releive the tension is to remove the scar tissure and place a graft in its place. This is Logistically, nearly impossible in a snake.

I would keep trying to let him eat and possibly stretch the scar, but the way it sounds, the tissue is already too tough to distend.

Don't let him suffer longer than needed.

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