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[myounguf]

Hey Dank, sorry for your loss. I am going to school for veterinary medicine at the University of Florida right now and am specializing in large animal (specifically Equine orthopedics) but have studied quite extensively in exotics. Just thought I would give you some background information. Judging by your necropsy and what you stated regarding the increased amount of fat surrounding the heart, I would say it could be a variety of illnesses and/or conditions. One thing I would ask you is how old was the snake that passed, and how long and heavy was she. The reason why I ask is that in exotic species, especially reptiles (snakes) increased growth in a relatively short period of time puts a great deal of stress on the animal and will sometimes lead to an increase in KPH fat (meaning kidney, pelvic, heart fat). While reptiles particularly do not have a pelvic region (per say), the kidney and heart region are greatly affected. This is why snakes that are power fed usually have shorter life expectancies than those that are not. The increased amount of fat results in a plethora of problems, some of which are listed above (although embolisms are not too common in snake species). Another thing that comes to mind is the fact that you said she was gravid. The reproductive tract in a snake lies incredibly close to the kidneys and if there was indeed a problem with the pregnancy, it could have cut off blood supply to the kidneys (resulting in renal failure and hyper-toxicity) or could have even ruptured, leaking its contents into the body cavity resulting in infection. It is truly hard to say without actually seeing the specimen. Again I am sorry for your loss.