HELP ASAP -- Prolapse?

-KB- · #1 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 02:40 PM

My new anerythristic black-tailed peruvian, Bentley, has eaten twice and shed once in my care, but hasn't pooped. His body, right above the vent is kind of swollen looking, and has been for about 1.5 weeks (gotten a little more swollen with time). I have soaked him in luke warm water twice, but still no poop. His temps and humidity are spot on, and he has a UTH, basking area, appropriately sized water bowl, 3 hides....the works.
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What I'm worrying about is this: could this be the beginning of a prolapse? The area is almost "pink" like the skin is stretched and there's something in there....None of my snakes have ever had this before. I'm pretty worried. Like I said, I soaked him twice (in the past 1.5 weeks) but it was really noticeable yesterday. The swelling disappears right after the vent. I am going to try and get him to the vet today or tomorrow if ya'll think it could be a future prolapse....Is prolapse noticeable before it happens??
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Thanks in advance everyone....And please -- constructive advice only. No "I dunno" posts. Thanks

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KB

Hartsock · #2 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 02:47 PM

Sarah,

I had the same thing happen with a rough scale sand boa who was having shed problems. I soaked him a few times and then when the shed came off there was a pinkish blob hanging out of his vent. Freaked me out. I kept him in a clean moist tank with just papertowel as substrate and made sure it was wet. I was going to call the vet the next day (it was on a Sunday) but by morning it went away. I still am not sure what it was, but I kinda thought maybe afterward that it was a hemipenes and the little guy just got excited by the warm water and contact. (has been known to produce the effect in homosapiens as well.) You can see all the pictures of snake reproductive organs, but until you see it in person, it is a whole different story.

but in case it is a prolaspe, you want to keep it clean and moist so there is no infection and so it doesn't dry out and that part of the bowel die. There are ways to correct it yourself, but I only know it in theory and wouldnt' trust my advice on it. I do think though that if it is going to happen, it will just happen, not a sort of "pre" thing.

I would take to vet to be sure, but IMO you probably have a snake who is hoping he doesn't get called to the blackboard by the teacher.

-KB- · #3 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 02:53 PM

When he shed there was nothing hanging out. I thought for sure he would have pooped though with his shed...like I've been thinking he was going to poop for a while.
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If I do take him to the vet, is there even anything they can do? He just looks so swollen, I know he can't be feeling very well

Stargazer · #4 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 04:22 PM

I didn't want to have an "I dunno" post. So I googled the condition. This is what I found on a reptile health site:

"Your snake's vent should be clean and smooth. Swellings in front of the vent area can be due to a mass in the cloaca, in the reproductive tract or in the colon. Masses include retained eggs, fetuses or very firm stool. Cloacaliths, stone like formations of urate (the white, semi-solid portion of the urine) can also form in the cloaca. All of these may act as a blockage, preventing the passage of waste, and in some cases, the remainder of the clutch of eggs or fetuses. Swellings around the vent, or within the tail may indicate infected scent glands or hemipenes. Protrusions from the vent are usually prolapsed internal organs. These may include reproductive structures (oviduct, hemipene), part of the colon, or the cloaca, and should be dealt with by a veterinarian immediately."'

Some members of other forums (from the google search) found the lump above the vent to be an infection. For most of those cases, however, there was visible pus.

Good luck, Sarah.

Alex · #5 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 04:38 PM

When DB was having trouble pooping, I soaked him in warm water at least once a day for 30minutes for about a week. It seemed to help him. He also looked a little bloated around his vent, but no discolorations. Either way, a vet visit wouldn't be a bad idea.
Best of luck to the both of you!

-KB- · #6 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 04:44 PM

Thanks everyone. And thanks for the google, Star

I would use the thanks button but it doesn't work on my computer at work.
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What you mentioned, Star, about the infection is what I am afraid will happen if he doesn't poop, but as of now there is no puss or anything, just swelling and the area is pink because of the pressure.
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A part of me says to up the soaking time, and the other part says to take him to the vet. I will take him just to be safe -- making an appointment now. If nothing else, it will just be a check up.
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Edit: his appointment is set for 3:45 today.

Stargazer · #7 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 04:48 PM

From what I've read, in the cases of very firm stool or cloacaliths, the snake was dehydrated beforehand. I know this is not the case with yours. I also found a few instances where the prey was felt to be too small, so there wasn't enough bulk for the snake to poop. Doesn't sound like this would apply either.

mpgt · #8 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 04:48 PM

Do you have a good reptile vet you can trust?

BlackLava · #9 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 04:58 PM

sometimes frogs at work get prolapses, but we havent really seen anything beforehand that would let us know the frog was gonna have a prolapse (i know, they are diff from snakes, but same condition). so we would have to clean off any substrate that stuck to the prolapsed part, keep it very moist and clean, and take them to the vet first chance we got. the vet would put the stuff back in, how, im not sure. sometimes a certain frog would keep having prolapses, their stuff just wont stay inside anymore, and occasionally we have had to euthanize them cause they just keep prolapsing

leoares27 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 05:02 PM

take him out and let him slither around (for like a half hour), maybe after another warm soak...the movement might make the poo come. I know that when my boa hasn't gone in a while and i know she's due...i take her outside to cruise around. Usually after about 10-15 mins. (or so) she poos!
good luck!

KyleZ · #11 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 05:05 PM

I honestly wouldn't be too worried just yet...Especially if the swelling isn't too obvious and crazy...

My boa has gone periods of close to -if not- over a month and 3-4 feedings at times without a bowel movement (and soaking not helping)...the first few times she did it, it concerned me...but she always eventually poops. She can get quite noticeably 'swollen' just before the vent too, with what sounds like the pinkish straining in the area. When she does this, I soak her at least a couple times a week for up to an hour at a time, and usually it works, but sometimes she holds out, and then leaves a giant pile in the cage after a few more days.

She seems to do this in cycles, sometimes dropping the deuce on schedule every week or two, but then she'll go on a 4 week stretch or so, just filling and swelling up before she finally unloads.

mpgt · #12 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 05:17 PM

Good luck. I hope it's nothing serious, and I'm glad he's going to a vet.

-KB- · #13 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 05:21 PM

Thanks everyone

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We have a great exotics vet here named Dr. Falgout, which he will be seeing at 3:45.
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I took him out yesterday to let him slither around because that usually makes Jezi go, but it didn't help. The soaks didn't help either, but I think that is because I wasn't soaking him long enough. Poor thing though, when he would swim, he didn't use that part of his tail much, which made me think he is just really uncomfortable. We will find out for sure what is going on this afternoon. I just hope it isn't an infection or anything....because the swelling IS noticeable....I have just been thinking that eventually he would poop....but still hasn't. Vet time lol.

Stargazer · #14 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 05:24 PM

I think an x-ray should be able to tell what it is.

Adrya · #15 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 06:36 PM

He's probably just holding on to a big poop...

If a prolapse ever does occur, soak him in some sugar water.

telefrag · #16 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 06:47 PM

I had a similar problem with blood pythons some time ago.. it ended up being hard clumps of fur stuck just inside the cloacal area.

I won't go into details on how we dislodged them, but it was gross...

-KB- · #17 (**permalink**) 11-03-2008, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by telefrag

I had a similar problem with blood pythons some time ago.. it ended up being hard clumps of fur stuck just inside the cloacal area.

I won't go into details on how we dislodged them, but it was gross...

I will be sure and let the vet know this afternoon, so he can do it if that's what it is....LOL

-KB- · #18 (**permalink**) 11-04-2008, 12:26 AM

The vet said SHE is perfectly healthy -- just has gas LOL. He said a good 10-15 minute soak 1-2 times a day would help a lot, but its something that will work itself out. He probed HER to make sure there was no blockage, and everything looked great.
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Oh, and on a different note, SHE is technically too young to probe, but both he and I think Bentley is a SHE, so that's what we're going with...LOL
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Thanks again everyone for your help, I really appreciate it!

Hartsock · #19 (**permalink**) 11-04-2008, 04:39 AM

so no one else thought it might be "his" thingy?????

jbd123 · #20 (**permalink**) 11-04-2008, 04:46 AM

LOL Gas will do it every time!!

Well, at least you don't have to be worried any more. You are a great owner for taking her to the vet because of a concern. Kudos to you for that.

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