Marilyn Update (w/ pics)

Xeikeness · #1 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:12 AM

Ok, so you all recall the female boa that came in with Phoenix. She is still with us, and still has that massive cyst on her face.

When I had talked with the vet, he prodded it a bit and said that it wasn't anything to worry about, it was all solid, and more than likely just scar tissue. Skeptical, I asked if it would be wise to at least stick a needle in to be sure. He said it wouldn't do any good, but they'd try to get the swelling down with a few rounds of antibiotics.

After the AB's were finished, the swelling hadn't gone down AT ALL, so the vet said it was probably a solidified mass that wouldn't hinder her at all, and would likely be there the rest of her life.

Well, I'm not a vet. So, I figured it made enough sense.

That was a couple weeks ago. In the time since then, Marilyn has been having some trouble breathing sometimes. She breathes through her mouth. I talked to the vet, he said it was a resp infection, so more AB's. It didn't help. Elevated temps and all that, still no good.

She had a bit of a stuck shed today, so I stuck her in a soak while I cleaned her cage.

When I went to pull her out, the scab that was usually on top of her cyst was gone, and running down both sides of her face was thick, chalky green ooze.

The water had chunks of it floating around. It was... disgusting.

I mixed up some water/iodine solution and had my man help me as I gently squeezed all the remaining pus/ooze/slime/filth out of Marilyn's face through the gaping hole on her head. Which was a task and a half because she's strong and needed her face pointed downwards for it, which she hated.

Regardless, we got it all emptied out, then flushed the inside of it out really well.

Miraculously (ha. ha.) she was breathing out of her nostrils!!! as I brought her back to her cage. So I know she feels better with all that goop drained out of her face. She's now sitting contentedly on her basking spot, breathing much easier, with her mouth closed. She's none the worse for wear, though she does have that huge hole in her head, which is really unsettling. If you shine a flashlight in it, you can look around the inside of her head. It's.... disgustingly fascinating.

I'll be making a call to the vet first thing in the morning to discuss this most current turn of events. For the meantime, here are some disgusting pictures for you all.

Chris.M · #2 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:33 AM

not gonna lie thats..... disgustingly interesting

Icicle · #3 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 08:33 AM

Thanks for the update.
I think I would be looking around for a new Vet.

Oh, I'm Still thinking on it.

Xeikeness · #4 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 08:55 AM

My vet is normally good, but from now on, I think I'm gonna go with my gut instinct and insist more persistently when something doesn't feel right. :\

Keep thinking Ice, she isn't going anywhere for awhile yet anyway, especially now.

BlackLava · #5 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 12:42 PM

yuck, that hole and the huge bump looks awful

poor girl, i bet it feels so much better to breathe with your mouth open

good luck, and keep us updated with her!! is this one underweight too??

John_White · #6 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 01:27 PM

Yikes! Hope the snake makes a speedy recovery.

96Blacksunshine · #7 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 02:31 PM

Awe, that poor snake. I really hope getting the puss out helps it to start the healing process. Is that a snake that was also owned by the phoenix owner or just came in at the same time?

John · #8 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 05:43 PM

Poor snake.

You know, sometimes even doctors see everything. Perhaps regular cleansing of that swollen mass may encourage some healing there after a while. I'm sure the iodine well help - I love that stuff. I wonder if some Neosporin ointment might help on that spot as well.

I cannot remember now; was that spot caused by a rodent bite?

LukaTisus · #9 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 06:01 PM

The poor girl! That looks terribly uncomfortable..

Here's hoping she has a good recovery for you, once you get this matter sorted with the vet. Perhaps seeing this evidence now'll change his mind on it being 'scar tissue'?

fuglyfarmhand · #10 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 06:14 PM

Whoa that was a nasty spot.

Hope she makes a full recovery and that hole closes.

vfoerster · #11 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 06:20 PM

Hopefully all works out well and everything goes smoothly.

Xeikeness · #12 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackLava

yuck, that hole and the huge bump looks awful

poor girl, i bet it feels so much better to breathe with your mouth open

good luck, and keep us updated with her!! is this one underweight too??

She's not particularly underweight, she was the "dominant" one and got all the food that was thrown into their cage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96Blacksunshine

Awe, that poor snake. I really hope getting the puss out helps it to start the healing process. Is that a snake that was also owned by the phoenix owner or just came in at the same time?

Same owner, same cage. I definitely think getting the mush out helped. She's actually breathing now which is a good thing. Though, looking at her pics it looks like the swelling closed her nostrils, so I really hope she isn't breathing through the hole. <O.O>

Quote:

Originally Posted by faroutinmt

Poor snake.
You know, sometimes even doctors see everything. Perhaps regular cleansing of that swollen mass may encourage some healing there after a while. I'm sure the iodine well help - I love that stuff. I wonder if some Neosporin ointment might help on that spot as well.
I cannot remember now; was that spot caused by a rodent bite?

I think it is better at this point to flush it out daily, but keep the hole open. The thing about Neosporin is that it's great on scrapes or nicks, or small wounds. But if something is infected this bad, the best thing for it is to keep it clean and let it breed, because infection and bacteria grow in warm, moist environments. Sometimes Neosporin can actually make things worse. It all depends on the individual injury.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukaTisus

The poor girl! That looks terribly uncomfortable..

Here's hoping she has a good recovery for you, once you get this matter sorted with the vet. Perhaps seeing this evidence now'll change his mind on it being 'scar tissue'?

I think he'll at least give me the benefit of the doubt in the future. I had a friend once, who had this mass in her foot. The doctor said it was just a bone spur, but she'd never broken her foot, and was in otherwise excellent health. She had injured her foot some weeks before, but didn't think it was relevant. Because it hurt so badly, she wanted to get it removed. So they took x-rays and found.... fluid!

Pus, when it really takes hold in an area and causes severe swelling, can be as hard as bone because of the tension under the skin. I'm surprised my vet wasn't aware of this. Or, forgot. Human err is inevitable, after all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuglyfarmhand

Whoa that was a nasty spot.

Hope she makes a full recovery and that hole closes.

Me too. The only thing I can describe about how this looks, is like those bubbles on a fully cooked pizza. You know, when it gets baked, some pizzas get those bubbles that rise in the dough,m making big domes on the pizza's surface?

That's exactly what this thing on her face looks and feels like, just with a hole in the top of it.

And... immeasurably more gross.

Oh dear. Did I just ruin pizza for everyone?

BlackLava · #13 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:33 PM

i dont think ill have an appetite for pizza any time soon

LOL have you told the vet yet about the green stuff? is the snake gonna have to have some other type of antibiotics or anything?

fuglyfarmhand · #14 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:36 PM

Me too. The only thing I can describe about how this looks, is like those bubbles on a fully cooked pizza. You know, when it gets baked, some pizzas get those bubbles that rise in the dough,m making big domes on the pizza's surface?
That's exactly what this thing on her face looks and feels like, just with a hole in the top of it.
And... immeasurably more gross.
Oh dear. Did I just ruin pizza for everyone?[/QUOTE]

Na you just gave me an idea for a snack.Pizza yeah just not from or with the snake.lol

I sure hope the hole closes and she doesn't have anymore probs. She is pretty from what I can tell.

fuglyfarmhand · #15 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackLava

i dont think ill have an appetite for pizza any time soon

LOL have you told the vet yet about the green stuff? is the snake gonna have to have some other type of antibiotics or anything?

Forgot bout that. Oops.

Btw right now anyone else eatin? Bolonga and cheese. Oh don't forget the chips.

Xeikeness · #16 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:42 PM

Waffles, bacon, and gummy bugs full of sour goo. And a glass of choc. milk.

I've been trying to reach the vet all morning. They're busy today. *le sigh* So I left a message with the receptionist.

John · #17 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeikeness

The thing about Neosporin is that it's great on scrapes or nicks, or small wounds. But if something is infected this bad, the best thing for it is to keep it clean and let it breed, because infection and bacteria grow in warm, moist environments. Sometimes Neosporin can actually make things worse. It all depends on the individual injury.

You make a very good point. I didn't look at the picture very closely. I see that it really is a nice hole.

All this talk about pizza is making me hungry.

Xeikeness · #18 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:58 PM

I've had enough puncture wounds over the course of my life thus far, and have had several issues with Neosporin. The first of which sent me to the ER. -.-'

Learning experiences. -.-'

fuglyfarmhand · #19 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeikeness

Waffles, bacon, and gummy bugs full of sour goo. And a glass of choc. milk.

I've been trying to reach the vet all morning. They're busy today. *le sigh* So I left a message with the receptionist.

What do ya think it came from?(or did I misss that

) I hope it heals . even with it she has a pretty head.

Xeikeness · #20 (**permalink**) 01-06-2009, 08:05 PM

Well, that's up for debate. She didn't have the scab when we first saw her, she only had discolored scales where the scab is now, and that huge cyst.

She only got the scab after she shed, even though the shed was perfect, with no blemishes. Which to me seems like the infection ate it's way out from the inside.

As for how it started, she had a horrendous resp infection when she first came to me. Her nostrils were sealed shut and it took over an hour sitting with a warm wet washcloth and a pair of tweezers (DO NOT try this on your own, without vet supervision, or not having observed this being safely done!) to unblock them.

What I think happened, is that when her nostrils sealed shut, all the fluid that had been trying to drain out through her nose got stuck in the canals and became infected. That of course made her body send out white cells to the area to try and fight off the infection, causing more pus and buildup.

When I had unblocked her nostrils, there was some green goo that drained out, but not much. I used one of those bulb things for clearing out babies' noses to suck some of the fluid out, and it seemed clean at the time.

Apparently I was wrong.

That's the only thing I can think of, considering where/how the cyst is positioned, and the fact that she was able to begin breathing out of her nostrils again once all the pus was out of there and it had been flushed out, and since there had not been an injury there to begin with.

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