Loss of pigment

[olivehydra]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has encountered a gradual loss of pigment in their snakes. I have attached a photo, not the best, but it shows one of the affected areas. The python is an olive and the "new" colouration looks similar to it's belly colour. Any comments??

Cheers.

[craig.a.c]

Is there any way that it may have burnt itself? Scar tissue maybe?

[geckodan]

Has it been treated with injectable antibiotics. Baytril injection will occasionally leave a depigmented area adjacent an injection site.

[BROWNS]

Yep i have a jungle i treated with baytril and it scars looks very similar but i've noticed it in other places and on one other jungle.What's got me is the jungle was black and white as till 2 then went creamy and now patches similar to the above pic coming through light yellow though...very strange!!!!

[Morelia_Hunter]

They get it if you dont wipe the wound off after injecting with baytril. Baytril kills skin tissue after an injection if a little bit gets released from the wound before it closes. Mine stopped getting this since i started wiping the wound off. Has anyone ever used liquid baytril. I used it overseas. Great stuff, No marks and administered orally.

[geckodan]

Most of the problem stems from the fact that it is supposed to be given as an IM injection and most people tend to give in subcutaneously. It is quite acidic and this is what causes local necrosis. The oral formulation is great but I personally find it harder to get owners to stomach tube a snake than to inject it correctly. I use the oral formulation on lizards more often.

[Morelia_Hunter]

Can you get the oral solution here though? How can i get it? I love the stuff. Lots of people dont know how to inject snakes properly though!!!!!

[Duke_jensen]

how do you do it properly? just wondering as i've been shown by a vet i would like to know if they told me the right way.

[serpenttongue]

Olivehydra, the scar in that pic looks like it could have been caused by high humidity. When they shed during too much humidity' small patches can occur that ultimately lead to scale rot. Also sometimes when they're about to shed, the oils under the skin may not have completely cleared and when the skin is cast off there can be slight damage to the underlying new skin. In any case a scar like that will clear after a few sheds, provided that the heating and humidity are correct.

[reptile14u]

MORELIA , U CAN GET BATRIL 25 ORAL SOLUTION HEAPS EASIER TO GIVE THAN INJECTION TALK TO YOUR VET HE CAN GET IT FOR YOU LASTS FOR EVER.

[herptrader]

My female olive regularly gets similar marks. I doubt humidity is the problem. The lighter coloured areas seem to be sticky and collect dust. I have assumed it is to do with shedding complications. My male has almost identical conditions but never the same problem.

[geckodan]

Can you get the oral solution here though? How can i get it? I love the stuff. Lots of people dont know how to inject snakes properly though!!!!!

MORELIA , U CAN GET BATRIL 25 ORAL SOLUTION HEAPS EASIER TO GIVE THAN INJECTION TALK TO YOUR VET HE CAN GET IT FOR YOU LASTS FOR EVER.

The problem with both of these comments is that because of the widespread use of baytril oral or injectble in this country (both are readily available as they are used commonly in dogs and cats) is that only 30% of cultures that I run on sick snakes shows that baytril is the drug of choice. It is a presription drug so you cannot just "get it" without a valid reason however vets that just want herpers to leave them alone (due to snake phobias or general disinterest) will often give out baytril illegally rather than deal with the real issue. They are doing no good service to anybody.

[Morelia_Hunter]

And vets with a little reptile experience try to make a buck of kids who just want to get their reptiles better. It is cheaper to buy a new one than go to a vet! This might be a generalisation but that is my opinion!!! And by get it i meant I did not know it was available here. I have had lots of good results with baytril. Maybe you can inform us of other drugs that are broad spectrum that you can use and what to use it for? Funny how in other countries highly qualified reptile vets always prescribe baytril as a first line of defence. How many peoples reptiles actually survive long enough to have cultures run?

[geckodan]

The actions of some vets in the attempt to make some more money is ethically wrong. I am the first to agree with you. I have a real issue with offering a service that you cannot supply.
Baytril once was a good reptile drug and I do still use it where cultures recommend it. The real problem is that is is quite broad spectrum in mammals but misses the mark quite a lot with regards to reptile pathogens. Many local and overseas vets still treat a lot of reptiles for "baytril deficiency disease". Whether this is right or wrong depends on the sensitivity patterns seen in that clinic. Some clinics see a lot of cases where the bacteria are highly sensitive to baytril, others (like ours) see poor baytril sensitivity. A culture only takes 24-48 hours to run. If the condition is not critical we will hold off treatment until the cultures come through (no point charging for a drug that isn't going to work). If the case is critical we will give either pipericillin or lincospectin as our first line of choice until the culture results come in and then we change accordingly.
I think one of the biggest problems is that veterinary science is at the end of the day somebodies business. If we can't treat an animal for nothing or near to it we are the baddies and are trying to rip you off. Few other businesses are treated with as much contempt just for trying to run their business.

[Morelia_Hunter]

Do you know any snakes that went lame in the last third of their bodies after using pipericillin on them? A mate of mine had these symptom with a big female black head of his. He lost the snake the following day. What do you think Geckodan?