Lumps All over my Diamond Python. Please HEEELP!

[Boshpython]

Hi There. I got to the site looking for information about lumps on a snake. A couple of months ago my snake developed a lump under the skin close to the head. Not long after this lump grew and started to look irregular, more like 3 lumps in 1. I took her to a couple of local vets and one of them took a fluid sample to send it to a lab. According to the vet the results suggested that the lumps were "Melanoma". This vet suggested that a tissue sample was needed to confirm this. This procedure was unaffordable for me. I took to different local vets and they all agreed in keeping the snake under observation. A couple of weeks after I had to travel overseas for about six weeks. I just got back and realised that the lumps grew in an abnormal way, it when from being a small lump of probably around 1 inch long to an invasion of probably 10 inches or more. Now the affected area goes from head to many inches down the body. All the affected area is on the belly side. I am VERY concerned about this. I think and feel that it’s too late to save her. Please HELP me!!! I can send pictures to anyone who can help. I appreciate any comments!... BTW she is still feeding well. Thank you very much in advance.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

PM sent

 

[Woma_Wild]

Poor thing

 

[andynic07]

That is a really nice looking diamond. How old is it?

 

[saintanger]

does not look good, please get her to a vet asap.

 

[Rlpreston]

Hi There. I got to the site looking for information about lumps on a snake. A couple of months ago my snake developed a lump under the skin close to the head. Not long after this lump grew and started to look irregular, more like 3 lumps in 1. I took her to a couple of local vets and one of them took a fluid sample to send it to a lab. According to the vet the results suggested that the lumps were "Melanoma". This vet suggested that a tissue sample was needed to confirm this. This procedure was unaffordable for me. I took to different local vets and they all agreed in keeping the snake under observation. A couple of weeks after I had to travel overseas for about six weeks. I just got back and realised that the lumps grew in an abnormal way, it when from being a small lump of probably around 1 inch long to an invasion of probably 10 inches or more. Now the affected area goes from head to many inches down the body. All the affected area is on the belly side. I am VERY concerned about this. I think and feel that it’s too late to save her. Please HELP me!!! I can send pictures to anyone who can help. I appreciate any comments!... BTW she is still feeding well. Thank you very much in advance.

To get a better understanding of what you are wanting help with, do you want to know what you should do with the snake? Or what the lumps are?

If, as you stated, the vet indicated that it was melanoma then this is probably the case unfortunately. This being the case, only a vet can help. If you want to save the snake, the bill will probably be large (much more so than that for a biopsy) and the other option is to have her euthanised humanely, which should also be handled by a vet.

Best of luck

 

[Ramy]

The fact that the vet wanted to test for melanoma, and that the lumps have spread doesn't look good for your snake. The problem with cancer is that ignoring it means it has a chance to get worse, and it doesn't get better on it's own. I don't want to sound rude, but in the future maybe you should consider whether you can afford the occasional vet fee before taking on a pet? I think you're in for another vet visit, I doubt anyone on the forum can do more than speculate. To properly determine what's wrong, you probably need that biopsy. Depending where you're from, users might be able to recommend their preferred vets.

Good luck

Reptile Vets - Aussie Pythons & Snakes

 

[serpenttongue]

Are these lumps actually hard/firm, or do they feel like they are filled with air?

I had a DPS infected diamond develop lumps like this along the neck, but they were filled with air and would deflate when *****ed with a syringe. I have heard that this happens when the lung has been punched accidently.

If these lumps are hard and cancerous then there's not much you can do. I have had vets cut cancerous lumps from a carpet pythons mouth and throat, only for more to grow in the same place very quickly.

 

[the_brad]

Are these lumps actually hard/firm, or do they feel like they are filled with air?

I had a DPS infected diamond develop lumps like this along the neck, but they were filled with air and would deflate when *****ed with a syringe. I have heard that this happens when the lung has been punched accidently.

If these lumps are hard and cancerous then there's not much you can do. I have had vets cut cancerous lumps from a carpet pythons mouth and throat, only for more to grow in the same place very quickly.

Interesting you say it's air from a punctured lung.. DPS does horrible things to the bones, and could easily puncher a lung I imagine.

 

[serpenttongue]

Interesting you say it's air from a punctured lung.. DPS does horrible things to the bones, and could easily puncher a lung I imagine.

Thanks for realising I meant "punctured". I just noticed I typed "punched".

But then even you typed "puncher" instead of "puncture" at the end of your sentence!