Ballooning/Fluid filled scales - help please?

[Mr.K]

Hi Everyone,

Ive got a problem with one of my diamonds. His scales in a small area are ballooning out with air or fluid. He is kept in extremely clean conditions and is just being brought out of cooling over the past two weeks. He is refusing Food as well which indicates to me that he is uncomfortable. Has anyone seen this before? I have been soaking him in Betadine solution a couple of times a day and am waiting for him to have a shed. I wanted to see if anyone could help me here before I take him into the vets for a shot of antibiotics. I have spoken to them about it but they are unsure what the go is (as there aren't many herp vets in our area)
Any experienced opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Kris

 

[craig.a.c]

He looks as though he is about to shed soon.

Those scales look as though it is dead skin. How do they feel to touch?

 

[OuZo]

Could it be a burn? I burnt my leg once and it filled with a gross fluid...can you touch it and see if there's fluid moving around in it? Does he have covers on the globes?

 

[craig.a.c]

I just had a look through the book "Whats wrong with my snake?", and it says - "A change in the colour and texture of the skin often signifies a bacterial or fungal infection"

Sounds like a vet job to me. Hope he gets well for ya.

 

[Mr.K]

Its definately not a burn Ouzo. The lamp has a cover and he only seems to bask under it mostly. he is due for a shed really soon Craig but i doubt that the skin is actually dead. It may look a bit off in the pic cos I have been soaking him in the betadine which makes him look a bit browny. All the rest of his scales over his body are healthy so far, its just that small area an inch above his little poo vent. I reckon you might be spot on with the Fungal or Bacterial infection dude. It would be great to hear from someone who has seen this exact problem.
Cheers guys

 

[Mr.K]

Maybe it could be "blister Disease"? I havn't seen this before but I have heard of it, and these scales do look like they are a bit blistery? Has anyone's animals had this disease or heard of it? I know its caused by too cold floor temps (maybe due to cooling) and also high and unforgiving humidity levels.

 

[Morelia_Hunter]

Right on the money mate. I have seen this disease with ball pythons overseas. It is usually associated with a wet cage or very humid cage, or from soaking too much in water. Dry the cage out, keep it on newspaper and after the next shaed it should be fine. Might just not be eating because its wrong season still. Nothing to stress about. Take it to the vet just in case.

 

[Franco]

Hi Mr K.

I've had this problem once before with one of my diamonds and it is indeed scale rot / blister disease. In my case it was not caused by high humidity, wet substrate or unhygenic cage conditions but simply by the cold rising through the floor of snakes cage. Do not bust the blister as they can spread (or so I've been told). Continue to heat your diamond and insulate the cage as best as you can. When the snake eventually sheds it may be left with discolouring and deformity of the scales around the infected area. Keep applying betadine and it should heal nicely.

Hope this helps

Franco

 

[serpenttongue]

Mr K, this is the beginning of scale rot/blister disease. And it often occurs in diamonds during winter cooling. Usually the reasons are because it spent most of its winter cooling period resting on a cool/cold floor and although your cage may seem very clean, small traces of bacteria get under the belly scales (while the snake is cool and vunerable) and act out their nasty intentions on your snake. I would say that the infected scales will die and fall off or at least be scarred if the snake sheds soon before the scale have time to die ( it does look like you've caught the problem early so you may be in luck there). You may also find small blisters filled with fluid on your snake if the problem isnt dealt with soon. In any case, a good shed is what your snake needs now and i would expect to see a little raw flesh after shedding. After this try and keep the infection clean and the snake warm.

Good luck Mr K.
kind regards, serpenttongue

 

[Wrasse]

My male coastal had blister disease recently, it showed up as a small lump, which, when touched and pushed, exuded a clear fluid and went down. The scales over the lump areas then died and were easily pushed off. The area remained raw and wet for a little while, then dried up and disappeared with the next shed.

I was treating the blisters with daily Chlorhexidine baths for the snake and Betadine ointment to the blisters afterwards.

 

[Mr.K]

Thanks Franco & Serpenttoungue,

This is the news I have been expecting. It must be the cool floor as there hasnt been any moisture over the cooling period.
I will Keep up the betadine treatment and keep you up to date on how it all goes.
Thanks very much for the explainations guys.

Kris