Coastal Carpet Python Cramping up, Anyone Know what this might be from?

[rustypython]

Afternoon,

I have a 7 year old female coastal carpet python, and recently the upper part of her neck seems to cramp up and she coils up and all the muscles go really stiff as if she has gone into some giant spasm and cant get out of it. It goes for about a foot behind her head, and got me beat, its as if she has chronic arthritis and freaks out if you touch her there or even if she moves. She has also gone off food, keen to look at it stare at it as if she wants to eat it but just wont do it.

Contacted a few vets in Toowoomba which got me no where, so will try to get to see Dr Bob from UQ hopefullly within the next week if I can make an appointment.

Any help would be well appreciated.

 

[clipo38]

looks bad :? how big is her tank ?

 

[rustypython]

About 7ft, x 4ft x 5ft, its a large fitted out wardrobe. She is out several times a week for space and a stretch but usually doesnt go far.

 

[DeadCricket]

I can see what you mean about her neck about a foot back. I haven't had any experience with this at all I'm sorry. Also haven't found anyone in Tbar who might know. Let me know if I can help in anyway.

Could be muscle spasms but those bumps look odd. Did it come after a difficult feed?

 

[rustypython]

Come out of no where to be honest, it really has me stumped. Was fine one day then a problem with top part, now going all down her body in a short period of time. Did some research there is some form of infection they can get in their body and get treatment with antibiotics so hoping its is something that can be fixed. She has had a rough time had a C section years ago from being egg bound.

Never seen anything like it.

 

[snakeynewbie]

Infection as you just suggested or possibly something neurological, epilepsy maybe...

 

[DeadCricket]

Any news?

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

hi rusty python, last year i had a coastal carpet python with the same signs as yours is displaying,mine was about the same age too. There wasnt much we could do ,sadly the snake had to be euthanased and i gave the body to vet for dissection to see what she could lear of its condition.
She mite be a good person for your vet to chat about this.
Another interesting factor was the mother of this snake suffered an osteoporosis type disease and her bones where brittle.

 

[neo1530]

hi rusty, i also had a python with a similar problem, i thought it was a thought it was IBD (inclusion body disease) but wheni took her to a vet in brisbane they said it was a respiratory infection, so they put her on baytril as they normally do.
i found her three days later, cramped up like your girl, not able to move, it turned out it was IBD, i took her off baytril and i started giving her warm baths to loosen her muscles, it worked really well she started eating again as well, but she was a very old snake so she only lived another 2 years after that. just thought maybe you could give that a go as well.

jason

 

[Colin]

Another interesting factor was the mother of this snake suffered an osteoporosis type disease and her bones where brittle.

hi rusty, i also had a python with a similar problem, i thought it was a thought it was IBD (inclusion body disease) but wheni took her to a vet in brisbane they said it was a respiratory infection, so they put her on baytril as they normally do.
i found her three days later, cramped up like your girl, not able to move, it turned out it was IBD, i took her off baytril and i started giving her warm baths to loosen her muscles, it worked really well she started eating again as well, but she was a very old snake so she only lived another 2 years after that. just thought maybe you could give that a go as well.

jason

IBD (beleived to be a retro virus) -link- Inclusion Body Disease

MBD metabolic bone disease - Paralysis in Green Iguanas
identification and treatment of MBD -link- Identification and treatment of metabolic bone disease
calcium metabolism and MBD -link- Calcium metabolism and metabolic bone disease
myoclonic and other spasms in iguanas and other reptiles -link- Myoclonic and other spasms in iguanas and other reptiles

 

[rustypython]

Thanks guys, unfortunately she passed this morning. Vets had a look and had no idea what it was. When i picked her up the whole body was limp but that part of her neck was stiff as a brick and even when deceased you could not move it.

Did some research and apparently insufficent vitamin d can be a big cause of it and matches up with some of the links u guys provided, or a blood born infection was another suggestion which may have been caught from the c section she had 3 years ago. Was not really that old, but she never had a successful clutch of eggs either so who knows.

Thanks for all the input anyway, appreciate it.

 

[Schnecke]

Sorry to hear about your girl. Thanks for letting us know the outcome.

RIP

 

[DeadCricket]

I'm sorry to hear that mate. Just shows how easy it is, even when you are doing all the right things.

RIP

 

[Darlyn]

Condolences to you Rusty, sad news.