Dirty Vent

[Digitaliss]

I have had my BHP since 16/06/2011 and since we received her, she has had a dirty vent. She had been to the vet and the vet was not terribly concerned and advised us to clean with it diluted Betadine to prevent infection, we have been doing this, but have not seen a large amount of improvement. She is currently being kept on red sand, but I am debating changing her to paper towel or newspaper in case it is the sand irritating her.

Her vent looks very wet in the photograph as I have just cleaned it. The residue left behind does not rub away even if you soak her and really moisten it. The residue normally dries hard, but she does not appear to be having problems defecating, though but i would still like to see this cleared up.

She had not shed in the time we have had her, so I do not know if this will help the situation at all.

Please help and advise if there are any suggestions that might help improve her situation, or I may need to take her back to the vet.

 

[AirCooled]

Change substrate and monitor,otherwise get get second opinion if your not happy with vet

 

[Crystal..Discus]

Change the substrate - put her in a tub with paper towels. If it doesn't change within a week, take her to a different vet for a second opinion.

 

[Digitaliss]

Thanks for the advice. I have just finished changing her substrate to New paper (would paper towel be even better?) and hope to see an improvement. She appears to be getting ready to shed, which I also hope will help her heal.
If i don't see an improvement she will be back off to the vet. Are there any recommendations as to the vet i should see, I'm in the Brisbane area.

 

[cement]

take a stool sample for the vet to check under a microscope for protozoans and flaggelates. They sometimes cause a dirty bum.

 

[kawasakirider]

Not trying to be rude or anything, but wouldn't it occur to you to change the substrate? Grains of sand would irritate things I'd imagine.

Good luck with her, I'm sure you can sort it out. Hopefully it's not something that if left untreated would render her infertile.

 

[souldoubt]

I dont need to repeat anything about the substrate, if it doesn't clear up after the shed I can't recommend any of the vets at brisbane bird and exotics vet in Macgregor highly enough

 

[Digitaliss]

Not trying to be rude or anything, but wouldn't it occur to you to change the substrate? Grains of sand would irritate things I'd imagine.

It did occur to me yes and I have just changed her substrate as mentioned above. I have not changed it sooner as I have never had a problem with my Stimson living on red sand and I had hoped that the betadine would fix it up. I mainly posted on here to see if any one else had had the same problem and to see how they had fixed it.

take a stool sample for the vet to check under a microscope for protozoans and flaggelates. They sometimes cause a dirty bum.

A stool sample has gone to the vets twice and they have advised both times that everything is normal.

 

[Fantazmic]

I would use paper towel rather than newspaper it is softer and more absorbent. Just my opinion

 

[Digitaliss]

I would use paper towel rather than newspaper it is softer and more absorbent. Just my opinion

Thank you for your advice. I have read positives and negatives for both and could not happily settle on one or the other.

 

[AirCooled]

Have you had blood tested?

 

[Digitaliss]

Have you had blood tested?

Yes, she had her blood tested shortly after we received her and she had a high white white cell count. This was treated though a series of antibiotics and numerous more blood tests. Her hematology has come back fine now

At the time of the blood tests I pointed out her vent to the vet and all that was said was to clean it with Betadine. I am starting to get worried about it even though the vet was unconcerned.

 

[Digitaliss]

Well it has been 5 days since we changed her substrate. Her vent appears to be getting better and is not as inflamed at the moment, but I am still looking at booking her into the vet for an appointment on Saturday. I have also been soaking her in warm water before cleaning with the Betadine. The photo below was taken after tonight's clean.

What does everyone think? Are there any other things I should/could be doing to make this heal faster?

 

[JimnTraf]

if there is an improvement after 5 days, i'd keep the routine up and see after 2 weeks.

i keep all my bhp's on flat sheets of newspaper and have never had any problems, it's large so can do the enclosures easy with 6 sheets, and it's free ( i use my local free paper and any old ones from work ). Also it's quick and easy to clean and replace, just my 2 cents on it
downsides are it doesnt look flash, but everyone who see's mine are too busy looking at the animal than at the newspaper

jim

 

[Digitaliss]

i keep all my bhp's on flat sheets of newspaper and have never had any problems, it's large so can do the enclosures easy with 6 sheets, and it's free ( i use my local free paper and any old ones from work ). Also it's quick and easy to clean and replace, just my 2 cents on it
downsides are it doesnt look flash, but everyone who see's mine are too busy looking at the animal than at the newspaper

jim

I have her on Paper Towel at the moment and it seems to be helping her alot. I am just very worried that if it is not fixed soon it may lead to other problems internally as I have never seen a snake with a dirty vent such as this.

02/09/2011
We went off to the vet yesterday. The vet checked her vent for infection and bacteria and she was cleared for both. The vet suggested that it may just be stained skin and to cease using the Betadine. She suggested instead that we use Vitamin E cream on her vent instead. She requested a poo sample, which we did not have, so that will be taken into the vet tomorrow.

She had a very runny poo this week, but I think that it was due to stress, as she has been bathed multiple time which she is not used tol, plus had her substrate completely changed. I will be keeping an eye on it though, hoping that her poo is back to normal this week.

 

[Digitaliss]

I am glad to announce that she has shed for the first time since we have had her and her vent is completely normal.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get residual skin from the bottom of a snakes chin?

 

[Schnecke]

Soak a towel in warm water and let her slither around on it. The moisture and gentle friction will help remove it.

 

[Digitaliss]

Thank you Schnecke. I have been trying that for three days and having no success; but we just had success. I just soaked her for a longer period of time, in only a couple of MM ow water so she kept her head down and then gently held the end that was a little loose and she pulled it right off herself (this had not worked previously and I have not wanted to pull it myself as i know jaws are very sensitive).

So she is now looking wonderful! Thank you very much for everyone's help.

 

[Elapidae1]

Have you ever caught her in the act of passing faeces? I have a python with a history of prolapse that is usually dirty around the vent.

 

[Digitaliss]

No, I have never seen her pass anything. I really hope that it is not prolapse as she is not even 12months old yet.

It is clean at the moment after her shed, and she has passed once since then (though it was mainly water with little substance as she has not been fed since the beginning of her milkyness). She will be fed on Saturday morning so I will be monitoring her closely after that to see how she goes passing something substantial.