Sick corn

[Jessielou]

Hi

My corn snake, Goerge is really quite sick at the moment. He has a lump on his spine that the vet thinks may be a tumor. He aslo has a break in his spine that the vet thinks may be due to cancer spreading to his bones I'm giving him anti inflamatries and anitbiotics at home until his test results get back.

He has been very inactive since the lunp came up but today, when i opened his tank he starterd writhing around. Now, when he's not in the mood to be handled, he sometimes wraps himself around something so I cant pick him up and to start with i thought thats what he may be doing, as for the last week every time I've handled him it's either to give him an injection or put a syringe down his throat.

But now I'm worring that he might be in pain. I'm not due to take him back to the vets until Saturday but hate the thought of him being in pain until then.

Does anyone else have experience of this? I can read his body language enough to know that he's distressed but is he in pain too?

Jess x

[starry11]

I'm sorry to hear that it sounds like the wee fella is having a terrible time. It's hard to say if he is in pain becuase snakes are designed to not show illness as a mammal would. Mabye try phoning the vet again and see what they have to say and see if you can get an earlier appointment. Does the vet think he'll pull through? If it is spreading to his bones it may be kinder to have the wee guy put to sleep. Is he still eating and drinking ok?
Hope you get an appointment and some good news and he pulls through You must be worried.

[Chu'Wuti]

Oh, wow, Jessielou--I'm so sorry to hear about your snake's problems! I've never had such an experience in 30 years of keeping snakes, lizards, turtles . . . even the rescues. Wish I had advice for you, but I think you sound like a concerned enough and compassionate enough person to make a good decision about what to do for your snake. My sympathies, though--it's tough when an animal you care about is suffering and you can't fix it easily.