Shocking tail loss.

[Stefan-A]

If I had to guess, I'd say the tail got caught between or under something and the snake just twisted itself free, losing the tail in the process.

[gregmonsta]

Well, she's still doing fine. I've been teating the wound twice a day with iodine tincture (2.5%). She shed her skin the following day and also ate without thinking twice about it which is of some solace. The wound is fine for the moment but I'll be keeping a close eye on how it heals.
If the wound decides to seal round the bone instead of covering the small piece exposed, then vet intervention may be in order to remedy the situation.

[chris-uk]

Well, she's still doing fine. I've been teating the wound twice a day with iodine tincture (2.5%). She shed her skin the following day and also ate without thinking twice about it which is of some solace. The wound is fine for the moment but I'll be keeping a close eye on how it heals.
If the wound decides to seal round the bone instead of covering the small piece exposed, then vet intervention may be in order to remedy the situation.

I hope it heals nicely, but it shouldn't be any serious surgery if you do need a vet to deal with the bone. Having said that, could it be dealt with under a local anaesthetic? It would be a case of rolling back the skin, taking an extra vertebra or two off, then stitching back to close the wound properly. My guess would be that it would involve a general, which would be a bigger risk than the procedure.
Fingers crossed for a nicely healed wound without intervention.

[gregmonsta]

Will be going to seek a vet's opinion today. Some hassle though: the vet I used to use here in my own town stopped practicing here over a year ago - my other 'regular' vet has, as I've found out, stopped practicing at the centre where I used to be able to get access to him - so now I have even further to drive to find someone with a good reputation. Fingers crossed this new vet is worth the extra miles.

[gregmonsta]

Well, antibiotics today and tomorrow, op on Friday, back home Saturday. I've been given an arsenal of Baytril, flammazine cream and a painkiller.

They'll be going back another inch and a bit to clear the tip and potentially infected area. Anything to stop the infection progressing any further.

[chris-uk]

I assume you don't need me to ask you to make sure you get some good before and after photos?

[gregmonsta]

I got the phonecall that she'd made it through the op and had traveled back from the sister practice where the op had been done. Will be picking her up tomorrow morning.

I'll add another couple of 'before' pics while I'm here. Warning, they don't look tasty but it shows why I ended up going to the vet. With the swelling reduced more spine was exposed and it was still looking angry, inspite of treatment with iodine.

[guidofatherof5]

Keep us posted buddy.

[Lisa4john]

Poor girl. I hope she heals fast and is up and slithering happily along very soon.

[chris-uk]

Hope she's in better shape now. Definitely needed surgery.