help baby boa has a recessed bottom jaw, mouth rot

[punk_chick22]

my boa's bottom jaw is noticably smaller than the top I'm not sure whats the matter or how to treat it, may it be displexia? When he let me pick him up I noticed his upper jaw looked swollen and pink. I started at home treatments for mouth rot because there are no vets in this area that will take snakes.

[LORI]

Re: help baby boa has a recessed bottom jaw

Weeelll.. Actually I have never heard the term of Displexia associated with a snake's jaw really myself. I have heard it as a synonymous term for hip-displasia in a dog though. I do not think that it would be termed as such in a snake at all though due to the relativity factor of there being no actual "joint" involvement in a snake's jaw present like there is in a dog's
hip[s]. A snake's jaw does not have an actual hinge/joint at all. The jaw is actually "LINKED" top to bottom via elasticiity tissues and not bone jointing etc. I could be mistaken though ??? :
ANYWAYS.... As for your question in regards to your snake's jaw alignment.....It could be associated with the jaw being out of line for one thing....OR it could be that is how the snake's jaw is actually aligned and will remain. You said this is a baby boa right ? I have had on occasion babies that have looked like this in clutches here and there...That the snake was like that for a few months and then things looked normal after that point. In those cases nothing was found to be wrong, just basically a cosmetic type thing and the snake was healthy and in time grew to look "normal". WEIRD none the less I thought, but vet said not to worry and I didn't and all turned out fine for the snake.
Was the snake like this since birth or is this a recent thing going on with the snake ? It could be that the jaw became
"dis-positioned" and will correct itself in time also. ie... from a feeding possibly.
Also could be that the snake is go9ng to remain like this...Long as it is not affecting the snake in any major "life" activity, like feeding etc..Then no need to worry over it either. It would just be a "looks" type thing going on with the snake if that is what's going on. Have you had a vet check the snake out at all to look at this yet ?

[punk_chick22]

Re: help baby boa has a recessed bottom jaw, mouth

I took him to the vet he has mild infection in his jaw treated with a topical solution and fluids for dehydration. I used this site as a reference on how to treat mouth rot, this may have saved my baby, Thanks.

[LORI]

Re: help baby boa has a recessed bottom jaw, mouth

GREAT, then it should be all healed up in no time now. Is it silvadene that the vet put as the topical ? Have been seeing/hearing of quite a few vets utilizing the silvadene lately for snakes.

The dehydration is most likely playing into what is happening with the jaw and how it looks possibly also.

[Doug]

Re: help baby boa has a recessed bottom jaw, mouth

HI,
Here's a listing dedicated to finding reptile vets in your state.
[ftp]http://www.herpvetconnection.com/[/ftp]
I had a time finding one ..
Most vets don't want ot admit they havent any repitle experience. doug

[punk_chick22]

Re: help baby boa has a recessed bottom jaw, mouth

he was perscribed novolsan is the other perscription better? The vet doesn't know much about reptiles but she's the only one around here willing to help at all.

[LORI]

Re: help baby boa has a recessed bottom jaw, mouth

he was perscribed novolsan is the other perscription better?

HMM.. The NOVALSON is actually an anti-bacterial scrub ..like a surgical type scrub. It is used to clean the area basically and has an anti-germ type capacity as well as cleansing one. In the other presciption thing your asking.. What one ?
I think you might be refering to the Baytril or the Amakacin in this. Could be wrong though.
With what your snake has going on. it is best that the snake be placed onto an anti-biotic such as the BAytril IMo also. The novalson serves a different purpose actually. BOTH combined are what should take care of the problem at hand though. Just make sure to watch the dehydration factor if the snake is placed onto the BAytril .