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LouiseB
Yearling Hoggie

United Kingdom
624 Posts

Posted - 31/10/2011 :  20:05:11  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi all,
I've noticed a weird kink in my hoggy's back. I hope this picture works OK cos I'm trying to do it from a phone, but here goes:



http://m1206.photobucket.com/linkcodes/?mediaUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpbr1206.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb441%2Flouiseb2%2Futf-8BS2luay5qcGc.jpg

If I massage my hoggy's back, this does straighten out, but the kink reappears soon after. Should I get him to the vet?

1.0.0. Western hognose (Baldrick)
0.1.0. Amel bloodred corn snake (Cornflake)
R.I.P. Bob (Western hognose)

Edited by - Gmac on 31/10/2011 23:35:20

LouiseB
Yearling Hoggie

United Kingdom
624 Posts

Posted - 01/11/2011 :  09:18:44  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for editing that, Gmac. What does everyone think about this? I'm quite worried about him now - could he have hurt his back somehow?

1.0.0. Western hognose (Baldrick)
0.1.0. Amel bloodred corn snake (Cornflake)
R.I.P. Bob (Western hognose)
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Mamma
Hatchling Hoggie

United Kingdom
192 Posts

Posted - 01/11/2011 :  22:36:16  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Has your hoggie always had this kink? When did you get your hoggie?

Mamma. Location: Dundee

2.0.0 cornsnakes 1.1.0 kingsnakes 0.1.0 western hognose 0.1.0 hog island boa


wishlist: Arizona mountain kingsnake. Tricoloured, western hognose, Thayers kingsnake...pretty much MOAR kingsnakes



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Gmac
Grumpy Scotsman

United Kingdom
155 Posts

Posted - 01/11/2011 :  23:33:04  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Reckon a visit to the vet may be in order, if it returns to this state its possibly a kinked spine but only an xray would show or confirm this.

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LouiseB
Yearling Hoggie

United Kingdom
624 Posts

Posted - 02/11/2011 :  09:23:59  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I got him in April this year, and this kink seems to be something that has only appeared in the last couple of weeks. He can still eat OK and it doesn't seem to bother him, but then it is difficult to tell with snakes.

If it did turn out to be a kinked spine, what would the prognosis be? Would it mean having to have him put to sleep? I obviously don't want him to suffer but I equally don't want to lose him. What with my other hoggy refusing to eat at the moment, they're causing me a lot of stress! Thank god for my relatively trouble-free cornsnake!

1.0.0. Western hognose (Baldrick)
0.1.0. Amel bloodred corn snake (Cornflake)
R.I.P. Bob (Western hognose)
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Mamma
Hatchling Hoggie

United Kingdom
192 Posts

Posted - 02/11/2011 :  12:12:23  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
no you shouldnt have to have him put to sleep. Im pretty sure he can live a long and happy in himself life. The only thing with kinks is NOT to breed. xxx

Mamma. Location: Dundee

2.0.0 cornsnakes 1.1.0 kingsnakes 0.1.0 western hognose 0.1.0 hog island boa


wishlist: Arizona mountain kingsnake. Tricoloured, western hognose, Thayers kingsnake...pretty much MOAR kingsnakes



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Gmac
Grumpy Scotsman

United Kingdom
155 Posts

Posted - 02/11/2011 :  12:13:35  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by LouiseB


If it did turn out to be a kinked spine, what would the prognosis be? Would it mean having to have him put to sleep? I obviously don't want him to suffer but I equally don't want to lose him. What with my other hoggy refusing to eat at the moment, they're causing me a lot of stress! Thank god for my relatively trouble-free cornsnake!



If the snake is eating and pooing without any problems, if it does turn out to be kinked, then you still have a nice pet snake. There are many snakes out there that survive happily kinked, i have one, just dont use it for breeding. So no possibly not require to be PTS.

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LouiseB
Yearling Hoggie

United Kingdom
624 Posts

Posted - 02/11/2011 :  13:45:43  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
That's a relief. He's a grumpy little so-and-so but I do love him and I would be distraught if I lost him.

I wasn't planning to breed from him, but I think he did father some little ones before I got him. Does this get passed on to their progeny, then? I might take him to be x-rayed first, and then if he does turn out to be kinked, do you think I should tell the original owner about it?

1.0.0. Western hognose (Baldrick)
0.1.0. Amel bloodred corn snake (Cornflake)
R.I.P. Bob (Western hognose)
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Gmac
Grumpy Scotsman

United Kingdom
155 Posts

Posted - 02/11/2011 :  23:50:14  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I would mention to the breeder if it is kinked, is likely to be incubation problem but there is always the possibility that it is genetic.

However if this has only shown recently, it may have had some problem in the housing. Is there any way this snake could have fallen from anything?


Edited by - Gmac on 02/11/2011 23:53:19
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LouiseB
Yearling Hoggie

United Kingdom
624 Posts

Posted - 03/11/2011 :  09:07:19  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
There is a possibility, he lives in a RUB at the moment and he often tries to climb up the sides and usually ends up falling back down again when he can't get a grip on the plastic. He could have landed awkwardly one time, maybe.
I'll get him to the vet and see what he says.

1.0.0. Western hognose (Baldrick)
0.1.0. Amel bloodred corn snake (Cornflake)
R.I.P. Bob (Western hognose)
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Mamma
Hatchling Hoggie

United Kingdom
192 Posts

Posted - 03/11/2011 :  10:01:02  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Let us know how you get on xxx

Mamma. Location: Dundee

2.0.0 cornsnakes 1.1.0 kingsnakes 0.1.0 western hognose 0.1.0 hog island boa


wishlist: Arizona mountain kingsnake. Tricoloured, western hognose, Thayers kingsnake...pretty much MOAR kingsnakes



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LouiseB
Yearling Hoggie

United Kingdom
624 Posts

Posted - 08/11/2011 :  13:46:15  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Well, I've had him to the vet, and it looks likely that it's congenital scoliosis. The prognosis is OK as long as the kinks in his spine don't become any more pronounced, and as long as he can still eat, poo and move without any discomfort. But if it gets any worse and starts to affect his quality of life, then he may have to be put down. I have mixed feelings in that I still have him for now, but the vet wasn't really able to give me much idea of the timescale involved. As he said, it might stay as it is for years, or it might get worse next week. Poor little Bob, I hope he keeps going for a while yet...

1.0.0. Western hognose (Baldrick)
0.1.0. Amel bloodred corn snake (Cornflake)
R.I.P. Bob (Western hognose)
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Gmac
Grumpy Scotsman

United Kingdom
155 Posts

Posted - 08/11/2011 :  19:37:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
im sure he will

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Mamma
Hatchling Hoggie

United Kingdom
192 Posts

Posted - 09/11/2011 :  09:57:59  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Im with Gmac. Im sure he will too xxxx

Mamma. Location: Dundee

2.0.0 cornsnakes 1.1.0 kingsnakes 0.1.0 western hognose 0.1.0 hog island boa


wishlist: Arizona mountain kingsnake. Tricoloured, western hognose, Thayers kingsnake...pretty much MOAR kingsnakes



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LouiseB
Yearling Hoggie

United Kingdom
624 Posts

Posted - 19/01/2012 :  11:34:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
An update on this one - the kinks have so far stayed much the same - they got slightly more pronounced just after I had him to the vet, but things don't seem to have progressed since. Bob can still eat, but he does sometimes show a reluctance to take his food, and I am wondering if this is because he finds it more difficult to get the food past his kinks. I've taken to feeding him two pinkies instead of a fuzzy but I just want to know if I should be giving him a calcium supplement as well, since pinkies have less bone density and fur than fuzzies?

1.0.0. Western hognose (Baldrick)
0.1.0. Amel bloodred corn snake (Cornflake)
R.I.P. Bob (Western hognose)
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