Help with Mouth Rot

So the Female Northern White Lipped Python, has a bad case of mouth rot. When I first got her I knew something wasn’t quite right but these are high stress animals so I opted to leave her be for a bit. I’m planning on taking her to the vet today. Any opinions and helpful words?

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Keep us posted,. Goodluck

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@stewart_reptiles

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Update:
I messaged the person I got them from. He told me that I can clean her mouth and treat her at home with listerene and that it should clear up quickly. He told me that if she isn’t better by the end of next week that I should take her to the vet, so I am going to attempt to treat her at home.

My recommendation is to go to the vet as soon as possible.

Call them and ask if you use Listerine, will it affect the treatment they use should you need to go to them . I doubt it will but you dont want to turn up to be told to come back when it’s left the system.

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Just to be sure of something, is this person a credible breeder? I don’t believe I have heard mouth wash as being a option to treat mouth rot. Only thing I know mouth wash to be used for with reptiles is to get them to release when biting.

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He is Credible. I talked to another credible breeder who is my friend and he uses just high temps. This is to just get a jumpstart before I am able to go to the Vet Monday.

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Just to add some of the process I’m aware that can help with treatment before a vet visit.

Increase the temperature by 2-4 degrees. Maintain this temperature around the clock.
As you know the purpose of this increased temperature is to help you snakes immune system fight off bacterial infection.
If you’re experienced you can GENTLY flush their mouth with hydrogen peroxide or some other MILD antiseptic.
If you don’t know how to do this or know of someone knowledgeable of doing it, I wouldn’t attempt that on your own.
You can also pry open their mouth and gently swab away any of the noticeable cheese or exudate. As you were told by the breeder, some people have success with squirting a dilute antiseptic mouthwash, this can make the infection yield. Again tho have someone experienced show you as to not get the mouthwash in the snakes digestive or respiratory tract.
But overall a qualified vet is your best call, I hope everything goes well before Monday, nice job catching it and asking for help, I know it sucks.

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Well that’s double mouthwash :wink:

I have heard this before, though I have zero experience in it personally and don’t know how well it works.
My brother in laws boa went through a period of yawning for a few days a while back, he asked the local pet store and that is what they recommended.

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haha didnt realize my mistake lol. This is what happens when you work grave yard shifts hahaha. It is interesting though because I never would have thought mouthwash was a treatment option for a thing like this.

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Thanks for the support. I’ve done exactly that, I swabbed her mouth, got all of the junk out, dabbed with mouthwash, and bumped the temps up from 85 to 90. I feel so bad for her and wish I would have caught it sooner.

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Could always be worse. The important thing is that you are treating her the best you can and taking her to see a vet. Not much more you can do from here but she will get better :slight_smile:

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That’s pretty much everything you can do for at home treatment so you’re sitting good right now. Monitor her the next few days, see how much cheese stuff came back if any and go from there.
Don’t feel bad, this stuff happens sometimes and you definitely did a lot to help her out.
Definitely keep us updated :+1:.

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What causes mouth rot?

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Stress, low temps, an injury in mouth or infection.

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Well I guess this could fall under a mouth injury category but also if substrate gets stuck in the mouth. When this forum was just getting started I remember a influx of new keepers asking how their animals got mouth rot and alot of the time they were using generic wood chips for reptiles.

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Dirty living conditions can also cause mouth rot besides the conditions @unkn0vvn1221 mentioned.

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The breeder told me he suspected she got an Injury during shipping, due to the way her head looked like when I got her, I suspect she had this going on a bit before she got to me.

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Checked on her this morning, she’s relaxed and her mouth is able to close, she’s getting feisty with me which I’m taking as a very good sign. Going to do another rinse in a little bit. And if anyone was wondering, her name is Sarohtaar. All of the Bothrochilus in the collection are named after Skyrim Dragons. lol.

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UPDATE: she has been taken to the vet and has confirmed mouth Rot and a respiratory infection. I have to give her shots every 3 days with a total of 10 injections. I am very stressed.

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