Mouth-rot is also known as stomatitis, and it is a common affliction of snakes. Snakes owners everywhere, even in Orange County, have to take great care in watching their reptile friends. If they pay careful attention they can catch it quickly. Stomatitis is not a disease, but rather a manifestation of an underlying problem. It allows bacteria to colonize in the mouth. This bacteria causes the tell-tale signs.
Some causes of mouth-rot are wrong temperature settings, bad diet, and even oral injuries. Oral injuries can by caused by many things such as live prey, chewing on various materials, and so on.
First symptoms include excess saliva, not eat or drink normally, and small areas of bleeding in the mouth. Should the first signs be missed there could be small areas of cheesy looking discharge, and possibly loose teeth. As soon as you recognize the symptoms of stomatitis you should take your snake to your veterinarian. It can be treated if caught in time, but if not it is possible your snake will not make it.
Should the spots have encapsulated it may be possible to remove them with tweezers, and dress the cavity. This is a job for a snake specialist, and therefore shouldn’t be done by just anyone.
Photo by Drtel.
You will probably need to use mouthwash to keep the snake’s mouth clean. It should be strong enough to clean the remaining necrosis, but not too strong where it will damage healthy tissue. When using it don’t let the snake accidentally swallow any as they could put more stress on an already sick animal.
Since stomatitis is caused by bacteria from an underlying problem it is necessary to find the main cause. Sometimes, the snake will be treated with a wide spectrum antibiotic. This can be prescribed by your veterinarian.
Prevention is the best route though. Make sure your slithering friend eats well, has appropriate temperature settings, and a clean living area. Good luck and stay vigilant snake owners in Orange County, and around the world.