Snakes

Pathology in Practice

“…2 Bloodwork abnormalities for the snake of the present report included mildly low heterophil count, which was most likely a normal variation; moderately high CK activity, which was most likely due to muscle damage from handling and IM injections; and mildly high aspartate aminotransferase activity, which was more likely secondary to muscle damage as denoted by high CK activity, although hepatocellular lipid accumulation may have also contributed. 11 The snake of the present report had 2 granulomas found on necropsy: 1 near the esophagus and 1 in the small intestine. There was no definitive diagnosis for these granulomas; however, differential diagnoses included perforation or ulceration of the esophagus from multiple tube feedings, parasite migration (considered unlikely because there was no evidence of parasites on necropsy nor histology), or chronic bacterial infection.…”