What to Expect at Your Snake's Wellness Visit
The treatments and services below are what you can expect when you bring your snake in for their routine wellness visit.
- New pet exam – Physical exam, fecal analysis, suggested disease screens
- 6 Month exam – Physical exam, fecal analysis
- Annual exam – Physical exam, fecal analysis, CBC/Blood Chemistry Panel
- Senior exam – Just like the annual exam, and we also recommend imaging (radiographs, ultrasound or CT) to screen for internal disease
Common Diseases & Conditions in Snakes
Snakes are most prone to health issues such as:
- Inappetence (lack of appetite)
- Parasites including pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and coccidia
- Thermal burns – Thermal burns can be caused by contact with an unprotected heat source in the snake’s enclosure, and may vary in severity. If you notice signs of a burn, you should contact us right away so we can examine and treat your snake.
Signs of a Health Emergency in Snakes
While some cases require urgent treatment, most after-hours concerns are best evaluated by our experienced team. Rather than going to an emergency clinic, the best thing for you and your pet is to come see our specialists at our next available appointment. If no appointments are available, we offer Emergency Admission Mon-Saturday beginning at 8am.
Signs Your Snake May Need Urgent Care
- Weak/unresponsive
- Open-mouth breathing
- Tremors/twitching
- Prolonged inappetence
- Regurgitating/vomiting
- Making frantic movements
- Blood in droppings
- Prolapse
- Straining to pass stool/egg
Signs Your Snake May Need Emergency Veterinary Care
- Most snake concerns can and should wait to see a specialist, except in cases of major trauma, uncontrollable bleeding, or unconsciousness
If you suspect that your snake is dehydrated, immerse them in a small amount of lukewarm water for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day. Be sure that your snake is strong enough to hold their head above the water.
Save on Essential Care with the Snake VetCare Package
Bringing home a new snake comes with a lot to learn, and we’re here to make getting started easier. Designed specifically for new snake owners, our Snake VetCare Package provides a convenient, affordable way to cover essential routine wellness and preventive care for a healthy new snake. With our Snake VetCare Package, you receive $742 worth of care for only $590.
Book your VetCare Package appointment below. Select the “Other Visit” option when booking, and select your VetCare Package from the “Appointment Type” drop-down menu.
This VetCare Package is intended for essential care for new snake owners only and does not cover visits, diagnostics, or treatments related to illness or injury. Because our VetCare Packages are already discounted, they cannot be purchased with CareCredit, Cherry, or Scratchpay, and no coupons or other discounts can be applied.
Includes Everything Your Snake Needs to Give Them a Great Start in Life:
Comprehensive Health Checkup
Snakes are very skilled at hiding illness. The Snake VetCare Package includes a full physical examination by one of our vets. These checkups help us look for underlying issues that may not be outwardly noticeable to you.
Intestinal Parasite Screen
The Snake VetCare Package includes a combined test to screen your snake for pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms, coccidia, giardia, and other harmful parasites, all of which can be harmful to their health.
CBC (Complete Blood Count)
The CBC uses a small drop of blood to screen your snake for issues such as infection, inflammation, and/or anemia.
Arenavirus, Ferlavirus, and Nidovirus Screen
We will screen your snake for these viruses, which cause diseases of the respiratory and central nervous systems.
Arenavirus: The arenavirus causes a condition called “inclusion body disease.” This disease leads to serious illness in snakes, including bacterial infections, withering and anorexia, and neurological problems.
Ferlavirus: The ferlavirus can cause respiratory and neurological diseases in a variety of snake species.
Nidovirus: The nidovirus can also cause severe respiratory illness in snakes, which in some cases can be deadly.
Package Add-Ons
Blood Chemistry Panel: ($140 save $80). Blood chemistries can reveal any issues related to tissue and internal organ dysfunction and help to detect diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, and other disorders.
Disclaimer: Our VetCare Packages are for healthy pets only. Because the VetCare Packages are already discounted, they cannot be purchased with CareCredit, Cherry, or Scratchpay, and no coupons or other discounts can be applied
Need to Board Your Snake While You’re Away?
Your pet is in the best hands at our exotic pet boarding facility, where our experienced staff caters to their individual needs and offers them all the comforts of home. Birds, reptiles, pocket pets, and other exotics require a lot of time and attention that most pet sitters and boarding facilities cannot provide.
Care Sheets and Handouts
Use the care sheets below for more snake care information.
Ball Python Care
Cuidado de la pitón bola (Español)
Corn Snake Care