We have our fingers crossed for Cuddles, a 5 year old female Carpet Python. She has recently undergone surgery to remove of a stomach mass. Her owners first noticed a lump halfway down her body. It was situated in the region of her stomach, and initial tests indicated that it may have been an abscess of some kind.
Her surgery was performed and a mass the size of an orange was removed! It was attached to the stomach, and contained very smelly pus-like contents (yuck!). Samples were taken for analysis by the laboratory and the stomach and skin stitched back together. Cuddles made a fantastic recovery from anaesthesia, and was a great patient over the following two days being very bright and alert, so home she went!
Cuddles is continuing to do very well at home, but her laboratory results have indicated that the mass was actually a tumour (the technical name is a gastric adenocarcinoma). She will be closely monitored by both her owner and the staff of Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Service, because there is a chance that the tumour will recur. In the meantime, Cuddles continues to behave like the gentle lady she is!
