# Possible SFD on my kingsnake? Help!



## DesertTimeTown (1 mo ago)

I am worried about my desert kingsnake, after a shed I noticed a rough patch but thought it was a stuck shed and didn't think too much of it. Now checking it it dosnt look like a stuck shed, there's this scab looking thing on one side of her head and a tiny white spot on the other, it has me really worried it might be snake fungal disease. But I don't know how she would have gotten it, I haven't handled any other snakes since I've gotten her. I keep her heatpad at 85 degrees F, I keep her substrate dry and only feed frozen so no mouse could have bit her. 

I am pretty new to reptiles and I don't know how worried I should be. Does anyone know if maybe it's just a scab, or something worse?


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## Malum Argenteum (5 mo ago)

How long have you had the snake? Could it possibly have had any exposure to any WC herps? If it moved through the retail chain, or was purchased from a seller that carries any WC herps, then it could have been exposed.

There's not a lot of data available, and it seems that experimental _Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola _infections have a pretty short incubation period, but there is known to be a pretty high rate of subclinical infection in wild populations. I'm not sure about asymptomatic rates in captive populations -- I'll bet it is pretty low.

I've only seen one snake with SFD (at a nature center), so don't have any visual diagnostic experience. Sure looks like a possibility, though.

A vet could diagnose. There's a PCR test available they could easily run, and of course do a differential diagnosis to consider other similar conditions. Unless it is an obvious physical injury (I had a milksnake get its head stuck in a vent hole once -- that came to mind when I saw the photos), I'd recommend a vet visit ASAP. You can search for a qualified exotics vet here: ARAV.


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## DesertTimeTown (1 mo ago)

Update: bought some Tamodine and planning to use some antibacterial ointment with no painkiller until I can get some advice from a vet


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## DesertTimeTown (1 mo ago)

Malum Argenteum said:


> How long have you had the snake? Could it possibly have had any exposure to any WC herps? If it moved through the retail chain, or was purchased from a seller that carries any WC herps, then it could have been exposed.
> 
> There's not a lot of data available, and it seems that experimental _Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola _infections have a pretty short incubation period, but there is known to be a pretty high rate of subclinical infection in wild populations. I'm not sure about asymptomatic rates in captive populations -- I'll bet it is pretty low.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much from the info. I actually got her from a friend, her parents are wild caught and native to the area but she was captive bread. None of their snakes have ever had any problems with fungal infection or anything of the like. Shes about 1.5 years old from what they told me and ive had her for about half a year. I sure hope its not SFD, I looked at some pictures online and it looked pretty bad. I am going to call around and see if any vets can help me soon, thanks for the link as well. Any idea how much a diagnostic and vet visit usually costs for a pet snake? I also bought some Tamodine to use for some at home treatment.


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## Malum Argenteum (5 mo ago)

I personally wouldn't do any shotgun home treatment at this point. _Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola _is reported to have a high false negative rate on PCR, and antifungal treatment sure won't improve that (and won't cure the condition anyway). Since the vet is quite likely going to take a swab for some purpose or other, topical treatments of any sort may be counterproductive for diagnosis and likely won't help the snake anyway.

Vets all bill differently. Mine gets $70 for each office visit, $125 for a PCR swab and $125 for basic bloodwork. I recall a bacterial culture being maybe $50. I've read about much higher office visit charges; I suspect that some vets don't give away their time on an office visit for exotics since herp keepers are more likely to refuse treatments than are cat and dog owners. At $70 for a half hour of time for a DVM, a tech, part of an office staffperson's time and overhead, that's a serious money losing proposition.


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## DesertTimeTown (1 mo ago)

Malum Argenteum said:


> I personally wouldn't do any shotgun home treatment at this point. _Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola _is reported to have a high false negative rate on PCR, and antifungal treatment sure won't improve that (and won't cure the condition anyway). Since the vet is quite likely going to take a swab for some purpose or other, topical treatments of any sort may be counterproductive for diagnosis and likely won't help the snake anyway.
> 
> Vets all bill differently. Mine gets $70 for each office visit, $125 for a PCR swab and $125 for basic bloodwork. I recall a bacterial culture being maybe $50. I've read about much higher office visit charges; I suspect that some vets don't give away their time on an office visit for exotics since herp keepers are more likely to refuse treatments than are cat and dog owners. At $70 for a half hour of time for a DVM, a tech, part of an office staffperson's time and overhead, that's a serious money losing proposition.


I gotcha, thanks very much for the advice and the info. It makes sense that some vets wouldn't be enthused about treating reptiles I suppose. Before I got that list of exotics none of the clinics I called were about reptiles at all.


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