Last fall, Dickerson Park Zoo veterinarian Erica Wilson examined the zoo's blood python to try to determine the reason the snake had bloated. This is a chronic condition for this snake.
Dr. Wilson first used an endoscope to look inside the snake. She found a suspicious mass and opted to do exploratory surgery.
Dr. Wilson found a significant amount of intestinal bloat. The intestinal wall was very thin with a moderate amount of mucus. She noted a number of dark pink nodules on the intestinal membrane surface. Biopsy results were inconclusive.
The blood python recovered well from surgery and is at the Ambler Diversity of Life exhibit building.

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