In the UK, veterinarians have successfully treated a reticulated python with a malignant tumor using an innovative method, reports infohub.kz.
At a zoo in Kent, veterinary surgeons performed a unique procedure to save an 18-year-old reticulated python named Jodie Foster. The five-meter reptile had a tumor in its oral cavity that was growing rapidly and preventing the snake from eating. Traditional surgery did not guarantee complete removal of affected tissue and carried high risks for the python's life.
To treat the reptile, specialists decided to use electrochemotherapy, a method rarely used in exotic veterinary medicine. This technology combines the administration of low doses of chemotherapy drugs with the application of short electrical pulses to the affected area. The pulses make cancer cell membranes more permeable, allowing the drug to act precisely and destroy the tumor from within.
The procedure was successful, and within a few weeks veterinarians recorded the complete disappearance of the growth. The python has fully recovered, returned to its normal diet, and is in good health. Experts note that this case is a significant breakthrough in veterinary oncology and opens new possibilities for treating cancer in large reptiles.