A NEWTON Abbot vet faced a slithery challenge when his patient came in with a surprising twist in the tail.

Fang the corn snake was taken to vet Dr Lennon Foo after her family noticed an unusual swelling towards the end of her body.

The much-loved snake’s family took her to Amity Vets in Brunel Road after trusting their instincts that something was wrong.

Their quick-thinking to take her for a check-up made all the difference.

During Fang’s initial examination, the veterinary team observed a noticeable swelling in the caudal (back) third of her body.

To get a clearer picture, an x-ray was taken and the imaging revealed something abnormal.

A spokesman said: ‘It was clear Fang was hiding a little secret.

‘With gentle handling and plenty of patience, our team carefully performed a delicate procedure — and discovered the cause: Fang was egg-bound.

‘One by one, we removed six retained eggs that she was unable to pass on her own.

‘To make things more complicated, there were signs indicating a secondary infection that needed prompt attention.’

Following the procedure, she was started on an antibiotic, administered via injection every three days, to help her body fight off infection and recover comfortably.

Fang is now back home in her vivarium, resting well and on the road to full health and is expected to make a complete recovery.

Dr Foo, directory at Amity Veterinary Care, said: ‘Fang handled her procedure wonderfully and is a great reminder of why early intervention is so important.

‘We’re so proud of her resilience and grateful to her family for bringing her in as soon as they noticed something wasn’t quite right.’