Abscess?

I took my female hognose to the vet on Monday because I noticed swelling on the right side of her face and jaw. I was very worried as we lost our spinner make ball python to swelling that took over his entire head a few years ago. The vet said this was likely an infection or an abscess but because she is so small (unlike my male hognose, she only eats live mouse pinkies and even then, only sometimes. She weighs only 11g), he had a hard time looking at her mouth.

She had one dose of Baytril at the vet and we just gave her another tonight. While giving her the meds, I was able to get a picture of her mouth and it looks like an abscess. I'm going to call the vet first thing in the morning to update him. The white part of the abscess was not as visible at the vet.

Yikes, hope it gets better!

She got another dose of antibiotics and she was definitely more alert and feisty. The abscess ruptured slightly and some puss came out. She seems to be feeling a lot better. I hope she continues to get better. I'll post an updated pic of the infection when she gets her next dose.

What do you think could cause an abscess in the mouth? Ingrown tooth or bedding? Most of the time my snakes will grab a rat on the face right near the mouth. I'm always worried about a bite to the snakes head or mouth.

Honestly, we have no earthy idea. She's in a 6qt tub on paper towel. The only thing in her tub is a water dish. There's nothing other than a feeder she could have injured herself on. She feeds on mouse pinkies and very small fuzzies. I checked her today and she looks a little better. The swelling seems to be decreasing slightly.

Stress can be the biggest cause.

I can't think of any causes of stress.

Main ones new enclosure,home,breeding,sometimes new snakes in the same room or even putting the snake in a new room can cause it.

Nothing like that. She's been in the same tub (6qt) since I got her. No new snakes since last year. I haven't bred any snakes this past season and she's too young and small to be bred yet. I did move them to a new room but that was almost a year ago.

I would say then it is just one of those things that happens.