Infiltrative Lipoma in a Black Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta

ABSTRACT A male black rat snake, Elaphe obsoleta, was presented to the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine with a soft, spongy extracoelomic mass, approximately 10 cm by 3 cm by 3 cm, on the dorsal mid- body. The snake had no clinical signs associated with the mass, but an excisional biopsy was performed due to increasing size of the mass. Histopathologic examination of the mass revealed an infiltrative lipoma. For two years postoperatively, the snake continued to thrive with no recurrence of the neoplasia. Approximately two years after the surgical procedure, the owner reported a small mass cranial to the scar from the previous surgery.