A 23-year-old reticulated python has made medical history by becoming the first snake to receive electrochemotherapy, a cancer treatment commonly used in human medicine. The snake, which weighed 40kg, was diagnosed with a tumor that required intervention beyond standard veterinary care.

Veterinarians opted to use electrochemotherapy, a technique that uses electrical pulses to increase the permeability of cell membranes, allowing chemotherapy drugs to enter cancer cells more effectively. The procedure was performed to address the growth while minimizing the impact on the animal's overall health. Following the treatment, the python has reportedly recovered well. According to reports, the snake has returned to her previous state, described by caretakers as 'bright and feisty.' This case marks a significant milestone in exotic animal medicine, demonstrating that advanced human oncology treatments can be adapted for reptiles.