Injury

Hippy chick

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Hi guys im at my wits end with my Horsefied. I accidently dropped her 2wks ago and she landed face down on my living room carpet. She was odviously hurt because her nose was bleeding and she was very disorientated. I took her to be seen at our vets and they gave her fluids and a pain injection and kept her over night. I was allowed to take her home the next day as her nose had stopped bleeding and the vet said there didnt seem to be any lasting damage. Thing is she hasnt eaten or drank since the accident, and she still seems to be in some discomfort. She only comes out of her bed if i bring her out and put her under her light, but all she does is rub her nose with her arms and pull her head inside her shell as if her nose is still bothering her. My vet said to bring her back if she hasnt eaten and they will put a tube down her throat to feed her. Well this sounds awful especially if her face is still so sore. Do i sit and wait it out until her nose feels better or do i take her to be force fed? She wont eat until shes out of pain but they said they cant see any injury. All she wants to do is be left alone in the dark. I dont know what to do for the best. Please help
 

zovick

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Hi guys im at my wits end with my Horsefied. I accidently dropped her 2wks ago and she landed face down on my living room carpet. She was odviously hurt because her nose was bleeding and she was very disorientated. I took her to be seen at our vets and they gave her fluids and a pain injection and kept her over night. I was allowed to take her home the next day as her nose had stopped bleeding and the vet said there didnt seem to be any lasting damage. Thing is she hasnt eaten or drank since the accident, and she still seems to be in some discomfort. She only comes out of her bed if i bring her out and put her under her light, but all she does is rub her nose with her arms and pull her head inside her shell as if her nose is still bothering her. My vet said to bring her back if she hasnt eaten and they will put a tube down her throat to feed her. Well this sounds awful especially if her face is still so sore. Do i sit and wait it out until her nose feels better or do i take her to be force fed? She wont eat until shes out of pain but they said they cant see any injury. All she wants to do is be left alone in the dark. I dont know what to do for the best. Please help

Hi,

If the tortoise hasn't eaten for two weeks, the feeding tube might be a good idea. That way, you can give it nourishment and/or medications without the tortoise having to use its mouth which is most likely still quite sore and keeping it from eating. Just FYI, the feeding tube is not put through the mouth. It is placed into the stomach through the esophagus from the area between one front leg and the neck. It is a flexible plastic tube which is then bent back onto the tortoise's shell and taped into place. It has a special end on it which you will open up and use a syringe to deliver the feedings, medications, etc. Then it should be flushed out with some water and closed again till the next feeding or medication is given. I am sure your vet will fill you in on all this as well, but it isn't painful to the tortoise and should help keep it healthy while it heals. The tortoise will also be able to eat on its own through the mouth while the tube is in place if and when it wants to do so.

Good luck.

Bill Z.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Hi,

If the tortoise hasn't eaten for two weeks, the feeding tube might be a good idea. That way, you can give it nourishment and/or medications without the tortoise having to use its mouth which is most likely still quite sore and keeping it from eating. Just FYI, the feeding tube is not put through the mouth. It is placed into the stomach through the esophagus from the area between one front leg and the neck. It is a flexible plastic tube which is then bent back onto the tortoise's shell and taped into place. It has a special end on it which you will open up and use a syringe to deliver the feedings, medications, etc. Then it should be flushed out with some water and closed again till the next feeding or medication is given. I am sure your vet will fill you in on all this as well, but it isn't painful to the tortoise and should help keep it healthy while it heals. The tortoise will also be able to eat on its own through the mouth while the tube is in place if and when it wants to do so.

Good luck.

Bill Z.
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Hippy chick

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Thanx for your reply. Ive just got back from the vets and theyre going to xray her head to check for fractures and theyre also going to insert a feeding tube. Didnt know what to do for the best really. Shes looking pretty poorly so im just glad shes getting some nurishment at last . Feeling so dam guilty for dropping her
 

ZEROPILOT

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A feeding tube would be to force feed and remove right away.
The surgical insertion is an Esophagostamy. The tube is used to feed for many days, weeks or months and is held in place with stitches. It stays in untill being removed by the vet at a later date.
 

cmacusa3

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However, I wouldn't recommend doing this to a tortoise that has only gone two weeks without eating.
The photo is of one of mine that hadn't eaten in 3 months.
See if it'll drink. Hydration is very important.
I agree with Ed, they can go long periods without eating, soak and keep hydrated. I wouldn't do the feeding tube just yet.

Do you know what the pain injection was that they gave?
 

Kasia

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Thanx for your reply. Ive just got back from the vets and theyre going to xray her head to check for fractures and theyre also going to insert a feeding tube. Didnt know what to do for the best really. Shes looking pretty poorly so im just glad shes getting some nurishment at last . Feeling so dam guilty for dropping her
Why didn't they do it previously? Head injury, nose bleed, night at the clinic and no X ray? If It was my tort I would consider finding another Vet. Best wishes for you both.
 

Pearly

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Thanx for your reply. Ive just got back from the vets and theyre going to xray her head to check for fractures and theyre also going to insert a feeding tube. Didnt know what to do for the best really. Shes looking pretty poorly so im just glad shes getting some nurishment at last . Feeling so dam guilty for dropping her
I can only imagine how guilt ridden you must be now. And i can totally see how easy it would to drop them! They wiggle and scratch with those scales and spurs, it hurts! I have a special carrier for mine when taking them up or downstairs to take them outside. Not taking chances of getting caught by surprise and dropping one. I am so sorry you have to go through this
 

Pearly

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Why didn't they do it previously? Head injury, nose bleed, night at the clinic and no X ray? If It was my tort I would consider finding another Vet. Best wishes for you both.
Totally agree! Xray would be the first thing I'd want to check too, but maybe the vet saw something else that was reassuring for no fractures/brain injury. I know that many of us here struggle with lack of choices in reptile vet care and often get stuck with the only one available in the area. To this vet's credit he did the obs overnite when likely doing some tortoise neurochecks which can be very telling in head injury. Way back when there was no imaging in medicine, no xrays not ct's, mri's, sonograms, ekg's, and doctors were using other diagnostic methods.
 

teresaf

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I can only imagine how guilt ridden you must be now. And i can totally see how easy it would to drop them! They wiggle and scratch with those scales and spurs, it hurts! I have a special carrier for mine when taking them up or downstairs to take them outside. Not taking chances of getting caught by surprise and dropping one. I am so sorry you have to go through this
Can you post a pic of your carrier? I'm trying to get ideas...
 

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