Tortoise opening mouth

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sparkling

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Hi everyone,
I'm sorry to start my first thread on such a sad note but maybe someone could give me some advice.
So, my Russian Lilly (7 yrs old) started to act strange about 3 days ago. She's stretching her neck and opening her mouth quite wide (like every 30 seconds or so), like there's something stuck in her throat or she's about to throw up. Except there's nothing blocking the throat or her nose. I don't suppose it's yawning either. I think, her eyes are a little watery too. Otherwise, none other symptoms are visible: no runny nose, no coughing, she's acting and eating perfectly well.
Could it be RI? I have an appointment with a vet tomorrow evening but I am really panicking.
Thank you.
 

Yvonne G

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Tortoises don't breathe through their mouth. So when their nose is plugged up, they don't breathe. Every so often when they need oxygen, a tortoise with a plugged nose will gasp - open his mouth wide and take in air.

In a very bright light, examine your tortoise's nose and see if you can tell if it is plugged.

The pharmacy sells little squeeze bottles of sterile saline solution for contact lens wearers. Buy a bottle and squirt it up each nostril. Don't be stingy. Give it a good, solid squirt - up each nostril. The other end of the nostrils terminates in the roof of the tortoise's mouth, so there is no danger of squirting fluid into the lungs.

If this doesn't solve your problem you'll probably have to take the tortoise to the vet.

A reminder: Don't allow the vet to administer the A,D,E injection. An overdose of vitamin A causes a tortoise's skin to slough off, and some vets don't seem to understand the correct dosage on this vitamin.
 

sparkling

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Yvonne G, thank you so much for a quick response! I already read your advice on other similar threads and used it but unfortunately nothing has changed :( So, I guess, I'm just going to keep my girl extra warm and hope for good news from a vet. Will let you know how everything went
 

sparkling

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Hi all,
we went to see a vet yesterday and she said it's obvious that Lilly has trouble breathing and it's probably because of RI :( She prescribed injectable antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. So, now we have to visit a clinic everyday for 3 days to see if my little one's getting better and after that I can give injections myself for another 5 days.
The tort didn't do anything but sleep all day after the visit. Today she's active again but her breathing is till through her mouth.
Also, as much as I trust the vet, should I ask for X-rays? I am so afraid that Lilly has pneumonia and it would be easier to treat her if we knew exactly what the danger is.
Can I still soak her or is it better to avoid it because of the injections?
Thank you.
 

mikeh

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It will take few days to see if the antibiotics are working. What kind of antibiotics is she getting?
You can still soak her in Luke warm water. Bump up her temps all around few degrees to help the immune system do its job.
Hope she pulls thru!

sent from mobile device using TFO app
 

beverley

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Hi. My little tortoise Olive had RI the vet gave her an antibiotic injection and a bottle of it to give her orally. We didnt think she would survive the night she was do poorly. But she did. As she was so small we just put it on her food and if she wouldnt eat a little bit on her lips. We kept that up for about a week and she's great now. Good luck with yours.
 

sparkling

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Thank you, guys, for your good wishes. Today we went to the clinic once again for another injection. However, the vet switched to other antibiotics, because Lilly's urine started to smell strongly.

mikeh, I can't remember exactly what kind of antibiotics she's getting, but I'll ask the vet again tomorrow and write it down.

beverley, I am happy to hear that Olive is well! Hope my girl is going to be alright in no time.
 

sparkling

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Update. It's the 4th day of the treatment and it seems my tortoise gone from not well to terrible. It's color turned slightly paler and brownish yellow (to me it's a visible change). His front legs look skinnier and the skin is peeling off a lot everywhere. Also, she started to leave tiny puddles of pee which stinks like ammonia. I called another vet who works at the national zoo reptile department and has deep knowledge about tortoises and he said that from all I've told him on the phone, it looks like the tort maybe have RI (hard to tell without examining), but his main concern, also, is that there's a huge problem with it's kidneys and urinal system. For now he advised me all the basics (higher temps, soaking in salty water, etc.). He's based quite far away from my city, but I'm taking a day off at work and going to see him probably on Thursday (or hopefully sooner).
After the conversation, I went back to see the local vet who's treating Lilly and she said that for now it's best to take her off the antibiotics, because she seems worse even before the treatment. She advised to keep the temps higher (already doing this from the beginning) and try to feed her food with multivitamins added...
Here's the antibiotic routine that Lilly had:
28th - Baytril 2.5% 0,4 i/m (not sure what that means); Rapidexon Dexamethson 2mg/ml 0.1 i/m
29th - Gentamycin 4% 0.2 i/m ; Rapidexon Dexamethson 2mg/ml 0.4 i/m
30th - Gentamycin 4% 0.2 i/m; Rapidexon Dexamethson 2mg/ml 0.4 i/m
31th - today - nothing :(
 

laney

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Sorry I can't offer any advice. Wishing your little one luck and strength to get better x
 

Ruchonnet

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If it makes you feel any better my tortoise also had the antibiotic injections and the first few made him feel terrible. He wouldn't eat, walk, or even move his head around. But by the 5th one he started perking up again and didn't seem to have any negative side effects from the shots after that.
 

sparkling

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Lilly didn't survive. It was like 10 minutes later after I wrote my last post here, that I went to her terrarium to check on her to find she was not moving.. It's just devastating to lose her after 5 years. Thank you all for the help and advices.
 

TJ1999

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I'm sorry for your loss, at least she's not in pain now *virtual hug*
 

cindyrae4

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I'm sooo sorry for your loss also! I lost a Russian a few months ago & it broke my heart. I know how you feel!

My solution was to get 2 more Russians. That helped in the healing. Hang in there! :)
 

ChaseNTx

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I've been following along on Lilly's treatment and I'm so very sorry to hear the sad news. You're in my thoughts tonite.


I've been following along on Lilly's treatment and I'm so very sorry to hear the sad news. You're in my thoughts tonite.
 

Kathy Coles

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I am so sorry about your loss. It seems you did everything that was possible for her. But just to help the rest of us in the future, was there anything, looking back, that happened that started this? It seems so scary that a loved tort could have this happen so suddenly. Thanks and be good to yourself.
 

Sulcata_Sandy

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I'm so so so sorry! I, too, have been following this thread and wishing the best for Lilly.

I have a Greek who's developing an URI. Was doing ok and seemed to be improving, but this morning he's worse, so I texted my boss to meet me at the hospital and get Larry on antibiotics today.
Thank you for posting the drugs and doseages, we can use that for making a protocol for Larry.
Thankfully Larry is still very active, friendly, eating, and otherwise normal.

{{{{{hugs}}}}}


Sandy
.......................................
Oregon Tortoise Rescue
 

sibi

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Sorry to hear what happened. The first med was what was given to my tort when be had URI. After 10 days of that, he was his old self. Your baby was just too sick...probably had pneumonia. Sometimes, out babies just can't fight anymore. Now, she's not hurting...only you. I wish I can take your pain off you and bare it for you.:'(
 
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