Russian tortoise white blood cell count low so needs ct scan?

No1much

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I think RCVS is just the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons...so the main oversight licensing board.

The Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice is a self study post-graduate continuing education whatsit. Not specific to any one thing from what I can find.

If he seems amenable, you might ask to be passed on to someone in the building for whom torts is more their thing. lol

As to what your pet needs, I'm afraid no one on the internet can really say with certainty. Opinions are plentiful. But every caregiver has to make their own decisions.

I know your absolutely right and I have to make these decisions but I kinda just want you to hop on a plane and come deal with it for me. Sorry about that ??.
 

ZenHerper

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I know your absolutely right and I have to make these decisions but I kinda just want you to hop on a plane and come deal with it for me. Sorry about that ??.

((Hugs))

We're all with you in your heart.

You have good instincts. Go with your gut.

Let us know how you're making out.

*********************

If @Yvonne G could tape your three threads together...? =D
 

No1much

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((Hugs))

We're all with you in your heart.

You have good instincts. Go with your gut.

Let us know how you're making out.

*********************

If @Yvonne G could tape your three threads together...? =D

Thank you so much. Will keep you guys informed and keep it to one thread in future... Sorry lol.
 

Krista S

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Thank you so much. Will keep you guys informed and keep it to one thread in future... Sorry lol.
Sorry for what you’re going through with your little guy. Thank you for loving him and getting him the best care you can. This must be heartbreaking to work through. I’ve been following your journey, so I just wanted to let you know I’m sending positive thoughts your way and hoping you get some answers and a solution very soon.
 

No1much

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Sorry for what you’re going through with your little guy. Thank you for loving him and getting him the best care you can. This must be heartbreaking to work through. I’ve been following your journey, so I just wanted to let you know I’m sending positive thoughts your way and hoping you get some answers and a solution very soon.
Aww thank you very much. It's very much appreciated
 

No1much

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Hey guys. Just a quick update. Cadwell has come on leaps and bounds the last few days. He's pretty much living his best life at the moment. His appetite is back. He's pooping (relatively) normal and he's got a hell of an attitude problem. Probably because of the needles ?. Something I am starting to notice though is his shell isn't growing very tidily. It's a bit crinkly and warped in places. Could this be part of an underlying issue that made him so Ill? I've attached pics. PXL_20210304_171629268.jpg
 

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harrythetortoise

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Hey guys. Just a quick update. Cadwell has come on leaps and bounds the last few days. He's pretty much living his best life at the moment. His appetite is back. He's pooping (relatively) normal and he's got a hell of an attitude problem. Probably because of the needles ?. Something I am starting to notice though is his shell isn't growing very tidily. It's a bit crinkly and warped in places. Could this be part of an underlying issue that made him so Ill? I've attached pics. View attachment 319955
Great to hear!
Shell looks fine to me. I've read that it's common for Russian tortoises to have shells a little bumpy.
 

TaylorTortoise

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Hey guys. Just a quick update. Cadwell has come on leaps and bounds the last few days. He's pretty much living his best life at the moment. His appetite is back. He's pooping (relatively) normal and he's got a hell of an attitude problem. Probably because of the needles ?. Something I am starting to notice though is his shell isn't growing very tidily. It's a bit crinkly and warped in places. Could this be part of an underlying issue that made him so Ill? I've attached pics. View attachment 319955
Is this a Westernn Hermans?
 

No1much

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Hi all. Just an update on Cadwell for anybody interested. After his second blood test his white blood cell count has increased by a tiny amount. However the rest of his bloods were fine (minus a slight calcium reduction due to his not eating) we finished his antibiotics but, typically, when administering the final dose my partner must've been a bit too rough with cadwells front right leg because he wouldn't move it for days after (he feels really guilty) when a new vet (who was amazing and so knowledgeable) rang with the blood results I explained the leg situation and she checked the records and said that was also the leg they took bloods from the day before too and it's probably just been injured by being manhandled two days running and to keep an eye but it should be fine.

Cadwell seems much better in himself. He's moving in and out of his basking spot. Eating (just his faves so far) but eating daily. He's even had an escape attempt or two. He's pooped and urated a couple of times. And he's putting some weight on that bad leg now. He's very slow but he is on the mend.

The new vet agreed that some torts do slow down in winter and white blood cells can naturally drop but there was clearly an infection due to his turn around after the antibiotics. She recommends giving him 4-6 weeks of good food, vitamins and plenty of baths and space to heal and we'll see how he is after that time. Obviously if he starts to go downhill again I am to take him straight back. But yeah that's where we are atm.

attached pic of Cadwell (left) and his brother blink having a soak.
vid of Cadwell having some tortoise diet (not the healthiest I know but it's one of the only things he's interested in eating atm)
 

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ZenHerper

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Feels great to find a doc who hears you, eh? =))

The tortoise pellets are fine - better than just eating lettuce, or some other one-thing graze.

To clarify - these guys have separate habitats?
 

No1much

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Feels great to find a doc who hears you, eh? =))

The tortoise pellets are fine - better than just eating lettuce, or some other one-thing graze.

To clarify - these guys have separate habitats?

Yeah he is spoiled! He has at least 4 different foods to eat per day!

They are in separate tables. Blink would probably eat Cadwell if he had the chance he's very aggressive even though he's smaller.

The top pic is cadwells (my tortoise)
The bottom pic is blinks (my partners tortoise) Blinks is a mess because he is the most hyperactive troublemaker of a tortoise you have ever seen
 

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Maggie3fan

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Hi all. Just an update on Cadwell for anybody interested. After his second blood test his white blood cell count has increased by a tiny amount. However the rest of his bloods were fine (minus a slight calcium reduction due to his not eating) we finished his antibiotics but, typically, when administering the final dose my partner must've been a bit too rough with cadwells front right leg because he wouldn't move it for days after (he feels really guilty) when a new vet (who was amazing and so knowledgeable) rang with the blood results I explained the leg situation and she checked the records and said that was also the leg they took bloods from the day before too and it's probably just been injured by being manhandled two days running and to keep an eye but it should be fine.

Cadwell seems much better in himself. He's moving in and out of his basking spot. Eating (just his faves so far) but eating daily. He's even had an escape attempt or two. He's pooped and urated a couple of times. And he's putting some weight on that bad leg now. He's very slow but he is on the mend.

The new vet agreed that some torts do slow down in winter and white blood cells can naturally drop but there was clearly an infection due to his turn around after the antibiotics. She recommends giving him 4-6 weeks of good food, vitamins and plenty of baths and space to heal and we'll see how he is after that time. Obviously if he starts to go downhill again I am to take him straight back. But yeah that's where we are atm.

attached pic of Cadwell (left) and his brother blink having a soak.
vid of Cadwell having some tortoise diet (not the healthiest I know but it's one of the only things he's interested in eating atm)
You do realize that obviously there's a lot of TFO members who do care and we are interested.:)
 

No1much

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You do realize that obviously there's a lot of TFO members who do care and we are interested.:)
Yeah I can see that. It's really heartwarming to see the responses.

Another reason I'm determined to keep this thread updated is because a couple of times ive searched the forum for posts about an issue myself or a friend might be having but as the saying goes "op never delivers". They kind of explain the situation and get some input but sometimes don't say how the situation ended. So I'm just kind of keeping things updated in case it becomes relevant to someone else at some point so they get the full story. I know I've been guilty of it in the past.
 
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