Dark skin, constipation and Enrofloxacin medication

abe_97

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Long story short, my tort was intensive care at the vet 2 weeks ago after discovering that he his liver was on the verge of failing, he had a lung infection and issues with his pancreas. The vet successfully flushed his system and returned his liver levels back to normal.

Now I've had him home for 2 weeks and have been giving him his meds every day, have been trying to feed him, etc. He stopped eating for long time but I've been feeding him via syringe for the past week with a mix of different greens I liquified - so far it's helped him a lot. I'm doing a lot of other things to nurse him back to health as well, but that's not my main concern. I noticed his skin is much much darker and that he hasn't passed a bowel in 2 days (and he tried to quite a few times yesterday without success). Is his skin getting darker an issue? Has anyone had experience with this?

He gets soaks 3x per day, I take him outside in the sun 1x per day, I feed him 2x per day via syringe and get him to bask as much as possible (he tends to sleep a lot and I want him to move around so he can get around to eating/passing bowels again).

I also wanted to get an opinion on anyone who's used Enrofloxacin on their tort before. I need to give it every day amongst his other meds - the other meds go down fine but it looks like the Enrofloxacin is actually causing him pain... The stuff is maybe too strong, he scratched his eyes and tries to regurgitate it when I give it to him orally. This last 30min and he goes to sleep right after the Enrofloxacin, doesn't matter if he's full of energy I think he can't stand it (last picture).

IMG_20200605_193109.jpgIMG_20200605_193114.jpgIMG_20200605_193124.jpgIMG_20200605_193237.jpg
 

abe_97

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To contrast how dark his skin is from usual, here's a recent picture of him with his usual skin color.

IMG_20200516_143834.jpg
 

KarenSoCal

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When humans have liver disease, frequently the skin and eyes turn a dark yellow. It's called being jaundiced. Maybe that's why his skin is so dark?

As for the antibiotic, maybe call the vet and see if it comes as an injectable, or another med could be substituted. Torts often won't eat when on antibiotics.
 

Yvonne G

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Enroflaxin is Baytril. It IS an injectible and it stings like crazy, sometimes even causing the injection site to die. You can ask for a different antibiotic, one that's less invasive.
 

abe_97

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Enroflaxin is Baytril. It IS an injectible and it stings like crazy, sometimes even causing the injection site to die. You can ask for a different antibiotic, one that's less invasive.

When you say it causes the injection site to die, do you mean the skin/area it's injected in/around? Do you think the darker skin is a side effect of the Baytril? I've never seen his skin so dark, it almost looks like a huge bruise. And I've seen him dyed with substrate (maybe after sleeping in it with moisture) but this is actual discoloration of the skin which is worrisome.
 

ZenHerper

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Injectible Baytril can be give orally (and often is when tiny doses are indicated and/or the tablets are not going to work). It is extremely bitter.

It is a prescription medication...the only person legally able to give you advice about it is the veterinarian who prescribed it. Do call the vet's office right away and report the behavioral and skin symptoms you are seeing at home.
 

abe_97

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Injectible Baytril can be give orally (and often is when tiny doses are indicated and/or the tablets are not going to work). It is extremely bitter.

It is a prescription medication...the only person legally able to give you advice about it is the veterinarian who prescribed it. Do call the vet's office right away and report the behavioral and skin symptoms you are seeing at home.

I'm checking with the vet. I didn't know that Baytril was bitter. Anyways I contacted my vet a while ago and they haven't answered me yet. I think my vet (there are many vets at the clinic) only works a few days a week at the moment. So I'll just have to wait.

Thank you for the advice and info.
 

abe_97

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UPDATE: The culprit was the EicosaDerm (Omega 3). About a year into the treatment, my tort's symptoms got even worse with insane swelling of his neck (to the point he could not put his head into his shell).

Roughly 3 years ago (about a year after the time this thread started), I ran out of EicosaDerm and was so busy with work, I didn't get a chance to get a refill for my tort. About a week in from not giving him EucisaDerm, his skin went back to normal, the swelling of his neck was gone and he was way more active and had a bigger appetite. I honestly stopped trusting my vet after this and especially when they recommended I put down my tort. My tort is doing better than ever now and only on Allopurinol to keep his kidney levels in check.
 

Yvonne G

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Good to hear. You may even reconsider the allopurinol.
 

Tom

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UPDATE: The culprit was the EicosaDerm (Omega 3). About a year into the treatment, my tort's symptoms got even worse with insane swelling of his neck (to the point he could not put his head into his shell).

Roughly 3 years ago (about a year after the time this thread started), I ran out of EicosaDerm and was so busy with work, I didn't get a chance to get a refill for my tort. About a week in from not giving him EucisaDerm, his skin went back to normal, the swelling of his neck was gone and he was way more active and had a bigger appetite. I honestly stopped trusting my vet after this and especially when they recommended I put down my tort. My tort is doing better than ever now and only on Allopurinol to keep his kidney levels in check.
I was reading through the whole thread and I never saw the original CAUSE of the sickness. It does no good to treat the symptoms if the cause is not discovered and corrected. What made him get sick in the first place?
 

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