I have two 10 year old male Aldabran tortoises. Bo, (the Bigger One) and So, (the Smaller One). Last year Bo developed a foamy mouth. No other symptoms, just a lot of foam in and around his mouth. The vet prescribed a round of Baytril tablets to be administered, however at the end of the sequence there was no change. Because he was eating, wandering and otherwise acting normally, I just let it go.
Well, this year, seeing the two tortoises side-by-side, I've come to realize that Bo is now the smaller one. So now we have two symptoms: a foamy mouth and slow or non-growth.
My vet, Dr. Sue Lynch, used to be the vet at our zoo. She now has a private mobile practice. But because she's mobile, there are some things she can't do, for instance, an X-ray.
It was suggested that the tortoise might have bladder stones, and another suggestion was pnuemonia. Both of those things would show up on an X-ray. Dr. Sue was going to be working as a relief vet in a local vet hospital here in town, so we made an appointment for Dr. Sue to use their X-ray machine today.
Here's Bo trying to get away (because they can read minds and he knew something was afoot:
Dossilyn, the little girl from across the street, is a little afraid of the giant tortoises. I wanted her to stand next to the tortoise for size comparison, but she wouldn't without her dad's help.
Here's Bo in the back of the truck with Dossilyn screaming, "GET ME OUTTA' HERE!!!"
And here's Bo's ride being loaded into the truck:
Once we got to the vet office, we were busy loading up the tortoise into the wheel barrow, signing in, etc. and I completely forgot about my camera in my pocket - darn it! It was quite a sight to see. He hardly fit. But he was a pretty good boy, and didn't try to climb out.
So anyway...the X-ray doesn't show any stones and no pnuemonia. However, there IS a small piece of wire somewhere inside him. We weren't able to tell if it has punctured the intestine and is floating around inside or if its traveling down the normal route of escape. The vet didn't think this would be causing the foam. And she thinks (hopes) it will either rust away or pass through.
Looking at the stool sample under the microscope she thought she could see giardia, so she's going to get me some medication for that.
Bo is a strange shaped tortoise and not nearly as pretty as So, and on the X-ray his spine looks like he's got scoliosis.
Oh...and...Bo plus the wheel barrow weigh 185lbs. The wheel barrow without Bo weighs 55lbs.
Well, this year, seeing the two tortoises side-by-side, I've come to realize that Bo is now the smaller one. So now we have two symptoms: a foamy mouth and slow or non-growth.
My vet, Dr. Sue Lynch, used to be the vet at our zoo. She now has a private mobile practice. But because she's mobile, there are some things she can't do, for instance, an X-ray.
It was suggested that the tortoise might have bladder stones, and another suggestion was pnuemonia. Both of those things would show up on an X-ray. Dr. Sue was going to be working as a relief vet in a local vet hospital here in town, so we made an appointment for Dr. Sue to use their X-ray machine today.
Here's Bo trying to get away (because they can read minds and he knew something was afoot:
Dossilyn, the little girl from across the street, is a little afraid of the giant tortoises. I wanted her to stand next to the tortoise for size comparison, but she wouldn't without her dad's help.
Here's Bo in the back of the truck with Dossilyn screaming, "GET ME OUTTA' HERE!!!"
And here's Bo's ride being loaded into the truck:
Once we got to the vet office, we were busy loading up the tortoise into the wheel barrow, signing in, etc. and I completely forgot about my camera in my pocket - darn it! It was quite a sight to see. He hardly fit. But he was a pretty good boy, and didn't try to climb out.
So anyway...the X-ray doesn't show any stones and no pnuemonia. However, there IS a small piece of wire somewhere inside him. We weren't able to tell if it has punctured the intestine and is floating around inside or if its traveling down the normal route of escape. The vet didn't think this would be causing the foam. And she thinks (hopes) it will either rust away or pass through.
Looking at the stool sample under the microscope she thought she could see giardia, so she's going to get me some medication for that.
Bo is a strange shaped tortoise and not nearly as pretty as So, and on the X-ray his spine looks like he's got scoliosis.
Oh...and...Bo plus the wheel barrow weigh 185lbs. The wheel barrow without Bo weighs 55lbs.
