Bubbly nose! Ahhh!

[kellytat2]

Hi all! I'm a bit in freak out mode, any help would be greatly appreciated. My oldest baby Taco (approx 6-7 months old) has been acting a little down in the dumps the last week and I noticed yesterday that his nose was a little wet and then this morning there were bubbles. He's not breathing through his mouth but after I wipe off the bubbles, it sounds like he's going some gunk in his nose. Kind of like when we humans have a cold. Is there anything I can do here at home before taking him to the vet? Thank you all so much!

 

[Yvonne G]

Go to the pharmacy and buy a little squeeze bottle of sterile saline solution. If they don't sell it in small squeeze bottles, then buy the regular bottle and also buy an empty squeeze bottle. You can flush out the nostrils with the saline solution. Give it a good squeeze, not a gentle spritz.

I usually wait to go to the vet. If the tortoise is eating and acting normal, then I wait. But if the mucous turns thick or colored, then you need to take him in.

Sometimes they get over it on their own, just by you raising the temperature of his habitat, and sometimes if you wait, it becomes too late and the tortoise dies. So this is a decision you have to make on your own.

 

[kellytat2]

Thank you Yvonne! Going to the store now!

 

[kellytat2]

So he definitely has a URI, we took him to the vet yesterday and they gave us baytril injections. Any advice on the best injection spot?

 

[Lilyloveslettuse]

Poor little guy! I hope he feels better!

 

[sibi]

Here we go again. We had a thread about injecting baytril either in the muscle or under the skin between the neck and the upper arm. I had two torts come down with Uri and I was told to administer it in the muscle at the upper part of the tort's arm and neck. As it turns out, this med can be administered either way. Some here prefer under the skin so that there's no possible chance of nerve damage, and it may be less painful for the tort. I favor the muscle because I believe it works better. I believe the med is painful to administer either way. Btw, both my torts recovered very well. I know how to administer injections; so, naturally, I had no problems with it. Did your vet give the first injection? If so, did he inject the muscle of his upper arm? How did he tell you to administer it? Did he say to give an injection every other day for 10 days?

 

[kellytat2]

He did do the first injection and he did it in the lower leg closer to the shell. I specifically asked about where to inject and he said that we could inject anywhere. He also told us to inject him every 3rd day and there are 10 doses before we go back for a check up.

 

[AnnV]

Do you mean the rear leg? I would stick to the front legs.
That doesnt sound like very good instruction from vet. Are you already familiar with injecting medications?

Ann from CT

 

[mikeh]

We have been told by a scientist here that front rear leg does not matter. I for one will never allow injections in rear legs.

When my vet injected my sulcata in front leg muscles back in 90s he would limp for hours, not using the leg that was injected. I know better now, better vet, injecting in inner shoulder area just below the skin.

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* In regards to baytril injections

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[kellytat2]

Yes I meant rear leg, I don't know why I said lower, brain spasm I suppose. He's due for another shot on Saturday and I'll definitely go for the shoulder area. Thank you all for your help so far.

 

[Blakem]

Good luck! I would be nervous in giving my sulcata a shot. I hope everything goes well. Please keep us posted.