DESPERATE HELP!!!! (large stone at cloaca opening)

[heidiboo75]

Hi, I'm looking after a pair of Horsefield Hatchlings for a friend whilst she is in holiday, one of appeared to be straining a lot and couldn't pass anything out of its cloaca, on closer inspection I can't see what looks like a big urate stone just inside her cloaca!!! I can't tease it out and she's straining so hard to try and push it out herself but it won't budge!!! How can I help her dissolve it so she can pass it?? Please help someone???

 

[wellington]

Soak her a large container like a tub in warm water for about an hour. The movement may help her pass it. @Yvonne G will have some more ideas.
You can also try feeding her watery foods like cucumber, aloe, water melon.

 

[heidiboo75]

I have been soaking her in quite warm water, letting her walk around in the water in the hope it'll help move things along, but nothing! She only weighs 36g. I called a reptile vet close to me for advice and they seemed to think it would shift on its own and didn't think it necessary to intervene at this stage, also they can't perform any treatment like X-rays etc without the owners permission and they are away on holiday.. I'm just hoping there is something I can do to dissolve this stone slightly so that she can pass it naturally.. She is just so so tiny :-(

 

[Pearly]

Feed aloe, cactus and cucumber. I'd also try to rub some mineral oil on her tail hoping that some of it would get in those skin fold of the vent and help lubricate the passage. But most of all: soak, soak, soak! Big tub, nice warm water, put heat lamp over the top to keep keep warm. Let her slosh around for at least 30 min. I think an hour isn't too long with sick baby. Just keep her and the water warm

 

[heidiboo75]

What is mineral oil? Can you get it in the uk?

 

[heidiboo75]

Is there anything I can give her that can work things through from the inside? She isn't interested in eating at all.. Should I syringe feed her? I'm willing to try anything?

 

[dmmj]

you can chip away at it with something hard but not Sharp to break it up so it can pass.

 

[Pearly]

How about olive or coconut oil. Whatever organic extravirgin oil you have in your pantry. You could dip q-tip in it and gently rub over her cloaca. I'd carefully press in the middle to see if the object is right there. Another thing to try is lubricant that you can buy at drug store. The kind you use when trying to stick suppository up kid's butt.

 

[Pearly]

I'll be getting my kids up ready for school so will be off line but let's see if @Yvonne G is on. She would know things your can try

 

[heidiboo75]

I have coconut oil in my fridge, I never thought of that! Also have cotton buds! I feel a tiny bit more positive now! X

 

[Tom]

Urate formation like that is an indicator that things are far too dry. After the baby passes this one, the owners should reevaluate how they are housing and caring for this baby. Most of the info that is "out there" is old, out-dated and wrong.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Yvonne G]

It might be called liquid paraffin in the UK. Draw some up into a dropper and squirt it all around inside, lubricating the stone.

 

[Pearly]

I'm back! Any luck yet?

 

[JoesMum]

It might be called liquid paraffin in the UK. Draw some up into a dropper and squirt it all around inside, lubricating the stone.

You can buy liquid paraffin at a pharmacy. Boots doesn't seem to stick it, but Lloyds Pharmacy does.

 

[CathyNed]

When Ned my tort was constipated and found it difficult to poop i put liquid parraffin on his cloaca with a q tip and kinda massaged his tail.i could feel the hard poop in his tail. Dont know if that would help.Hopefully your foster tort will pass the stone!

 

[jockma]

I hear mineral oil works best because it doesn't get absorbed. I think you an also feed it to help with impactions.