Help (ear abscess)

[tortoisio]

Hi

my greek tort had what looked like an abscess but according to the vet that didn't treat reptiles though cuz i cant find one that does in the WHOLE city he said it wasn't an abscess. it was not hard enough to do anything about it anyways other than applying garamycin daily but suddenly that whitish abscess looking ball in the side of his face suddenly today i found the bubble/abscess gone and and what looked like pus or blood instead on his face (picture uploaded) i put him in a very clean and cool area to eat now so it doesnt get infected as i try to call another vet that i got his number but he doesn't answer. so i turn to you guys till i get a hold on the vet, what should i do now? what to apply on it? to clean it or not to clean it? what could it be

picture: http://imgur.com/b6528042-21e7-4909-b47b-a1cf525a765e

i really try to do my best for this tort but i got it from a very careless person to save it and its my first tort and i dont want him to suffer till i can find a vet that does turtles ffs

 

[BrianWI]

Can't see the picture.

 

[tortoisio]

Can't see the picture.

 

[tortoisio]

Guys, i read on a yahoo answers post which i dont fully trust, to use betadine and garamycin , should i ?

 

[BrianWI]

Is that his ear?

 

[tortoisio]

Is that his ear?

i suppose
its bit far from the eye..
can you tell me if i should clean it with betadin, alcohol swaps or apply garamycin? i cleaned it very gently with a clean cotton threat

 

[BrianWI]

My guess is that is an abscess by the ear and needs to be drained/ excised. The vet, even if not a tort expert, should be able to do it.

 

[Yvonne G]

Turtles and tortoises sometimes get ear abscesses. It looks like that's what happened to your tortoise. Since it popped by itself, you now need to make sure that all of the pus has been eliminated. Grab the tortoise behind his jaws with one hand, and flush out the hole with sterile saline solution. If you see any remaining pus (it sort of looks like cottage cheese), pick it out.

You need to keep the tortoise in the house until it heals, because flies will lay eggs on the open wound. You can keep a dab of antibiotic ointment on it to help it heal.

 

[tortoisio]

Turtles and tortoises sometimes get ear abscesses. It looks like that's what happened to your tortoise. Since it popped by itself, you now need to make sure that all of the pus has been eliminated. Grab the tortoise behind his jaws with one hand, and flush out the hole. If you see any remaining pus (it sort of looks like cottage cheese), pick it out.

You now need to keep the tortoise in the house until it heals, because flies will lay eggs on the open wound. You can keep a dab of antibiotic ointment on it to help it heal.

thanks dear
i kept it in the cleanest room now ever since i found this wound
so yea it popped out on its own cuz yesterday it was still there but not hard enough to be cut by vet (that the vet said to me)
i made sure no what looked like cottage cheese i know what u mean, i had cats before and familiar with abscesses. its just what u can see in the picture, pus/blood, im not sure but no clots or white stuff. i shall apply the garamycin ? but clean it with alcohol swap or betadin?

 

[BrianWI]

Turtles and tortoises sometimes get ear abscesses. It looks like that's what happened to your tortoise. Since it popped by itself, you now need to make sure that all of the pus has been eliminated. Grab the tortoise behind his jaws with one hand, and flush out the hole. If you see any remaining pus (it sort of looks like cottage cheese), pick it out.

You now need to keep the tortoise in the house until it heals, because flies will lay eggs on the open wound. You can keep a dab of antibiotic ointment on it to help it heal.

I would flush with antibiotics and follow Yvonne's instructions if a vet visit is out of the question. However, I would have some concern about the infected tissue remaining and having the infection spread.

 

[tortoisio]

I would flush with antibiotics and follow Yvonne's instructions if a vet visit is out of the question. However, I would have some concern about the infected tissue remaining and having the infection spread.

okay sure, i just need names for what kind of antibiotic i should get and i'll head to the nearest drug store to get it now np
i'm trying to contact other vets now anyways hope i can reach 1 today

 

[Kasia]

It actually exploded it should be drain before that but now keep the wound clean -betain will be fine, don't let it get infected or any insects near so they won't lay any egss. Probably using some antibiotic ointment will be needed. You could put bandage on it but he will probably scratch it of. Keep him on paper towels for week or two until the wound closes. Where are you from? Look for a good Vet, some members will definitely help you with that, good luck

 

[BrianWI]

For flushing terramycin is usually available at farm stores. I've seen others recommend this, so hopefully they will refrain from flaming me this time

 

[Kasia]

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/commondisease.html#Abscesses
Read the whole site, terramycine is one of three or four antibiotic mentioned.

 

[tortoisio]

Thank you very much everyone
I will head to the drug store now to get the terramycin and betain and ask if they can recommend vets too

but just 1 question, its normal for accesses to explode on their own? and I assure you it looks completely drained its like a small hole on its own :/

 

[BrianWI]

Yes, they often rupture.

 

[Kasia]

Thank you very much everyone
I will head to the drug store now to get the terramycin and betain and ask if they can recommend vets too

but just 1 question, its normal for accesses to explode on their own? and I assure you it looks completely drained its like a small hole on its own :/

Less painful way is to drain them before, like with pimples....

 

[tortoisio]

Less painful way is to drain them before, like with pimples....

well if i failed to reach a vet today, how can i drain them on my own? as im heading to pharmacy now for the meds, should i get something for draining? i did clean it well with a clean cotton threat and will get alcohol swaps too

 

[Kasia]

well if i failed to reach a vet today, how can i drain them on my own? as im heading to pharmacy now for the meds, should i get something for draining? i did clean it well with a clean cotton threat and will get alcohol swaps too

A Sterile scalpel and a strong pair of hands When it's ripe just just pinch a smal hole and drain that is what Vet will do . Jep most of the things from first aid you can use on torts too. In lesser amounts of course.

 

[tortoisio]

Well, I managed to find a vet that treats reptiles eventually, he said like you guys did that the abscess did pop on its own and thankfully it did drain itself completely like I said I couldn't find any "white" stuff in it or puss was like a small hole he checked it though and everything however as this vet had nurses in the place I wasn't required to go help hold the tort so I was sitting down like 5 meters away, and without consulting me the vet drained and cleaned a wound from an abscess that was taken out 2 years ago. I didn't think it was problematic at all and it wasn't even swollen or bloody or pus or anything. I don't like that and I think it wasn't needed but he says it really was a must do to avoid things in the future but I think he did it cuz he didnt find anything to do with the one that popped on its own anyways. I don't want to disturb my tort now hes sleeping deeply finally but I'll take a picture to show you guys later, I'm not feeling good about it but then again the vet knows better (maybe?).