Help please: Tortoise seems to be leaking !

[Frodo]

Hi there !

We have a much loved mature mediterranean spurred Tortoise, probably around 50 yrs old.

He has enjoyed very good health. Has a good environment, lots of access to weeds, dandelion plants etc and has survived for decades in the care of the family. But he is worrying us a bit at the moment..

Whats wrong?

He's relatively lively, not that lethargic, still able to charge around a large garden. Wriggles a bit when you pick him up, moves his legs around a lot.

He is passing faeces and has peed as well just today.

But he is not eating. Shows no interest in food at all.

But here's the thing: he seems to be dribbling water everywhere and he sounds a bit wheezy. As if his body is full of water! Water drips from him.

Never experienced this before. He is not lethargic and I don't think the water is mucus, so I'm not sure if its a respiratory problem or pneumonia.

Any ideas? We'd hate anything to happen to him and wondered if anyone can help.

Thank You !

 

[Yvonne G]

Can you tell where the water is coming from?

 

[Frodo]

The water is coming out of his mouth.

I figure it may be some kind of respiratory problem but the discharge is'nt mucus like - its just water. He is otherwise active - but not eating.

 

[Madkins007]

Drooling may be a sign of heat stroke- http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/TortoiseLibrarycom/firstaid2.html

 

[EchoTheLeoTort]

not sure but i hope he is ok and you figure out the problem

 

[sibi]

I just recently had my tort leak out water from his mouth. He had a slight wheezing sound from his nose and when I put him outside, he began to throw up. He freaked me out with the sound of vomiting. Right after that, he started to release water from his mouth. It looked like he was choking on it. I took him to the vet immediately. He was given antibiotics and it looks like he's recovering. It's strange that only when I put him outside in the heat that he began to vomit and release water. Heat stroke is a possibility, but something else may be going on. I would try to hear any noise that may be coming out of his breathing. If he has no mucus and no wheezing, I'd give him a break from the heat or outdoors. If he is wheezing,you better take him to the vet asap!! If his eyes look sunken in, he's dehydrated and could die if you don't hurry and get him to a vet.

 

[Chinque]

Is it bubbly or just plain water?

 

[sibi]

He's not online now, but I get the impression that it's like water, not mucus. Mucus will make bubbles, but plain water won't. I just went through this with one of my sullies, and he expelled water from his mouth.
quote='Chinque' pid='697524' dateline='1373154884']
Is it bubbly or just plain water?
[/quote]

 

[Frodo]

Yes, its just water, not mucus. At this time of year we would expect him to be eating a lot and charging around. Its warm and there is plenty of food.

He should be eating well and storing up some weight, but he's just not interested, even though he is still active.

If I go to the vet I guess he will just end up with a Baytril course. I'm not sure if this is good or not? Is there a downside to taking Baytril even as a precaution?

 

[Madkins007]

The downside to ANY antibacterial 'just in case' is that any germs not killed become resistant, so the drug no longer works. It takes time, but that is what is happening to lots of germs all around the world.

When something claims to kill '99.9% of all germs', the remaining 0.1% are now resistant.