hi bladder surgery

[susie]

Hi
we have adopted a 2 year old sulcata tortoise and have had him for about 6 months. The people that had her before fed her dog food and he has some shell problems and now it turns out he has a huge bladder stone. He is going to have to have surgery and we are freaking out. Has any one been through this?? He is in pain and I have to give him shots all weekend!!
Any encouragement would help we've become totally smitten with the monster.

Susie

0.1Sulcata Harriette (after darwin's tortoise)
1.0 Russian Galena
6.6 cats (yes we are crazy)
2.0 dogs
fish
2.0 dogs

 

[TortieLuver]

Oh Susie, we are so sorry to hear what you are experiencing. I'm sure you are devastated. When is he having surgery? Good thing he is with you know and can get the proper care and get off that dog food. I would continue soaking several times a day and giving warm soaks for at least 15 minutes at a time. Did your vet give you any alternative to surgery?

 

[JeffG]

I'm sorry to hear that your guy is going through this. They are incredibly resilient though, so as long as you get him the treatment he needs, there is no reason to think he won't do fine. Good luck!

 

[Laura]

yes,, there is someone here that just went thru this... Daisy Lou the desert tort??
Is your Vet a Reptile vet? Done this before?

 

[dmarcus]

I'm sorry your tort has to go through this from lack of care at the hands of his previous owner. Glad you have him and doing all you can to give him a good life..His shell is not that bad given the diet he was on. Good Luck and keep us updated and welcome to the forum..

 

[Torty Mom]

Yes, Laura you are correct, that's us. Daisy Lou has passed an uncountable amount of stones and 2 REALLY LARGE ones. Did I mention REALLY LARGE? I soaked her many times a day and put mineral oil in her food. The first stone she passed was just aweful, the second stone slid right on out, she didn't even make a peep. i gave her mineral oil for about 2 weeks after the last stone just to be sure

Did they take an xray? I can email you it to you if you want to see it. Her insides were totally covered in stones, I didn't think she was going to make it.

I was told surgery also, I had consulted a vet in Los Angeles that could do it, but before I could make the appt she passed the second one. She is doing great and has passed normal urates now for a few months. I rescued her in November. We have also since discovered that she is a he.

Feel free to PM me if you would like to talk! I sooooo know how you feel! Hang in there!!

 

[l0velesly]

I'm sorry, poor guy. I hope the surgery will be successful and he'll be all fine again!
At least the cat is comforting him :3

 

[Missy]

Tank just went through the same surgery a couple months ago. They went in just above his back left leg. He is still not using his leg much. He tries but has a limp and drags the leg some. The vet said it may never get any better because of the muscle and tendons the had to cut through. Reptiles heal slowly so I still hold out hope. I am worried that he with rub a sore on the leg and that could be trouble. I am still glad we decided to do it though he may never be the same. I had to give him the chance. He seems to get along fine and no matter what his future holds a least he has one.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi susie:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know where you are?

Good luck with the surgery. Have you tried the mineral oil treatment?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[Isa]

Welcome to the forum.
I am so sorry to hear that your little one has to go through that . Good luck and please keep us posted.

 

[susie]

Wow!

Thank you everyone. you have given me hope. I am going to try the mineral oil and soaking. we are keeping her (him) very warm. The surgery can't be done until next week at the earliest. The vet is the go to lady for reptiles in indianapolis.

thanks susie

 

[Missy]

Let us no how he is doing. I used to live in Anderson, north of Indy.

 

[TortieLuver]

Did the vet end up doing an x-ray? Please keep us posted!

 

[susie]

Yes she did two x-rays, top and side. we are going to take harriet (harry) back on monday to see what can be done. The stone is huge and has to be very painful. I am giving her pain shots every evening. we are lucky to have a reptile vet so close

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Hi and welcome to the forum, I am sorry it has to be under these circumstances tho. We have had several members who had bladder stones and the results were good. Actually we had a couple of tortoises who had the stones and they came thru fine