Is this an abscess problem?

Min Kim

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Hi, the attached photos are my friend's young albino sulcata.

A white swollen lump is found on its' jaw line. I wonder if this an abscess problem so that the vet could easily lance it.

Any helpful comments are much appreciated. Thanks!
 

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Min Kim

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Looks like it to me. Vet should have no trouble taking care of that for you.
Thanks for your reply! I will let my friend visit a vet as soon as possible.

Hope it's not any other big trouble or serious cause...
 

wellington

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Thanks for your reply! I will let my friend visit a vet as soon as possible.

Hope it's not any other big trouble or serious cause...
Just be very cautious of what the vet wants to do. Very few know how to take care of a tortoise.
If it's a simple abscess, it should be very easy to drain, keep clean and put antibiotic cream on it. I would not let them inject your tortoise with anything.
 

Jan A

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Hi, the attached photos are my friend's young albino sulcata.

A white swollen lump is found on its' jaw line. I wonder if this an abscess problem so that the vet could easily lance it.

Any helpful comments are much appreciated. Thanks!
He also has a white bubble over on the shoulder on the same side with the lip.
 

KarenSoCal

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To me, this looks like an abscess, not an Austwickia bump. But it's hard to know for sure with the albinism.

The spot on the shoulder looks like flaky skin, like at the base of his neck.

Really hard to tell...
 

Min Kim

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Just be very cautious of what the vet wants to do. Very few know how to take care of a tortoise.
If it's a simple abscess, it should be very easy to drain, keep clean and put antibiotic cream on it. I would not let them inject your tortoise with anything.
Got it, thanks for your advice!
 

Min Kim

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Hi again, thanks for your all prompt advice.

To make matters worse, the baby albino sulcata's face gets sunken all of a sudden. My buddy went to a vet immediately and then he got oral antibiotics for treatment today.
The vet added the tortoise cannot get a shot because it is too young and weak to hold on shock syndrome.

Can you please check and see the attached photos?
It seems the nose and the skin around it are kind of melting fast... - my heart is really broken. ;(

I found some information in terms of necrosis, and got to know 'baytril' and 'doxycycline'.
Would it be helpful for the baby to take a medicine, either 'baytril' or 'doxycycline' (fine powder out of tablet)?
I also posted the images of medicines in case I would buy all or one for much better medical care.

I hope someone could share any good tips and opinions related to this urgent matter.
Please help us save and take a good care of the baby sulcata!
 

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Min Kim

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There is a disease that a lot of sulcatas are getting. It starts with a yellowish bump(s). The color of your tort makes it hard to tell if the bump was yellow.
I don't remember the name of it, it may be what Karen above mentioned.
@Tom @Yvonne G
To me, this looks like an abscess, not an Austwickia bump. But it's hard to know for sure with the albinism.

The spot on the shoulder looks like flaky skin, like at the base of his neck.

Really hard to tell...
Could it be the dreaded yellow bump coniton I have not seen it in an albino

Thanks for taking your time to give me advice!

When this baby sulcata takes oral antibiotics and eats tortoise food like Repcal, its' nose starts to spit out almost a half. ;(

The vet said the best way for now is just taking antibiotics... but if there are more treatments, I would like to try anything for the poor baby.
 

KarenSoCal

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Thanks for taking your time to give me advice!

When this baby sulcata takes oral antibiotics and eats tortoise food like Repcal, its' nose starts to spit out almost a half. ;(

The vet said the best way for now is just taking antibiotics... but if there are more treatments, I would like to try anything for the poor baby.
Well, if it's an abscess, I'm surprised the vet doesn't lance it.
But the lesions on the mouth really concern me. If this is Austwickia, the antibiotic will not help.
Look very carefully at his legs and neck...are there any lesions or bumps anywhere else?
Austwickia is extremely contagious to reptiles, esp torts. Does your friend have any other pets? Do you have pets? You should not have contact with this baby if you have reptiles. This is extremely important that your friend wash his hands, and do anything he can to not contaminate any other animals.
You need to read this thread...


It will explain what we are talking about. If he goes back to the vet, the only way to know for sure is to take a sample of a lesion and check it for 'Austwickia chelonae'.

If it is austwickia, it will almost 100% be fatal.
 

Min Kim

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@Min Kim
Where did your friend get this baby? The name of the store or breeder, please.
And exactly how long has he had it?

Thanks for your concern!

According to my friend, some baby albino sulcatas were imported from HongKong to South Korea (probably, over 5 albino sulcatas were arrived). And my friend has been raising this baby for 40days.
 

KarenSoCal

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Thanks for your concern!

According to my friend, some baby albino sulcatas were imported from HongKong to South Korea (probably, over 5 albino sulcatas were arrived). And my friend has been raising this baby for 40days.

I don't know what to suggest to help him in either case, austwickia or abscess. There are 2 ways to find out what it is. 1)have a vet remove a bump and send it to a lab. Tell the vet we suspect 'Austwickia Chelonae'. 2)wait to see if the antibiotic helps, and if he improves or gets worse.

Please tell your friend about handwashing etc to prevent spread of this to other reptiles. It is very easy to contaminate utensils and surfaces.

And please read the thread I linked in post # 14.
 

mastershake

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this does look like a case i saw of austwickia. it may not be but i have seen something very similar and on an albino. the vet can def scrape and check the spot to see if its an abscess or they can send out a sample but the spot has to be fully removed and in the spot on the jaw that would be much harder to do. now one thing that leads me to believe this may be austwickia is the way they skin on this one looks. this looks suspiciously the same as on many who have had the bacteria for a while and as time goes on the skin gets all dry and looks a lot like this one.
 
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