Missing leg and exposed bone

[GimpyCutie]

hi again. Ive continued to keep Gimpy safe but im beginning to worry about his missing leg. Now that all of the dead tissue had fallen off and the wound is clean i can see that there is atleast a millimeter of his bone sticking straight ought. I just dont know what to do about it? Should i take him to the vet and have them remove it ? Could they do such a thing on such a small hatchling? Will infection set in if it is just exposed the way it is?

 

[wellington]

I can't answer that. If he were mine though, I would keep him in a clean dry tank. Using only paper towel as substrate. I would put him in an extra clean bowl of distilled water daily to swim, drink extra for about half an hour and then back to the dry enclosure. I would not feed him in his regular enclosure and if he has too or likes too eat in the water I would only do that at the end of his half hour soak and then take him out right away. I would do this until the skin has hopefully covered the bone.
You could always get a vets opinion on what they think is possible.

 

[GimpyCutie]

I can't answer that. If he were mine though, I would keep him in a clean dry tank. Using only paper towel as substrate. I would put him in an extra clean bowl of distilled water daily to swim, drink extra for about half an hour and then back to the dry enclosure. I would not feed him in his regular enclosure and if he has too or likes too eat in the water I would only do that at the end of his half hour soak and then take him out right away. I would do this until the skin has hopefully covered the bone.
You could always get a vets opinion on what they think is possible.

Thank you! I suppose ill remove the swimming area from his tank then. And ill use paper towels over the flattened gravel. He doesnt seem to be spending tooo much time out of the water other than to bask so he will have to adapt for now until he gets better. Ill still see what the vet has to say.

 

[ColleenT]

this happened to a box turtle i purchased, and the vet had to remove the bone as to prevent her from dying. they amputated the leg and she did great. Not cheap, but saved her life. I would urge you to get to the vet asap.

 

[GimpyCutie]

this happened to a box turtle i purchased, and the vet had to remove the bone as to prevent her from dying. they amputated the leg and she did great. Not cheap, but saved her life. I would urge you to get to the vet asap.

Oh my. Thank you

 

[wellington]

this happened to a box turtle i purchased, and the vet had to remove the bone as to prevent her from dying. they amputated the leg and she did great. Not cheap, but saved her life. I would urge you to get to the vet asap.

Was the Boxie an adult? Why did they or you think it saved it's life? Seen so many with a leg missing doing fine but no one knows how the leg was lost, in the wild or per a vet.
This leg is already missing if I'm reading the original post right. I don't know if they could/would on something so small.
Good luck whatever you do. Keep us posted too please.

 

[mark1]

I think they may have , I've seen and have three legged turtles I know have not been treated , I've never seen a healed one with a protruding bone ...…. an exposed bone is taken seriously by people doctors and veterinary doctors , because a bone infection is serious stuff …….as my vet told me , wild turtles survive all kinds of injuries and illnesses , in captivity we tend to help them survive such circumstances …the three legged turtles I've had and seen I know none received treatment , they were lucky enough to have had a clean amputations ……. I believe if bone is exposed past the tissue , a vet would want to at least cut it back ,I believe if the bone is cut back below the tissue there would be a better chance of healing without issues , even naturally …..as I said I've not seen a three legged turtle with a healed leg and a protruding bone , I think those may be the unlucky ones ? antibiotics with such a contaminated wound sure would be a good idea …… I believe the discovery of antibiotics increased our life expectancy by more than 10% ……….. they can cut back bone in your finger with a local anesthetic , I would think they could do likewise in a turtle leg ?

 

[GimpyCutie]

I think they may have , I've seen and have three legged turtles I know have not been treated , I've never seen a healed one with a protruding bone ...…. an exposed bone is taken seriously by people doctors and veterinary doctors , because a bone infection is serious stuff …….as my vet told me , wild turtles survive all kinds of injuries and illnesses , in captivity we tend to help them survive such circumstances …the three legged turtles I've had and seen I know none received treatment , they were lucky enough to have had a clean amputations ……. I believe if bone is exposed past the tissue , a vet would want to at least cut it back ,I believe if the bone is cut back below the tissue there would be a better chance of healing without issues , even naturally …..as I said I've not seen a three legged turtle with a healed leg and a protruding bone , I think those may be the unlucky ones ? antibiotics with such a contaminated wound sure would be a good idea …… I believe the discovery of antibiotics increased our life expectancy by more than 10% ……….. they can cut back bone in your finger with a local anesthetic , I would think they could do likewise in a turtle leg ?

I think thats what they'd really want to do, because yes, a bone infection is really scary. But I think the problem here is that he's so small, I dont know if they'd give him anesthetic or if he'd be able to survive it or what. I'm not sure if i'd have the extra money for a procedure either. Im pretty sure he wont die any time too soon from it but it certainly cant just be exposed like that forever

 

[Yvonne G]

He runs the risk of getting a bone infection with the broken end exposed like that. He should be taken to a vet so the end of the bone can be cut off and the skin pulled up and sewed to cover it. Then, of course, a round of antibiotics.

 

[Yvonne G]

Sorry, Mark. . . I really should read all the advice given before I post my reply.

 

[mark1]

no need to be sorry , I agree with you …….. as far as size , I remember bringing a couple 20-24 gram 1.25" turtles with pneumonia to the vet ….. telling him , not sure you can do anything with something this size , his response was , they were behemoths compared to some of the stuff he treats , he treated them successfully …….

 

[mark1]

being so small they may be able to clean up the amputation with a topical anesthetic , and let it heal naturally ……..

 

[Pastel Tortie]

I think thats what they'd really want to do, because yes, a bone infection is really scary. But I think the problem here is that he's so small, I dont know if they'd give him anesthetic or if he'd be able to survive it or what. I'm not sure if i'd have the extra money for a procedure either. Im pretty sure he wont die any time too soon from it but it certainly cant just be exposed like that forever

I think one of the questions you'd have to ask yourself is whether he might be in MORE pain if a knowledgeable, experienced vet did NOT intervene.

Where are you located? Let's see if our forum members can suggest a REALLY GOOD veterinarian to look at your turtle.

Being so small, I'm wondering if they'd use a topical anesthetic like lidocane.

 

[KarenSoCal]

I had a cat in the same situation once. She had gotten her foot into some kind of trap, and there was bone sticking out the ends of her toes.

The vet said since the wounds were clean and healed, she would leave the bones alone. She said after a while they would fall off on their own, and they did. Never had a problem after, except for a permanent limp.

 

[GimpyCutie]

I think one of the questions you'd have to ask yourself is whether he might be in MORE pain if a knowledgeable, experienced vet did NOT intervene.

Where are you located? Let's see if our forum members can suggest a REALLY GOOD veterinarian to look at your turtle.

Being so small, I'm wondering if they'd use a topical anesthetic like lidocane.

I am off of Denham Springs, Louisiana. In the watson area.

On the down side Im not sure I could afford any sort of procedure for him though, im currently trying to save up for an operation that my 8 year old yorkie needs. Dont even know if ill be able to do that soon either.

 

[ColleenT]

Was the Boxie an adult? Why did they or you think it saved it's life? Seen so many with a leg missing doing fine but no one knows how the leg was lost, in the wild or per a vet.
This leg is already missing if I'm reading the original post right. I don't know if they could/would on something so small.
Good luck whatever you do. Keep us posted too please.

In my situation, the BONE was exposed and the turtle would die( according to the vet) if we did nothing.

 

[GimpyCutie]

Gimpys case doesnt appear as extreme, except we have to consider the fact that compared to his size, the proportion of bone sticking out of him is probably about the same as such as the one (much much larger) in the picture. As i said above its about one millimeter of bone protruding. Gimpy is a little less than an inch long.

In my situation, the BONE was exposed and the turtle would die( according to the vet) if we did nothing.

ec

 

[ColleenT]

the bone looked ok to me, but the vet told me it had already started to dry out and die. We had 2 choices. Euth or Amputate. I paid the $500 to amputate the leg. She did fine.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

@Moozillion I don't recall which other TFO members live in Louisiana. Can you recommend a really good turtle vet in Louisiana (Denham Springs, Watson area)?

 

[Moozillion]

I am off of Denham Springs, Louisiana. In the watson area.

On the down side Im not sure I could afford any sort of procedure for him though, im currently trying to save up for an operation that my 8 year old yorkie needs. Dont even know if ill be able to do that soon either.

Sorry it took me so long to see your post. T
here's a great turtle vet in Metairie. Dr. Gregory Rich who owns the Avian and Exotics Animal Hospital. Their charges are based on the WEGHT of the animal. Jacques' bills for treating her pneumonia were much less than they would have been than for, say, one of my cats for example.
You can give them a call and ask.
He is also listed on the Tortoise Forum recommended veterinarian list.