My tortoise has MBD and I'm very sad - details and a question below

[reptire]

I've bought him this way (already soft shelled) from a petshop that fed them iceberg lettuce. Yeah, I know...
Anyway, for 4 months, I've tried my best to recover him. UVB light, calcium powder, multivitamin solution, food-additives, whatnot.
We had a harsh winter here, lasted until April.

Anyway, took him to a vet now. He now gets a calcium injection twice a week and a d3 vitamin injection once a month. I also take him out to the sun for 1-2 hours every 2 days.
The doctor says it's a long process, could go as long as 6 months.

What I'm concerned about is that he also says it's not sure at all that the tort survives, I have to expect that he has a high chance of dying.
He is not in a too bad shape; he eats, his shell IS soft but not THAT soft, he has strong and reactive limbs...

My question is: How much of a chance does he have of recovery? About 50%? If not, less or more?

If you need more information to give an opinion, just ask and I will provide.


- A distressed tortoise owner who spends about 4 hours each day researching and caring for his pet

 

[wellington]

I can't give advice on what the vet is doing, but what I can say is to get him out into the saunas much as possible. Don't let him over heat, but the sunlight should help a lot. Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[Yvonne G]

It takes a very long time for the calcium to get your tortoise back into shape. You have to be patient. And just keep on with the treatment for as long as it takes.

I'm not sure if Wellington meant to say "sauna" or not, but I think the general idea is to get that tortoise out into real sunshine as much as you possible can.

 

[reptire]

It takes a very long time for the calcium to get your tortoise back into shape. You have to be patient. And just keep on with the treatment for as long as it takes.

I'm not sure if Wellington meant to say "sauna" or not, but I think the general idea is to get that tortoise out into real sunshine as much as you possible can.

Yes, I'm doing that.

I just would like some comfirmation that it's highly possible he survives... Because otherwise I'll be too depressed to ever have another pet again.

I got my cornsnake just 2 weeks before the tortoise and the cornsnake never has any problems.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Barb meant "sun as" not sauna lol



Heather
sent while on my purple android TFOapp

 

[Yvonne G]

yes, there is hope for your tortoise. Don't give up.

 

[reptire]

yes, there is hope for your tortoise. Don't give up.

I wouldn't give up treatment even if he was dying for sure. I bought him, his well-being is my responsibility. But really, how much of a chance would you guys guess the little one stands?

 

[Tom]

There is no way to know. Any prediction is just a guess.

A good diet, exercise, and a nice large safe outdoor enclosure is the best thing you could do for him.

Personally, I would not do the injections. Sometimes that does more harm than good. Your tortoise needs a calcium rich, weedy diet, and lots of outdoor sunning time. Just my opinion. If he's lived this long, is getting better, has good appetite and mobility, there is a good chance he will survive.

 

[reptire]

There is no way to know. Any prediction is just a guess.

A good diet, exercise, and a nice large safe outdoor enclosure is the best thing you could do for him.

Personally, I would not do the injections. Sometimes that does more harm than good. Your tortoise needs a calcium rich, weedy diet, and lots of outdoor sunning time. Just my opinion. If he's lived this long, is getting better, has good appetite and mobility, there is a good chance he will survive.

An outdoor enclosure is not possible. He gets exercise, uvb lamp, standard sunlight for an hour or two every second day and a varied diet.

 

[ascott]

I would not do the injections. Sometimes that does more harm than good.

I agree 100% here....as well as the stress involved with being manhandled (or womanhandled) can prove more harmful than beneficial....

There is every chance he will do just fine...every chance....you do what you do and let him do his part....

You have to know that no matter what creature you offer care for can have a problem that they work through...so why would you think a tenacious tortoise with a problem will not recover as well ...just keep soaking, offering calcium rich foods as well as uv ray exposure as much as possible outside and then artificial uv rays while indoors...also keep him exercising as that is also key in feeling good and a tort that feels good does much better....

 

[reptire]

I think the injections are necessary in this case, for two reasons.
1.) For 4 months I've tried everything to get him better (wild greens, calcium powder, multivitamin supplement, food additive, UVB) to no avail
2.) The injections SEEM to harden his shell a little bit, so I already see progress

On the bad side, however, is the stress, which manifests itself in the tortoise not eating much (or anything at all) for a few days after each injection. Which is unfortunate because 2 injections a week means he only eats properly 2 days a week...
I've spoken about this with the vet. We began to weigh him (40g currently) and if he has radical weight loss he will administer hunger-inducing medication and if it still doesn't work, force feeding some kind of gel.