Need some expert advice here, please...

[Stev0623]

I've noticed recently one of my Sullies slow down here about 2-3 weeks ago. (well, they've all slowed down a bit, due to the obscene cold we've had here this winter).

He's been eating less, still drinking alot though.

I went outside today, and noticed that the loose skin around his neck and in his shell is real puffy. Anyone know what causes this?

Here are some pics:

looking forward to hearing back

 

[Kristina]

He needs a vet. He is either having an allergic reaction to something (which is what it appears to me to be, swelling of the trachea due to some sort of irritation) or edema caused by renal failure. The only way to know for sure what is going on is to have a qualified tortoise veterinarian examine him.

 

[RV's mom]

agree with Kristina ~ get your tort to a vet. Also, is that ice on the water? I pull the ice off RV's water dish - when we get ice - and fill with fresh.

teri

 

[Stev0623]

Nah, no ice in the dish. just the way the sun hit the dish when I took the camera. Haven't had ice in a few weeks.


Thanks, I'll call the vet to make an appointment

---

The vet is gonna sneak me in today at 3, ill keep you all updated

 

[Torty Mom]

Good luck at the vet's today! I hope everything is ok!!

 

[Stev0623]

Good luck at the vet's today! I hope everything is ok!!

Thanks! Took Odie to the vet on wednesday. I finally found a qualified Herp vet that actually knew about tortoises. It just so happens he's about an hour and a half away. The vet didn't think he was in renal failure, he thought that he got injured somehow. I told him I didn't think that was a possibility. He asked me about vines, rose bushes, anything of the like. I do have a corner that he digs in that has(had ) a ton of vines in it.

The vet thinks he got tangled in the vines and got some sort of puncture around his neck (forgot exactly how he phrased it) and that his body has filled up with O2 and that some sort of infection occured.

We did an Xray and some bloodwork, there was nothing obvious in the xray (perhaps looking for a punctured lung of some kind?). The blood work showed a little reduced kidney function, but not total renal failure. It showed elevated white blood cells indicating an infection.

The vet wanted to keep him wednesday night, and thursday night ( $igh). It's expensive, but what can I do, yaknow? This is what I heard from the vet yesterday.

The vet's supposed to call me this morning with an update.

It's worth noting I called when I woke up (I guess I'm hounding her so much that the receptionist recognized my number and picked up with "Hello steve"). She told me that he had filled his cage with urine and feces last night. Which I took as a good thing, because that indicates kidney function is returning.

Will post something when I hear from the vet. Hopefully I can partake on the hour and 30 min drive to go get him tonight =]!

 

[Shelly]

Have they used any antibiotic?

 

[Stev0623]

Shelly, they gave him an injection of Fortaz, as well as a bunch of other things (mostly vitamins they said).

I got him back friday, with a $530 bill to go along. That may not be alot to some people, but to me it is.

That pretty much wiped my savings. The vet wasn't very optimistic about him making it through either. Told me to keep him soaked for about 4 hours a day, as well as bringing him back every third day, for another fortaz injection. Which run about $30 a piece I guess.

He's over an hour away, and I'm completely broke until payday now so it's going to be tough.

He's still pretty swollen up, and idk what to do.

 

[Fernando]

Wow...I feel you on that bill..that's not cheap at all.

They won't allow you to make payments on that?

 

[Stev0623]

Yeah, they let me pay it in two installments. $250, and $280.

 

[NEtorts]

Shelly, they gave him an injection of Fortaz, as well as a bunch of other things (mostly vitamins they said).

FORTAZ......found this here http://www.anapsid.org/resources/rxdose.html

Fortaz (ceftazidime) 20 mg/kg SQ/IM q 72h * † This is a 3rd generation cephalosporin (newer than Baytril)used parenterally for gram-negative infections, and is particularly, useful in reptiles.

May cause pain on IM injection; SC injection probably less painful. Is kept in freezer and must be brought to room temperature before injecting.

May cause hypersensitivity reactions, diarrhea, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, mild azotemia. May need to reduce dose in renal failure; use with caution.

INTERESTING.....

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Steve:

I'm so sorry you're having to go through this with your tortoise.

I'll never understand why a vet thinks he always has to give vitamin injections. You didn't bring the tortoise in for anything vitamin related and yet they gave the tortoise vitamin injections. Please keep a close watch on your tortoise's skin. Too much vitamin A causes the skin to slough off. Your tortoise didn't need vitamins.

I've never seen an edema in the neck like that. First thing that came to mind was some sort of bite...spider or something like that.

Keep the tortoise warmer than usual. I find it really helps in taking care of a sick tortoise to set him up in a hospital tank/table. It doesn't have to be big. Small is easier to take care of. Keep him warm and hydrated and offer him things you know he'll eat. At this juncture it doesn't matter if its good for him or not. You just want to keep him interested in food. Red or green-leaf lettuce is good. Radiccio, spring mix. All good.

Please keep us informed. We're all interested in learning about this problem and how it resolves.

 

[Stev0623]

Thanks Yvonne, I'm not sure what's up with him, but like you said I figured something got him (like a spider), but we couldn't find a puncture wound or anything.

Today he ate (a crap load of canelope, an apple, and a few strawberries). I'm not in the habit of actively giving them alot of fruit, but he wasn't interested in the greens I was offering, and like you said it was just important to get him to eat.

I haven't seen him move his bowels or anything the past week or so. The vet tech claimed he "made a huge mess" of his cage there, but after talking to the vet it was only a small movement.


The X-Rays showed a blockage that looked like sand, my question is there a stool softener or laxitave that could be used to help him move it?

And I agree with you 100% about the vitamins.

 

[ChiKat]

I believe you can use mineral oil to help with impactions, but don't quote me...better wait for someone more experienced to respond
Hope the little guy gets better soon!

 

[Yvonne G]

The vet didn't say anything about the apparent blockage?

You can take up some mineral oil into a dropper and squirt it down his throat, then take up some more in the dropper and squirt it into his cloaca. Don't use any other kind of oil. Mineral oil is non-absorptive and will coat whatever is in there, helping it to move smoothly and easily.

Soaking helps too. And, of course, all that fruit keeps things soft and moving.

 

[Laura]

try canned pumpkin also. not the pie filling type...
i hope he ends up being ok...

 

[Shelly]

Sounds like another vet completely dropped the ball... and charged a ton to do it.

 

[Stev0623]

The vet seemed very educated, 25 years of reptile experience, and I certainly paid for it.

The vet said to give him olive oil to help keep his pipes lubed.

 

[Wirewehear]

Wishing you and your Sully all the best. I recently went thru medical issues with one of mine so I know its nerve racking (and expensive) but we all have to deal with these things. Use mineral oil like Yvonne wrote instead of the Olive oil. The canned pumpkin is a good suggestion and you can try some fresh aloe too. Dont let him graze too much and give him moist market greens for now. If he is impacted you dont want him to eat foods that bind.
Good luck ... I'll send him a little prayer tonight.

 

[dmmj]

Best wishes, you said he was impacted with sand? is there sand in his area that he could get a hold of? I feel you on the vet a "free" russian cost me over 200 once because she was turned into me sick.