Please help, Indian star leg swollen

[ascott]

I am already doing the long warm soaks and will get her off the mazuri. It has been a recent addiction. She has been a good eater with mustard greens and radicchio as favorites. On the outside enclosure I just added more organic soil and packed it down nice. Making it a little easier for her to get around. It’s about a 4x6 smaller garden she can have all to herself. I have a much larger maybe 10x20 she shared last year.

As for the new meds, the vet had these specially formulated for her. Not off the shelf. This pharmacy makes the compounds in house. The .25ml includes the liquid it is mixed with so I do believe it is a tiny amount. I quizzed the pharmacist. What’s everyone’s thoughts on that? I need to get this swelling down. The vet said she has had good results with it but to call her on Monday. She had a dose yesterday and I could try it today and tomorrow? Soaks, wet leafy greens, no mazuri and meds until Monday and then reevaluate? No meds long term but enough to clear up the swelling? I am worried she is in pain and she did not eat any clover in the garden. That is very unusual.

I am not surprised that the tort is not eating as usual...I mean, a trip to the vet a needle to the knee and all the fussing plus the knee is likely a little annoying until the inflammation goes down....not admonishing you with this...simply just saying there have been some stuff going on in the tortoise life is all Also, please read and research about reptile gout...it will ease and worry your mind some....but try to take the worry with the fact that there is nothing you can do about the past and that you two can only muster onward from this point....the changes you make to hydration and diet will aid in the reduction of the inflammation, thus reducing the swelling which will then aid in the torts swollen joint being able to relax....hence, less pain...will you be able to reduce all uncomfortableness in the joint for the tort ...likely not forever, is this a wild animal and able to compartmentalize that annoyance...yes....just like us humans do with manageable discomfort from time to time....

See, you do not want the issue to flare up over and over again...well, you want to help it not flare up over and over again...because each time it does...there are microbial sized crystals that will develop around the joints...these can accumulate and over time remain and ongoing issue and cause permanent damage....so the name of the game is prevention and management....diet and hydration are huge factors....also, the tort should be allowed and encouraged to remain mobile is it chooses to....just my take on what you posted so far here...take time and research that diagnosis...it is very liberating to understand what most of those diagnosis entail..,also will let you know it is a situation that you can help with, naturally.

 

[Kasia]

I would do what Vet tells you. Give the meds as adviced, see how it goes. If you notice side effects tell Vet about it. It will take more then a day or two to see any changes. It took My tort over 3 months to recover.

 

[Lesa]

I would do what Vet tells you. Give the meds as adviced, see how it goes. If you notice side effects tell Vet about it. It will take more then a day or two to see any changes. It took My tort over 3 months to recover.

Thanks to everyone here I feel much more confident. I have a plan to help her recover. She is a tough little thing with a big personality. I’ll update on her progress but I feel very hopeful with all the great information you guys have given me.

 

[Diamond]

Glad you got an answer. Poor baby, gout is painful. My husband gets its from time to time and is miserable until his meds kick in. Your torts are lucky to have such a good caretaker. Hope your little one feels better soon.

 

[Melis]

I also support you following vet advice about the medication. My dog gets “human” medicine that gets compounded specifically for her. Of course be diligent and educate yourself about it, but I don’t think it should be ruled out just because it is made for humans. I’m so glad you got some answers.

 

[CarolM]

Hi Lesa.
How is your Baby doing? Any improvement?

 

[Lesa]

Hi Lesa.
How is your Baby doing? Any improvement?

Her leg appears the same. No better no worse but now one eye is half closed. That showed up last night. See picture attached. I don’t know if the gout meds got in there and irritated it or not. She’ll retract her head so fast when I’m doing the meds some gets on her face. I’ve been doing the soaks after the meds to help clean it off. I just picked up eye drops from the vet. Ofloxacin with one drop twice daily. She is eating a little and hasn’t lost any weight. She is going to her water to drink but not very active. Long soaks twice daily. Changed the mercury vapor bulb and upped the humidity to 90%. I have her out in the sun right now. I’m disappointed she doesn’t seem interested in the clover, honeysuckle or petunias I put around her. But she just had the gout meds, eye drops and soak so not at all happy.

 

[CarolM]

Her leg appears the same. No better no worse but now one eye is half closed. That showed up last night. See picture attached. I don’t know if the gout meds got in there and irritated it or not. She’ll retract her head so fast when I’m doing the meds some gets on her face. I’ve been doing the soaks after the meds to help clean it off. I just picked up eye drops from the vet. Ofloxacin with one drop twice daily. She is eating a little and hasn’t lost any weight. She is going to her water to drink but not very active. Long soaks twice daily. Changed the mercury vapor bulb and upped the humidity to 90%. I have her out in the sun right now. I’m disappointed she doesn’t seem interested in the clover, honeysuckle or petunias I put around her. But she just had the gout meds, eye drops and soak so not at all happy.

Oh shame. I was hoping for some good news. It might take time to start working though, so hang in there. Holding thumbs for you.

 

[Lesa]

Oh shame. I was hoping for some good news. It might take time to start working though, so hang in there. Holding thumbs for you.

Thanks, I am not giving up. It’s only been a week on the meds. If I can I will heal her from shear force of will.

 

[CarolM]

Thanks, I am not giving up. It’s only been a week on the meds. If I can I will heal her from shear force of will.

Lol. I am sure that your shear force of will, will be quite a powerful medication. Keep us updated on how it is going please. I really hope that this story will have a good ending.

 

[Lesa]

Lol. I am sure that your shear force of will, will be quite a powerful medication. Keep us updated on how it is going please. I really hope that this story will have a good ending.

I tuck her into my bra next to my heart and carry her around for weeks if it would work. It works on kittens!

 

[CarolM]

I tuck her into my bra next to my heart and carry her around for weeks if it would work. It works on kittens!

Lol.

 

[Lesa]

So the eye drops have not helped at all. Her eye was closed this morning. I gave her the gout meds and she is soaking now. Put another call into the vet. Who frankly seems useless. She can’t explain the eye and mentioned the only gout patient she had died. Thanks for the positive thoughts there doctor. I did see her eating some clover and radicchio yesterday and she has gained two grams. But no poop in her soaks. I am doing meds every morning, long soaks, a few hours in the sun during the day. Long soak at night. Should I try to get more fluids into her? I can just put water into the syringe. She is pretty good taking the meds. I worry with not finding poops. Maybe I am not seeing them. But usually with a long soak she will poop. Any thoughts?

 

[ascott]

So the eye drops have not helped at all. Her eye was closed this morning. I gave her the gout meds and she is soaking now. Put another call into the vet. Who frankly seems useless. She can’t explain the eye and mentioned the only gout patient she had died. Thanks for the positive thoughts there doctor. I did see her eating some clover and radicchio yesterday and she has gained two grams. But no poop in her soaks. I am doing meds every morning, long soaks, a few hours in the sun during the day. Long soak at night. Should I try to get more fluids into her? I can just put water into the syringe. She is pretty good taking the meds. I worry with not finding poops. Maybe I am not seeing them. But usually with a long soak she will poop. Any thoughts?

Likely the slight weight gain is tied to no pooping....however, if you are medicating the tort and force feeding it I would not be surprised that there is little interest in normal daily behavior...I mean the force feeding can be pretty traumatic....gout is not a death sentence, but tinkering with most medications is. What exactly are you force feeding the tort? Why are you force feeding the tort if it is eating some on its own? I mean, why have you gone to such extremes for a little leg swelling? I am not understanding why such extremes?

 

[Lesa]

Likely the slight weight gain is tied to no pooping....however, if you are medicating the tort and force feeding it I would not be surprised that there is little interest in normal daily behavior...I mean the force feeding can be pretty traumatic....gout is not a death sentence, but tinkering with most medications is. What exactly are you force feeding the tort? Why are you force feeding the tort if it is eating some on its own? I mean, why have you gone to such extremes for a little leg swelling? I am not understanding why such extremes?

I am not force feeding. Only giving her the medication for the gout once a day and the eye drops twice a day. I was asking if I should give her water with the syringe to keep the hydration up and help with passing poop. I have a vet appointment on Saturday (the earliest they had) to check the eye and gout. I just feel like I should be doing more.

 

[ascott]

I am not force feeding. Only giving her the medication for the gout once a day and the eye drops twice a day. I was asking if I should give her water with the syringe to keep the hydration up and help with passing poop. I have a vet appointment on Saturday (the earliest they had) to check the eye and gout. I just feel like I should be doing more.

Sometimes less is more. I mean, I read over and over you clearly saying that there is no improvement....so why subject the tortoise is all I am wondering? There are other things you can do to improve the living condition of the tort to allow the gout to go dormant....diet is a big thing....you clearly are soaking which is beneficial...why not try to address the food as a big means of help? I mean, the gout will not ever "go away" once it is present...it will only go dormant and then flare up in situations in which the diet is not proper for the condition or some stress on the tortoise....the eye swell thing will also likely resolve itself with diet and not being tainted with the meds....again, I am simply saying what I am seeing based on your post.....

 

[ascott]

I am not force feeding. Only giving her the medication for the gout once a day and the eye drops twice a day. I was asking if I should give her water with the syringe to keep the hydration up and help with passing poop. I have a vet appointment on Saturday (the earliest they had) to check the eye and gout. I just feel like I should be doing more.

Oh and no, I would not force water into the tortoise via syringe.

 

[Lesa]

Oh and no, I would not force water into the tortoise via syringe.

I am addressing diet. The mazuri is gone. I am adding in more high water content greens (romaine, red and green leaf lettuce). I gave her plantains for fiber but she didn’t care for them. She is munching on radicchio right now. Any other suggestions on diet? Outside she has access to a huge variety of weeds, grasses and clover. I have a list from Markw84’s link. Most of the foods he has I have been feeding her entire life.

 

[ascott]

I am addressing diet. The mazuri is gone. I am adding in more high water content greens (romaine, red and green leaf lettuce). I gave her plantains for fiber but she didn’t care for them. She is munching on radicchio right now. Any other suggestions on diet? Outside she has access to a huge variety of weeds, grasses and clover. I have a list from Markw84’s link. Most of the foods he has I have been feeding her entire life.

I wonder if you add a bit of squash or sweet potato (steamed a bit so it is soft) to her diet a couple times a week as well as maybe a slice or two of banana...I would also offer maybe a cherry or two (seed/pit removed). Now I am not advocating that you offer these items as a part of a daily diet....but, your goal here is to reduce inflammation right? Cherries are perfect for that, banana offers so many nutritional benefits and the squash and sweet potato are also beneficial for vit a intake....at this point the meds do not seem to be the answer or the swelling would have began to go down...and the longer the swelling is present that is damage occurring wouldn't you agree? I have heard of soaking snakes/lizards in a diluted bath with magnesium sulfate but I have not direct knowledge if that would be actually beneficial for your tortoise swollen limb...perhaps run this past your vet and see what the reaction is...I would research more but am pressed for time this am....but I would not poo poo this until you have exhausted this avenue....I am going to further research...but just not at this moment....have critters to feed before I go to work....

I apologize earlier about the force feeding question, it was entirely my misunderstanding about the syringe and the med you are force feeding.

I also still believe that the condition your tort has is likely baggage that was in the making before you two met....

 

[Lesa]

I wonder if you add a bit of squash or sweet potato (steamed a bit so it is soft) to her diet a couple times a week as well as maybe a slice or two of banana...I would also offer maybe a cherry or two (seed/pit removed). Now I am not advocating that you offer these items as a part of a daily diet....but, your goal here is to reduce inflammation right? Cherries are perfect for that, banana offers so many nutritional benefits and the squash and sweet potato are also beneficial for vit a intake....at this point the meds do not seem to be the answer or the swelling would have began to go down...and the longer the swelling is present that is damage occurring wouldn't you agree? I have heard of soaking snakes/lizards in a diluted bath with magnesium sulfate but I have not direct knowledge if that would be actually beneficial for your tortoise swollen limb...perhaps run this past your vet and see what the reaction is...I would research more but am pressed for time this am....but I would not poo poo this until you have exhausted this avenue....I am going to further research...but just not at this moment....have critters to feed before I go to work....

I apologize earlier about the force feeding question, it was entirely my misunderstanding about the syringe and the med you are force feeding.

I also still believe that the condition your tort has is likely baggage that was in the making before you two met....

No apology necessary. Those are easy foods to add. I also ordered the tea bags that someone suggested to add to the soaks.