pneumonia progress

[avasims]

Hello everyone! Peaches has been dealing with pneumonia and the shots she’d been prescribed having been working well. Although after I ease her off them when I think she is fully better, she has some minor signs still. This includes watery looking eyes when she wakes up, noisy breathing, and sometimes inactivity. I’m gonna start her back on the shots for now, but I wanna know any of your guy’s suggestions for how to treat her in the meantime as well as why you think the symptoms show up after. Maybe because I took her off the medicine too early?

 

[wellington]

What species and what are your temps? Basking? Over all? Night?
Post pics of the enclosure and we can help better.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

How were the shots prescribed? Did the directions say to complete the entire course? Assuming they were antibiotics, you have to complete the course. Otherwise the pneumonia could come back with a vengeance. Even if your tort appears to be feeling better.

 

[avasims]

What species and what are your temps? Basking? Over all? Night?
Post pics of the enclosure and we can help better.

What species and what are your temps? Basking? Over all? Night?
Post pics of the enclosure and we can help better.

she’s a golden Greek tortoise. she’s in like a 15 gallon. Temp usually is overall high 80s and her basking temp is 97-ish. At night it gets about 74-ish. It’s a standard enclosure with reptibark and a log to sleep in. Although after having to do with this for over a year, I know that the enclosure in the temps have absolutely nothing to do with her pneumonia. I am wondering what else causes pneumonia and how I can keep it from happening again, if anyone knows absolutely anything about that let me know

 

[avasims]

thank you , yes the directions this time are saying to take a specific amount of doses to complete the entire course. last time it was just take until she gets better. should be gone this time

How were the shots prescribed? Did the directions say to complete the entire course? Assuming they were antibiotics, you have to complete the course. Otherwise the pneumonia could come back with a vengeance. Even if your tort appears to be feeling better

 

[TammyJ]

Those directions that told you to "just take until she gets better"... really? If any "vet" told me that I would take my tortoise and run. Can we see some pictures of the tortoise and her enclosure? How do you know she has pneumonia? If you provide more details, I am sure you will get more help, thanks.

 

[wellington]

15 gallon tote? How old and big is she? That's actually too small for a hatchling. The area is too small to give any exercise room which they need not only for muscle strength but to help them get the inners moving and digesting. Also too small to get proper temps areas.
What exactly did the vet do to determine the tort had pneumonia? Most vets don't do proper tests on tortoises nor do they know much about them.
Pics of her and enclosure and any info about what the vet did will help members here figure things out to help you.

 

[avasims]

15 gallon tote? How old and big is she? That's actually too small for a hatchling. The area is too small to give any exercise room which they need not only for muscle strength but to help them get the inners moving and digesting. Also too small to get proper temps areas.
What exactly did the vet do to determine the tort had pneumonia? Most vets don't do proper tests on tortoises nor do they know much about them.
Pics of her and enclosure and any info about what the vet did will help members here figure things out to help you.

 

[avasims]

the light are off for the night in this but this is her enclosure, it will be much different soon once I move. Is reptibark a good substrate? I’m wondering if that’s what caused the pneumonia because it’s so dusty.

 

[wellington]

She needs a much bigger enclosure ASAP! Get the stuff out of this one, except the one log cave, there isn't enough room for her as it is, don't need other stuff taking up space. The reptibark doesn't cause it and is a fine substrate. If you had some needed humidity, it wouldn't be dry and dusty.
Where is the water dish? Water is needed 24/7. Please read the care sheet ASAP and get things right for this tortoise.
Also what are you using to read the temps? I don't see anything in there?
By what I can see of the enclosure, I'm guessing the lack of proper care and a vet that might not know what he's doing together is the problem.

 

[avasims]

She needs a much bigger enclosure ASAP! Get the stuff out of this one, except the one log cave, there isn't enough room for her as it is, don't need other stuff taking up space. The reptibark doesn't cause it and is a fine substrate. If you had some needed humidity, it wouldn't be dry and dusty.
Where is the water dish? Water is needed 24/7. Please read the care sheet ASAP and get things right for this tortoise.
Also what are you using to read the temps? I don't see anything in there?
By what I can see of the enclosure, I'm guessing the lack of proper care and a vet that might not know what he's doing together is the problem.

i put a water dish in and out each day but he always ignores it. I also give him a soak each day. He actually loves the towel, maybe the blanket isn’t needed though. I read the temps on a gauge that it hidden behind the lights in there. I don’t have the money to get her in a bigger tank or enclosure at the moment, but the space isn’t what’s causing the pneumonia. He’s been in the tank for years now and never had a problem. I think it could possibly be from my bearded dragon as the pneumonia hit peaches as soon has I got him. I’m aware that the ventilation isn’t the best but I try to keep the enclosure clean and warm.

 

[wellington]

Without proper room to move around and exercise, they can't keep things working properly. Don't buy more reptiles until you can afford to do right by the ones you already have. That tank is way to small for a tortoise past hatchling size. Tortoises do everything slowly, just because it has survived this long, doesn't mean it has been healthy or thriving.
Towels and blankets should not be part of a tortoises life. What type of gauge? Digital or those round puck type ones? If it's not the digital kind than that's what you need. The puck ones are not accurate. Being too cold or wet and cold are the main causes of pneumonia, if that's truly what he has. What exactly did the vet do to determine it was pneumonia?

 

[avasims]

Without proper room to move around and exercise, they can't keep things working properly. Don't buy more reptiles until you can afford to do right by the ones you already have. That tank is way to small for a tortoise past hatchling size. Tortoises do everything slowly, just because it has survived this long, doesn't mean it has been healthy or thriving.
Towels and blankets should not be part of a tortoises life. What type of gauge? Digital or those round puck type ones? If it's not the digital kind then that's what you need. The puck ones are not accurate. Being too cold or wet and cold are the main causes of pneumonia, if that's truly what he has. What exactly did the vet do to determine it was pneumonia?

I bought a bearded dragon long before peaches was sick, and I could afford him. Yes the tank is a bit too small but I feel like symptoms would’ve showed up in a happy healthy tortoise sooner than 11 years. I got rid of the blanket but the towel will remain, it’s not hurting him. The gauge is by zoomed, not digital but accurate. Assuming that being too cold did cause the pneumonia, the temps are regulated now and peaches doesn’t get cooler than 80 degrees each day. The vet looked at the symptoms and x-rays and determined she may have pneumonia. That’s when they prescribed ceftazidime which has been working to an extent as of now. I may need to try a different medication or perhaps keep him on his current medication for a long period of time to ensure all the bacteria is gone.

 

[avasims]

Without proper room to move around and exercise, they can't keep things working properly. Don't buy more reptiles until you can afford to do right by the ones you already have. That tank is way to small for a tortoise past hatchling size. Tortoises do everything slowly, just because it has survived this long, doesn't mean it has been healthy or thriving.
Towels and blankets should not be part of a tortoises life. What type of gauge? Digital or those round puck type ones? If it's not the digital kind than that's what you need. The puck ones are not accurate. Being too cold or wet and cold are the main causes of pneumonia, if that's truly what he has. What exactly did the vet do to determine it was pneumonia?

also i’d like to add that it’s definitely not a 15 gallon tank lol. I was very wrong about that. It’s a 40 gallon.