Pneumonia

Status
Not open for further replies.

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Hi all, I just took my 2 adult Greeks to a new vet today (old one moved) because they sounded raspy and they were diagnosed with pneumonia and placed on Cefazolin (Ancef) which I have to inject once a day for two weeks. Has anyone else used this type of medication on their torts.
This vet was very, very thorough. She took her time and seemed very knowledgeable. She gave Ajax his shot and had me give Echo hers to make sure I understood how to give them. She also did a fecal sample and said no worms (Yeh :D) She said it seemed as if this had just started so it was good I got them in quickly.
But she is a new vet to me and I want only the best for them.
So what meds have your torts been given for pneumonia (upper Respiratory Tract Infections)?
 

jlyoncc1

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
2,038
Location (City and/or State)
NJ
Good Luck! Sorry I can't help, but I hope everyone feels better!
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
They are sounding better already but boy giving shots to two torts without extra hands is tuff. (wiping brow)
 

Iluvemturts

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
429
Location (City and/or State)
South Central WI
Glad to hear they are on the mend.

Nows the time you need to grow an extra arm huh:p (to help with the tort handling)
 

jlyoncc1

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
2,038
Location (City and/or State)
NJ
Where do you have to administer the injection? I have had to do injections on beardeds, but never a tort.
 

egyptiandan

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
5,788
Location (City and/or State)
USA
I've used Baytril for the past 15 years for all RIs and had great success.

Danny
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
egyptiandan said:
I've used Baytril for the past 15 years for all RIs and had great success.

Danny

When I went to give Ajax his shot this AM he still seems very wheezy and his nose is still wet. He is eating fine and I have raised his temps by about 5 degrees. I plan to contact the vet and I shot a question to another tort vet regrding the meds they are on. Have you read the info from the WCT regarding Baytril ? Made me kind of worry. http://www.chelonia.org/articles/medical_misinformation.htm
Whats your take?? Of course I guess success speaks for itself.
 

egyptiandan

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
5,788
Location (City and/or State)
USA
I have seen that before. It is bad if you don't use it correctly and for the correct problem.
I know it says that the injectionable is only for the first treatment, but giving a tortoise oral medicine is so stressful and it disrupts the gut flora.
I give lower doses every day instead of a larger dose every other day. Doing this I have never had any trouble giving the shot in the muscle of the back of the front leg. It can be painful for a few minutes, but it never lasts.
I never use it for more than 14 days in a row. If symptoms persist I give a week off with heat, than do another 7 to 14 day treatment.

Danny[/u]
 

baybay

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2007
Messages
16
I recently had to take my tort to a vet for a RI infection. they gave him 2 doses of baytril every other day. When you susspect your tort has a RI infection do you go to the vet or do you just administer the baytrill yourself? I am thinking f giving him the baytrill myself next time he has one. THanks:p
 

Cam

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
477
Location (City and/or State)
Minnesota
I can't help with any medication experience...just wanted to wish you good luck...
Should you add any extra supplements? Like the TNT with probiotics etc?
Do you have to separate them?
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
baybay - I am not experienced enough to five baytril or any other med without a vet. Perhaps Danny is more experienced but I think you have to have a prescription??

Cam - Thanks for the well wishes. I asked the vet about supplements especially with probotics she said it was not nescessary as this is not given oraly. But to make sure I soak Ajax as he is a little dehydrated and to make sure to keep him warm. I am unsure of this vet although she seemed knowlegeable I don't plan to change much as I want to make sure the meds she gave is doing what they are suppose to and not upseting his system with other things at this time. I plan to talk with her Tuesday her next day back at work.
 

Cam

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
477
Location (City and/or State)
Minnesota
You raise a question I have....How can I tell if our tort is dehydrated?
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Cam said:
You raise a question I have....How can I tell if our tort is dehydrated?

His skin looks dry and whiter than Echoes, kind of like us when we are really dry. The vet said he seemed much dryer than Echo and his neck is really flaky. Plus she said his skin lacked resilience.

"Dehydrated tortoises are usually underweight compared to a healthy specimen of similar proportions, although an obese animal may not be so. The eyes are almost always sunken, and in very acute cases, the centers of the cornea may be depressed. On manual examination, muscular tissue will lack resilience and the skin may also be unusually dry and the surface powdery. With the possible exception of cases of pneumonia, the oral mucous may be unusually viscous and turgid." by A.C. Highfield
 

Cam

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
477
Location (City and/or State)
Minnesota
Great post Crazy1, thank you for the explanation...
 

egyptiandan

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
5,788
Location (City and/or State)
USA
I do have to go through my vet to get any medications I need. I do though give all my own shots and other care.

Danny
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Ok I just got off the phone with the vet
She is swithing them to Baytil. Because they weren't getting any better.
So I pick up the Batril today.
Hopefully that will do the trick.
I will keep you posted.
 

Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
39,941
Location (City and/or State)
A Land Far Away...
You know in an odd way your lucky, even tho it's horrible to have to deal with this. You caught it early it seems and the best part is, sounds like you have a wonderful new vet to work with. Here's adding crossed fingers the baytril does it's wonders and they rapidly improve.
 

Cam

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
477
Location (City and/or State)
Minnesota
Good luck! How soon SHOULD you see improvements?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top